He playfully smacked her ass. “Then I’ll look forward to seeing which you choose, as well as peeling it from your body later tonight.”
She’d look forward to that as well. Mentally adding sexy lingerie to her list of things to purchase, her anticipation of the night ahead grew by the minute.
“I agreed to let you buy me lunch, so I hope you’re hungry. ’Cause, I’m starving.”
“I could eat.”
His heated glance warmed her to her toes. She tossed him a wink. “I’m counting on it.”
Chapter 13
With Samantha’s purchases secured in his newly repaired truck, Caleb drove them to a quiet restaurant at the edge of town. The afternoon had slipped away before they slid into a booth.
Caleb signaled the waitress and ordered two cold beers as Samantha stifled a yawn. Lack of sleep was starting to wear on her. Not that she was complaining. Caleb made going without sleep a worthwhile experience, but, at some point in the near future, she was going to crash hard. Caleb must be used to it, because he appeared more relaxed than she’d ever seen him.
She still couldn’t believe she was here with him. That she’d seen him naked, felt his hard length inside her. He’d whispered words in her ear that made her hot, mastered her body like no other, and each moment was burned into her brain for all time.
Her heart was history. It scared the crap out of her. If Caleb said jump, Samantha was terrified she’d ask how high? Too many years under her father’s roof had taught her how that would turn out.
Amanda’s words came back to her in a rush.
Caleb is not your father, Samantha. If you can’t realize that, let him go.
She wanted to believe it. Wanted more than anything to let her guard down. If she hadn’t known the kind of man Caleb was before, the time she’d spent with him had proven he wouldn’t hurt her.
Let him go. Could she really do it? Did she have a choice?
“You still with me?”
Samantha glanced up. Caleb reclined back, his gaze locked on her as if he wanted inside her head.
“Sorry. Zoned out for a second.”
“Are you okay?”
She was touched by his concern. “I’m fine. A little tired, if you want to know the truth, but otherwise, no worries.”
“Do you want to go home? There’s still time if you’d like to take a nap before we go out.”
“Do I look eighty?” she joked. “I know you aren’t talking about taking me to my home, and you know there won’t be any napping if you take me back to yours.”
It pained her to remind him if their situation, but she couldn’t go on like this. For her own sanity, clear lines needed to be drawn. She’d have a hard enough time going back to her life when this was over; her heart didn’t need anything else to cling to. Like the thought of a home with Caleb.
His jaw tightened. “If you want to be left alone, all you have to do is ask.”
“So, you’d let me go home then, alone, if I asked?” Oh, he walked right into that one.
The tic in his jaw worked overtime. “Alone? No. Not a chance.”
His arrogance should’ve pissed her off, but the truth was, it made her feel safe. He made her feel safe. “Lighten up, Cay. I’d actually prefer not to be alone right now. Call me crazy, but I think you’re starting to grow on me.”
His eyes sparked with amusement. “In a good way, right? Not like a fungus or something gross you’d like to be rid of?”
If he kept that charming shit up, he’d find out sooner, rather than later, how much he’d grown on her. She kicked off her flip-flop and teased her foot up the inside of his calf. “Definitely in a good way.”
He reached down and grabbed her ankle, bringing her foot to rest between his legs. She wiggled her toes, felt his cock begin to swell behind the denim. His hand pressed against her foot until she couldn’t move, his gaze blazing hot as his tongue dashed across his lips.
“Trouble,” he mumbled. “That’s what you are.” He loosened his grip, but didn’t release her. He cupped her foot in his hands and pressed his thumbs against her arch.
“So you’ve said. Time and time again.” She dropped her head back and closed her eyes, luxuriating in the feel of his hands on her, massaging her, relaxing her.
“I’m curious about you.” His voice drifted through her haze.
“Curious about what?”
“Everything. How you grew up, how you became a lawyer. What makes you, you.”
In the past, the only time he cared about what she was doing was when Alec or Amanda were involved. Even then, he’d only cared about them. Never her.
She peeked an eye open. “You act as though I haven’t been around. You could have learned all about me if you’d only paid attention.”