29. Callie
twenty-nine
Callie
For the last two days, I have increased my Epsom salt baths, alternated heat and ice packs on my lower back and butt throughout the day, and have gone through an entire tube of arnica cream trying to reduce the bruising and residual pain on my injured body.
I lied when I told Eli I was fine after he groped my ass. Truth is, it did hurt. But the pleasure from his tight grip as I rode his cock far outweighed my discomfort. I wanted him to keep going.
Unfortunately, Eli is overprotective and has been treating me with kid gloves. All we do is kiss and snuggle. My sexual frustration is off the charts. I have a ticking time bomb between my legs, and if Eli doesn’t fuck me soon, I’m going to explode.
If I have to be sexually frustrated, so does he. So, as punishment, I’ve upped my seduction game.
I wake up and press my ass into his cock, getting it nice and hard, before I slide out of bed and put on my workout shorts and sports bra. Then, I go do my yoga and stretching, making sure my ass or boobs point in Eli’s direction whenever he enters the room. I find every way to lean over and shove my boobs in his face to grab things behind him. I’ve also resorted to kissing him just long enough to get him hard before walking away and leaving him wanting more.
But he still hasn’t cracked.
Plopping on the bed as hard as I can, I bounce up and down, testing my pain threshold. I slap my ass and squeeze. Nothing. My hope is that if I’m not in pain, he will finally touch me. The horny vixen in me excitedly slides down her stripper pole with a flourish at the prospect of getting naked with Eli.
Between the make-out sessions and snuggling, I’m a raw, horny-as-hell nerve ending waiting to snap. Every touch, every kiss, every smile... There aren’t enough self-induced orgasms in the world that can help me take the edge off.
Which is why today is the day I’m leveling up my game after my workout. My plan is to reenact the towel and the shower scheme Rylann told me about. I can’t wait any longer. I need Eli to spread my legs open, slide his enormous cock inside me, and fuck me already.
My clit tingles, and my pussy gets wet just thinking about Eli’s hard body pressed against mine as he impales me with his dick, over and over.
I shove my dirty thoughts away and head into the living room. Pushing the coffee table to the side, I start my dance warmup. I’m excited to test out my body and see where I’m at in my recovery. Taking a deep breath, I bring my feet parallel and bend over to touch my toes, testing my flexibility. Once I’m warm and ready, I work through the moves for one of my songs. I start slowly, but as I get more comfortable with the movements, I pick up my pace.
Eli left a while ago to pick up breakfast and to, in his words, run a few errands. Since grope-gate, he’s been a little cagey and way overprotective. Don’t get me wrong, it’s hot when he gets all growly and controlling, but I need more. That starts with proving to him I am on the mend.
Today is the first day I’m attempting choreography. While I love being away from it all, I’m losing time with my team for us to be ready for the concert tour. Even though I don’t want to perform three nights a week in front of thousands of strangers, I signed a contract, and I’ll be damned if I don’t put every ounce of hard work into making it the best show I can.
The door swings open as I drop into a side split. Eli’s eyes bug out of his head as he sweeps them up and down my body, lingering on the seam of my shorts that runs through my slit. He makes a face I’ve never seen before, but it sets my skin on fire. The air in my lungs catches as he brings his hooded, lust-filled gaze to mine.
“Hey.” My voice is raspy and thick with similar emotions.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Eli slams the door shut with a growl as he places the bags in his hands on the floor.
“Dancing,” I snap back.
Eli narrows his eyes at me. Gone is the lust that burned for me seconds ago. His tone is uncalled for, but my body does not get the message and vibrates with energy and anticipation, soaking my core and my shorts.
“I know you’re dancing, Callie. Why?”
“I was feeling better and wanted to try it out.” I lean forward onto my elbows and smile at him.
In seconds, I watch as my overbearing grump goes all soft and gooey on me. “And?” he asks in a softer tone.
I swing my legs around and bring them up in the air behind me. “No pain.”
“That’s good.” Satisfied with my answer, Eli drops his shoulders from his ears and grins at me. He picks up the bags and walks them to the kitchen.
I’m not too far behind him and take a seat at the counter. I watch him putter around grabbing plates, napkins, and utensils.
“What did you get today?” I reach for the bag of food with the Pine Hills Boulangerie logo stamped on it.
I’ve become addicted to the food from this place, and the best part is they make specialty nut-free items. The pictures of the pastry shop online are spectacular. I’d give anything to go inside. It’s painted a mint green, with white mismatching tables and chairs, giving it that unique small-town charm. The wall of bread-filled baskets and pastry-filled glass case remind me of the French pastry shop my dad took me and my mom to before he died. I bet it smells like heaven too.
“Brioche French toast with berries, whipped cream, and bourbon maple syrup,” he says.
My mouth waters just hearing what’s in store. “My trainer is going to kill me when she finds out all I’ve been eating.”
“Fuck her. She’s fired,” Eli sneers, taking the stool beside me. “You eat whatever the fuck you want.”
I bark a laugh, fighting the butterfly uprising in my belly. He’s so sexy when he’s on my side. “Thank you.”
“You don’t need to thank me. I’ve got you, princess. If anyone tries to tell you what to do, eat, act, or anything, you send them my way and I’ll either fire them or make their life a living hell.” He smacks a kiss on my cheek, then flips open the food boxes and transfers the food to plates.
My stomach nosedives as I fall more in love with Eli.
I love him .
Biting my lips, I stop the words from slipping out. It’s way too soon to say them. For him. For me? Now it’s easy to see how I’ve been in love with him for years. Even when he was breaking my heart and being an absolute asshole, my heart loved him. It’s not rational, but sometimes the heart sees its match and the brain just has to catch up. In this case, it’s Eli who needs to catch up.
Reaching for a fork, I dig into breakfast and moan as the fluffy, egg-soaked bread hits my tongue, and the combined taste of cinnamon and sweet bourbon syrup explodes in my mouth. “Wow, that’s delicious.”
I turn to find Eli staring at me, a pained look on his face. With an internal smirk, I ignore him and take another bite, this time letting the whipped cream drip onto my chest.
“Christ,” Eli curses under his breath.
I use my middle finger to wipe the mess, then lick it before turning to him. “Did I get it all?”
His gaze drops to the top of my breasts, and I can’t help puffing my chest out to tease him. He licks his lips and his eyes sparkle with a salacious mischief that I hope he acts on. His upper lip twitches as he fights flashing me a smug smirk.
“No. Missed a spot.” He keeps our gazes locked as he leans forward to flatten his tongue on the sticky smudge on the top of my boob, and slowly drags it up my chest and throat.
I groan in pleasure as he sucks the spot on the side of my neck that makes my knees weak and my pussy throb.
“All clean,” he whispers in my ear and nips the lobe. “Now, finish your breakfast.”
I take a deep breath to calm my overheated body.
The jerk chuckles, returning to his breakfast like he didn’t just turn me on and leave me hanging.
To stave off the pulsing between my legs with a touch of friction, I clench my thighs once more, then pick up my fork and take another bite, hoping to get my appetite back—for something other than Eli’s cock.
We talk as we finish breakfast, exchanging details about our lives, before I excuse myself to the bathroom to get cleaned up. I turn the water in the shower to the hottest setting and climb under the spray. My little slip with the whipped cream totally backfired, and now I’m needy and swollen.
I lift the shower head off the holder and switch the setting to pulse. Aiming the water at my clit, I lean against the cold tiles and imagine Eli’s head between my legs as he licks and fingers me. It takes less than a minute to come as I whimper, “Elijiah,” like I did the night we watched each other take our pleasure from our own hands.
Feeling much lighter than before, I finish my shower routine and turn off the water. As per my plan, I left my clean towels on the bed, so I call for him. “Eli. I need your help.”
The door flies open with a bang as Eli barges into the steamy bathroom, his eyes wild and a frying pan in his hand. I’d laugh at the scene before me if he didn’t look so terrified.
“What’s wrong?” He pants, searching the room. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Sorry. I just … forgot my towel.” I try not to shrink away and hide. I point at the empty towel rack, which snaps him out of whatever trance he was in.
He takes in my naked form, and his eyes linger on my tits. He visibly swallows and his Adam’s apple bobs, begging for me to lick it.
Water drips down my body as my nipples pebble and my body shivers. From the chill or his stare, I couldn’t tell you.
“Be right back.” Eli slips out of the bathroom and returns with two towels in his hands. He opens the shower door and wraps one towel around my shoulders, tugging it tight. “Turn around.”
I follow his directions and turn. He uses the second towel to pat-dry my hair.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Eli grumbles, his voice gritty. He spins me around, grips the towel covering me, and tugs me to his chest. “Go on and get dressed before I do something I’ll regret.”
Disappointment washes over me. “But—”
He presses his lips to mine in a tender kiss before leaving me in the bathroom to get dressed.
Did I not do the towel thing right ? I’m going to have to ask Rylann.
My mind is a flurry of confusion and anxiety as I dry off, blow dry my hair, and get dressed. I opt for a pair of baggy ripped jeans and my favorite lavender crop hoodie. When I finally return to the living room, I find Eli sitting on the couch with his laptop out.
“Hey.”
Without hesitation, Eli looks up from his laptop, places it on the coffee table, and pats the spot on the cushion next to him. “Join me.”
“Uh-oh. Am I in trouble?” I ask with a nervous laugh. Eli grins and shakes his head at me as I do as he asks and take the spot next to him. I place my hands in my lap and fiddle with my thumb. “So?”
Eli tilts my chin to the side, forcing me to look him in the eyes. “Are you okay, Cal?”
I shrug. “Yeah, I just feel weird about the whole towel thing. I’m sorry. I, uh, didn’t mean to scare y—.”
He interrupts me with another chaste kiss. “Get out of your head, princess. You and your body are sexy as fuck. I want you so badly it hurts. My cock is so hard for you I can barely sit.” To prove his point, he puts my hand on his zipper, where his rock-solid shaft is trapped. He grips my wrist, removing my grasp from him, and entwines our fingers together. “Please know I will play along with your little seduction games soon. Because, believe me, next time I’m going to lift you off the ground, push you up against the tile wall, ram my cock inside you, and fuck you senseless.”
My heart skips a beat, and everything in me melts like hot chocolate syrup on a sundae. “Promise?”
“Always.” He kisses my forehead and runs the pad of his thumb over my lip. “Will you go out on a date with me?”
“What?” I gasp, shocked. Eli wants to take me on a date. My inner goddess does a shimmy and climbs that pole again. “I mean, hell yes, I want to go on a date with you.”
Eli throws his head back and laughs. “Good answer.”
“But how? The whole point of hiding out in Pine Hills is that no one knows where I am.”
“You leave all the details to me.” He sounds so sure that my worries disappear in a snap.
Eli would never let anything happen to me. I mean, he caught me from a fifteen-foot fall, endangering his own life, just to save me. There’s really no one I trust more.
“Really?”
“Yeah, sweetheart.”
“I’ve never been on a real date before,” I admit.
“What about Ian West?” Eli grumbles.
“Why, Elijiah Miller, are you jealous?” If he only knew the truth.
“Of that pretty boy?” He scoffs, and mumbles obscenities under his breath. “Never.”
Oh my, Eli really is jealous.
With anyone else, jealousy would be a red flag, but with Eli, it’s sexy. I know he doesn’t want to control me; it is more territorial for him, like the idea of sharing me makes him angry, and I like it. Which is why I don’t tell him dating Ian was a PR stunt. I’ll let him squirm a bit. It’s not like I didn’t have to see gorgeous models on his arm at various events over the past few years.
I climb onto Eli’s lap and squish his cheeks between my palms. “You’re extra hot when you’re jealous.” Leaning forward, I lick the seam of his lips. “Forget about the past.”
He groans and places his hands on my waist. “It’s forgotten.”
“Good.” Gripping his shoulders, I shift my hips forward and grind my pussy over the steel pipe in Eli’s pants, before shoving my tongue in his mouth in a dirty, wet kiss that leaves no room for him to think about anything or anyone but me on his lap.
When we break apart, our lips are swollen and shiny.
“Do you feel better now?” I ask.
Eli cups my breasts. “I’d feel a lot better if you lifted your sweatshirt and let me suck on your tits.”
“You’re so bad, but I’ll let you if you tell me about our date,” I retort.
He smirks, rubbing my nipples with his thumbs. “I guess I’ll just have to wait to feast on these sexy tits later because tonight is a surprise.”
“Boo,” I pout.
Eli nips my bottom lip. “I canceled Rhys’s guitar lesson.”
“Double boo.”
Eli chuckles. “The girls are picking you up instead and taking you shopping for tonight. Do me a favor and pick something that gives me easy access.” He bucks his hips, and I almost die from sexy swoon overload.
“But I thought you said it wasn’t safe to go out?”
“The girls came up with a plan.”
“Are you sure? I don’t have to go if you don’t want me to.”
“No, you’re going. You need to get out of this place. And that goes for when we go back to LA. Silla has kept you trapped, and I won’t do that to you, Callie. I want you to live, be your own person. I will be right here by your side, and if I’m not, a bodyguard will be with you. You can’t avoid life. I might be protective and a little obsessed with you, but that doesn’t mean I will ever hold you back. You, my sweet little bluebird, deserve to fly. To sing your songs and share them with the world. Your songs. The ones that connect you to the people who need to hear what you have to say. It’s your life, however you choose to live it. I support you no matter what.”
He’s obsessed with me and wants me to live without feeling trapped?
I throw my arms around him as tears fill my eyes. This sexy man amazes me at every turn. I never knew how badly I needed someone like him in my life, by my side. Someone who sees me as a person and not just a paycheck. Someone who values my life and wants to share it with me.
“I love you,” I blurt into his neck.
Oh my God! What did I just do?
“Forget I said that,” I sputter as my cheeks catch fire. I just emotionally threw up all over Eli, and now he’s going to think I’m crazy. It’s way too soon to be saying ‘I love you’. We haven’t even had sex yet. “When are the girls getting here? Do I have time to change? Oh gosh, I’m such an idiot.” I try to climb off his lap.
He holds me still. “Callie.”
I shake my head, refusing to look him in the eye.
“Look at me, princess.”
I tuck my chin to my shoulder, looking away.
“Please.”
The happiness in his voice has me slowly turning in his direction. When I finally take in his handsome, scruffy face, he is grinning.
He brushes my hair back behind my ear, grazing the sensitive skin there in an affectionate caress. “I love you too.”
His confession grips my heart tight and somehow makes me feel light enough to float away.
He loves me?
“You do?”
“I do. For longer than I probably realized.”
His admission brings tears to my eyes. I wrap my arms around his neck and hug him tight.
He wraps me in his thick arms and hushes me. “Don’t cry, princess.”
“I’m sorry,” I sob. “These are happy tears. I swear.”
He loves me. Elijiah Miller, the man I have had secret feelings for, loves me back. It doesn’t feel real.
Eli chuckles. “I hope so.”
I sit back and cup his cheeks again, peppering his lips with soft kisses. “No one has ever made me feel as happy, as safe, as seen, and as loved as you do.”
“You are kind of taking away from date night here, Cal.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m not. I’m the luckiest guy in the world.” He grips the back of my neck and crushes his lips to mine, kissing me until my ride shows up and rings the doorbell.
I float out the door on cloud nine as Eli promises to pick me up from Rylann’s house for our dinner date tonight.