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“I’m serious,” Raleigh says, not letting me derail him. He means it with every fiber of his being. That level of conviction makes him damned persuasive.
Clearly Callahan thinks so, too. She leans over to press her mouth to his.
“How can you be so brave?” she says.
“I’m not,” he says simply. “You are, though. You’ve made it this far, haven’t you? Even though you were scared.”
She’s shaking her head, but I’m not having that nonsense right now. I catch her chin and hold her gaze firmly.
“He’s right. You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for.”
I don’t have words to explain that to her right now. I can only hope Raleigh’s argument is enough.
If she agrees, I’ll have plenty of other evidence to prove to Callie she’s stronger than she thinks.
She swallows and I let her go while I still can.
“I’m scared,” she says.
“I am too,” says Raleigh. They look at me.
“And me,” I concede. “But I think it’s going to be worth it.”
Raleigh’s smile dawns, getting wider by the second. He leans in like he’s going to kiss me, but stops, looking up to Callahan.
She’s watching us, her eyes darting back and forth. Slowly, so slowly, her own smile emerges and she nods. They both turn to look at me.
“Yes,” I say. “Agreed. And fuck ’em if they can’t take a joke.”
18
Callahan
Raleigh leans over, kissing West for all he’s worth. West catches him, holding them both up where they’re kneeling at my feet, and oh, Lord. I never suspected watching them together would put me off, but I certainly didn’t expect to find it so compelling. So necessary.
They kiss like they’d die if they had to stop.
Eventually, West lays a hand at Raleigh’s throat, squeezing gently and putting some space between them. Raleigh whimpers, and the sound of such explicit need hits me at my core. I want to hear that sound again.
West is not immune. He holds Raleigh still, rolling his hips against Raleigh’s straining cock, drawing a twin whimper from him. West smiles evilly.
“I’ll be back for you,” he says, his voice so low it’s almost unrecognizable. It takes me an instant too long to realize West has turned his attention to me. I try to rise up off the chair but West pins me in place, his hands going to the back of the seat, his strong arms caging me in. West leans in close.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he murmurs. He nips at my bottom lip. I start shaking for real. “Trying to get away already?”
“No,” I lie.
He knows I’m lying. I don’t know why I wanted to get away; God knows there’s nowhere in the world I’d rather be right now. But that look on his face, and the way he kissed Raleigh, and everything that came before that—it’s too much.
“Callahan,” says West, his voice still unnaturally low.
I shake my head.
“Callie?” This comes from Raleigh, who’s kneeling up next to my chair looking concerned. I squeeze the chair arms for all I’m worth, trying to stop my hands from shaking, but it’s no use.
I’ve spent months building up every wall I could think of to keep people out. To keep myself safe. Everything we just admitted to each other out loud—it’s going to tear them all down, every last brick.
This is going to destroy me.
