Chapter 22: Always Red: Chapter 23

I instinctively pulled Red close, possessively plastering her to my side.

“Hi, Damon,” she said. “What are you doing here?”

My gaze whipped from his face to hers. She was smiling. I gritted my teeth.

“Oh, hey, Angel Face.”

Angel Face? Who the hell does he think he is? Who the hell gave him permission to call her that?

“My DVD player broke,” he explained. “I’m just watching reruns. I miss hockey.”

No one asked you.

But I wisely kept my mouth shut. I knew Red would just get annoyed.

What the hell could I do? I was possessive when it came to Red. I wasn’t going to hide that.

When Damon’s eyes turned to me, he nodded. I was sorely tempted not to return the nod, but I was raised to be polite. And I remembered Red telling me that Damon was the one who had texted her that I was at the club where he was working that night. For that, I nodded back.

Still.

I narrowed my eyes and studied him. I guessed some girls would think he’s handsome. With that tame-me, I’m-a-drifter look about him. But Red wasn’t some girl. She wouldn’t even consider Damon handsome…would she?

And what was up with that guitar he carted around with him? He was probably using it as a chick magnet. Like a dirty old man carting around a cute dog so girls would flock around him.

So what if he played guitar?

So what if I had no musical talent whatsoever? If I decided to play something, it would be video games. Not a pansy-ass guitar.

Wait. Did Red like it?

Maybe I should start learning…

I realized I was so absorbed in my thoughts that I’d missed some of their conversation.

“That sounds good,” Red was saying. “Let me know what other jobs you can get for me. I’m free this summer.”

What? She would accept a job from him but not from me?

How the hell did that make sense?

I was starting to feel frustrated on top of my jealousy. I was starting to feel aggressive. I didn’t care for it.

“I have a gig tonight and tomorrow, and on Sunday, I’m serving drinks at a swank party. And standing around looking good,” he added, winking. “I can probably get you in if you’re available.”

“Oh. Not this weekend. I have a shift at the shop tomorrow, and I have a special day on Sunday. By the way, where’s Kar?”

“In the kitchen,” he answered. “Want some popcorn?”

Enough.

“No, she doesn’t.” I glared at him and took Red’s arm, pulling her toward the bedroom. “I need to talk to you, Red. Hi, Kar,” I added as we passed a surprised Kara, who just raised her eyebrows and gave me two thumbs up.

“Wait,” Red protested, but we were already at the bedroom door. “What’s going on?”

As soon as I pulled her in and closed the door behind us, I locked it. Without warning, I pushed her against it. Her dark eyes widened with shock at my behavior, but beneath the shock was desire.

“Tell me you love me, Red.”

“Caleb, what’s—”

I closed the distance between us, fitting my body to hers—soft, generous curves and that scent that was exclusively hers. Hip to hip, she’d feel how much I wanted her.

I closed my eyes tightly, fighting for control. The need to take her against the door like an animal was overtaking reason, but I didn’t want to scare her. I was sliding off the edge, and I desperately wanted to take her with me. But I had to be gentle.

“Caleb.” Her voice was quiet and soothing, as if she knew what I was battling inside me. Perhaps she did.

I felt her brush my cheek with her fingers, stroke my jaw in comfort.

“I love you,” she whispered.

When I opened my eyes, her face swam in my vision. Beautiful, dark cat eyes I wanted to drown in.

With a kiss, I softened the rough way I handled her. Cupping her face with my hands, I fit her mouth against mine, exploring her taste with my tongue. She moaned, gripping my hair with her hands.

When I pulled back, we were both breathing hard.

“Kar and Damon are outside,” she gasped. “They’re going to know what we’re doing in here.”

Good. I wanted him to know that Red was mine.

“I don’t care.”

Just like that, the need was back.

“But…we just…we just…in the car…”

“I still want you.”

She bit her lip. “Oh. I…”

God. She was so fucking sweet and innocent. And I just wanted to—

She jumped suddenly when there was a loud knock on the door, followed by voices behind it.

“Whatever you guys are doing, keep doing it. We’re leaving!” Kara yelled.

I cleared my throat. “Thanks, Kar!” I called out.

“You owe me, pal!”

When I looked back at Red, her eyes were shining with humor and embarrassment.

“Do you want to…” I began. My heart was racing. Why did I suddenly feel nervous?

Only Red. Only Red could make me feel this way.

“Do you want to touch me?” I murmured. “Red?”

Her eyes were half-closed as she stared at my lips, but she didn’t say anything.

“I’m sorry. I don’t want you to think that you have to… I just…I just. Right now. I want to feel…” I let out a loud breath, scrubbing my face with my hand. “Fuck. You tie me in knots. I don’t even know what the hell I’m saying.”

“I do.” She lifted her eyes to mine, and my breath caught. She was so beautiful. “Let me.”

“I need you to.”

“You’re going to miss your flight,” she rasped.

I watched the rapid rise and fall of her chest, and I wanted—

“I’ll catch another one.”

I held my breath as her hands slowly reached for the bottom of my shirt. Tugged it up, then off. She let it fall to the floor.

When she placed her palms on my naked skin, I hissed.

Her eyes quickly shifted up and looked at me. Those eyes—they were dark, vulnerable, and full of questions.

“Did I do something wrong?” she asked.

“No, love. It feels so damn good.”

I closed my eyes, breathing through my mouth. I didn’t want to come early, but…fuck… she made me feel.

“Tell me what you like, Caleb. I want to…please you.”

“This.” I placed her palm on my stomach. “You can’t possibly know how good your touch feels. Everything you do to me pleases me. Just do whatever you want with me, Red. Whatever you want.”

“Caleb…”

Her touch was hesitant, and I realized she hadn’t done this before. And I felt so damn good that I was the first one she would touch this way, and that no one else knew her this way—or would know her this way.

She was mine.

“Here.” I dragged her palm back where my heart was beating fast. “Feel that? You do this to me. Make my heart race, and you’ve just started. You have the power to make me feel whatever you want me to feel. Touch me.”

Her eyes filled with understanding, gleaming with womanly knowledge that excited me.

Her hands were soft, smooth, and curious as they traveled down my body. When she removed my belt and tugged my pants down, I swallowed hard.

Slowly, leisurely, she placed her lips on my neck and kissed and licked her way down, down, down until…

“Jesus.”

Her mouth was hot, soft, and wet.

Another second and I would push. Another second and I would beg. Another second and I would explode.

I pulled her up and kissed her mouth savagely as I dragged her to the bed. Climbed on top of her. Filled my hands and my mouth with her taste, her scent.

Our hands shook as we frantically pulled at each other’s clothes. I was blind with the need to possess her.

“Caleb.”

“Here. I’m here. I got you, baby.”

Pure satisfaction penetrated the haze of craving when I heard her stunned gasp as I ripped off her panties.

Blood pounded in my head, and my heart drummed madly against my chest. I gripped her leg, hooked it behind my hip. Looking into her eyes, I asked breathlessly, “Do you want me, Red? Like I want you?”

Dark eyes clouded with lust and love, she nodded.

She closed her eyes and bit her lip as I plunged into her, calling out her name.

Her breath stuttered out and her eyes opened, shimmering with the need for release.

I was captivated. Every move she made, every hitch in her breathing… I was so tuned in. The world could burn around us, and I wouldn’t notice it. She was everything there was. Everything.

“Caleb.” She whispered my name with a wonder that seized my heart.

Her nails dug into my back, and the pain and pleasure urged me to go faster, harder, deeper.

I claimed her mouth as I drove into her, muffling her choked cries. The need was vicious and painful as it took over every instinct. When her body went taut with release and her eyes clouded with ecstasy, I pounded myself into her.

My last thought before I let myself fall was I love you.