Chapter 16 Callum #2
While she was gone, I put the dishes in the sink. Cut pieces of brownie and scooped oat milk ice cream from the carton I’d bought. All the while lecturing myself about what was not going to happen. If I kissed her, it could screw a lot of things up.
But it could still be worth it, a very dumb part of me said. The devil in my pants.
“Ice cream too?” she asked, joining me in the kitchen. “I’m going to gain a million pounds around you. Especially if any of this ends up on the Hearthstone menu.”
“I’m sure it’ll look great on you. Like everything else does.”
“Stop flirting, Callum.” But her words lacked their usual bite.
I picked up our bowls. “Dining table? Or living room?”
With her eyes averted, she said, “Living room. I like to curl up on the couch while I’m having dessert.”
“Like a cat?”
“Shut up.” Again, zero bite. “Are you watching any shows on Netflix?”
Totally a date, my rebellious side cheered. “I could put on a movie.”
“Okay. I’ll grab the wine.”
“Perfect.” My heart took off like I was running a 5K. And my cock was imagining Zandra and me cozying up, which was not supposed to happen. She was my competition. I had to be selfish.
But keeping my distance wasn’t the particular way I wanted to be selfish right now.
I carried the bowls of dessert to the living room, while Zandra brought over our wine glasses. We settled onto the couch. I grabbed the Netflix remote and switched it on. “Rom com?” I asked. “Or action?”
“I’m good with anything.” But when I clicked on something, she made a cute sound of protest. “Not that. A serial killer documentary? No.”
“I can comfort you if it’s scary.”
“But there’s good scared and bad scared, and your creepy killer show is the latter for me.”
I nudged her with my arm. “Pick something then. You’re so fussy.”
After a couple more minutes of arguing, we settled on an action romantic comedy. The dialogue was awful from minute one, but I wasn’t paying that much attention. We finished our dessert—delicious—and then sipped wine while things exploded and the movie leads traded quips.
Zandra folded up her legs, bringing them closer to me. I widened my knees, wishing I wasn’t wearing long sweatpants so our skin would touch.
But after a few more scenes in the movie, she was pressed in close enough that her arm draped over mine. Her laughter went to my head far more than the wine.
Whatever was happening right now, I didn’t want it to end.
Unfortunately, I’d picked a short movie. Those ninety minutes had gone way too fast. “Another one?” I asked. “I think there’s a sequel.”
“If there is, I can’t take it. Thanks, though. For the whole evening. This has been fun.”
“If it had been a date, it would’ve been fucking amazing. Admit it.”
“Fine. I admit it. It would’ve been a really good date.”
I pretended to glance around the living room. “I don’t even have an audience to witness this. My first real, official date, and I aced it.”
“Not a date.”
“Yeah, yeah. That’s for the best anyway. Because if this really were a date, then the next thing I would do is kiss you.”
She opened her mouth again, like she was about to tell me all the ways I was an arrogant prick. Our usual banter, which was pretty enjoyable in itself.
But instead of all the protests and indignation I expected, she started leaning in. Then stopped so close I could feel her exhale on my skin.
You’re playing with fire, I told myself. But fuck it. I was trained for that, wasn’t I?
“Zandra,” I whispered. “Do you want me to kiss you?”
“No.”
“Okay.”
Her gaze flicked down to my lips. “I don’t.”
But she didn’t back away. Didn’t get up. Didn’t put one single centimeter between her body and mine. Instead, she seemed to vibrate with wanting.
Or maybe that was me.
In that moment, I didn’t care about Hearthstone. Didn’t give a damn about bad ideas or two-month trials. This was complicated and messy and exactly what I’d said I wouldn’t do.
But if Zandra wanted it, I didn’t care about any of that. I would’ve given just about anything to taste that mouth.
Then she was the one who closed the last inch. And suddenly, her soft lips were on mine.
Fuck. Yes.
I stroked into her mouth with my tongue, and Zandra melted into me like warm sugar. When I tugged her closer, she came willingly, her hands fisting my shirt.
The kiss was everything. Slow and deep. Hot and desperate. Nothing tentative or testing about it. No, we kissed like we’d been building toward exactly this for a long damn time.
To my surprise, she pushed me onto my back. I bounced against the couch cushions. My mouth opened to make some teasing comment about how she didn’t need to get rough with me. She could have anything she wanted.
But Zandra was already crawling over me, fusing our lips again.
After a while, my arms circled her waist, and I flipped us so I was on top. Hadn’t even broken the kiss. She moaned and arched into me, her thigh brushing the thickening length in my sweats, and I thought I might lose my mind.
I wanted her naked. Writhing beneath me. My cock pumping inside her, driving us both wild in every position until we couldn’t take anymore.
Then just as suddenly, she was pushing me back, forcing enough space between us that she could slip off the couch and scramble away.
“Z?”
“I need to go,” she said, breathless and panicked.
I sat up. “Zandra, wait.”
“I can’t do this.” She was already on her feet, heading for the front door.
“Okay, that’s…fine.” A shake of my head brought me back to reality. “We don’t have to do anything. But—”
“I’m sorry. I just need to go.”
“Then I’ll drive you home.” If I could just get a handle on this raging tent in my sweatpants first.
“I can walk.”
The hell? “Come on, Z. Just wait for me.” But she shoved her feet into her shoes, grabbed her bag, and was out the door. Still wearing my clothes and practically running down the driveway.
Fuck. Fuck.
Not even bothering with shoes, I palmed my keys and followed. Her silhouette was visible partway down the block. She hadn’t gotten far.
Jumping into my truck, I drove slowly down the street and buzzed my window down when I reached her. “Get in.”
“I’m fine walking.”
“It’s dark out, and your aunt’s place is a mile away. Get in.”
She must have heard something in my voice, because she stopped and climbed into the passenger seat.
“Look, Z, I’m sorry if I—”
She shook her head sharply. “We’re not talking about it.”
“Are you serious?”
“Deadly.”
Oh-kay. Play with fire, and you might get burned. But my mouth wouldn’t stay shut. “It’s okay that you changed your mind. Alright? I’m not mad. Just to be clear.”
“I know that.”
“It was a great kiss too, for what it’s worth.”
“Callum.”
“Also, you kissed me, if you recall. You started it, not me. Like the food fight.”
“And it’s never happening again,” she said firmly. “Can you drive now please?”
I pulled away from the curb. “I mean, it could happen. Only if you want it to.”
Silence.
When we reached Rosie’s house, Zandra jumped out before I’d even put the truck in park. “Never mention this,” she said through the open door.
“Zandra, come on—”
She slammed the truck door and hurried up the walkway. I waited until she was safely inside, the porch light casting a warm glow as she disappeared through the front door.
I sat there for a long moment, trying to figure out what the hell had just happened.