Page 84 of Callan

“Everything is good?” I ask, my eyes not leaving his while I pat my way around the counter and collect my phone, keys, and wallet.

“You have nothing to worry about,” he says confidently, and a cloak of reassurance falls over me.

13

MACKENZIE

The building isquiet as I lock the door with him waiting next to me.

“After you,” he says, gesturing at the hallway when I shift my gaze to him.

We exit the corridor and take the stairs down, the muted, distant sound of a Christmas carol echoing between the walls.

My hand slides down the balustrade as I pay attention to my steps. His eyes latch onto mine when I look at him again. A smile clings to his lips.

Despite his reassurance, I’m still a little nervous.

I haven’t had company in a while, and overall, my experience with spending time with other people has been limited.

A door opens in the building, and his eyes snap to the upper floor.

“Is everything all right?” I ask, and he moves his stare to me.

“Yeah.”

His smile is tense now, but otherwise, he seems unfazed.

I can’t figure out what his deal is with the people upstairs, but he didn’t knock on my door for nothing.

Another noise travels to us, this time coming from the streets. The door to the ground floor flies open just as we are about to walk down the stairs and get there.

Noisy men enter the building, and in one swift motion, Callan takes my hand, shifts with me out of their way, and proactively locks lips with mine in front of a window, his back to them, my silhouette completely hidden.

My brain struggles to process what seems to happen at once. The heavy footfalls trailing up the stairs, the rumbling voices wafting through the air, and the unexpected kiss that makes my heart race.

His arm snakes around my waist while his fingers fan over my cheek. Instinctively, I loop my arms around his torso and tip my face up.

Of all the things he does to me––his hand on my back, his fingers across my cheeks, his lips on my lips––having his mouth pressed to mine is the one that disconnects me from what’s happening around us.

So many things should be in my mind right now, like who those men are and why he needs to hide from them.

My focus, though, is solely centered on how I feel about being wrapped in his hug.You’d think we’d stay like that until the danger passed.

Two actors pretending to kiss.

But no, no.

The kiss is real.

He locks my lips at first, getting a sense of where I am, and then swiftly pulls away and welcomes me when I follow his mouth, demanding more of him.

We end up locking lips again and getting a taste of each other, quickly letting our tongues touch and feeling the prickle of arousal.

I don’t know about him, but I’m hungry for more. As much as I’m trying to blame my reaction on not being with a man in a while, I can’t overlook how good this man feels pressed to me.

Oozing confidence has never tasted that good as he takes me on a journey of pleasure and exploration.

The loud men pay us no mind, zipping past us as if we were invisible.

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