Chapter Five #3
“I let you walk away with someone else. I watched your light fade, slowly, for that whole time—all because of him—I just let you walk away from me.” My eyes look down at his lips again where the smile has dissipated into a serious expression.
“I went back two years ago to show you what I meant. Show you how it felt to be with someone who admired the light inside of you… protected it and never let anyone overshadow it or extinguish it.”
“You went to Ellison and Parker?”
My brain feels like it’s still catching up, and his smile perks up again, the pads of his fingers warm, resting below my ear, rubbing slow circles into the cold skin there.
“Yes, against what turned out to be my better judgment since you weren’t even there. And then I stayed there this entire time because…” His hand leaves the bricks and my neck, as he takes a step back and runs his hand across his face. “A story for another time, maybe.”
“I’m so confused.”
A laugh bubbles out of my mouth and all of the information swirls in my head. The tequila is somewhere in between it all and I’m unsure where it ends and reality begins.
“I don’t even know how you’re in front of me right now or here at all. You know I just found your pen yesterday? Literally yesterday.”
“My pen?” He looks amused and closes the distance between us once more, his hand finding my face again and rubbing right next to the dimples my smile is creating from the laughs that won’t stop spilling into the cold, quiet air around us.
“The present you gave me at graduation. I never opened it, Patrick took it, and… I don’t know, but now you’re here.” His smile falls again at the mention of Patrick’s name and my brain scrambles to find a way to get the smile back. “I like it. The pen. It’s fancy and pretty to look at.”
He rolls his lips together. “You’re pretty to look at.” His lips pull back into a smile on a sigh. “I’d make up for all the lost time and kiss you right now if I didn’t know for a fact you are probably three to five shots in and might not remember it tomorrow.”
“This will all feel like a dream regardless, so you should kiss me anyway.” I put my hands against his white shirt and press lightly into his chest, running my hand up, feeling his muscles twitch as I reach behind his neck.
His lips are so close to mine I can feel the heat radiating from them. He moves his lips to the side of my face where they graze the shell of my ear.
“I think I’ll wait until you’re sober. Our first kiss is going to be something you never forget, not something you barely remember.
” His forehead rests against mine now, his hand snaking up to his neck to grab my hand.
“And maybe when it happens, your friend won’t be eyeing us from the parking lot. ”
I glance towards the parking lot while he stares at me. Becca is doing something weird with her hips, pelvic thrusts that speed up and slow down at random intervals.
I pull my eyes back to Cal as he places a kiss onto the back of my hand. It feels like fire. His thumb brushes across my hand before setting it gently back at my side. My insides are melting. It doesn’t feel like a denial; the kiss is still hanging there, suspended between us.
Between Cal and me. Me and Cal. Cal is here in real life.
“I never thought I’d find you like this, but I will let you walk away this time. Only this one time, Max,” he is talking slower while he holds up a single finger in front of my eyes and grins. “And only because I know exactly where to find you on Monday.”
He steps back from me, looking towards the parking lot. I follow his gaze and see Becca looking up at the sky and visibly stealing glances our way. I shake my head and look back at him.
My brain is still comprehending everything that he’s said. I feel like I’m still trying to make sense of it all, but feeling more and more giddy that he is right here in front of me.
“But you said you wouldn’t let me walk away again, Callan Reed.” I step away from the wall, put a fake pout on my face, closing the distance between us again.
He reaches up with both hands, taking my face in his hands. His eyes search mine and all I want is for his lips to land on mine how they should’ve seven years ago. I want to feel the softness of them against my own… maybe taste them.
“You’re walking away to go with Becca, and I’m absolutely sure she won’t stand in my way next time. I won’t kiss you tonight, Sims.” His thumb traces my jaw, heat flooding his beautiful irises. “But when I do, it’ll be worth every second I made you wait.”
Heat rises up my legs and fills my core. I make a show of rolling my eyes, hoping he leaves his hands on my face just a little longer.
“Fine.” I huff, trying to sound annoyed even as my pulse betrays me. “But next time, I’m the one not letting you walk away.”
He steps back with a loud chuckle, shaking his head. His laugh lines make me smile. Callan. Callan is here.
“Fair enough. See you soon, Max, get home safe.”
He starts walking down the street and I wave my arm up behind me, heading in the opposite direction over to Becca, who looks like she is fully vibrating with excitement.