Author's Note: For "legal purposes", I wanted to take a moment to point out that there was a small detail in an earlier chapter about Emy's birthday passing. And close to the beginning of the book, Cal said his eighteenth birthday was coming up, meaning it too has passed...
Just sayin' 😏
----------

I love this shower. I have the water running at a perfect temperature. When I inquired about the hot water tank, Pops laughed and told me not to worry about it. So, I wasn't worrying. I was taking the longest shower I could ever remember taking.

We had filled up on bacon, eggs and toast for breakfast. Cal kept a hand on my thigh while we ate. It didn't feel like he was doing it for my protection, or to warn anybody off. I think he just wanted to touch me.

Vee and Pops have an easy way about them that made me feel comfortable during breakfast. Though I am sure that Pops, and even probably Vee, could, and would, be downright terrifying if I ever found myself on the wrong side of their acquaintance, I decided to not think about that. Instead, I let myself enjoy their quiet company as we ate.

A few others trickled in from the various bedrooms down the hallway. Some of them grabbed food from the kitchen and sat at the table, while others brought their plates to sit by the TV.

I waited for a pause in the conversation before quietly asking if there was a towel I could use. Vee assured me that they had plenty of extras and then asked me if I would like to go shopping with her once I had freshened up.

Cal's fingers pressed into my thigh, and I declined the offer.

It sounded nice, and I felt like I could trust Vee, but Cal was obviously still wary. I trusted him more. Besides, I don't like the idea of going anywhere without Cal, and I have a feeling he might feel the same way.

We’ve become a little codependent of each other... Or maybe it's just me. I can't see Cal Jones depending on anyone.

With a content sigh, I turn the shower off. Even if running out of hot water isn't an issue, I can't stay in here forever.

I step out onto the bath mat and take the towel which Vee handed me after breakfast off the rack. It's large and soft. I never thought a towel could feel so luxurious. I use it to wipe off the excess water from my skin, run it over my hair a few times, and then wrap it around my body.

When I step into the bedroom to get dressed, I nearly jump out of my skin.

Cal is sitting on the bed up against the headboard, wearing only a pair of boxers. I had left him at the table with Pops when I went for my shower, and I hadn't expected him to be here, but he's probably waiting for his turn in the shower. 

My hand moves over my chest which my heart is rapidly beating against. "Cal! You scared me," I unnecessarily explain. I'm sure my reaction is enough of an explanation.

Cal gives me a mischievous grin, and says in a playful voice, "Damn. For a minute there, I thought you were going to drop your towel."

I don't let myself think. I drop it.

Cal inhales sharply. It's his turn to look surprised. "Fuck, Emy," he breathes out while he swings his legs off the bed to sit on the edge of the mattress. It looks like he's about to stand, but he seems to change his mind and stays put. His eyes rake over my body slowly before he makes eye contact again. 

"What are you doing to me, baby?" he whispers. It seems to be taking everything in him to stay put on the bed instead of crossing the room to get to me.

My confidence falters. I cross my legs and awkwardly move my arms to try to cover up as much of myself as possible. At the same time, I'm hoping that I'm not making it too obvious that I'm trying to hide myself. "I-I don't know," I stammer.

What was I thinking?

Oh right… I wasn't.

Cal stands, and I can't help myself. I shrink away and take a step backwards in the direction of the bathroom.

Noticing my discomfort, he sits down again. "Come here," he invites in a quiet voice. He holds out a hand toward me. His other hand grips the edge of the mattress, and his knuckles turn white as if it's physically difficult to hold himself in place.

I slowly move toward him and begin to chew on my lip, but then I remember what has happened before when Cal’s caught me doing this… I lick my lips in anticipation.

Cal groans and catches my hand in his once I'm close enough. His eyes roam over me again, and then he looks up at me. "Didn't take you for a fucking tease, Emy," he says with a smile, but he shakes his head a bit as if he's disappointed in me.

"I'm... I'm not," I answer. At least, I'm not trying to be.

"Yah, you are. Dropping your towel in front of me like that when you're nowhere near ready to let me have my way with you..." He lifts my hand to his mouth and kisses my wrist. "A fucking tease."

"I am ready," I protest without fully knowing what I'm claiming to be ready for. I'm not a complete idiot though. I have a pretty clear idea of what he's talking about… And it is a little scary to think about, but if that's what he wants, I'm ready for it. I can do that. For him.

Cal shakes his head again and places my hand on the back of his neck. My fingers move into his hair on their own accord, and he briefly closes his eyes, looking pleased by my touch.

"You're not," he insists. His hands move up to catch my hips, and he pulls me closer until I'm standing between his open legs and my legs are touching the bed. His breath is warm against my stomach before he rests his cheek against it.

"I could get you ready, though." He kisses next to my navel, and a shiver radiates from the spot, traveling up my spine and all the way down to my toes.

"Okay," I agree breathlessly.

The next thing I know, he's pushing me a step back and standing up. His mouth slams into mine and he kisses me frantically. His hands run over my hips to grab my ass, and in no time, he's turned us around and has me on my back on the bed.

He lies down beside me and props himself up on an elbow. His other hand rests against my collarbone, and he traces a path with his fingertips from one side to the other, and then back again.

I hold my breath, waiting to see what will happen next. I expect him to start ogling my body again, but his eyes stay trained on mine.

"Emy?" The lust in his eyes is changing to concern.

"Ye-es?" I can't control the shake in my voice.

"If this isn't okay, you can tell me. I won't be upset." His hand pauses at the center of my collar bone and his fingers stroke the small dip at the base of my throat. "I shouldn't have called you a tease. That wasn't fair. I don't want to do anything that you're going to regret tomorrow." He closes his eyes and rests his forehead against mine. "Fuck, it'll kill me if you have regrets, baby."

Any reservations that I might have disappear at seeing him so vulnerable. I tilt my chin up to kiss his lips. "I will never regret anything I share with you, Cal," I tell him before kissing him again.

He smiles into the kiss, and his hand trails down my sternum and makes its way over to cup one of my breasts. "That's sweet, baby, but you don't know that. I'm all kinds of fucked up. You're going to realize it one day, and you'll get sick of my shit and regret this. You're going to regret me."

"I won't, Cal," his name comes out with a gasp as his fingers close around my nipple. I arch into his touch.

He lifts his forehead from mine to look down at his hand on my breast, and a pleased smile crosses his face. "You will, but so help me, I'm going to enjoy my time with you until then. As long as you'll let me."

He dips his head toward my other breast and mumbles, "I'm too much of a selfish bastard not to." And then, he puts his lips on me and pulls my nipple into his mouth.

The sensation has me grabbing his shoulders to pull him closer. Feeling his firm muscles under my hands is a pleasurable feeling of its own kind. I run my hands over his shoulders to his back to feel more of his sculpted body.

He pulls his mouth off of my nipple and brings his hand up to tweak it while trailing kisses across my chest to the other side. His mouth closes over that nipple next, and he teases it with the tip of his tongue.

I whimper, and without taking his mouth off of me, Cal peers up to meet my eyes. And oh, what a sight that is. One that I'm sure will live in my mind for the rest of my life.

While still making eye contact with me, he pulls his lips back and grazes my extended nipple with his teeth. I catch my breath, and I think that encourages him to take it a step further because then he's lightly biting me.

It's not enough to hurt. Okay, it does hurt a little, but in the most exquisite kind of way.

"Ca-al," I draw out his name, and he applies the faintest amount of more pressure with his teeth before he soothes the ache away with his tongue.

After releasing my nipple from his mouth, he grins up at me. "You like that, baby?"

His fingers are still busy manipulating my other nipple, leaving me unable to properly form thoughts, let alone words. So to reply, I just nod enthusiastically.

He's thrilled. I can see it in his eyes and the huge grin on his face. "That's my girl. I had a feeling you were going to like it a little dirty." He leans up on his arm to hover over me, making his face level with mine to move in for another kiss.

I eagerly lift my head from the pillow to meet his lips and give him access to my mouth.

Kissing Cal still feels new and incredible to me. I don't think I will ever truly get used to it. But I'm beginning to know how he kisses. It's never quite the same, but I can now predict when he's going to slide his tongue into my mouth to deepen the kiss, and with that knowledge, I eagerly anticipate his next move and moan into his mouth when his tongue begins to explore.

His fingers pinch and tug at my nipple, and he lowers himself from his hovered position to press his body into mine.

His erection pushes against my thigh.

All feelings of urgency and excitement disappear. They're replaced by one reoccurring thought:

That's going to hurt.