CHAPTER 18 #3
“It’s not over yet,” he reminded me, and before I could react, he pulled.
I gasped in shock and frustration as I was dragged down with him, landing half across his chest, one hand braced against his shoulder to stop myself. I let my guard down too early, I realised.
The impact knocked the breath from me for a second, but it wasn’t what held me there. That was Cal, the way he was looking at me when I met his eyes. There was this stillness around us, and it felt charged.
My hair had come loose, strands brushing against his skin and he pushed it back gently as his other hand remained at my waist - firm, steady, holding me in place without forcing it - not that he would ever need to.
Despite my annoyance that he got me down too, I was right where I wanted to be in that moment.
I could feel the heat of him under me, solid and unyielding strength.
My heart rate sped up and I swallowed deeply, suddenly very aware of everything - the rise and fall of Cal’s chest, the warmth of his hand, the way his eyes had dropped to my mouth. It was intense, and I knew there was no way I was letting Cal up until he kissed me.
“No denying I got you this time,” I pointed out breathily.
His gaze lifted back to mine and he smiled.
“No. I concede. You got me.”
“Then I want my prize,” I told him plainly.
He didn’t say anything else, he just kissed me, and it wasn’t slow like the kisses we had shared before. No, this time it was all passion.
It hit me like something breaking open, and heat rushed through me violently as his mouth pressed to mine, sudden and intense.
For a split second it caught me off guard, but I was no fool.
I dove in with fervour, kissing him back with everything I had.
My fingers tightened against his shoulder as the moment deepened, sharp and electric.
His hand tightened slightly at my waist, pulling me closer, and I didn’t resist. I wanted everything he would give me right there, right then. Hopefully, Arran would stop standing like a wall flower and join us at some point too.
“Cara? Rafe’s back!” Dio called loudly down the stairs, bringing the moment to a sudden and unwanted halt.
It cut straight through everything and I jerked backwards, breath uneven, my thoughts scrambling to catch up with reality. Rafe was home and he could not find us like this.
Rafe knew there was something between Cal and I.
He even seemed alright about that fact, but he didn’t know about Dio or Arran, and we had all decided it was best not to broach the truth with him until he was much more fully healed.
Dio was sure Rafe would lose his shit when we told him, and we all worried he would worsen his injuries if that happened.
So we were all back to sneaking around for the most part, and that sucked!
I pushed myself upright, my hand flying to my hair, as my anxiety surged back at me in waves. Back to reality.
“Perfect timing.” Arran pushed off the wall, laughing under his breath.
He reached a hand out to me and I took it, letting him help me to my feet. As soon as I was up he pulled me into his arms and held me for a moment.
“Breathe, darlin’. Everything’ll work out in the end. We’ve just to bide our time fer a wee while first,” he assured me.
I let out a shaky breath, trying, and failing, to sound like I wasn’t completely freaking out about having to go back to not having full contact with Dio and Arran.
“I know. I’m going to miss this though,” I admitted as I clung to him. “I hate sneaking around. I love you, Arran. I want to be able to say that proudly.”
“We all decided, Cara. Rafe’s not strong enough to hear the truth right now. We’ll tell him when he’s up to it,” Cal said as he stood and surrounded me from behind, sandwiching me between them both.
“And I’ll still be here. We just need to be more discreet is all. I’m no’ leavin’ yer, lass. I’ll still be close whenever ye need me.”
Footsteps moved overhead, the normal world pressing back in. The bubble around me burst completely and I knew I had no choice but to carry on.
But in one last ditch attempt to gather strength I reached up onto my tiptoes and slammed my lips down over Arran’s. He held me close and kissed me hard and fast, just as I needed him to.
“I love you so much,” I told him as I pulled away, but kept myself pressed against him.
“Hey, yer acting like this is goodbye,” Arran told me. “I’ll be in yer bed, right beside ye, just like last night, in just a few hours from now. I just told ye, I’m no’ going anywhere.” He pulled me close holding me tighter. “And I love ye too, ye daft wee thing.”
I laughed through the few tears that had slipped free and nodded.
He was right. I was being dramatic, but I had only survived the last week, and well before that if I were honest, because Cal, Arran, and Dio had been close.
I was happy that Rafe was home – more happy than I could ever express – but it also meant losing what I had built with Dio and Arran for a while, and I hated that.
They were mine, and I didn’t want to have to stay away from them, or them, me.