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“Just that,” I say, the rush of laying it all out there making it a little easier to tell her the rest of the truth. “I want to see you again. When we get back home.”
“Oh.”
“Not the resounding yes I was hoping for,” I tease.
Callie looks up at me, lost and a little sad and hopeful, none of which makes much sense to me, but at least she’s not pushing me away.
“I’m… not like this,” she says. “At home.”
“Safe to say, I’m usually not like this either,” I say with a laugh.
“I mean, you don’t know,” Callie stops, then tries again. “I have issues. I’m not being flippant. There are things about me you don’t know, things I’m going to have to deal with when we get back. I’m not sure you want to take on that kind of baggage.” She blushes hotly. “Assuming you meant—”
“That’s exactly what I meant,” I say, taking a chance and kissing her on the cheek. “I want that. Baggage and all.”
Callie shivers.
“I can be very persuasive,” I say, leering just a little to let her know I’m not above using whatever means necessary, the almost palpable connection between us making me bolder by the minute.
She laughs. “I know you can,” she says, shaking her head. The deejay picks up the tempo and the floor around us fills with people and noise. Callie mouths, “Later.” I nod.
There’s enough want, enough give in her expression, I suspect I’ve already won, but we’ll have to wait until after the reception. I catch West’s eye again, and this time I shiver.
Later.
Callie and I have a plan.
Sort of. More like, Callie has a plan, and I’m following orders. In this case, it works for me.
She swears she’ll be right behind me, but as I knock on the door to West’s suite, I can’t help but think she’s giving us space.
Is this how it works when you’re involved with two people? Lots of turn taking and giving each other space? Or maybe that’s just relationships and I’m overthinking it. I’m making a mental note to look it up it later when West opens the door.
Definitely overthinking things.
His dress shirt is unbuttoned and untucked, his cuffs loose like I caught him just about to strip it off.
My mouth goes dry.
“Raleigh.” West is fighting a grin when my eyes make it up to his face, causing my face to warm. I guess he thinks that’s funny because the grin breaks free, growing wider as my face gets redder. “Is there something you want?”
Like he doesn’t already know why I’m there. I’m not buying that for a second.
“Can we talk?” I say. West steps back to let me pass, but not far enough to keep us from having to slide against each other. By the time he closes the door and follows me into the sitting area of the suite, my heart is in my throat.
“Everything all right?” he asks, stripping his shirt down his arms and tossing it over the back of a chair.
Sure, fine. Nothing to see here. You’d think I’d never seen a man without his shirt on before. I have, of course. I was on the diving team in high school for God’s sake; I’ve seen more than my share of naked guys.
Can’t say I ever had this reaction to any of them, but then, none of those guys looked like West.
“Yeah,” I say, belatedly. West is starting to look concerned.
Showtime.
“Callie said she’ll be along soon,” I say. I have no idea where to start. West nods slowly. He unbuckles his belt, taking his time with it, watching me through every second.
“Hmm,” he says. “Did Callie say anything else?”
