CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Callie:Hi, Ridge. Did I tell you that I had a really great time tonight? If I forgot, now you know. It was extraordinary. There’s just one thing that could’ve gone better.
My fingers fly across the screen in my rush to solve this grievance.
Me:tell me what went wrong
Callie:Oh, gosh. Don’t worry. It’s not that serious. I just thought you might do this one thing at the end of our date, but you didn’t. You’re always saying I’m not ready. Maybe that’s why you’re waiting. I think I could be ready for this. In fact, the idea of it gets me rather… excited.
The phone almost cracks in my grip.
Me:are you gonna tell me what’re you ready for, sweetness?
Callie:I’m not sure if I can be so bold.
Me:would it help if I said please
Callie:Maybe.
Me:please tell me, love. I’ll put extra sugar on top
Callie:Love? Now I’m really trying not to panic.
Me:you said it wasn’t that serious
Callie:It isn’t. Or wasn’t. Especially not for you. But you called me love and that makes me even more eager.
Me:I’m going to need you to tell me before I assume the worst
Callie:Okay, here it goes.
My heart thunders as I wait for her next message. I’ve never needed her words more than this moment. But the silence mocks me.
Me:did I lose you?
Callie:No. Never. I’d been working up the nerve to admit that I was hoping you would’ve kissed me at the end of our date.
I blink at the screen. It takes far too long for her request to process. Once the shock computes into sense, I’m swiping at my screen for her number.
Her breathy exhale is the first to greet me. “Ridge?”
“Sweetness,” I rumble in return.
“Um, hi. I wasn’t expecting you to call me.”
“And I wasn’t expecting you to tell me that I should’ve kissed you.”
Her gulp is audible. “Is that bad?”
“No, it’s the total opposite. But there’s a problem.”
“What?”
“Now all I’ll be able to think about is kissing you. I won’t be able to rest until it happens.”
“That sounds challenging.” She pauses. “Maybe you should… come over.”
I’m off the couch in an instant. “On my way.”
“Really? That was fast,” she giggles.
“I’m a very motivated man.” The soles of my bare feet scrape against concrete and stone until I stop at the bottom of her porch stairs. “Were you serious?”
“Yes.”
“Then come outside.”
She appears in the doorway a moment later. The glow from the overhead lamp gives her an ethereal appearance. It’s only fitting seeing as she’s the one who restored my faith in genuine goodness. My own personal angel sent from above.
Then my gaze lowers to notice she’s still wearing my jersey. She’s removed her jeans, and the hem hangs long enough to hide whatever she has on underneath. Maybe nothing. That thought, along with the sight of her bare legs, could bring me to my knees. I’d go down willingly.
For now, I go dizzy with need and reach for the railing. The wood creaks from my weight. “Were you already in bed?”
“Yes.”
“You’re going to sleep in that?”
Callie fiddles with a patch near the bottom edge. “Uh-huh. It’s very comfy.”
The once-sturdy banister is ripped from the boards. “Shit.”
Her eyes widen as the piece dangles free. “Are you okay?”
“Too soon to tell,” I rasp.
She descends the first two steps and then remains standing on the last one. This puts us at a similar height and within touching distance. Only a few inches separate us either way. I lift my arm slowly toward her waist, giving her plenty of opportunity to dodge my advance. A thrum pulses through me when she doesn’t stop me. On the contrary, Callie sways forward to accept my embrace at her middle.
My fingers clutch at the mesh fabric near her ass while I cradle her face with the other palm. “You’ve never been kissed, huh?”
She gasps and her cheek burns hotter beneath my touch. “No, of course not.”
“But you want to be?”
The stars above reflect in her open gaze. “Yes.”
“And you want to grant me the honor of being your first?”
“Yes,” she repeats.
My thumb tugs at her bottom lip to free the flesh from between her teeth. “Have you pictured this?”
“More often than I should admit.” She tips her chin up as if seeking my mouth.
It takes every shred of my willpower to not surrender. “How do you think it will feel?”
“I’m not sure. Show me,” she urges.
“Tell me first.”
Callie’s tongue pokes out, weakening my resolve. “I have very little to go on, boyfriend.”
“Just humor me.”
“Fine,” she relents. “For you, I’ll be foolish and take a guess.”
“You could never look foolish to me. Would it make you more comfortable if I told you first?”
“Very much so.”
I swallow the itch that demands instant gratification. “The moment our lips touch, I’ll discover paradise. This restlessness inside of me will finally be calmed. Your energy will consume me. More so than now. That untapped source will fuel my entire being. Breathe life into me. Grant me worthy. Give me renewed purpose. I’ll feel everything I’ve been missing. More than that, I’ll be gifted everything I didn’t realize I’ve been surviving without.”
Callie is silent for several moments. Her gaze dips to my mouth. “Are you real?”
“Wanna pinch me and find out?”
Her giggle is pure elation. “No, but can I copy your answer? I can’t do better than that.”
“Just try. For me,” I plead.
She hums before shutting her eyes. After a brief pause, she flutters her lashes and stares at me again. “Our kiss will be a thrill I’ve never experienced. I imagine it like standing on a cliff with my arms spread wide, letting the wind tunnel through my hair. A gentle breeze that gains momentum through our connection. I’m free to fly and soar and reach new heights.”
“Damn,” I exhale. “That sounds incredible.”
She nods. “Will you kiss me now?”
“I think so.” Yet I force myself to remain disciplined and strive for a measured pace.
An impatient huff escapes her. “You’re teasing me.”
Before I can soothe her upset,Callie rises onto the balls of her feet and presses her lips to mine. Shock barrels through me, keeping me stiff and unresponsive. The kiss is chaste and soft and over before I can react.
Her eyes avoid mine as she retreats, lowering until her heels return to the floor. “I couldn’t wait any longer.”
The uncertainty in her voice punches me straight in the gut. A pit forms there and guilt swoops in. Dammit, I’ve failed her. And that’s unacceptable.
With the arm that’s still cinched around her waist, I haul her against me. Our mouths meet in a clash of fire and passion. Her posture is rigid for a split second before she melts into my embrace.
I fight against the frantic urgency to push for more. It’s vital that Callie is comfortable, and we progress at her pace. She’s timid at first. Her lips barely move over mine. That gentle exploration is more than enough to provoke me.
An electric zap surges through my veins and I groan into her. The erratic pulse in my ears derails my composure. I feel clumsy and sloppy, as if I’m a novice and this is my first kiss too. It might as well be. Everything prior to Callie fades into a forgotten heap. All that’s left is us. The significance isn’t lost on me. This woman is the only one who can satisfy me, as if I wasn’t already certain.
That realization sets me in motion. I’m on a mission to make this experience unforgettable for her as well. The palm I have on her jaw begins to roam. My fingers drift to her neck, then travel to her nape before settling on the back of her head in an attempt to stay grounded. Callie mewls at the change in angle this position presents.
I inhale her gasp, using the opportunity to slide my tongue along hers. She falters at the sensation while I indulge in her taste. Vanilla explodes across my senses, and I’m consumed by her, just as predicted. She experimentally licks at me. A delicate push and pull begins. Soon enough, our rhythm syncs into a smooth glide.
Heat spreads between us. Each stroke of her tongue is hotter than liquid flames. It’s no surprise I’m instantly obsessed and want more of her warmth. My palm at her waist tugs until she’s pressed flush against me. I clench the other hand into a fist to stop myself from overpowering her completely. She whimpers when that action yanks her hair at the roots. Fear sluices down my spine in an icy chill. My desire is too raw and exposed. I’m liable to scare her at this rate. But she shocks me by grabbing the front of my shirt and using that as an anchor to hold me tighter.
She bumps her hips forward as we sip at each other. I don’t require further encouragement, but her tiny movements only entice me. My palm grasps her ass to bring us impossibly closer. A blissful sigh welcomes my affection. Her enthusiasm ignites my lust to burn.
Our motions become frantic, tapping into what I’ve kept pent up. She digs her nails into me until it stings. I relish the bite of pain. An inferno blazes in my blood. Hunger becomes ravenous. The last strand of control snaps and heads south.
Callie might be inexperienced, but there’s no mistaking my cock for anything other than blatant arousal. I muffle a grunt when she nudges me there. If she repeats the process, I’ll be tempted to wrap her legs around me and dry fuck us into oblivion. Either that or I’ll explode in my pants.
Rather than grind myself against her like a horny teenager with zero stamina, I pry my mouth from hers in an act of sheer restraint. I rest my forehead against hers while trying to gather my frayed bearings. Labored breaths slice in and out of me at a pace better served from running a sprint. Callie doesn’t shy away, but her blush would be visible even in the pitch dark.
“Oh, my.” There’s no describing her expression as anything other than dazed. “That’s how a first kiss is meant to be shared.”
“Was it everything you were expecting?”
She shakes her head. “So much more. Everything I imagined can’t compare. You’ve blown my expectations again.”
A contented rumble is my initial response. “Likewise, sweetness. Not that I had any doubts.”
There’s a brief pause where we just admire each other after crossing this line. Her accelerated exhales bathe my lips that are wet from our kiss. I cup her cheek and she turns her lips into my palm. Her mouth drags along my skin.
“Thank you,” she murmurs against my wrist.
“If anyone should be voicing appreciation, it’s me. Somehow, you soothe this unfulfilled want caged inside of me.” I rest her palm flat at the center of my chest. “You give me peace.”
She stares at her hand that’s planted on me. “Just from a kiss?”
“In addition to everything else.” I tug on the jersey that’s caressing her curves. “It’s your effect on me.”
She presses two fingers to her swollen lips. “Is it always like this?”
“I wouldn’t know.”
“Don’t pretend you haven’t kissed others.”
“Whatever happened before you doesn’t clog wasted space in my memory.”
Her scoff coasts along the evening wind. “I’m not that naive.”
“Believe me, sweetness.” I press my mouth to her warm cheek. “After seeing you, nobody else matters. Simple as that.”
Callie leans into my touch. “I think you might be my dream come true.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah,” she confirms.
“That’s good, sweetness.” I kiss her again and murmur against her lips, “I’m certain you’re mine.”