by Lisa Sommers
“Chels!”
Brad looks disappointed as he makes his way to her bedroom.
“Honey, I’m just kidding.” Chelsea makes her way over to me. “Oh yeah, that reminds me. We’re having dinner tonight,” she says.
“Dinner? I can’t. I just made dinner plans with Cal.”
“I know. You, Cal, Derek, me . . .”—she pauses and looks intently into my eyes, as if she has something else to add—“and Shane.”
“What? He’s back?” Cal didn’t say anything about Shane being back in town. “Wait. What about . . .” I pause, thinking about the guy down the hall. “What about him?” I point toward her bedroom.
“Oh, Brad will be gone before then. No worries,” she responds, waving her hand in the air as if this is a usual thing for her.
“But . . .” I honestly don’t know how to respond to her comment, so I don’t. Shaking my head, I just say, “Never mind.”
“Okay, so seven o’clock.” she says over her shoulder as she makes her way back to Brad. “This is gonna be great. You, Cal, and Shane all in one room.” She chuckles.
“Knock it!” I throw a couch pillow at her, but it just hits the back of her bedroom door.
Oh my god. What am I going to do? Maybe things will be different, now that he’s been gone for a couple of weeks. Maybe he’s come to his senses. Maybe I have. I’m seeing Cal now. End of story. What I thought was there really wasn’t. It was just a weird reaction to seeing him after not having closure.
Closure after only knowing a guy for twenty-four hours? What is wrong with me? I am just as crazy as Chelsea.
I walk back to my room and contemplate cancelling dinner. But I don’t. I take a shower and rummage through my closet for something to wear. I pull out a few articles of clothing and lay them on the bed. I assess each outfit way longer than I should. I finally decide on some casual jeans, but pair them up with a black sequin tank top and patent leather high-heels. I slide my feet into them when I hear Chelsea.
“Knock, knock.” She lightly taps before opening my bedroom door. She sees me and lets out a long sexy whistle. “Well, well, well. Looky you,” she says, eyeing me up and down. “Look at you all bedazzled up.”
“I’m not bedazzled.” What is she getting at? “Am I not dressed appropriately for where we are going tonight?” I ask. “Cal didn’t mention where we were having dinner, so I just figured I’d wear something sparkly, but casual.”
“Oh, honey. You are dressed perfectly. Cal will be eating out of the palm of your hand, and Shane will be feeding you.”
“Chelsea!” How dare she say I dressed like this to impress both men. “It’s not like that,” I tell her, but she completely ignores me.
“Babe, I know you mean well, but deep down I know you.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You have options. Who’s behind door number one? Or should we choose door number two?” Chelsea is now sitting on the edge of my bed, scoping me out.
“What are you saying?”
“Honey, the way that you and Cal have been acting lately, and from what you told me about you and Shane in the airport . . .” She whistles again. “I will just tell you that tonight will be full of surprises.”
My chin drops open. “Get out. Let me finish getting ready.” I push her out of my room. I don’t want to listen to her tell me what is already spinning out of control in my brain. I can’t let anything happen between Shane and me. Been there, done that.
Chelsea and I make our way into a nice restaurant in downtown San Diego where we are to meet the guys. Chelsea talks to the hostess, then she leads us to our table. Cal already made the reservations, so we quickly bypass the throngs of people waiting to get in.
“We must be here before the guys. I don’t see them,” Chelsea tells me from over her shoulder.
We walk down a long hallway, and I notice a room off to the right with loud music.
“This is one of the hottest clubs in town. Maybe we can talk the guys into taking us there after dinner,” Chelsea says as she peeks through the doorway.
“That sounds like fun.” I could use some loud music right about now. The beat of the drums is pounding so loud it doesn’t allow me to think of Shane. Who I will see very shortly.
I walk closely behind my best friend and we take one last hallway to the left before the hostess slides open two double doors. She reaches her arm out for us to enter, then says, “Your waitress will be with you shortly.”
I take one step through the doorway and gasp when I see all the guys are already here. Including Shane. Except he looks a little different. I don’t know what it is. Maybe a little thinner. I don’t know.
I try not to falter as I make my way to the table, but I know I fail. All eyes are on Chelsea and me. I’ve never been big on being the center of attention, and it appears that I have both Shane and Cal keeping a close watch on me.
I approach the table, and both men stand with their hands held out to me. I look at them both. Cal slides a chair out for me. It is opposite to where he is sitting. “Here.” He holds his hand out to me and gestures for me to sit. He leans in close and whispers in my ear, “Sit across from me so I can keep my eyes on you all night. You look absolutely beautiful.”
Cal and I haven’t been intimate in that way yet. Not that he hasn’t tried. Trust me, he’s tried. I’m not sure why I haven’t gone all the way with him yet. Something about him just reminds me so much of Jack. I can’t put myself in that position again. Hell, maybe I’m using Jack as an excuse because Chris—I mean Shane—is in the picture again. Not that I plan on starting anything with him, but I just can’t seem to get him far enough out of my mind to let myself go any further with Cal.
I feel nervous as hell with both men here, but I manage to mutter, “Thank you.” Then I take a seat. The only problem is . . . Shane takes the seat next to me. We sit so close that I feel his leg brush up against mine under the table as he sits. He makes no attempt to move away from me, so I nonchalantly slide mine away from him. I can’t risk feeling those sparks again. Not here. Not with Shane. Not ever.
“Ma’am, would you care for a glass of wine?”
I look up to see the waiter holding a bottle of my favorite red wine.
“How did you . . .?” I start to ask how he knows my favorite wine, when Cal interjects.
“I remembered you ordered it last week.”
A smile spreads across my face. He is so sweet. Sometimes too sweet. I thank him and turn my attention back to the waiter. “I’d love some, thank you.”
He pours a small amount in my glass and hands it to me to taste. I approve, then he fills my glass the rest of the way and sets it down in from of me.
“Hmm,” Shane grumbles.
I twist in my seat to face him, but before I can say a word, he says, “I figured you for a beer girl.” His eyes cast an easy gaze my way.
“When I’m in the mood,” I huff. I don’t want him to discuss what happened between us. Especially here, in front of Cal. Not that Cal and I are an official item, but still.
He nods his head and purses his lips as if goading me. I glare at him for a moment, before my eyes betray me and lower to his mouth. His perfect mouth. I can vividly remember those lips on mine. The way he felt. The way he tasted. The way they trailed down my neck . . . against my shoulder. It feels like it was yesterday, yet also like it was a lifetime ago. I feel a bump against my knee and it takes me a moment to register that Shane is knocking his knee against mine to get my attention. I must have dazed out. The smirk on his face tells me he is having fun distracting me. Damn him. Damn me.
I clear my throat and turn my attention back to Cal. Shit, it’s getting hot in here. “It’s a little warm in here. Cal, would you like to join me on the patio for breath of fresh air?” I ask. Anything to get my mind back on track.
Cal stands up and pulls my chair out. “Are you feeling okay?” he asks.
“Yes, I just need some air. I’ll be fine.” I hope.
Cal gently presses his hand against the small of my back and it does nothing to me. Yet Shane can get within inches of me and it ignites something in me that doesn’t seem to burnout. Why? Cal is beyond gorgeous. Why does he not have the same effect on me?
I walk out the back door and I’m instantly assaulted by cool, salty air. This is just what I need. Calm. Quiet. Serene. I rest the palms of my hands on the wooden hand railing that separates the deck from the waves crashing on the rocks below and close my eyes. I exhale a deep breath of warm air and suck in fresh cool air. I almost forget that Cal is here with me, until he sidles up behind me, trapping me between him and the railing. He moves my hair to one side and lightly presses his lips to the side of my neck. I may have been taking things slow with Cal, but I’m human. I’m a female. I want to be wanted. And this feels good. I keep my eyes closed and soak up the attention he is giving me.
“Have I told you how amazing you look tonight?” The vibration of his voice against my skin feels unbelievable.
“You may have mentioned it.” I moan.
“Have I told you how sweet your skin tastes?”
“Huh uh,” I mutter.
“It does.” He continues trailing his mouth down to my shoulder, delicately sliding the strap of my tank top to the side. “Have I told you how much I enjoy kissing you?”
“Not today,” I say. He actually told me that the other day while we were in his office, but one of the players busted through his door not realizing I was in there. The moment was then lost as Cal had to get back to work.
“I’m sorry, because I do. A lot,” he whispers, his lips never leaving my skin.
“Don’t be sorry.” Instantly in the mood, I twist in his arms and press my hands on his chest. I feel my way up roughly over his shirt, on top of his pecs. I never said Cal wasn’t undeniably gorgeous. Any woman would feel amazing in his arms. Grabbing a hold of each side of his face, I lift up on my toes and press my lips against his. Not wanting this moment to end, I lean my body flush against his. Cal reaches down, lifts one of my legs, and holds it against his side. Pressing himself closer against me, he lets out a guttural groan. It’s not a secret he’s completely aroused. I feel his hardness press against my belly and I willingly slide my tongue into his mouth. Cal grips my waist with both hands, letting my leg fall back to the ground, and lifts me until I am sitting on the wooden railing. Cal pushes my legs apart and slides in between them, then pulls me against him so that I have to wrap my legs around his waist. My mind is swimming with passion right now, and if we were anywhere but here, I would show Cal exactly what I would like to do to him. I know this is hypocritical of me, given what I did merely a month ago in a crowded airport.
Cal pulls back slightly and leans his forehead against mine, his hands gripping each side of my waist, and breathlessly says, “Fuck, Alli. What are you doing to me?”
I chuckle at his comment, and a wide smile spreads across my face. I don’t know what it is, but all of a sudden my heart does a little flip at how I am making Cal feel. It’s a total one-eighty from my past relationship. I couldn’t seem to do anything right.
“I have a favor to ask.” If Cal is about to ask me to join him in the bathroom for a little privacy, I’ll be all for it, but my mood changes drastically when he asks, “Would you accompany Shane to Los Angeles next week when he drives back up to be with his sister?”
And there it is. The moment is lost. Why would he want me to do that? I can’t spend alone time with Shane.
He must see the confusion on my face. “It’s just that you went through this with your brother, and I think he needs someone who can empathize with him. I’d do it, but I’ve got so much going on right now. I also don’t know the right things to say to make him feel better.”
I still don’t answer, because I am in too much shock at his request. I slide off the railing, walk a few feet away from Cal, and face the ocean.
“I’m sorry.” His voice is soft. “I didn’t mean to bring up memories of your brother. I just thought . . .”
I turn to face Cal. “I always think about Michael. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t think about him,” I harshly respond.
“I’m sure. I’m sorry. I’m sorry you lost him.” He walks over to me, hands held out, and awaits my embrace.
I hesitate. “You don’t need to be sorry.” I close my eyes and shake my head. “It wasn’t your fault.” I lean in and he folds me into his arms.
“It’s okay. You don’t need to go,” he whispers against my temple.
“No. It’s okay. I’ll go,” I blurt out. Why the hell did I say that? I can’t go with Shane. Maybe I’m blowing things way out of proportion. I have self-control. I can do this. I can do this. I can do this. I can do this.
Cal holds me by my shoulders at arms-length and looks me directly in the eyes. “Are you sure?”
I nod. I can do this.
He pulls me tight against his chest. “Thank you.”
“Come on. We’d better get back in there. People will begin to think the waves washed us away.”
“Do we have to?”
I gaze up into his eyes and whisper, “No. No, we don’t have to.”
The look on Cal’s face reflects surprise. Surprise that I would agree to blow off this dinner and go home with him. This will be a big step in our relationship. If that’s what you want to call it. We never officially had that talk.
Cal grips my hand and hurriedly leads me back through the restaurant, bypassing the private room where our friends are. “Cal, my purse.” I call out, “My purse is in the room.”
“Oh right.” He stops and makes a quick turn to back to the room.
“Wait.” I stop in my tracks. “Would you mind just grabbing it?” I really don’t want to go in there and face all of them. I don’t need to advertise to everyone that I’m about to have sex. Although I’m sure my best friend would high-five me right across the table, I don’t think I could face Shane.
“No. Wait here. I’ll get it,” he says right before he enters the room, leaving me in the long hall. He seems really anxious to get out of here. I’m sure waiting two weeks to have sex has him on high alert, and he will not let anything stand in his way.
Cal wastes no time in returning to me. “Come on, babe.” He grabs my hand and tugs me toward the front entrance. He is definitely a man on a mission. “Let’s get the hell out of here.”
I giggle, but abruptly stop when I hear someone call Cal’s name. Not just anyone, either. It’s Shane. “Cal, what’s going on?” he asks.
“Nothing, man. Dinner’s on me. Enjoy,” Cal calls out over his shoulder.
“Alli, are you okay?” Shane shouts as we get further away from him. His voice has a twinge of fear laced in it.
I stop, making Cal halt in his footsteps. I grip tighter onto his hand, then turn and face Shane. I hold my gaze with Shane, and he stares at me intently. I straighten my back, stand tall, and say with confidence, “Never better.”
Shane just nods his head, before pulling the door handle hard enough that it flies open and slams shut again.
“Let’s go,” I say to Cal, not removing my gaze from the closed door. “Let’s go to your place.”
“It can’t happen soon enough,” he replies.
“No. No, it can’t.” I agree. I will prove once and for all that I am moving on. With Cal.
The ride back to Cal’s house takes no time at all. He may have made a few traffic violations, ran a red light or two, but we made in one piece.
We pull up through his horseshoe-shaped driveway, and he slams his car into park. Then he hops out and is around to open my door for me almost instantly. Geez, he better slow down or this night is going to be over before it even gets started.
Cal reaches for me and pulls me close.
“Hey,” I whisper.
“Hey,” he says back. Our lips are mere inches apart from one another. His eyes are half-lidded, staring intently into my eyes.
A smile
slowly spreads across my face.
“Have I told you how much I love kissing you?”
His soft voice sends chills throughout my body.
“Not in the last thirty minutes.” I chuckle.
After closing my door, Cal presses me against the side of his car. His mouth instantly comes down on mine. Rough. Sexy. Carnal. Something changed between Cal and I tonight. Maybe this can be more than I was allowing it to be. Maybe the sparks I felt with Shane weren’t sparks after all. Maybe they were . . .”
“Come on, baby. Let’s get you in my house. This ain’t about to happen in my driveway.” He pulls me into his home, still on a mission.
We barely make it through the front door when Cal presses my back against the hard wooden frame. His lips are fast and fierce as they roughly make their way over the delicate skin on my neck. I gasp at the assault. I have no time to think. Things are happening fast. I pull the hem of his shirt out from his pants, then quickly run my hands under the thin fabric and trace his well-defined chest. Cal releases his hands from me to strip off his shirt, but they are quickly back on me. He lifts my sequined tank top and tosses it on the tile floor. He wastes no time as he grips my right breast in the palm of his hand. “I want to fuck you so bad, baby.”
I don’t say a word at his comment. He doesn’t appear to be looking at me anyway. He is so engrossed in the moment that he doesn’t take the time to take me in. Not like I hoped he would, anyway. I want that. I want someone to look at what they have in front of them. Maybe I just read too many books. I don’t know, but I just want someone to appreciate me, and not just the act. I told myself that I wouldn’t put myself in the same situation as I was in with Jack. Jack never took his time. It was always about him. Trust me. I am all about the heat of the moment, but this just doesn’t seem right. Something seems off.
Chelsea would kick me right now for even thinking like this. I mentally try to block out my feelings for the time being, and just live in the moment.
Suddenly, Cal’s cell phone starts chirping. Someone is calling him, but he pays it no attention. Instead, he picks me up and carries me to his living room. We both fall onto the couch. Cal hovers over me and roughly pulls down the cups of my bra, then pulls my left nipple into his mouth. He sucks hard and it makes me gasp. He reaches down and starts undoing the button and zipper on my jeans, then tugs them down slightly. Once he gets them to where he wants them, he moves to his own and does the same.