19. Grace
Grace
I was standing outside Caleb’s door, shuffling my feet.
I was nervous. When Caleb called to ask me if I wanted to spend the night, I jumped at the idea.
Noelle was staying with his mother, so he said he wanted to have a full day and night together.
It sounded like a good idea but the feelings he brought out in me were foreign.
All of my priorities had changed drastically since I met him.
I thought he might have been what I was searching for all this time.
Fancy cars and yachts were nothing compared to being with Caleb alone.
Alone and naked, preferably.
Caleb’s door swung open. He had a dish towel slung over his shoulder and a megawatt smile on his face. “Baby.” His smile widened farther than I thought was possible.
“Hi, handsome.” I couldn’t help but smile back. It took everything in me not to jump his bones right there in the doorway.
Caleb took my duffel bag and gestured for us to move inside. “So I made brunch. I hope you came hungry.” He set my bag down on the couch and moved into the kitchen.
“Can I help with something?” I asked, as I looked over the array of pans going on the stove. “Are you feeding an army or something?”
When I peered over to the table, I saw that Caleb was making different trays of food. Some were covered in aluminum foil, while one pan contained a frittata.
“Something like that.” He chuckled, and I looked at him questioningly.
Caleb glanced over at me and handed me a whisk. “Can you stir the berry compote for your pancakes?”
I nodded apprehensively. I’d never helped in the kitchen. I hope I don’t ruin brunch .
“You won’t,” he assured me, going back to the trays of food.
Dammit, I must have said that aloud.
“What’s with all the food?” I inquired. It seemed like a lot for just the two of us.
“I’m preparing food for the shelter tomorrow. Usually, Noelle and I go early in the morning and volunteer. But since we are spending the day together, I figured I would pop in an hour earlier, drop this stuff off, and be back before you wake up. Okay?”
Just when I thought he wasn’t perfect enough, it turned out he volunteered at a shelter and cooked food for the homeless.
In my world, you threw a check at charities and went on your merry way. Not Caleb—he took care of people.
“I have to help Keith move some furniture out of his parents’ house. It’s only a few doors away. You think you’ll be okay by yourself for a few minutes?” he asked sheepishly.
I smiled softly, nodding. “I think I’ll manage. So will the compote.”
He chuckled and kissed me on the cheek, before heading for the door.
Moments passed and I tore myself away from the stove.
I moved to the living room and peeked through the curtains covering the bay windows.
Down the street, Caleb stood beside Keith, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, his muscles flexing as he positioned a wooden dresser in his pickup truck.
Even from a distance, I could see the easy, reassuring way he interacted with people.
Patient with Keith’s older parents, jovial with Keith, and friendly to teens walking down the block.
He fit into the fabric of this town seamlessly.
I only hoped to find my place, somewhere.
I smelled the berry compote and ran to the kitchen to stir it once more.
After a little while and some scraping of the pot, Caleb was back from helping. He greeted me and went to the kitchen sink to wash his hands.
“Can I come with you tomorrow?” I blurted, not really thinking before asking.
“To the shelter? You want to come?” He paused for a minute, and I got self-conscious.
I sputtered quickly, “I don’t have to go if you don’t want me to. I just thought … it would be nice to give back for a change.” I wanted to change. Since I was already vastly out of my comfort zone, I might as well go all in.
Caleb was the epitome of a good person, and I wanted to be one too. This was a step in the right direction. A smile appeared on his face. “No, of course I would love for you to come with me. It’s just … some of these people have had it really rough and it can be hard to watch.”
I nodded, assuring him I wanted to do this.
He shut off the burners before he stepped toward me, cupped my chin in his hand, and pressed his lips to mine.
Once we broke apart, I grinned and clapped once. “I’m excited to help.”
Caleb chuckled and shook his head. “Yeah, we’ll see if you’re saying that once you have to wake up at seven a.m.”
I rolled my eyes hard and giggled.
“Did you just roll your eyes at me?” Caleb inquired, his eyebrows rising.
“Yeah?”
“Oh, that’s it,” he insisted as he threw me over his shoulder. We were on the move. “You’re gonna get it,” Caleb promised, as he smacked my ass for emphasis.
“Caleb!” l laughed, smacking his back. “What are you—put me down!”
I was still laughing as he carried me up the stairs and down the hall, before we entered his bedroom.
With full dramatic flair, he dropped me onto the bed.
I bounced once before immediately trying to scramble up, but he was already crawling over me.
Hovering like an animal would its prey. Caleb pinned me down with a devilish smile.
“No fair,” I said, breathless.
“All’s fair,” he murmured against my lips, lightly brushing them as though he was going to kiss me. But instead, he dug his fingers into my sides.
I shrieked, laughing so hard my stomach hurt as he tickled me mercilessly. I twisted under him, uselessly attempting to wiggle away. Our bodies tangled together, and the tension grew in the air, filling the gap as the laughter came to a halt. Suddenly, it wasn’t so funny anymore.
Caleb’s eyes locked on mine and his hands were still. The world felt like it stopped and then he kissed me. Hard.
His mouth crashed into mine like he’d been holding back before this moment.
It was hungry and suggestive. I could feel the weight of him, the heat of his body covering my own.
His hand slid up under my shirt, fingertips grazing bare skin, and I gasped against his mouth.
He took that opportunity to deepen our kiss, his tongue sliding against mine in a way that made my back arch off the bed.
My hands found Caleb’s hair, threading through it and gripping it impossibly tight.
He touched me like he was kissing me—rough. There was no more hesitation in the way he moved over me. Just pure, raw want and need.
I started tugging his shirt over his head and he slowed.
His hands steadied at my waist, his mouth gentler now, brushing against mine, in slow motion, making everything burn hotter.
The change in pace made me overcome with want.
I thrust up against his cock, searching for friction.
He pulled back just enough to look at me, his eyes dark, no longer the aquamarine color but a dark sky, as they searched my features.
“You okay?” he asked, his voice low and rough like he was restraining himself.
I nodded eagerly. “Yeah.”
He kissed me again with the same passion behind his kiss but slower than before. It was intentional, purposeful even. One hand slid into my hair, while the other traced my hip bone before migrating between my thighs.
“I’ve wanted this,” he whispered against my neck, before sucking on the tender skin leading up to my jawline. “You.”
I hooked my legs around his waist tighter, encouraging him with my actions. “Then take me.”
His hand slipped beneath the waistband of my jeans, brushing one finger around my clit. I whimpered when he pulled away, but he didn’t hesitate before he unbuttoned my jeans and began to drag them down slowly. “Hips up, baby.”
I obliged, watching him through lustful eyes.
He took his time sliding both my pants and panties off together, before tossing them over his shoulder.
Caleb’s mouth brushed against mine. He pushed his cock against me so my eyes rolled to the back of my head.
He only paused when he reached to peel off my top and then undo my bra clasp.
I nodded as he unwrapped me like a present.
His mouth returned to mine before trailing down my neck, across my collarbone, and lower to my breast. Caleb teased one of my nipples as I unbuttoned his jeans, slipping them down before he kicked them off.
He reached over to his nightstand, fiddling in the drawer before pulling out a condom. He held it up and smiled.
“I have an IUD,” I said, my voice shaky. “But yeah—whatever makes you comfortable.”
He rolled it on, and before I knew it, he was inside me, working his way into my body at first with slow and measured thrusts, giving me more and more each time. “God, you’re so beautiful. So wet and so fucking tight.” His eyes squeezed shut and his cock throbbed.
There was no more teasing. He pushed in deeper, causing me to yelp. In pain, in pleasure, maybe both.
“Caleb,” I whispered, running my hands down his back. “I want this. I want you.”
He practically growled and a fire seemed to start within him, causing his thrusts to go harder, deeper. My nails dug into his back as I clawed at him. He hissed in pain but didn’t relent, only drilling into me harder.
“Harder,” I groaned. I moved my hands down either side of him, loving the feel of his muscles flexing with each thrust. I pulled him closer to me, drunk on the effortless way our bodies moved together.
“Right there.” I moaned shamelessly as I spread my legs wider, taking him deeper.
Deeper to the point where I saw stars. Caleb’s face hovered over mine, his mouth barely touching mine.
Our lips grazing one another but not exactly kissing.
He rubbed against a sensitive spot once more.
My back arched involuntarily off the bed as I lost the ability to form a sentence.
“I—oh, yes— don’t stop. I’m going to—” My toes curled as my limbs became like jelly and he took me over the edge.
As though he had been waiting for me, Caleb’s eyes rolled back and his thrusts became less measured and more primal. I heard his guttural moan, as I milked him of his own release. He collapsed on top of me, spent and satiated.
All sense of time was lost as we explored one another. We didn’t leave his bed for the rest of the afternoon.