“You aren’t going anywhere.”
“Watch me.”
Caleb was actually amused as she huffed through the kitchen. She was a sight to see when trying to hide her arousal. He recognized her tells now. Her skin flushed a pale pink and her eyes shined, bright as sapphires. He’d bet his left nut she was wet. Her flesh primed and ready for him.
When she picked up her cell phone and dialed, his humor vanished.
“Samantha. Need I remind you of our arrangement?”
She ignored him and spoke into the phone. “I need a cab, please.”
Caleb was on her in a second. He snatched the phone from her and slammed it on the counter, uncaring that it shattered under his palm. Collateral damage was inevitable in war.
“You don’t need a cab, because you aren’t going anywhere. We aren’t having this conversation again, you hear me? When I said you weren’t leaving, I damn well meant it.”
His voice reverberated through the room, causing her to flinch. She took a step back from him. “I’m going to kill you in your sleep.”
“Yeah? Good luck with that.”
“Bastard.” She looked at the broken remnants of her cell. “You owe me a new phone.”
Caleb didn’t give a shit about her phone. He was more concerned about the erection he’d been sporting since she’d walked into the room. Even now he was calculating how strong those tiny straps of her top were. “I’ll buy you whatever phone you want.”
“You got that right.”
He latched onto her wrist as she spun to leave. Again. She was always walking away from him. Clearly, it was time to change tactics. “Samantha, baby, come on.”
She whirled on him so fast he was forced to take a step back. “Don’t you dare!” She jabbed her finger into his chest. “You don’t get to call me baby. We had sex, Caleb. Once. And since there is no chance of it ever happening again, you won’t ever earn the right to call me baby. Or anything else for that matter.”
He lowered his gaze to her chest. His mouth watered to suck those tight little nipples that told him more than her words ever could. “Never, huh?”
“Never.”
Before he could think better of it, he jerked her forward. Her breath came out in a rush when her breasts hit his chest. The heat from her body penetrated his skin, but she didn’t pull back, didn’t fight his hold.
“I was an ass.”
“Was?”
Her scent surrounded him, making him lightheaded. He cupped her neck, the need for more contact his main priority.
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m sure you are.” She shook her head, as if confused. “That’s the second apology you’ve given me in two days. After all the years of hostility, I didn’t realize being sorry came so easily for you.”
The little minx wasn’t going to give him an inch. “No more fighting.”
Okay, he knew it was a statistical improbability, but it was either that or tell her all the ways he wanted to fuck her. Some things were better for show than tell.
“Right. Because you say so. Get off me. You’re all sweaty and I’m not in the mood to take a shower.”
Her argument would have been more effective had she moved away instead of pressing closer. God, what this woman did to him.
“You’re going to need more than a shower by the time we’re through.” He bent and took possession of her mouth.
There was nothing gentle in the way he slanted his mouth over hers, demanding entrance. Caleb shoved a hand through her hair, its silky curls hugging his fingers as he held her still. He sucked her lower lip into his mouth and caressed the soft tissue with his tongue before diving back into the warmth of her mouth.
Her body went limp against him, the soft mewls coming from her throat a major fucking turn on. Caleb kissed her until they were both breathless.
“Bed,” Samantha panted, jerking her mouth away.
“Too far.” Caleb judged the distance to the couch and decided that wasn’t close enough either. “Fuck it.”
Samantha squealed as he wrapped an arm around her waist and lifted her onto the counter. Her legs came around him in a gesture so natural, it was as if they had done this a hundred times.
It felt … right.
Which was wrong on more levels than he cared to think about. She was Amanda’s best friend. Alec’s bestie too, apparently. Not to mention that she’d told him flat out their time together was limited.
Was that the reason he wanted her?
Unfortunately, he didn’t know the answer. Didn’t care much about the answer while she was in his arms, either.
“Caleb?” The heat from her sex burned as she pushed her hips against his stomach.