Chapter Seven
Keely wandered around the living room of the loft.
She was still internally reeling from seeing Caine with his shirt off.
It shouldn’t have come as any shock that his body was perfection.
Even through his suits, it was obvious he was in shape and fit.
The close proximity to his bed and state of undress was probably the reason, she was tightening her thighs, fighting against her heart racing and gawking at him like he was her last meal.
Playing it cool was not her strong suit.
And she’d proven that thirty minutes ago.
There had been minimal conversation when he’d emerged from his bedroom in dark jeans and a T-shirt.
Even dressed casual, he looked incredible.
Caine took her order and placed it, adding two extra meals.
She half wondered if they’d have someone else joining them.
This was all so weird. Caine could’ve easily dropped her off at her house and been done with her.
Instead, he brought her home and was feeding her.
She’d had strange nights, but this topped the list. And I can’t wait to share it with Charley.
The events of this evening required a girls’ night.
But Keely wasn’t opposed to a little tease. She quickly typed.
Keely: You’ll never guess where I am!
When the elevator pinged, she tucked her phone in her pocket. Caine had gone downstairs to collect the food five minutes ago. The doors opened, and he walked out, holding two bags.
“It smells amazing.”
Caine didn’t even look over at her. He rounded the wall into the kitchen. He was impossible to understand, and it only made Keely more intrigued.
She peeked around the corner. Caine had all the food spread over the counter. Her meal was in front of one of the barstools with a napkin, fork, and knife. It was all so domesticated. The only thing missing was a placemat.
“How much do I owe you?”
The simple, innocent question earned her a deeply rooted scowl.
“Nothing.” He grumbled, barely acknowledging her.
The man was a walking contradiction. One minute he’s barely speaking to her and the next he’s buying her dinner?
She sat and dug into her meal. The minute the pad Thai touched her lips, she moaned.
She’d never ordered from this particular restaurant, but their food blew away the competition on her side of the city.
She eagerly took another bite, moaning once again.
Keely was a lover of food and was very vocal about it.
She licked her lips, looking up at Caine.
His stare went right through her. It lacked the annoyance or aggravation usually associated when he dealt with her.
His eyes scanned her face, lingering over her lips.
There was an unfamiliar heat radiating from his dark gaze, though she had caught a sliver on the sidewalk at the restaurant and most recently, in his bedroom.
She noticed Caine hadn’t touched his food. Keely pointed her fork, gesturing to his plate.
“You’re not hungry?”
Caine didn’t answer, continuing to stare. This may have been oddly creepy for another woman, but Keely was acutely aware of the effect his eyes was having on her body. She crossed her legs, shifting in her seat. Is this what people mean by eye fucking?
Keely had minimal experience with men, especially reading social cues from them.
It wasn’t where she shined with the opposite sex.
Keely wasn’t sure if he was sending a message and she couldn’t interpret it, or if she was reading into the situation.
Either way, she was enjoying his undivided attention, even if he hadn’t spoken a word.
“So, no roommates, huh?” She wiped her mouth with her napkin.
“Lucky you. I have three. It’s not that bad.
Except forgoing privacy. But it’s cheap since we split rent between the four of us.
” She glanced over her shoulder scanning the living room and calculating the square footage.
It had to be at least a thousand, maybe fifteen hundred.
“This place must cost a lot. How much is your rent?”
“I own it.”
Damn!
She raised her brows, dipping her fork into her food. “Nash must pay you well.”
“Or maybe I just don’t spend my money on stupid shit.” Caine eyed her pocketbook on the counter. It was a multi-colored clutch with gemstone beading and feather tassels. Obviously, he wasn’t fashion forward and didn’t appreciate eclectic taste.
Is that a dig? That was definitely a personal dig. It was presumptuous of him to think she frivolously spent her money. He wasn’t wrong, but not knowing her and only assuming came off as an insult. She pointed to her bag.
“I got it for a steal.”
His brows dipped. “If you paid any money for that you got ripped off.”
While she could’ve done without the insult, she always appreciated a good comeback.
Keely burst out laughing, shook her head, and moved her plate farther away. She rested her elbows on the island and cocked her head. “So enlighten me. What do you spend your money on?” She paused, glancing down at her plate, then smiled. “Besides feeding starving women.”
Caine seemingly ignored her inquiry, slowly shifted his gaze to his plate, grabbed his fork, and started eating.
Keely hummed, “Well, if you won’t tell me then I’ll just have to guess.
” She leaned back on the stool, peering around.
“Let’s see. Besides the obvious being your loft, you have a lot of workout equipment, and you drive a really nice SUV.
You always dress sharp, so you must spend a lot of money on your suits.
Your furniture is very cool, so I’m thinking you must get it from one of those specialty shops.
And” —she paused— “You have a really big bed.”
Caine stilled, lifting a forkful of noodles to his mouth. Yeah, I noticed it. He refused to look at her and seemed to once again ignore the comment.
“And let’s not forget gum.”
Of all the things she pointed out, this one had his head jerking up.
“Don’t deny it. Every time I see you, you’re chewing it. What’s your flavor of choice? I myself am a spearmint kind of girl.” When he didn’t answer, she snorted. “C’mon Caine. I’m not asking for personal info like your social security number. It’s just gum.”
He straightened from the counter, grabbed her plate, and cleaned them off before putting them in the dishwasher.
This conversation was officially over. From her kitchen stool, she could see almost everything. There was a bathroom across the hall, and she excused herself.
Keely took longer than she needed. She was trying to come up with reasons to delay her departure.
I got nothing. She walked out of the bathroom, and Caine stood pouring a drink with his back to her.
She veered around the counter, coming up next to him.
When she was a foot away, his shoulders tensed as if he’d sensed she was close.
Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Again, I have no clue.
“Thanks for dinner. I think I’ve found my new favorite place for pad Thai.” She snorted. “It’ll be a bitch to get through the city in traffic but definitely worth it.”
Caine slowly turned, resting against the counter.
He lifted his glass, staring at her over the rim.
Heat spread over her skin. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so wildly attracted to a man.
If ever. There was something different about Caine.
Quiet, lowkey, and mysterious wasn’t her usual type.
Being an extrovert extraordinaire, she meshed well with guys who shared a similar personality.
“I should go,” she said, waiting on him to insist she stay.
He didn’t. It was definitely time to go.
Keely rounded the counter, and grabbed her pocketbook, hooking it over her shoulder.
“Can you give me the address? I’ll call a car service. You don’t have to drive me.”
Keely waited, watching Caine place the glass on the counter and circle around the island.
He didn’t say a word, but he was stalking toward her with a feral glaze in his eyes.
She sucked in a breath and pressed her back into the corner edge.
Caine reached out, bracing his hands on the counter, caging her in.
He leaned closer, and she heard a faint rumbling from his chest.
“Say no.”
What? Keely shrugged with a soft confused chuckle. It was a nervous tick. Being so close in proximity had her mind racing, and she wasn’t in the headspace for riddles.
“Say no to what?”
Caine’s jaw squared as his eyes skimmed over her face. “Me taking you to my bed.”
Oh. My. God. Her mouth fell open, and for the first time in her twenty-four years on this earth, she was speechless. Taking her to his bed, as in having sex? Was this an invitation or a warning?
Keely slid her fingers over his forearms, whispering, “Yes.”
“Fuck,” he muttered then straightened. Keely thought he’d walk away. Instead, he wrapped his hands over her neck, and his mouth came down hard on hers.
His lips were softer than she’d expected, and his beard scruff brushing against her skin only intensified the effect he was having on her. Keely gripped his waist, feeling his muscles constrict. She’d gotten a peek earlier, but nothing compared to having her hands on him. The man had zero body fat.
She dipped her tongue between his lips, sliding over his tongue. God, this man can kiss. Caine’s hands spread over her collarbone, dropping down to her breasts, and she jutted her chest forward into his palms. Even through two layers, his touch was setting her blood on fire.
He gripped the edge of her sweater, lifting it over her head, and she raised her arms. Her hair must’ve looked like a static mess. She patted it down but quickly noticed Caine’s focus was on her breasts.
Keely had busted out her best undergarments for her date. Just in case. It turned out to be the best decision she’d made. She leaned closer, skimming her lips over his bearded jaw and up to his ear, whispering. “The panties match.”