"Don't be." I line up my shot, avoiding his gaze. "I was the one who dragged you into that storage closet, remember?"
"Still," he says quietly. "I've never been a home wrecker, Jenna. I don’t know what’s gotten into me.” He runs a hand through his hair, looking genuinely troubled. "I'm just... drawn to you. More than I expected to be. I lost control, and that's not like me."
I sink a striped ball and move around the table, keeping my distance. "It won't happen again," I say, making it sound more like a question than a statement.
"It won't happen again," he confirms, but the regret in his voice makes my chest ache.
We play in silence for a while, the click of balls and occasional murmur from other patrons the only sounds. Every time our eyes meet across the table, I feel that pull, that dangerous current between us.
"You know," he says finally, "when this arrangement started, I never thought..."
"Me neither," I admit, cutting him off before he can say something that might break my resolve.
Just a few more games, I remind myself. One last hour. Then back to real life, to Reeves and Liam and bills and responsibilities. Back to the woman I'm supposed to be.
I lean against the table, studying the layout of balls, but my mind is elsewhere. Sure, there’s this thing with Caine. But there’s also so much more, so many things I wish I could change.
"What's got you looking so down?" Caine asks, pausing before taking his shot.
I sigh, twirling my cue between my fingers. "Liam's birthday is next week. All he wants is a kitten."
"And that's a problem because...?"
"Reeves is dead-set against it. Says we've got enoughresponsibility with the hall and Liam.” I shake my head. "I get it, but you should see Liam's face when he sees cats. His eyes light up like nothing else." I go for a shot and miss it.
Caine nods, his expression softening. "Kids should have pets. Teaches them responsibility, compassion." He lines up his shot, sinking a solid with perfect precision. "I had a cat growing up. After my mom died... I think that cat was the only thing that got me through."
The vulnerability in his voice catches me off guard. It's sometimes easy to forget he's human, with his own pain and history.
"Your shot," he says, stepping back.
I bend over the table, trying to focus, but I'm terrible today. My mind is scattered, torn between guilt and desire, between the reality of my life and the fantasy of what could be.
Miraculously, I manage to pot a ball… then a few more. I'm on a roll when I notice a playful smile stretching across Caine's lips.
"What?" I ask, suspicious.
"Nice skirt," he says, nodding at my frayed denim number—definitely not my sexiest option.
I laugh. "This old thing? Please."
"How about one last bet?" His eyes glint playfully. "A race. I need five games, you need one. If you win, I'll send another surprise."
My heart quickens. I do love surprises. "And if I lose?"
Caine's smile curves into a wicked grin that sends a shiver down my spine, a stark contrast to the soft, melancholic expression he wore moments ago when reminiscing about his childhood pet.
The transformation is like watching night fall, the warmth of the sunset giving way to the cool, seductive promise of the stars. His green eyes, always so intense, now gleam with a mischievous light that makes my stomach flutter with a mixture of apprehension and excitement.
"You didn't think I was going to make it that easy, did you?" he teases, his voice a smooth, low purr that seems to resonate within the very marrow of my bones. The playful tone is at odds with the serious, almost predatory gaze he fixes me with, a look that suggests he's already envisioning his victory and something very naughty.
I feel my cheeks flush as I realize the implications of a very possible loss. "What do you get if I lose?" I ask, wary.
He smiles so slowly, my knees buckle a little. "Your undies, beautiful."
"What?" I nearly choke. "Are you serious?"
"Dead serious." He leans closer, voice dropping. "You're wearing a skirt. It would be easy to slip them off.Greg wouldn't even notice." He shoots me a wink. "And I want a little keepsake to remember you by."
