“Val, I’m not going to be in today. I’ve sent you an email of what I need done. Thanks.”
I let out a sigh and can’t help but wonder if this has anything to do with last night. But I push the thoughts away and get my work done.
I’m walking out of the office at five and my phone rings.
“Hey, I’m at Bandy’s Bar. Come hang out,” Krista says.
“Alright,” I agree, mostly because I don’t want to go home and be alone. I know I’ll end up thinking about Callan and how I hurt him.
I grab a taxi and get dropped off at the bar. Krista is already inside with two glasses and a pitcher.
“Shitty day?” she asks when I walk in and collapse in the booth.
“You have no idea.” I pick up the pitcher and pour me a glass.
Beer has never been my favorite, but after that night, I want to avoid anything that will impact my judgment that quickly. I’ll stick to a couple beers or a glass of wine. That’s it.
Krista and I sit and talk for several hours and share one more pitcher of beer. Finally, we leave the bar, both of us getting in separate cabs since we’re heading opposite directions.
I sit in the backseat and watch the traffic go by. My mind begins to wander, and of course, it wanders to Callan. I’m halfway home when I tell the cab to turn around.
An hour later, we’re pulling up to his house. I slip the driver some money, then walk to his door. I knock a couple of times, and he opens it. He looks at me, and I look at him. He motions with his head for me to come inside, and the second he does, I jump on him, pressing my mouth to his.
He doesn’t hold back, even though he’s mad at me. It’s like he physically can’t deny me. He kisses me hard and fast, almost like he was afraid he’d never kiss me again. Finally, he picks me up against him and walks me inside. He presses my back to the door while his hands get busy stripping me of my clothing.
“I’m sorry I got so mad last night,” he says against the soft skin of my neck. “I just got so jealous when I saw you with him.” He pulls back and looks into my eyes. “You’re not mine. I know that.”
“Shut up,” I say, pulling him back to my mouth so I can devour his.
Without another word, he picks me up and walks me up the stairs.
Something happens when Callan and I are together. The world stops spinning. Nobody else exists. It’s just the two of us. I don’t worry about work or money or life in general. I can’t think of anything but how he can manipulate my body like no one else has ever been able to.
We somehow manage to pull away from one another. We’re walking through the house, collecting our clothes so I can leave. He bends down and picks up my shirt.
He hands it over. “I want to take you out, Val.”
“Out? Out where?” I ask, tugging it over my head.
He shrugs. “Anywhere. I don’t want you to think that I only want you for sex.” He cracks a smile.
I laugh and shake my head. “You want to take me out on a date?”
He nods. “Yeah, sure. If that’s what you want to call it. I mean, even the random women I bring home get dinner or drinks out of me.”
I pick up my purse. “Well, that’s the difference between them and me. They want something from you. I don’t.” I press my mouth to his and give him a quick kiss before opening the door and walking out. I pull my phone out of my purse to order a ride home.
“Where’s your car?” he asks from the doorway.
“I left it at work. I took a cab,” I shout back.
“Come on,” he says, walking outside and pulling his keys from his pocket. “I’m not letting you get into a car with a stranger. Haven’t you seen all the girls that have gone missing from that shit?” He climbs behind the wheel of his car, and I know there’s no point in arguing.
I turn around and climb into the passenger seat. “Thank you.”
“For what?” he asks, twisting the key and starting the engine.
“For always thinking of my safety, no matter how mad you are at me.”
He scoffs. “You’re lucky I’m such a nice guy.”
I can’t hold back my laugh, not because he’s not a nice guy, but because he’s always rubbed it in my face, even when he was trying to talk me into eating dirt when we were kids.
I slide my phone back into my purse.
“Want to grab some dinner?” he asks, driving away from his house.
“Sure,” I reply.
He laughs.
“What?”
“I knew I’d trick you into a date sooner or later.”
I shake my head. “You’re impossible.”
He nods. “That I am,” he agrees.
We walk into a nice restaurant, and we’re shown to a table in the corner. We both take our seats, and he orders a bottle of wine for the table. I look around and feel a little awkward. I was raised in places like this, but I haven’t seen this side of things in a long time. Since I graduated from prep school. Once I hit college, I forgot about the life of luxury. I traded in my Porsche for a train pass. I sold my name-brand clothes and bought stuff from second-hand stores. My family thought I was crazy, but I really wanted to see the world from a normal person’s eyes. I wanted to work for what I had, not be handed everything. Giving up that life was harder than giving up the money. I mean, it only took Bennet a year to talk me into coming to work at the company.
I’m lost in thought when a blonde walks up to Callan.
“Look what we have here,” she says, running her fingers up and down his forearm.
He quickly looks up at her. I can tell by the look on his face that she’s one of his regulars.
“Where in the hell have you been? I haven’t heard from you in a couple of weeks.”
He smiles nervously. “Oh, uh. Nikki, this is Valerie. Valerie, this is Nikki. She’s um, a friend of mine.”
I hold out my hand to shake. “Nice to meet you, Nikki.”
“Likewise,” she says, sitting down in the open chair between Callan and me. “You mind?” she asks me. “I love this place, and they just told me they’re booked.” She sticks out her bottom lip. “So, you are saving me from fast food.”
I sit back and watch as she talks non-stop. She asks him questions, personal questions, and he laughs and tries dodging them. She leans in when he talks, making sure he has a clear shot down her revealing dress. A time or two, I see his eyes fall to take the cheap shot. The longer this girl sits here, the more annoyed I get. I mean, who does this? Who invites themselves to someone else’s dinner? If you ask me, she’s trying to swipe Callan out from under me. But Callan and I aren’t together.
It’s a bitch ass move but he’s fair game I guess…I’m the one who said I didn’t want anything official. So, why does this bother me?
12
Callan
I sit and watch as Valerie’s face grows redder by the minute. She goes from calm and collected to shooting Nikki dirty looks when she’s not looking. I’m waiting for her to say something, but I think she actually bites her tongue. I can tell when she flinches.
Nikki is a woman I’ve slept with every Tuesday for as long as I can remember. Half the time, I forget her name and refer to her as Tuesday. Since mine and Val’s first encounter, I’ve been avoiding her. Looks like she finally caught up to me. She’s a total flirt, and on more than one occasion, she’s even talked me into leaving the girl I was with at the time to go home with her instead. I can tell she’s trying that again now, but no way is it going to work. Even though I’ve slept with her more times than I have Val, Val has something on me. It’s like she sunk her hooks into me, and I can’t break free, no matter how much I try.
Finally, Val sits up. “Sorry to interrupt, but I really should get going.” She pushes back her chair and stands but freezes when I do the same.
Nikki looks up at me with a confused look on her face.
“Sorry, Nik,” I say, looking only at Valerie. “But I’ve got to go.” I hold out my hand, and Valerie smi
les shyly and takes it.
“But…what?” Nikki asks when we walk away, but I don’t stop or turn back.
When we get outside, Val looks up at me. “You didn’t have to do that, you know?”
I scoff. “I certainly did have to do that.” I open her door and she slides inside.
I walk around and take my seat.
“Why?”
“Because I saw how jealous you were getting. Doesn’t feel good, does it?”
“I was not jealous,” she argues.
“Oh, really?” I ask, glancing at her from the corner of my eye.
“Really. I was just annoyed. It’s impolite to just sit down at someone’s table. It doesn’t matter if you know them or not. I mean, for all she knew, we could’ve been on a date.”
I laugh. “She didn’t care if we were on a date. I’ve been avoiding her, and she finally caught me.”
“Caught you?”
I nod. “I was sleeping with her every Tuesday…up until we started messing around.”
Her head quickly turns to look over at me. “Are you saying that you haven’t been with anyone else since we’ve been hanging out?”
I nod. “That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
I turn to look at her, expecting to see her smile. But instead, she looks freaked out. She slumps down in her seat slightly, and her eyes flash over to look out the passenger side window.
Neither of us says another word on the way to the office so she can get her car. I pull into the parking lot, right next to it.
“Callan,” she says, looking over at me, concern painting her face. “We can’t get serious. My brother, remember?”
I nod. “I’m not worried about your brother, Val.” I lean toward her. My hand cups her cheek, and I pull her in for a kiss. “You’re worth it,” I whisper.
“You want to be exclusive?” Her brows pull together as a confused look takes over.
I smile and let out a deep breath. “I don’t know, Val. I’m confused. I’ve never wanted this with anyone, but I can’t get you off my mind. That has to mean something, right?”
She nods. “Yeah, it means were good in bed together. That’s it. I’ve never been in a serious relationship, Callan.” Her words are rushed. I can tell she’s freaking out from my confession.
“Well, have you been with anyone else since we started…you know?”
She shakes her head.
“I think that’s your answer, Val. What we’re doing now, it will be no different.”
She takes a deep breath and lets it come out in a rush.
Again, I lean over and kiss her. “Just think about it. No pressure.”
She nods and exits the car. I sit back and watch as she climbs into her own and drives off.
Any other woman, and they’d be head over heels that I want to commit. But Val, she’s something else. She’s like the female version of me. And here I am, a guy that sleeps with more women in a week than some guys get in a year, and I’m asking for more. No wonder she’s freaked out. She doesn’t know if she can trust this, trust me.
I decide that even if she tells me she doesn’t want to be exclusive, I’m going to hold out hope. Make her see that she can trust me. Make her want me as badly as I want her.
On my drive home, I think about her some more, wondering why she’s so different. She’s beautiful, kind, down to earth, and not a spoiled brat. She knows what she wants, and she doesn’t settle for less. And somehow, she’s managed to overlook our fucked up past. She sees the guy I am, not the boy I was.
Instead of driving home, I make a last-minute turn and swing by a private club. It’s not a dance club. It’s more of a wealth club. Everyone has to pay twelve grand a year to have a key. A single glass of bourbon runs about twenty-seven bucks. But it’s a place we can go to get away and be around people with similar problems.
I use my key to let myself in the door. There’s some light jazz music playing in the background as I take a seat at the bar.
“How you doin’, Cal?” Jeanie asks as she places a coaster down on the bar for my drink.
“I’m doing good,” I say. “Can I get a glass of scotch?”
“Of course.” She quickly walks away to pour my drink.
I look around me and only find a few people sitting at the tables, no two people together. Everyone is quiet, lost in thought.
Jeanie brings my drink back, and I pass her a fifty. “Keep the change.”
She smiles kindly. “Thank you.” She leans against the bar. “Have you been fraternizing with the riff-raff? I haven’t seen you in a while.”
I nod and take a sip. “I guess I have. I met a woman, and we haven’t spent much time out of the bedroom, if you know what I mean.”
She laughs and playfully smacks my hand. “Tell me about her.”
I feel my eyes glaze over when I start thinking about her. “She’s tall and thin, and beautiful. She has dark hair and green eyes. She’s smart and kind and creative. I don’t know what it is, but I can’t get her out of my head.”
“Sounds like you’re falling in love,” she points out.
I laugh. “Me? Love?” I shake my head “No.”
Her brow lifts as she studies me.
Fuck. Am I falling in love? It can’t happen that quickly, can it? Damnit, no wonder Val is freaking out. She can see it too. I’m fucking falling in love with her while she’s playing my usual game. How the hell did this happen? I’m always careful. I don’t let women get under my skin. I keep them at arm’s length. I always leave them wanting more. But this time, Val’s left me wanting more, every time she’s walked away.
“Hey, I didn’t mean to freak you out,” Jeanie says, pushing her red hair behind her ear.
I shake my head, finish my drink, and stand. “I have to go,” I mumble, rushing back out the door.
I find myself sitting in my office, another drink in hand. I lean forward in my leather chair, resting my elbows on my knees as I watch the flame in the fireplace dance around. The wood pops and cracks, and it helps all other sounds to fade away. My head is empty; not a single thought crosses my mind. Finally, there’s peace.
I hear a knock on the door, and I stand to answer it. Pulling it open, I find Nikki on the other side. She smiles and holds out a bottle of Johnny Walker. I laugh and take it, motioning for her to come in with my head. I lead her back to my office, where she takes a seat while I open the bottle and pour us both a glass. I hand her the drink and sit on the leather couch beside her.
She takes a sip, then swirls the liquid. “You seemed off tonight. I wanted to check in.”
I shrug. “I’m fine, a little confused, but fine.”
She tilts her head to the side as she examines me. “Confused? About what?”
I let out a deep breath. “I started fantasizing about a woman I knew I couldn’t have for several reasons. She’s someone that is just like us. She doesn’t do the relationship thing. I tried to stop myself, but I couldn’t. I gave in and took what I wanted. Again and again. And now, something is off. I want to change. I don’t want to be single and blowing my way through women. And that scares me. But what scares me more is how I’m feeling about this woman that doesn’t seem to want anything but a good time.”
Her hand lands on my back, and she lets out a soft laugh. “Oh, Callan. We’ve all been there a time or two. It just comes with the territory when you are the way we are. We keep people at arm’s length. We try to keep our feelings in check, but we’re only human. Sometimes, those feelings creep up on us.”
“Are you saying you’ve been in love before?”
She smiles and rolls her eyes. “A few times.”
“How’d it work out?” I ask, looking over at her.
“Once I realized how I was feeling, I turned and ran the other way. Eventually, with time and space, all feelings fade away.”
“Do they, though, or do you just push them away every time they start creeping back up?” I lean back, setting my glass on the end table.
“Just avoid this woman and you’ll see. Every day that passes, you’ll think of her a little less, until one day, you don’t think of her at all.”
I look up just as she’s crawling into my lap, straddling me. Her hands cup my cheeks as she looks into my eyes.
“Let me help you forget all about her,” she whispers, moving in and pressing her lips to mine.
My head is a bit of a mess, and I don’t think about anything but this moment. I let my eyes flutter closed as she kisses me. Her tongue slides into my mouth, and her hips start grading against mine. I breathe her in. I can feel her soft lips, but I feel nothing else. There is no dying need to be inside her like there is with Valerie. There’s no tingles, no excitement. There’s nothing. I force myself to wait a bit longer, hoping that maybe I’m just drunk and the usual feelings will kick in, but after several long minutes of her kissing me and touching me, I break away.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t,” I tell her, sliding her off of me and onto the couch. “You should probably go, Nikki.”
She looks at me, surprised. I’ve never told her no before. But once she gathers her emotions, she stands up and leaves without a word. The sound of the front door slamming fills my ears.
I grab my phone and send a text.
Can you come over?
While I wait for a response, I pour another drink.
I hear the door open, and I stand to check it out. Maybe Nikki forgot her purse or something. When I round the corner, I bump into Valerie. My elbow touches her arm, and just that simple touch causes a storm to brew. My emotions are running rampant, lighting every nerve ending, causing tiny explosions and fires to break out through my body.
I look down at her, mouth open with no words coming out.
She smiles up at me. “I was already on my way.”
I reach out, placing my hands on either side of her face as I pull her mouth to mine. She kisses me back with passion and excitement as her hands wrap around my neck. I press her back to the wall and look down at her.
“I can’t do it anymore, Val,” I admit.
“Can’t do what?” she asks, voice strained.
My Boss’s Sister: Make Her Mine Series-Book 3 Page 8