“Yes, thank you,” I breathed, as he lifts my fingers to his lips and kisses them softly.
“I know what I’m about to say is wrong, but it doesn’t feel like it,” Cal murmured, gazing at me with such intensity I forgot my own name. “I want you to come home with me, right now.”
The air left my body in a whoosh at his words, and I held onto him as I closed my eyes.
His lips brushed against mine, his smoky yet addictive breath in my mouth as our tongues met. His hands skimmed the flesh below my dress, his fingers flickering against the soft skin of my inner thigh.
My breath hitched in my throat, and he stopped, dropping his hand from the place I wanted him to be so badly.
“This is what you are used to,” I whispered, as he slammed his hands on the tree, my eyes widening with surprise.
“No, it isn’t— trust me. I can’t get you out of myfuckingmind. I’ve tried.”
His confession made me smile stupidly, and all reason left my mind.
Except for one.
“I’m with Luke,” I said, my fingernails dug into my palms as tears threatened to spill down my cheeks.
His eyes hardened. His finger grazed against my jaw as he tilted my head up. I gazed at him, knowing that I couldn’t fight this; whatever it was. He dropped his lips to mine, and my hands laced around his neck, our mouths meeting fervently.
“Walk away then,” Cal muttered against me, loosening his grip. I shook my head, my hands resting on his biceps. His eyes flickered with annoyance, and he shrugged. “Go, Gretchen. Back to your boyfriend, who you don’t love.”
“What’s the alternative? I spend the night with his cousin?” I shot back, pursing my lips. “I’m not that kind of girl, Cal.”
“The alternative is you come home with me,” he said darkly, turning to gaze at me. “Because you can’t deny this,” his finger moved between us in a beckoning fashion, and my heart hammered in my chest at the movement.
He stepped forward, his eyes on mine the entire time. “Does he make you feel like I do?” Cal demanded, raising his eyebrows.
I folded my arms around myself, hugging my wet clothes to my body.
Calknewthat Luke didn’t make me feel like he did.
No one did, and I’m convinced no one ever will again.
“No,” I admitted, stepping closer to him. “But I’m not just leaving with you, Cal. I don’t even know you.”
I raised my hand to cup his cheek, and he lifted his hand up to capture my palm with his lips, tugging me towards him.
“Then get to know me,” he said, as I closed my eyes. “Unless you say no, I’m going to fucking keep kissing you.”
I lifted my mouth to his, knowing that I was powerless to resist Cal Fallon. When I kissed him, I knew it was over with Luke and me. I risked it all to be with this man who I barely knew.
“I’m going to hell,” I whispered as he chuckled against my lips.
“You can ride there with me,” his lips teased mine as we gave in to one another. “You coming home with me, Raven?”
His nickname for me was endearing, and I almost felt as long as he called me that, I wasn’t Luke’s Gretchen.
I was Cal’s Raven.
“Luke will kill me,” I whispered as I buried my head into his chest.
“You can’t control how you feel,” Cal scoffed, his hands running through my hair. “I’m not forcing you to do anything. I’m just asking you to choose who you want.”
Any other guy would have done this slowly, but not Cal. It was now or never, and I have a suspicion it would be forever.
“Okay. Let’s go,” I breathed, and he smiled; a genuine smile that I had never seen on him before.
