Snapping his mouth shut, he snatches up the phone, his face becoming unreadable as he swipes the screen.
‘Yeah?’ he grunts, his huge hands gripping the cell tightly. I can just make out Henry’s voice on the other end, and I immediately zone my attention in on the call, trying to hear anything that might be being said.
‘Yeah’ Caleb mutters again, ‘no, we’re fine, everything’s good.’
He nods absently to himself a few times before hanging up the phone and looking over at me, everything now closed off once again.
‘Your car will be delivered tomorrow’ the man across from me announces, ‘you are already insured and it will be gassed up before it gets dropped off.’
I blink, soaking in what Caleb is telling me, I hadn’t expected a vehicle so soon, if I’m completely honest, I thought it was an empty gesture to look good to my Mother.
‘Uhh, OK, thank you’ I reply quickly, ‘umm, are Mum and Henry OK? Did he say if they were having a good time?’
Caleb pins me with that laser like stare again as he slowly nods, ‘they are having a great time’ he grunts, ‘in fact they are thinking of extending the trip by a couple more weeks.’
I nod automatically even though my heart plummets in my chest, another couple of weeks? I’m not sure I can cope being around this man for another three weeks let alone any longer.
‘OK’ I reply weakly instead, ‘as long as they are enjoying themselves.’
Caleb pushes back his chair, collecting up his plate and mine before striding toward the sink and placing them in the dishwasher. Slowly I pack up the remaining food, placing it in the smaller boxes and carrying them over to the refrigerator to place inside.
Turning around, I inhale sharply to find Caleb inches from me, still watching me in that predatory way.
‘Uh . . is everything OK?’ I ask nervously, nibbling my bottom lip as his gaze focuses intently on the area, his tongue snaking out to wet his own lips.
‘Yeah’ he breathes, ‘uhh, your mum . . she said to tell you that she will face call you later.’
I nod, clenching my hands at my sides to stop me reaching out to touch the enigmatic man, to run my hand down his chest and see if his muscles are as firm as I imagine they are.
Taking a step back, Caleb gives me one last look before turning on his heel and hurrying away and suddenly I can breathe again, sucking in lung fulls of air as I clench my thighs together.
Caleb’s POV
Everything feels wrong, for the first time in a week I’m not playing chauffeur as Tessa now has her own transport, a bright shiny new key to our home attached to her keyring.
Instead of waiting around for her and driving in rush hour to the College, I’m up early and in the gym, burning through the unwanted tension that has my muscles painfully tight.
Pulling at the handles on either side of my body, I blow out a breath as my movements lift the heavy weights behind me. Finishing my reps, I release the handles and step out of the middle of the machine, grabbing my towel off the floor and wiping the sweat from my face.
‘Wow’ a voice purrs beside me and I turn my head to find one of the regulars beside me, her eyelashes batting as she leans against the weight frame. ‘You sure can lift some weight handsome, just how much can you bench press?’
I grunt noncommittedly, in no mood to talk to anyone, trying to shake her off as I head over to the dumb bells and pick up the largest weights before taking a seat on one of the benches.
The red head follows me over, grabbing one of the lighter weights and sitting down way closer to me than she needs too, curling her bicep as she watches me in the mirror.
‘I see you here a lot’ she states conversationally, ‘but you’ve been missing the last week or so, I was worried something had happened to you.’
I frown in annoyance, not sure why she’s even talking to me, ‘I was busy, I don’t live at the f*cking gym.’
Redhead laughs loudly, throwing back her head which pushes out her chest in what I assume is supposed to be a provocative pose.
‘You’re hilarious’ she trills, leaning closer to me so her breath is literally on my neck, making my skin crawl. ‘Want to go somewhere after?’ she offers, ‘I can help you work off that anger you seem to be carrying.’
Standing up, I place the weight back on the rack, ‘no thanks’ I growl, ‘I have to work.’
Not waiting for her to reply, I turn on my heel and head toward the locker rooms, grabbing my towel from my locker and walking into one of the free shower stalls.
Locking the door, I turn on the water, welcoming the cold sting against my skin before it starts to warm up. Using the complimentary shampoo and body wash, I scrub the sweat from my body, hoping it might also wash away the images that have been plaguing my mind ever since Tessa came down for dinner in that thin silk dressing gown that did nothing to cover her perfect curves.
I spent the entire meal with an uncomfortable hard on that I couldn’t even rearrange without drawing attention to myself. I had to just sit there and act like I wasn’t seconds away from throwing her down on the table and rutting inside her like a sex starved teenager.
Her legs had been strong and supple and had seemed to go on for miles despite her deceptively short stature. Even now I can imagine those long limbs wrapped around my waist, heels digging me in the ass as I pounded into her against the wall.
‘Stop it!’ I order myself sharply, ‘f*cks sake, even if she wanted you, and who the f*ck would? You can’t f*cking have her.’
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.