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It was a long time before their bodies ceased trembling. An even longer time before they caught their breaths. After their breathing returned to normal, Caleb turned onto his side and pulled her into his embrace. He pressed a gentle kiss against her shoulder before relaxing. Tiera had never felt more content or safer.
Though she wanted to remain awake to talk about their new status, her sated body succumbed to sleep. Her dreams were filled with him and visions of their future. She awoke to find Caleb putting his clothes on. Smiling, she sat up in bed, not bothering to cover herself. He’d already seen everything.
“Good morning,” she whispered.
With his back to her, he froze.
“Why didn’t you wake me up?” she asked as he slowly turned to face her. The look on his face sent dread racing through her veins.
“Little Tiera, I’m so fucking sorry.”
Little Tiera. He was back to calling her that?
“I was drunk last night,” he continued. “I… I thought I was with Keisha.”
Her heart cracked. His expression made her feel even worse. He looked like he truly regretted what had happened between them.
“Tiera, had I known it was you, I never would’ve let it go that far. I swear, I would never do anything like that to you. You’re my little sister.”
Each word was like a dagger chiseling away at the cracks in her heart. Unable to speak for fear of crying in front of him, Tiera raised her hand, silencing him. But his silence didn’t last long.
“Please, forgive me.”
Forgive him? He was telling her the best night of her life was a mistake and was meant for someone else. How could she forgive him?
“I’ll never do anything like this again. I swear,” he told her. “I…”
“Leave,” she whispered.
“Tiera, I hope this doesn’t change our friendship.”
“Friendship?” With tears streaming down her cheeks, she glared at him. “Caleb, we’re not family. And we’re not friends. Leave before I scream and wake up everyone and they find out you’re here.”
That threat caused him to take a step back. As expected, he didn’t want others to know about their mistake. The tears fell faster as he continued to back away.
“I’m so sorry,” he told her again. “Don’t hate me, Tiera.”
She chuckled. “Hate you? Caleb Fitzgerald, from this moment on, I feel nothing for you. And I never will again. You’re just my brother’s friend. Now, get out!” she yelled.
Expression sad and shameful, Caleb fled her room. She held herself together until she heard the front door of the house open and close. Then and only then did she allow herself to fall apart. She collapsed onto her bed and pulled the covers over her. There was no stopping the tears once they started pouring.
All those sweet words and passionate caresses hadn’t been meant for her. The man she loved didn’t care for her at all. The night that should’ve been the start of something beautiful had become the end of something special. Tiera hadn’t gained a lover. Instead, she’d lost a friend. Regret filled her as she cried herself back to sleep.
Caleb
He made it to his house and his room without anyone noticing.
After seeing the tears in Tiera’s eyes, everything else was a blur. With his back now pressed against his bedroom door, Caleb stared at the wall. What the hell had he done? Caleb rubbed his hands through his tousled hair. Shit! He’d slept with Tiera. That’s what he’d done. He’d done the one thing he’d promised himself he wouldn’t do.
The moment he’d learned she would be at the party, he should’ve returned to campus and locked himself in his dorm room. But he hadn’t seen her since the summer. He missed her. He’d thought he could be around her for a little while without fucking things up. That plan would’ve worked if she hadn’t shown up looking like she’d stepped out of one of his wet dreams.
Instead of ignoring her, as he should have, he’d done the exact opposite and acted out one of his wet dreams with her. Those dreams had nothing on reality. Her moans still echoed through his mind. He could still feel the soft touch of her lips against his. Her scent was imbedded in his skin and now forever a part of him.
“Fuck!” Caleb yelled as he stormed across his room.
He pulled his bathroom door open hard, causing it to slam into the wall. He rushed to the sink to splash water onto his face, hoping it would awaken him from this nightmare he’d created. With water dripping from his face, he stared into the mirror. He saw the shame and regret in his eyes. Which meant Tiera had seen it also.
She probably thought he was ashamed of himself for making love to her because he didn’t want her or wasn’t attracted to her. She probably thought he regretted it because he didn’t like her in that way. He could understand it if his actions led her to believe that.
