AllFreeNovel
Share Us
TWENTY-ONE
CALLIE
Wes had returned sometimeduring the night.
I felt his lips on my forehead, his fingers tangle in my hair, and then I remembered him snapping his fingers and whisper-yelling at Max to get off the bed. Considering Maxwell’s face was currently in my armpit, and his large body was in the middle of the bed, it seemed Wesley’s efforts were unsuccessful.
Sitting up, I peered over my behemoth dog and bit back a laugh at how tiny the slice of space Wesley’s side of the bed had. He was practically falling off because Max laid diagonally. Feeling marginally bad about that, I decided to get up and make him some breakfast. My behavior from the day prior had caught up to me. I knew I’d fucked up. I just didn’t want everyone else in the world to know too.
It took me a long time to accept that the kidnapping wasn’t my fault, so when it had been implied that it was, it triggered me. My efforts in going off alone weren’t to get hurt. I just wanted answers, and I was still angry over feeling like I was all alone in my efforts to obtain those answers. Maybe a nice breakfast would encourage Wes to open his mouth and spill some secrets.
The breakfast of scrambled eggs, toast, and bacon, with a side of fruit, was plated right as Wes came downstairs. He looked sleepy but somehow still radiated sex appeal with his disheveled hair, bare chest, and the smattering of tattoos covering his sun-kissed skin. My mind immediately went back to how good his lips felt against mine. I turned from him as my face flushed.
“So, you were out late last night,” I commented, as more of a conversation starter than actually caring where he was. Wes led a motorcycle club and had already explained that he’d never touched another woman during our time apart. I wasn’t worried about him being with someone, I just wanted answers from him about the club.
Wes bit into his bacon, watching me with exhaustion lingering in his gaze.
“Had to drive over to Grundy last night.”
I paused mid coffee pour. “Grundy is like three hours away…that’s a really long round trip.”
He nodded, reaching for the cup. “Usually I’d stay overnight, but I wanted to get back.”
My stomach swooped, assuming he just wanted to get back to me.
I needed a reality check.
Taking a bit of my egg and hoping to avoid the awkwardness I knew was evident in my tone, I said, “Well, I’m glad you made it back.”
“I see you didn’t starve. Saw that massive casserole in the fridge.”
Smiling at the reminder of my new friend, I nodded. “Natty brought it over last night.”
Wes grunted, finishing off his food.
I was about to ask what he wanted to do today, but he beat me to it.
“Uh…” He cleared his throat. “I wanted to take you somewhere today. You ready for the day or need more time?”
I hesitated, a little confused. “Yeah, I mean, I just want to clean up breakfast and get someone to watch Max.”
Wes moved away from the bar stool. “I’ll ask Red. You get ready.”
For what? Were we hiking, or going somewhere nice…a movie?Fuck.
Thirty minutes later, I was on the back of his bike, wearing jean shorts, my boots, and a cropped shirt. My hair was down, and a bucket helmet sat on my head.
Wes slowed his bike enough that when I peeled my face away from his back, I could see branches overhead and a thick canopy covering us. The bike slowly traveled down a grassy slope and then came to stop on a familiar riverbank.
He’d taken us to the place I’d brought him after he beat up that jackass in school. That was the first time I realized the crush I had on the boy next door was reciprocated. I’d never forget the way he’d stormed over and started hitting Logan, the crazed look in his eye telling me he never planned to stop. I had already fallen for Wes by then, but that day cemented my obsession with him.
From then on it was all secret kisses, notes being left behind, and secret meetups. I hadn’t been back here since I was in high school, when I just needed to see Wes. I had come out here and waited for him, then we spent the whole day making out on the riverbank, dipping into the river and dreaming up a life together.
“Why are we here?”
Wes lowered the kickstand and helped me off the bike.
The air was cooler here thanks to the considerable amount of shade. The birds chirped, flitting around in the top of the trees, creating a beautiful melody to go along with the sound of the gentle river.
