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“I didn’t,” I whispered too low for her to hear me, but Teddy was focused on the past in a foggy haze.
“It devasted me and took me a long time to trust a guy after that, but I learned, because I couldn’t let you ruin me forever. I learned to trust,” she yawned again. “Just. Not. You.”
Those were the last words that fell from her lips before Teddy drifted off into dreamland, leaving me stunned.
Shocked.
Embarrassed by her words, or maybe I was embarrassed by my own actions, at least her interpretation of them.
I didn’t sleep at all that night, just jogged my memory for that time. I recalled the kiss immediately—I remembered the day like it was yesterday,
Teddy had been sweet and full of wonder, and I’d had a few too many beers. If I hadn’t been feeling sorry for myself it wouldn’t have happened, but I didn’t regret it. Not even now. But the dance? I couldn’t find the memory, and when it still wouldn’t come, I got dressed and went home.
Teddy
Nothing made Mondays better than sweet memories of explosive orgasms—at least, that was what I thought. Getting geared up to swing a hammer and get dirty on a worksite was hard to do on a Monday morning, but thanks to Cal’s skills, I had what my mom used to call ‘a pep in my step.’
The night had gone just as I had predicted. Well, there was no way I could have predicted the amount of fun I had, but everything else had gone exactly as anticipated. Cal was an incredible lover, skilled and generous and full of energy. And predictable. When I woke up in the middle of the night, hungry and thirsty, he and his clothes were gone. The food, thankfully, still sat on the countertop. Three-in-the-morning shrimp alfredo was the best post-orgasmic food in the world. But I ate alone that night.
“Morning.” Cal’s deep voice startled me and I sucked in a surprised breath before turning to face him, which was a rookie mistake. His hair was damp, his blue eyes still a little sleepy, and he looked good enough to eat in nothing but a pair of worn jeans that hung dangerously low on his hips.
“Morning. Shouldn’t you be at work?”
He flashed a flirtatious smile that, I reminded myself, I was impervious to, and shrugged. “Got off at seven. I’m on nights for the next couple weeks, at least until we find someone who wants the shift permanently.”
Dammit. I was expecting to work in peace this week, and that peace started with Cal not invading my space while I improved his space.
“Oh, well, maybe you should find something to do during the day while we work. It’s going to be loud. And messy.”
Most people hated the process of home renovations even if they loved the finished results, and it has been known to cause relationship problems for many couples. Hopefully Cal would heed my advice.
“I work in the ER, chaos is my middle name.” He laughed and shook his head. “Actually, Derek is my middle name, but you know what I’m saying.”
I knew that about him—I’d spent many days doodling his name and mine together. But, of course, he knew nothing about that because he knew nothing about me. Other than I was his kid sister’s ugly best friend.
“Right.” There was no point responding, eventually he would figure out that I didn’t need him to hold my hand or coddle me after our night together, and then he would move on.
Cal moved around the kitchen as if it wasn’t an active work site, brewing a pot of coffee and making a few slices of toast, basically making a shirtless nuisance of himself. “Want some?”
“I already had coffee, thanks.” I tried to tell myself he would get bored soon enough, but Cal and his scent lingered.
Instead of taking the hint and having his coffee somewhere else, Cal got comfortable while I worked. “Why construction?”
“Seemed like a good fit for my skills.” It was an honest answer and the only one he would get.
“Do you like building things? I mean, like the stage for the fundraiser?”
“Yep.”
He laughed. “I figured you would become an English teacher or something, the way you were always reading.”
Hiding was more like it. People couldn’t mock your face if it was hidden behind a book. “I like to read.”
He sighed. “I don’t get much time to read these days, but still, I buy books. I have stacks of them everywhere. I should probably get one of those e-readers Hannah is always going on about.”
More unwanted information. I didn’t want Cal to become a person to me; I was fine with keeping him as my best friend’s older brother, a one-night stand. Both were better than tormentor or heartbreaker.
“Probably.”
“What do you read these days, besides spreadsheets?”
