“Hey, heard the meeting went really well! Maybe you will get a great bonus!” She said as she came waltzing into my office, she seemed a little too excited this early in the morning.
“Yeah, hopefully.” I said distracted while looking for a card. “Hey, do you know who sent these flowers? I can’t find a card.” I said searching the bouquet once more.
“I can go look at the receipt, it’s over on my desk. I was the one who signed for it. The delivery guy was really good looking, kind of made my day.”
“What did he look like?” I asked in a sort of panic tone
“Geez, you want all the hot men don’t you?” She said in a chuckled voice “He had black hair, darker skin, and the most amazing brown eyes. He kind of reminded me of Liam but with darker skin.”
“Oh. Okay.” I don’t know why but I was hoping for it to be someone else.
“They are from your love! He is so sweet Ryleigh! How did you land an amazing guy?” She said handing me the form.
“Pure luck. He is pretty awesome, huh? I better call him and thank him.” I walked back to my desk without looking at her. I picked up the phone and dialed up Liam.
“Have I told you how much I love you?” He answered.
“Now what if I was Todd from the mailroom? I don’t know how he would feel about you confessing your love for him.” I said smiling widely.
“Well, shit! I thought it was Todd! I mean, Hi honey.” “Smart ass. I just got your flowers, thank you. Isthere a special occasion for these beauties?” “Yes. It is Thursday and I am sending them to my beautiful wife. I figured you needed something to brighten your day.”
“You’re amazing. They did. So, I wanted to give you a heads up.” I paused I didn’t know if I should tell him or just meet Caleb and not go into it with Liam until later that night.
“What’s up babe?” He asked. “Oh, I just wanted to let you know that the meeting went really good this morning and I managed to impress the board. So I have heard rumors that I will be getting a promotion or even a bonus!” I did want to tell him more but I just couldn’t get the words to come out.
“Oh, that is truly amazing! Maybe the flowers weregood luck then? We will do our own little celebration just the two of us later tonight. I might be a little late; I have some of the marketing team from the other branch in New York here to visit. So, you may want to grab yourself something to eat on your way home and I will bring home some champagne or wine, maybe both. What do you think? Sound like a plan?”
“Sounds like an amazing evening, just the two of us.” I said with a smile looking down at the clock. “Oh wow, is it really 12:15? Honey, I’ve gotta run! I have a lunch meeting that I was supposed to go to at noon. See ya later, love you.” I said in a hurry.
“Love you too.” We both quickly hung up and I grabbed my jacket and headed out the door. I didn’t even bother to mention to Ava that I was leaving. I couldn’t believe that the time went so quickly and I was going to be so late. Thankfully the elevators weren’t as busy as they normally were and the pizza place was a minute walk from my building.
I started down the street and thankfully I was in heels or I would have been sprinting down the road. I don’t think that I had walked that fast in heels without falling over. I grabbed the handle of the door, took a few deep breaths and walked in. I glanced around and then he caught my eye, sitting in a back booth. His green eyes staring up at me and his big smile were definitely hard to miss. I headed back to him trying to look as confident as ever, but inside I was a nervous wreck.
“I am so incredibly sorry; I got caught up at work and didn’t realize the time. Have you been waiting long?” I think that is the fastest I had ever apologized.
“Ryleigh, calm down I was a little late as well. I just got here like five minutes ago. Take a seat, I just ordered us both a couple of slices of ultimate, I hope that is okay?”
“That is great, thanks. I am starving! I didn’t geta chance to eat this morning and my coffee was extra strong.” “Man, it’s great to see you again.” He was looking at me with such passion, that smile of his would be able to make anyone forget what they were going to say. However, the words began to just spill out of my mouth.
“So what happened, Caleb? I know that you usually ask the person how they have been and what they have been up to, but I am just going to cut to the chase.” I said this so cold, I couldn’t believe it was me that just spoke. I sounded so cold, it even gave me chills.
I could see the smile slowly fade from his gorgeous face. His brows began to furrow. “Yeah. I know. Not for one second did I not think about you. I thought about you for every second of every day. I don’t know what happened, I got out of basic and got stationed in England. I met all sorts of new people and I just couldn’t keep you waiting around for me. I wanted you to get out there and have some fun and you always made me feel like you were waiting around for my call or email. I…I really don’t have any other excuse or explanation. If you were to slug me right now, I would take it and thank you for it. I was a douche to you and it wasn’t fair, I really should have explained things to you sooner.” He grabbed my hand and held it while his thumb caressed my knuckles.
“Well. That had to be the worst sorry in the history of all of your apologies!”
“I am so incredibly sorry. Is that one better?”
“A little.” The waitress set down our plates of pizza, I have never felt more hungry in my life; I just wanted to pick that pizza up and scarf it down. It was just after hearing him tell me why we lost contact I just started to pick at the toppings. I could feel his gaze still on me.
“You not hungry?
“Yes, I am, but I am still in shock that I am seeing you.” I said laughing. “I typically have a hard time actually chewing my food; I am told I don’t actually look like I savor the actual food.”
It was so nice to have him there. Us laughing enjoying the time together, you would have never guessed that we were ever apart.
“Do YOU chew your food? And where do you put it? You look amazing!” “I do chew, I eat a lot actually. I do hit the gym a lot. I figure I can eat what I want but that means I have to hit the gym longer and harder. Actually, I was just admiring how grown up and beautiful you have really become. I mean you have always been gorgeousto me, but now you are just… wow...” He was looking at me with those delicious green eyes again. How have you been? What have you been up to? How is your mom? You know all the other stuff as well.”
“I have been really good. I have been working in an accounting firm here downtown; I got the job right after I graduated and have been there, wow it seems like forever now. As for Lynda, well she is mom. She got remarried 2 years ago. To a guy named Avery. He is really, genuinely sweet to her and she seems happy but I don’t quite see them together forever.He is very much into keeping up his looks and as is my mom, but she is the queen of takeout and he is the king of workout. Oh well, for the time being she is happy and that makes me happy; she deserves this. Now on to you, how have you been? All that other good stuff.”
“I’ve been good. I just got out of the military, well I got out 2 years ago. I was living in Florida for a little bit, but that wasn’t where I wanted to be so I decided to move back home. Folks are good; they’re still in the old house. They asked about you the other day and then I just happened to run into you last night. You married?”
“Wow. Talk about jumping subjects! But, yes.” I said lowering my head.
“Why did you just lower your head?” He asked.
“Cause I don’t want you to be disappointed with me, I don’t know.” “Ryleigh, why would I be disappointed? You and I have been apart for so long and yeah, I mean, I would have loved to come in and find that you were a single woman and I could swoop in and take you away with me and never let you go ever again, but come on; I would be lucky and that is something that I never considered myself. So, no, I am not disappointed with you. I am happy for you. Are you happy?”
“Of course I am happy!” I sounded
like I was getting a bit defensive.
“I don’t mean to upset you, but Ryleigh, I still think about us.” He grabbed my hand, again, so tight; his look was so serious compared to the lighthearted one only a moment ago. “I think about what could have been and what should have been. I know me saying this is going to cause some problems, but I can’t let you out of my life.” He slid around into my side of the booth not letting go of my hand. “I really know this is horrible timing, but Ryleigh, I just can’t leave you again.”
“Caleb are you insane? Have you lost your mind? I am married! I have been married for 6 years now! I can’t just walk away with you, forget everything that I have and run off into the sunset with you!” I could feel tears building.
“I have missed you, I truly have, but was this your plan all along to just come in on your white horse and take me away? Caleb…” “I don’t know what I was hoping to have happen but Ryleigh I had to see you and to tell you.” He dropped his head and looked down for a split second. It was just then Caleb grabbed me by my arms and embraced me in a deep, passionate kiss.
I wanted so bad to push him away, but to have his soft lips on mine once again was the best feeling. His tongue began to push through my lips; I could feel it massage my tongue. My body began to melt against his, all the while my fingers combed through his hair. My arms moved down his toned arms and back up to his neck. I felt like a teenager in highschool all over again, making out wherever we felt it was necessary to but on such a display.
His lips were so soft, so tender; his tongue was amazing against mine. I could feel our bodies fighting for air, but at that moment we didn’t want to even break for a second to let that small little breath of air come in.
It was only then, when that moment of pure bliss was interrupted by reality. What was I doing? I slowly pushed myself up.
“Caleb, we can’t do this… it’s just wrong.” I could really only then feel myself struggle with the words coming out. “What we had was just that, HAD, we are different people and….” “Ryleigh, I love you. I know that I have the worst timing in the history of man, but you have to know that I want to be with you more than ever! I have never forgiven myself for leaving you the way I did, but you have to know if I saw you that night, I would have never been able to leave.” He began to stare down at the table.
“That’s the thing Caleb. If you would’ve stayed, we could have been together. We would have been together. We could have been spending this afternoon in a completely different situation, but you left and we both have moved on! I am meeting you to catch up, not to play the ‘please forgive me and come with me’ game. I did love you, Caleb.” I paused for a moment to collect my thoughts. He never took his gaze from me. “I didn’t know it until it was too late, but when I did- I was heartbroken.”
“Ryleigh, I am so sorry. I didn’t know how badly I hurt you.” He dropped his head, almost as if he were defeated. “I moped around for days on end. I never in my life felt so hurt. When I finally went off to school, started making some new friends, sure I thought about you every day, but then I met Liam. He slowly made me feel like I could love again. I did.” I could feel my tears sting the back of my eyes, but knew if I cried I would be in his embrace again and I didn’t know if I could handle it. My eyes didn’t want to leave the crumb filled table.
“I am sorry, Ry. I didn’t mean to upset you or even hurt you back then or just now. I wanted to let you know that I, too, have been thinking about you since that day. I wanted to find you and tell you how sorry I was. How sorry I am.” He cupped my face to look at him. “I am not saying that I want you to leave your husband, your happy life. I want you to be happy, but I want you to know I have to be with you. I can’t love anyone else in this lifetime. I only have love for you, you own my heart.”
That was the moment the tears finally found their way down my cheek. He slowly wiped each one away with his thumb.
“Look, I need to get back to work. I don’t know howto even answer something like that. I really don’t even know what you are asking of me, but I do know I can’t do this right now. I will call you later.” He slid out of the booth pulling my arm and hand up to help me out. He began to follow me to the door, not letting go of my hand in fear of me running. Deep down, that is exactly what I felt like doing. I may have had heels on, but running is all I felt like doing.
“I know I put a lot out there in one lunch date, but I had to tell you. I don’t think that I could have held this back any longer. Just, I guess, think about what I said.” He leaned in and gave me a tight hug.
He slowly let me and walked in the opposite direction. I stood there frozen, just watching him walk away from me. I began to think of Liam, the happiness we shared, but the farther that Caleb walked away; I couldn’t help but think of how much I wanted him.
Chapter Four
“Caleb! Wait!” I yelled for him. I found myself walking faster and faster to almost a jog up to him. He slowly turned around. He looked like someone just kicked his puppy. “You have the worst timing ever!” I quickly jumped into his arms and found my mouth on his.
I couldn’t believe that I was kissing him deeper and more passionate that I have ever kissed anyone. Even my own husband! I felt his hands work his way up and down my back while mine held onto him for dear life.
“Come back to my hotel with me. I have to be with you.” He whispered into my ear.
All I could do was simply nod at him. I couldn’t believe that I had just agreed to make this happen, but everything in my body was telling me to go. Nothingin this very moment could tell me no.
Thankfully, his hotel was just down the road a few blocks. I am not sure why, but I found it amusing that he was staying in the Four Seasons. It just seemed so posh and Caleb was anything but. The elevator ride up to the 22ndfloor was a pure adrenaline rush, I could feel my energy levels cranked up to the max, my heart was about to burst through my chest and I could feel my cheeks begin to burn from the smile that was being produced from ear to ear. The walk down the hall seemed never ending.
When we entered the room, I looked around amazed. It was a beautiful room, with an amazing view of Denver. Then I saw the bed. The linens creased in the most amazing ways, the pillows looked like puffy clouds. I felt Caleb sneak up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. His soft lips began to work their delicious magic up my neck and to my ear. I felt his teeth nip at my lobe. Could this totally be one of those crazy dreams that I have had once or twice before?
“Do you need or want anything?” He whispered in my ear.
“N-no. I am good.” I stuttered. I felt like a virgin all over again. I was a nervous wreck and anxious all at the same time. I had to remind myself that I was an adult and knew exactly what I was doing.
“Turn around.” He whispered. I turned to face him and found the same Caleb I once knew standing in front of me, but with this more grown up face, this powerful sexual attitude.
I turned to face him, to find that he had the darkest look to him. He looked at me with such passion, such romance, I could have come up apart at the seams right then. I unbuttoned his shirt, but our eyes never lost each other. He leaned down and cupped my face and pulled me in for the deepest kiss. I could feel the back of my knees hit the mattress. I felt his erection straining against his jeans as we both fell back onto the bed.
“Caleb…” I said quietly.
“Hmm…” He said as he kissed back up to my neck and my ear.
“I…I don’t know if I can do this.” I sniffed.
He stopped grinding into me and looked deep into my eyes. “Ry. I don’t want to make you do anything that you aren’t ready to do. I don’t want you to feel any pressure from me or feel like you have to do this. I love you so much and I could just lay here in bed holding you.” He said sweetly as he kissed my neck once more.
I could feel the tears sting at my eyes as he sat back down next to me. “I don’t want you to cry, okay? This is my fault more than anything, Ryleigh. With that being
said, I am really sorry that I even let it get this far. I know that you are married; you even said you were happy and I brought you back to my room. I would love to be friends once again and this was not the way to begin that friendship.” He hooked his arm around my waist and pulled me into him.
“No, I am sorry. I shouldn’t have led you to believe that I could do this. I would like more than anything for us to be friends.” I leaned my head on to his shoulder and wiped my face.
“Would you like something to eat? You really didn’t eat your pizza and you must be starving.” Caleb asked as he stood up to grab one of the menus.
“Thanks, but I really need to head back to work. I have been gone for a little longer than I should have and I really need to head back.” I said slipping on my top.
“Stay.” He quickly demanded. “Look, I don’t think I can let you leave knowing that we both are feeling really awkward. Please?”
“Alright.” I reached in my purse and grabbed my phone. “Do you mind if I step out onto the balcony real quick to call?”
“No, please take as long as you need. I will get us some dinner and then we can sit down and talk.” He said as he opened the glass door.
As I stepped outside, I noticed I had a missed text. My heart about stopped thinking that it was Liam. Thankfully it was just Courtney.
Hey! We need a girlie day! Toes, nails, massage…whatcha think? I closed out my message box and called work. I toldAva that my stomach wasn’t doing too well from lunch and that I was just going to head on home. After a million, ‘can I bring you anything’s?’ I was able to get off the phone with her with a brief second to text Courtney back.
Hey, sorry I missed your text! Busy day! Yes!! You make the arrangements, I will be there! Just lemme know what day ☺love ya!
I could feel Caleb looking over at me, watching.
“Sorry, I got a text from my friend Courtney. She wanted to set up a girlie day at the spa.” I felt I had to explain.
“You don’t have to explain who you are texting, babe. I just can’t help myself and I start to stare at you, you are just so damn beautiful.” He had that beautiful smile.
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