Chapter 5 #2
He wasn’t a fool. The sex had been just as good for her as it had been for him. There was no way she was faking her responses to him.
No matter what she said, she would want to get together with him again—just as he wanted her.
If she didn’t show up, then she was playing some sort of game, and women never won when they tried to play games with Caleb.
He was starting to get angry when he saw her enter. She was dressed differently tonight—wearing heels and a short, sexy dress in a striking shade of bronze. Her hair was pulled back in a loose braid that was unexpectedly sexy.
She’d obviously made an effort with her appearance, which confirmed his belief that she wasn’t indifferent to him.
She smiled distractedly when she saw him and came over, setting the beaded clutch she held on the bar.
“I was starting to wonder if you were going to come,” he said with a familiar tightening of his groin from the sight of the clear, fair skin of her neck and shoulders, the graceful lines of her arms and legs.
“I wasn’t sure myself,” she admitted. She was having trouble looking him in the eye, which was strange after the direct way she’d acted with him the day before. “I told you I never do this.”
He leaned forward, holding her eyes intentionally since her flitting gaze was starting to bug him. “So why do this now then?”
She took an odd little breath and looked him square in the eye. “I don’t really know. Just something to try, I guess.”
His smile broadened. “Sounds perfectly reasonable to me.”
“How did you get my number?” she asked after the bartender came over and she ordered red wine.
“I remembered your name from the business card, so I looked you up. Wasn’t that hard.”
“Oh.” Her eyes flickered down and then up again. There was definitely something elusive about her tonight that hadn’t been present yesterday.
It was almost like she was nervous. Women often were around him, but she hadn’t been nervous at all yesterday.
Maybe in the interim she’d found out who he was.
As if in response to the thought, she said, “Are you planning to tell me your name, or is this supposed to be truly anonymous?”
“You don’t already know it?”
“How would I already know it?” She looked a little calmer and was able to hold his gaze without wavering. “You’re not famous, are you?”
“No. I’m a businessman. But some people know who I am.”
“That’s your arrogance talking. I’m not likely to know or be impressed by a random businessman.” She reached over to skate her fingers over his shirtsleeve, which was propped on the bar. Her eyes focused on her fingers and not on his face. “So what is your name?”
“Caleb.”
“Ah. It’s nice to meet you, Caleb.”
She smelled of something light and fresh, and her face looked even more sweet and dewy in the artificial light of the bar. Her body was close to his now, tantalizing in all the little moves she made.
Tension hardened in his neck and his groin as arousal deepened. He wanted her again, and he didn’t want to chat endlessly in some pretense of civility in order to get her.
“So what do you think? Have we done the social thing long enough?”
She blinked, her lips parting slightly in lovely confusion. It took a minute for her to understand what he was asking, but her cheeks darkened when she did. “You move fast, don’t you?”
“I think I proved that yesterday.”
“Well, yeah. I was wondering if it would be different tonight.”
“Why would it be? That’s why you’re here, right? Or were you expecting simple sex to turn into some sort of saccharine romance?” His tone had an edge he hadn’t intended. He was suddenly worried that she was expecting more.
All his interest would die an instant death if he discovered she was after something serious with him.
She made a choking sound and turned her head away briefly. “You’ve got to be kidding. I thought I made that clear yesterday.”
“Sometimes things change from day to day.”
“Not this.”
“Good.” He reached over to slide his finger down a length of deep gold hair that had escaped her braid.
“No touching during the social time.” She teased him lightly, playfully batting his hand away.
He moved his hand back, relaxing into the kind of rivalry they’d enjoyed yesterday in the park. “I thought the social time was over.”
“That was just wishful thinking on your part. I never agreed to that timetable.”
“So what’s your timetable?” He leaned forward so he was hovering over her, using his size to make her feel his presence.
Her breath quickened, so he knew she felt it. “I’m not sure yet.”
“Well, decide quickly—because there’s something about you, something about the untouched look of you, that makes me really want to touch.” The gravelly texture of his voice was genuine. He was intensely aroused now and having trouble not grabbing her and pressing himself against her.
She slowly lifted her hands until they were resting on his shoulders. He took this as an invitation and moved his face so his lips were just a breath away from hers. “So the social time is over?” he murmured.
She was breathing so fast she was almost panting, and he could feel the urgent tension in her body. She was as turned on as he was. He felt a surge of pleasure at that thought.
Suddenly she pushed him away. “I’m sorry,” she choked out, grabbing her clutch and straightening to her feet. “I can’t do this.”
Caleb froze for a moment, watching her walking away from him, stumbling slightly as she did so.
What the hell? She was leaving him like this? She looked upset. On the verge of tears.
And he’d done absolutely nothing.
When he registered the situation, he experienced a wave of annoyance and frustration. Women didn’t just walk out on him like this, certainly not without explanation.
So he followed her. He would never pressure her into doing anything—that was the refuge of a lesser man—but he would at least get an explanation.
“What are you doing?” he demanded, falling into step with her in the lobby of the hotel.
“I told you. I’m leaving.”
He reached out to grab her arm to keep her from going any farther. “But why? You can’t tell me you don’t want me too.”
“I don’t—” She shook her head roughly. “It’s too complicated. But I don’t want to be here anymore. Please let me go.”
He almost groaned in exasperation and resisted the urge to shake the truth out of her. Instead, he said mildly, “At least let me walk you to your car.”
She shot him a quick look but then nodded mutely.
They walked down the sidewalk toward her car in silence. The moon shone on her face, and he noticed long strands of hair slipping out of her loose braid.
Despite the murmuring resentment, he was once more aware of his intense attraction for her. His body stirred again as he studied her out of the corner of his eye. He noticed her supple lips, the trace of nipples through the fabric of her dress, the unconscious swing of her hips.
He waited for her to say something, explain why she’d suddenly broken the way she had—as if something was driving her that he was completely oblivious to. But she never did. She walked in complete silence, and it would be a defeat for him to break the silence himself.
Eventually they made it to her car. He’d taken note of it yesterday. Expensive. Not ostentatious. Most likely paid for by the inheritance from her wealthy parents.
“All right,” she said with an obvious conclusion in her voice. She stood next to the driver’s side door and stared at him impatiently. “Thanks. Sorry the night didn’t turn out the way we thought.”
He pressed his lips together, fighting back annoyance at her stubbornness and at how she was blatantly trying to get rid of him when it was quite clear that she still wanted him.
“Tell me what’s wrong, Kelly.” He paused for her to answer, but she didn’t.
“If you need some sort of help, then tell me.”
She rolled her eyes in exasperation. “I don’t want your help. I don’t even know you.” She focused on his face with a strangely tired gaze. “You’re not someone I’d turn to for help.”
She didn’t know him, which meant she didn’t trust him. He didn’t know or trust her either. But he was fascinated, and he was sure now that she was in some sort of trouble, which would explain her strange reactions to him.
Caleb hated not knowing things, especially things that affected him in any way.
Kelly was still staring, waiting for him to walk away. As if he would just do what she wanted him to do without question. Finally she said, “I’m more stubborn than you are, and I don’t have anywhere I need to be tonight. I can wait you out.”
Caleb stared back at her for a minute until he was forced to admit that she wasn’t going to cave. It didn’t matter. He was flexible. He could work with her infuriating refusal to talk to him.
He could still get the answers he needed. He’d have to do it in a different way.
“All right,” he said softly. “I’ll leave. Take care of yourself.”
Kelly blinked as if he’d surprised her, then she nodded. “You too.”
She wouldn’t move until Caleb had turned around and started walking away from her.
His back to her, Caleb headed in the direction of his building. He felt irrationally angry at being dismissed by her this way. No one had treated him like that in years.
He had almost made it half a block when he heard her scream.
Whirling around, he automatically assessed the situation. Saw two figures next to Kelly’s car, apparently pulling her out of the driver’s seat.
“Hey!” he shouted, sprinting back down the block.
It was an instinctive response. He hadn’t thought it through and then decided on the best option. He’d simply seen danger and reverted into crisis mode.
He ran toward her at full speed. Didn’t think. Adrenaline coursed through his body as his feet pounded on the sidewalk.
She was struggling with one of the men now, clearly trying to free herself from the attackers.