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I take a fortifying breath before continuing. “If I admitted to loving you, what would you do?”
He slowly turns to face me. His eyes hold mine, a flicker of surprise lighting up their depths. The silence grows, charged with both anticipation and dread. Within seconds, I’m full of regret.
“Never m—”
“Calista, I don’t know what I’d do because I’ve never been in love. But if you were to admit your feelings for me, I would cherish and protect them until I die.”
“That’s very similar to a marriage vow.”
He gives me a secret smile. “Give it time.”
Chapter15
Calista
I’m notsure if it’s the pain meds or the emotionally charged day I had, but I’m ready to pass out. If this is how my body reacts to regular medication, I can’t imagine what the “good shit” would be like. It makes me wonder if Harper has personal experience with certain prescription drugs because of her mother’s job.
Inside the bathroom, I quickly undress, frowning when I see a bandage on my hip. I might be groggy from my medication, but not to the point that I’ve forgotten having another injury. Trepidation courses through me as I peel away the medical tape with trembling fingers. The first glimpse of the black ink has me gasping, but I nearly scream when I yank it back completely.
Mrs. Bennett.
The tattoo is a beautiful script, one that I would’ve picked if given the choice. Only I wasn’t.
My breaths come out in angry puffs until I’m ready to explode. I lose track of time as I stand there, debating on how to handle this, but all I can think is:Fucking Hayden.
When the room is full of steam and I’m beginning to sweat, I sigh in defeat. There’s nothing I can do about the tattoo right now. What Icando is not give Hayden the satisfaction of knowing it bothers me.
I replace the bandage and step into the shower. The hot water does nothing to ease the tension in my body. Once I’m finished, I wrap a towel around my torso, constantly glancing at the door. Even though Hayden didn’t disturb me, I’m still anticipating his presence in the bathroom. Having a quiet moment wasn’t actually peaceful, but when it comes to him, nothing is.
Except the times I trusted him completely.
I release a wistful sigh. Before I knew he was my stalker, I was tumbling head over heels in love with him. Even now, I’m probably a lost cause, but something inside me is holding on to my independence. He’s trying just as hard to strip me of it. One of us is going to give in and I highly suspect it’s me.
How does someone fight a hurricane without being swept away and drowned?
I shake my head at my thoughts and quickly throw on underwear and a bra, along with a pair of shorts and a matching floral top. The thin straps leave my injury free of chafing, which is one of the reasons I chose it. The other is to avoid giving Hayden the wrong idea by wearing a silky teddy. He can’t keep his hands off of me as it is.
With a frown, I recall my inability to say no to him. Every time he’s initiated sex with a demanding kiss or a light caress, my fortitude melts like a snowflake in the palm of my hand.
“Callie?”
“I’ll be right out.”
After turning the doorknob, I step into Hayden’s bedroom and near darkness. The only light comes from the moon’s rays, casting the man of my dreams and nightmares in shadow. He stands by the window, wearing nothing except a pair of pants meant for sleep.
I jerk my gaze from his ripped stomach and the lines that disappear inside the waistband sitting low on his hips. Nervousness travels along my arms like crackles of electricity, and I nearly jump when Hayden motions me to him. With a small shake of my head, I plant my feet.
“We need to talk about something.”
He lifts a brow. “We’ve done nothing except talk all evening.”
“I know, but this is important to me.”
There’s a subtle shift in his body, a softening that wasn’t there before. “I’m listening.”
“I need a time-out on the sex.”
The change in Hayden is immediate. His eyes narrow to little more than slits, and his entire frame goes rigid with suppressed ire. “What is this? A fucking game of tag?”
