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“You’re a lifesaver.Also, I’m coming back as a man in any future lives I have to live.Bradford can take a turn as the woman next time.”She holds the tampons up.“Let him deal with this hell!”
“I’d love to see Bradford deal with a period,” Callan says when he comes to stand with us.
His arm brushes mine as Kristen excuses herself and I’m instantly aware of a new tension between us.A vibration that speeds my heartbeat and shoots electricity through my limbs.Callan’s eyes, deep and intense, hold mine in a magnetic gaze, suspending time around us.A rush of heat blooms at the base of my spine and radiates outward, making my skin flush with warmth.
I have no idea what’s happening.Surely I’m imagining it.
But it’s right there, in the way his gaze drops to my throat.In the way his eyes linger there.In the way heat flares between us.
I’m lost, floundering in this moment when he finally glances up and says, “I was beginning to think you weren’t coming, Ace.”
Butterflies in the thousands unleash themselves in my stomach and the air is sucked from my lungs at what I see in Callan’s eyes.He’s looking at me like he’s been waiting for me.Like I’m the only reason he’s here.Like I’ve completed his day.
I steady myself, because I think that if I don’t, my knees may just give way.“It’s been a day.”Those are the only words I can manage.In fact, they may be the only words I utter tonight if the current state of my brain is anything to go by.
I’m bewildered.
And I think perhaps still drunk.
That’s the only reason I can come up with for thinking Callan’s looking at me differently to how he’s always looked at me.
Concern flashes across his face.“What happened?”
We spoke at our usual time of eleven this morning but haven’t spoken since.It’s unusual for me to choose Blair to vent to, but because all my problems are because of Penelope, I haven’t wanted to drag Callan into it.So, he is unaware of any of the hell she’s causing me.
I bite my lip, trying to figure out what to share with him.
“Liv,” he says, his voice low and deep.“Don’t keep stuff from me.What’s going on?”
“Damn you for knowing all my tells,” I mutter softly, to which he simply raises his brows and waits.“Ugh.Your friend, Penelope, is what’s going on.”
More brow arching.“Myfriend?”
My arm flies up all by itself in a wild gesture I’m unable to control.“Yes,yourfriend.I have no idea how you can’t see her true colors.She’s spreading lies and rumors, causing problems for me and my clients.And she’s had the audacity to demand more information frommeas to what she should cease and desist.Honestly!”I stop talking abruptly, having already said more than I intended.
Callan’s jaw clenches and anger darkens his gaze.“Tell me exactly what she’s done.And don’t leave a single thing out.”
Holy god, the intensity blazing from him is unlike anything I’ve ever seen.
When I stall because I’m so struck by that intensity, he growls, “Olivia.”
I blink.
Callan has never used that growly voice on me.Never everever.And I can’t deny how much I like it.I can’t deny how much my body likes it.
I launch into an account of everything that has transpired today and he listens intently.When I get to the end, I say, “I will still be your friend if you ever decide you want her to be your plus-one again but you should know that I won’t be a fan of that decision.”
“I won’t ever make that decision.”
I feel immediate and immense relief at that.
“I’ll call her tomorrow and find out what the hell game she’s playing at,” he adds while I’m still processing my relief.
“Oh god, no.Don’t do that.”
“I’m not just going to stand back and let her attack you.”The ferocious determination in his voice reaches out to me and pulls me further into his web.Callan has always made me feel protected and safe; those feelings are heightened by his desire to stride into my problems and solve them for me.But I can’t let him do that.I need to protect him.Goodness knows what she’d do to him if he pisses her off too.
“Youcanstand back.I don’t want to put you at risk.”
