AllFreeNovel
Share Us
As she headed to the bathroom to brush her teeth—just in case he wasn’t coming over to dump her—there was a knock on her door. She detoured into the living room and peered through the peephole.
Caleb’s familiar bulk shifted uneasily on the other side.
She threw open the door and his eyes lifted to hers. A chemical reaction occurred as they gazed at one another, but it wasn’t just about heat. This felt more like synthesis than combustion. Two simple compounds combining into something more complex.
Before she had time to consider the implications, he moved toward her, cradling the back of her head in his palm as he pressed warm lips to her forehead. “I missed you.” His nose bumped against hers as they leaned into one another, their breaths syncing and slowing in relief.
Whatever was happening between them had already grown out of her control. It was too late to protect herself now. The horses had stampeded through the open barn door and were hurtling toward inevitable heartbreak.
She might as well enjoy the ride in the meantime.
Penny curled her fingers in the front of Caleb’s shirt as she lifted her face to his. His hand slid through her hair to cup her cheek. He kissed her forehead again, and then her lips.
This is it, she thought, closing her eyes as she felt her body relax. Equilibrium.
Penny lay with her head pillowed on Caleb’s arm as she meditated on the perfection of his torso. His eyes were closed, and his chest rose and fell in slow, relaxed expirations under her hand. She watched her fingertips explore the smooth trough of his breastbone, test the firm muscle of his pecs, and trace the ridges of his ribs.
They hadn’t talked about what they were doing, or what was happening between them, although it seemed obvious something had changed. Penny was scared to bring it up, afraid that shining a light on it would cause it to disappear, like ice crystals melting in the sun.
If Caleb knew how strong her feelings had become, he’d surely insist on ending things immediately. She couldn’t let that happen. She’d made her bed, and she intended to lie in it as much as possible while she still could. Consequences be damned.
“I went to see George tonight,” she said, when the silence started to feel too weighty.
Caleb’s eyes cracked open, and he turned his face toward her. “How’s he doing?”
“Mike’s moving him up to San Jose.”
He nodded somberly. “That’s probably for the best.”
“He has to give up his house. The one he and his wife lived in for forty years. I can’t even imagine.”
“I’ve never lived anywhere longer than four years, so neither can I.” His eyes looked almost black in the dim light.
She felt a chill and pulled the sheet up over her chest, scooting closer to absorb more of his warmth. “My grandparents have lived in their house since they got married. They raised all their kids there. I think it would kill them to have to sell it and move somewhere else. Poor George. It makes me so sad to think about it. All those memories.”
Caleb’s hand touched her hair. “You can’t live in the past. He’ll be better off closer to his family.”
“I know.” She sighed. “It still makes me sad.”
His arm tightened around her, and his lips brushed the top of her head. “One thing I learned from moving around so much as a kid: home’s not a place. It’s the people you’re with.”
She pressed her face into his neck, breathing him in. The scent of coffee had become an aphrodisiac. She’d never be able to smell it again without getting turned on. A warm hand slid down her back, and she pulled his face to hers, enjoying the slow drift of pleasure as their mouths met in a leisurely kiss. She would happily stay in this moment forever, if only she could find a way to stop time.
“It’s getting late,” Caleb said.
Penny looked at the clock and saw that it was almost eleven. It really was late this time.
“I should go.” He sat up and threw the covers back.
She reached for him. “Don’t.”
“I have work in the morning.” He sounded apologetic. Like he wanted to stay.
“Don’t go,” she said, squeezing his forearm. “Sleep here.”
His brow furrowed in indecision. “Are you sure?”
“I’m sure. Stay the night.”
