He padded to her room and tapped on the door. There was no response.
He knocked again, louder this time. Still nothing.
He sighed, standing outside her door, unsure what he should do. She needed to get up, shower and eat breakfast before they left. He didn’t want her to be late for her meetings. He shrugged, opened her door a crack and peeked in to find her sleeping soundly with one arm tossed over her head.
He tiptoed over to the bed and his breath caught in his throat. She wasn’t kidding. There was no denying she was, indeed, bare under the blankets. She was lying on her back, tilted slightly to the right. The cream-colored blankets skimming along her breast, exposing its soft curve.
Caleb clenched and unclenched his fists, almost unable to resist the urge to touch her skin. Instead he took a deep breath and gingerly plucked the linen between thumb and forefinger, gently pulling it over her, covering her. His heart thumped when his fingers inadvertently grazed her soft skin as he tugged it over.
Composing his raging hormones, or at least trying to, Caleb gently shook Syd’s shoulder. “Hey, sleepyhead, wake up.” He shook her again.
“Muh, go away,” she muttered, grabbing the blanket and rolling onto her right side.
And just his fucking luck, when she rolled over, her back was left completely visible. Not only a small bit of it, no, but her entire back, including the dip and curve at the start of her ass. There was the small ridge of her spine, the sharp angles of her shoulder blades and skin so golden and smooth it just had to have the texture of freshly spun silk.
He twitched.
“Shit,” he whispered, his body reacting to the sight of her. He was barely able to manage the surge of carnal desire that washed over him and he had to close his eyes and take a few deep breaths to get hold of himself. He moved around to the other side of the bed and knelt beside her. He swept a strand of raven hair off her forehead and ran his thumb lightly across her lips. “Hey,” he whispered. “Syd, you gotta get up, darlin’.”
“No,” she whined.
He chuckled. “Yeah, babe, you’ve got to get going. It’s almost eight-thirty, we have to get you out of here in an hour and a half.”
Her eyes popped open. He stared into them. The impossibly pale green eyes were filled with shock. “An hour and a half?” she repeated.
He nodded.
“Oh crap. Okay. I’m up. I’m up,” she said.
“Good girl. Come down for breakfast after you shower, okay?”
She nodded. “Thanks, CJ.”
He bent over and kissed her nose. “Not a problem. Don’t fall back asleep,” he warned as he went back into the hall.
He peeked over his shoulder as he closed the door behind him and witnessed Syd stretching languidly in bed, the thin linen sheet clinging to all her curves and making his heart race. He shook his head as the door clicked behind him.
That woman is going to be the death of me.
Chapter Nine
Syd popped to her feet as soon as she heard the door close behind Caleb. She stretched on the way into the bathroom and tipped her head from side to side.
“Damn it,” she grumbled. Her neck was absolutely killing her this morning, likely from a Caleb-inspired restless quasi-slumber and being in an unfamiliar bed. It had been pure torture knowing he was only a few rooms away, and she had pictured him naked in his bed numerous times as she lay in hers. She had to stop herself—on more than one occasion—from getting up to go look. It was a miracle only her neck was damaged from all the tossing and turning she’d done.
She rummaged around under the sink, finding soap, shampoo and conditioner, a toothbrush and toothpaste—all the amenities a guest could hope for. As she stood back up she cursed again at the pain.
She turned on the shower and stepped inside, reflecting on the previous night’s events—the way he looked, the way he’d looked at her, that kiss… She let out a whoosh of air, not sure whether she should frown or smile, and glanced at her left hand guiltily.
Syd shook her head and leaned forward under the showerhead, letting the hot water rain down on her. “Why the hell should I feel guilty?” she asked herself out loud.
Because, a small and rather annoying voice in her mind whispered, no matter the how and why, you’re still engaged.
“To a man I despise. Yay, me.”
That didn’t stop me last night, she reflected, trying to work through the muddle of confusion in her mind. Man, if Caleb had wanted her, she would have slept with him in a second. It had nothing to do with the fact he was in a rock band. Sure, she liked Divine Intervention’s music, but she was one of those who liked them only for their music. She knew almost nothing about the guys themselves. So it wasn’t that she was infatuated with him because of his celebrity status.
More than anything, it was because he treated her like a woman, like someone whose worth mattered, whose emotions mattered. He talked to her, valued her opinion and made her laugh. He was gentle with her and was genuinely interested in her life, the restaurant and her family.
In a brief amount of time, he made her somehow believe she meant something to him.
Then there was Brett.
She wrote out the words Fuck you Brett on the misty glass shower door, then quickly swiped it away.
She rubbed her face and rolled her shoulders. I still have an hour or so of happiness, she thought sternly, no Brett allowed.
She furrowed her brow as she worked the shampoo then the conditioner into her hair, her thoughts flitting back to CJ. He was going to make some woman very happy one day, she mused. Too bad it’d never be her.
She turned off the shower, reached out to grab something to dry off with and stared in disbelief at the scrap of a towel she had in her hand. She was hardly able to wrap it around her. She peeked around the shower door to see if there were more. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” she groaned. There was nothing on the towel rack and the open shelves of the vanity yielded no towels either. There has to be a linen closet or something in a place like this, she thought. This one little towel simply wouldn’t cut it.
She stepped out and dried her legs and hair as much as the small towel would allow to prevent her from dripping everywhere, then wrapped it around her as best she could. She glanced in the mirror and snorted. It barely covered her ass.
She chuckled as she padded out of the room and into the hall, beginning her search for more and hopefully bigger towels. She tiptoed along the hall, not wanting to attract Caleb’s attention in her half-naked state. She opened and closed doors, finding another two bedrooms and a bathroom that had no more than a face towel in it. At last she opened a door to find a treasure of plush white fluffiness.
“Finally,” she muttered, reaching in to grab a couple of them, as well as a cozy, fluffy robe.
“Looking for me?”
She pivoted, startled by Caleb’s voice, and in doing so her long, wet hair whipped her cheeks. He was wearing nothing but a pair of light gray sweatpants, which fit him very nicely. His hair was dripping and his hard chest had beads of water rolling down his bronzed skin.
She raised an eyebrow and boldly asked, “If I said yes?”
She observed him as he took her in, her cheeks flushing as his gaze wandered up her legs, along the tiny towel, across her shoulders, finally settling on her face.
“I’d say I was one lucky man,” he whispered, coming toward her. He moved against her, backing her to the shelves, and leaned forward to grab a towel of his own, all the while keeping his eyes locked on hers. “Though I have a feeling you were looking for something to dry you off, not make you any wetter.”
She smiled up at him and tried to remain standing despite her weakened knees. “God, you’re good, detective.”
He dipped his head and whispered against her lips, “Baby, you have no idea.”
Through the thin fabric of his sweatpants, Syd could feel his arousal and she responded, pressing her hips to his.
His eyes went storm-blue momentar
ily and he pulled away. “See you downstairs, darlin’,” he whispered before turning and heading back into his room.
Syd stood there a moment more, willing her heart rate to calm.
What. Just. Happened?
She hurried back to the guest room and finished drying herself. Fuck, he got her riled up so easily. Simply being close to him, or a whisper of his hot breath on her skin, made her clench with need.
“Chill, Syd,” she chastised herself as she paced the room, trying to work off some hormonal energy. “Just relax and stop being a freaking teenager.”
She dried her hair and finished putting on a touch of makeup when the savory scent of onions and peppers assaulted her. Her stomach rumbled in response and she quickly threw on the robe, needing food in her belly pronto. She’d finish getting dressed after breakfast.
She cinched the belt around her waist as she hopped barefoot down the stairs. She bounded happily into the kitchen. Caleb, now wearing a pair of worn blue jeans and a light blue sweatshirt, was busy in front of the stove.
No one should look that good in jeans and a sweatshirt. No one.
“Oh my God, that smells amazing,” she moaned.
He chuckled and turned around to face her. “Omelet okay for you?”
She nodded. “Oh yeah. That would be perfect.”
He smiled at her, and shook his still wet blonde locks out of his eyes. “Great. Have a seat. It’ll be ready in a minute,” he said, nodding in the direction of the chairs before turning his attention back to the stove.
Syd bit her lip and, against her better judgment, walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his midriff, hugging him. “You’ve cooked for me twice in a row. Thank you.” She released her hold and plopped into a chair. “You already made coffee, too? And it’s sitting in a mug waiting for me? You are a miracle, Mr. Jones.”
“Some would beg to differ,” he laughed.
She leaned back in the chair and crossed her legs at the ankles, sipping on the strong black beverage. “Mmm, so good.”
She turned to glance up at him. His gaze was focused on her, his nostrils flared and eyes hooded, and Syd’s breath caught in her throat.
He wanted her. It was written all over his face.
And the truth was, she wanted him, too.
Chapter Ten
He was staring at the long, smooth legs that peeked out from beneath Syd’s robe and had to work to tear his eyes away from her.
Snap out of it, CJ.
Mentally slapping himself upside the head, he carefully plated omelets and toast and brought his bounty to the table.
“Yum,” she said, immediately picking up a piece of toast and biting into it. Mouth full, she looked up at him with wide eyes. “I’m sorry,” she said, chewing, “that was rude.” She swallowed her bite and grinned sheepishly, her gray-green gaze following him as he sat opposite her. “I’m kinda hungry.”
He chuckled. “It’s okay, darlin’. Eat up.”
After she took a couple of bites, Caleb asked, “So, how’s the omelet?”
She winked at him. “Meh, I’ve had better.”
His raised his eyebrows, delighted at her candidness. He wasn’t in the slightest bit offended, and he sat there quietly smiling at her.
Evidently taking his expression and silence as a bad sign, she quickly corrected. “I mean, not that it’s bad. It’s very good.”
He continued staring and smiling, now fully amused.
“It’s exceptionally good, in fact. There’s nothing wrong with it at all.”
“Syd, you can stop now.”
She stared blankly. “Stop what?”
“Stop trying to make me feel better. You didn’t bruise my ego, baby.”
“I didn’t? Really? You’re sure?” she asked, worried. “Because, see, I have this really bad habit of forgetting I work for a restaurant. I’m constantly sampling foods that are created by these amazing chefs, and I compare what the chefs give me versus what friends and such make. I can be a bit of a food snob, and I would hate to ever make anyone think that—”
“You’re babbling again, Syd.”
Her cheeks went crimson. “Shit, sorry.”
He laughed. “It’s kind of cute when you babble.”
She shrugged, and her eyes twinkled. “Well then let me add that my omelets kick ass. So it’s hard for anything to compare, really.” She popped the last piece into her mouth and smirked at him.
“They do, huh?” he asked, lifting an eyebrow.
Sydney nodded. “Mmm-hmm. Secret ingredient.”
“And what would that be?”
She snorted softly. “Pfft, please. If I told you it wouldn’t be a secret anymore, now would it, stud?”
“Oh, come on. You can tell CJ.”
“Not telling. Nope, no way, no how.”
He laughed. “Fine. Then it’s your turn to make breakfast next time.”
She nearly choked on her coffee.
He grinned. “You okay there, Syd?”
She nodded and blushed furiously, wiping at the dribble of coffee that escaped her lips. “Yup, I’m a slob, that’s all,” she fibbed, not about to verbalize the effect he had on her. “Do you have any napkins?”
He nodded and tried not to chuckle at how his words affected her. “Right behind you, there’s a stack.”
She twisted around and reached for one, but suddenly froze in place, grimacing. “Oh, ow. Shit.”
“Hey, you okay?”
She slowly turned to face him and nodded with obvious difficulty. “I slept all fucked up. My neck’s been killing since you woke me. It’s no biggie. It’ll go away eventually.”
He stood and moved behind her, taking his empty plate with him. “Maybe it was the pillow?”
“Naw, I think I slept in a funky position.”
Caleb put his dishes on the counter and glanced at Syd. She was tilting her head from side to side, trying to stretch and loosen the muscles. I shouldn’t do this, he thought, as he swept her hair off to the side. She gasped when he placed his hands on her neck.
“Here, let me see if I can help,” he said, his voice gentle.
She stiffened for a brief moment before relaxing and going limp beneath his touch.
“Can we move this to the side a little bit so I can get in there? Pretty sure your neck needs this massage more than your robe does.”
“Sure.” She took hold of the lapels and pulled them apart slightly, exposing the tender curvature where neck meets shoulder, as well as the swell of her breasts and a fair bit of cleavage. She sighed and stretched her legs out in front of her, crossing them at the ankle.
Caleb took a deep breath and willed himself to behave.
Fat chance.
He kneaded the soft skin gingerly at first, not wanting to hurt her even more. There was tension beneath the surface, and he gently began working out the knot. He continued his tender manipulation for several minutes before asking if it felt all right.
“Yeah,” she answered. “It’s amazing.”
Aw, fuck it.
He bent and ran his lips along the curve of her neck. Syd audibly sucked in a sharp breath and tipped her head back to allow better access. He accepted her unspoken invitation and parted his lips, lightly tracing along her skin with his tongue, tasting her.
“Caleb,” she whispered.
It was as if his whole body had coiled at the sound of his name on her lips. He growled and slid his hands along her shoulders as he continued sampling with his tongue and lips. Syd arched her back and moaned the moment his hands made contact with hers. He bit her just below the ear and she purred, threading her fingers into his, gripping tightly.
Don’t rush it, he thought suddenly. She’s special—don’t ruin whatever this might be.
He quickly righted himself and looked at Syd. She opened her eyes to gaze up at him, her head still tilted back. Her lips were slightly parted, her breathing was visibly heavier and her eyes shone with desire.
“Well, that escalate
d quickly,” he joked.
“You could say that.”
“Um, so I guess you should get dressed,” he stated, backing away. “We’ve got to get you back in time for your meetings.”
Her shoulders sank for a moment, then she abruptly sat up rod-straight. “Yeah, the meetings.” She turned to face him, clearing her throat. “Thanks for the, uh, massage. My neck feels a bit better.”
“Yeah, no problem.”
She stood, awkwardly staring at her feet for a moment, until finally she glanced at the staircase. “Yeah, um, so I should get going,” she muttered, hurrying off.
“God damn it,” Caleb whispered, combing his fingers through his hair. “Fuck, I screwed this up but good, didn’t I?”
He had cleared the dishes and was getting his shoes on when Syd bounded down the stairs and into the foyer. She smiled brightly, but he swore there was sadness in her eyes again and prayed that what had happened earlier wasn’t the cause of it.
“Ready?” she asked all too cheerily, sitting and pulling her boots on over her leggings.
“Yeah, ready.”
He helped her with her coat and followed her out of the chalet to the Cadillac.
The drive to the hotel was deafeningly silent. Too silent, Caleb thought, considering how much they had chattered away the previous evening. Something was bugging Syd and he wished he could figure out what it was. She stared out the window, silently watching the scenery fly by.
He quickly glanced at her again before directing his attention back to the road, and sighed. She was definitely a looker, he mused, but there was so much more to her than that. Her personality, attitude, style, confidence, even her story…the combination of everything made her beautiful. And something told him that was the just the tip of the iceberg with Syd.
Which was why he liked her so damn much. To think he’d only known her for less than two days—there was still so much more he wanted to discover about her.
He pulled in front of the hotel and shifted into park, fiddling with the heating controls and procrastinating getting out of the car. He didn’t want her to leave. After a couple of moments of silence, he relented and stepped out, moving around to the passenger side. He opened the door with a flourish and she chuckled.
Little White Lie Page 5