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I had made myself small once—more than once, if I’m being honest—for a man and it still didn’t get me what I wanted. From now on, I was determined to be Teddy with all her warts on display. Love me or leave me.
“There’s always Cal,” she sang into the phone. “He wants to take you out,” she added just as the doorbell sounded again and I made my way toward the front door, taser in hand. Just in case.
I laughed as I trekked down the stairs. “He doesn’t want me or want to date me, he’s just shocked that I’m not only not the ugly little girl I used to be, but I’m not chomping at the bit to go out with him. He still sees me as that nerdy girl with a giant crush on him, told me as much yesterday.”
She didn’t need to know he was trying to goad me into accepting his dinner invitation.
“He did not!” Her shock was palpable.
“He did,” I replied with a laugh. “And he’s here now,” I told her when I opened the door to see Cal’s smiling face, a big paper bag filled with food in his strong arms. “What are you doing here, Cal?”
He flashed a wide, sexy grin that was playful and seductive all at once, which, combined with how good he looked, was a big damn problem for me. Cal had arrived in loose-fitting jeans and a nice sky-blue button-up shirt that gave his eyes a gemstone glitter.
“I brought dinner since you didn’t give me an answer even though we both know you wanted to say yes.”
“Cocky as ever,” I growled at him. “If I wanted to say yes, I would have. But I’ll take the dinner without the company.” I held my hand out for the bag and Cal pulled it farther out of my reach.
“Me and the food, we’re a package deal.”
“Damn,” I groaned. “It was worth a shot.”
I wanted to just send him away, and with Hannah urging me to do the opposite in my ear, I knew I had a decision to make. I could invite Cal in, enjoy dinner and his charming personality, and let the night proceed to its inevitable conclusion—sex—so he would get bored and leave me alone. Or I could send him away and prolong his attempt at… whatever this was.
“I gotta go, Hannah. Your arrogant brother has barged into my house, but he brought food, so I won’t kill him until my belly is full.”
“Good luck,” Hannah sang with a laugh.
“Right back at ya,” I shot back before ending the call.
“You can always turn me away,” Cal purred in a deep, hypnotic breath.
“I could, but then the food would leave, too, and I’m just not prepared for that.” I had no plans for dinner and delivery would take at least an hour on a Friday night, which made his arrival really good timing. But I still didn’t trust it. I took in the gorgeous sight he made and crossed my arms while I studied him. “What are you doing here, Cal? Honestly.”
Cal took a step forward, his intent clear even before he invaded my space. I could smell the fresh mint of his toothpaste when his warm breath fanned over me. “I know you feel this between us, Teddy, just as I know you’re determined to ignore it for as long as you can. This explosive chemistry? It’s rare, and we have it. What have I done so wrong that we can’t explore this, that we can’t seek pleasure in one another?”
His words sent a shiver through me, but I laughed. “Sex. You’re here for sex. That makes sense.”
His chestnut brows dipped into a frown. “No, that’s not why I’m here.”
I didn’t believe him, but I believed he didn’t think he showed up here for sex. “It’s fine, Cal. You want sex? Let’s do it. You’re hot, so it’s not like it’ll be a hardship on my part.” To prove my point, I grabbed the hem of my T-shirt and tugged it over my head, grateful I’d put on a lace bra under my T-shirt because tomorrow was laundry day.
“Seriously, Teddy, that’s not what this is about.”’
“Sure it is.”
He thought dinner and a bottle of wine would lower my inhibitions or make me forget why sleeping with him was a bad idea. And the more I thought about it, the more taking one night with Cal was the perfect plan. I could satisfy my curiosity about him, and he would be ready to bolt before the sun streaked the Oregon sky. He’d get what he wanted and then be done with me.
“What’s wrong, Cal? Now that you might get what you want, you’re scared?” I gave his chest a poke.
“Teddy.”
“That’s me. I’m right here. The ugly duckling, Teddy Ricci. Four-eyes Theodora. Pancake Chest. Ass as flat as a four by four. No-Tits Ricci. That’s me, and I’m right here offering you exactly what you want. Scared?” I pushed at his chest again, challenging him. Using the ugly, unwanted nicknames against him.
