Page 93 of Well That Happened

I clear my throat. “No. It’s okay. Just… thank you.”

She gives me a sympathetic smile before walking away.

The silence that follows is deafening.

I blink rapidly and take a deep breath, but it doesn’t stop the disappointment from curling through me.

“Another time then,” Grayson says, and I nod.

We turn away slowly. I feel like a balloon has just popped inside my chest.

Back at the truck, I try not to lose it. Caleb climbs in beside me, his jaw tight, but he doesn’t say anything. Grayson slams his door shut. The silence is thick.

I feel like an idiot; I’ve wasted not only Caleb’s day but also Grayson’s, who was sweet enough to ride along, promising to play DJ for us and make the trip more bearable.

As we pull away from the rehab facility, it begins to pour—fierce and unrelenting. The windshield wipers struggle tokeep up with the downpour, and visibility becomes nearly nonexistent.

My frustration bubbles over, a mix of everything that’s gone wrong today. “This day couldn’t get any worse.”

No sooner have the words left my mouth than a crack of lightning nearly blinds us. I let out a surprised yelp. It’s raining so hard that we can’t see through the windshield, despite the wipers being turned up to maximum.

Caleb pulls the truck over to the side of the road and turns to me, his expression softening. “I know this sucks. But sometimes life throws us curveballs we can’t control. We’ll find another day to visit your brother, I promise.”

Tears threaten to spill over, a combination of anger, disappointment, and a strange sense of relief that Caleb understands my frustration. “I just wanted to see him, you know? To make sure he’s okay and to let him know I’m here for him.”

Caleb reaches over, drawing me closer, and rubs my shoulder gently. “I know. And we’ll make sure he knows. But for now, let’s wait out this rain. You’re not alone.”

His words do wonders to calm me. I’d been so angry when we were turned away from the rehab center, but now I focus on releasing a slow exhale. Grayson pats my knee, a small smile on his face. “He’s right, Rilee. We’re here for you, no matter what.”

As the rain pounds on the roof of the truck, I feel warmth spreading through me. Despite the disappointments of the day, I’m reminded of the friends I have by my side. In this unexpected moment on the side of the road, I find a strange sense of comfort. I realize that maybe, just maybe, the storm inside me can be weathered with the help of those who care about me.

Grayson looks up at the sky. “This is insane.”

Caleb continues rubbing my shoulders, working out the tight knots. The rain is absolutely torrential, plastering the truck with so much water that we still can’t see a thing.

I make a sound of relaxation. “It means a lot to know you’re here for me.” I give him a grateful smile.

“Absolutely,” he says, leaning down to press a soft kiss to my forehead.

Caleb’s hands move from my shoulders to cup my face. He kisses me slowly, just the soft press of his mouth to mine, sweetly, gently. I kiss him back, indulging in the moment before realizing we have an audience.

I clear my throat, but Caleb doesn’t stop kissing me; he simply moves to my neck and exhales a sigh. “Grayson doesn’t care if I kiss you. Do you, Gray?”

“Not at all,” comes the rumble of a deep voice from the passenger side of the truck.

“See?” Caleb’s warm mouth glides over my skin, and I fight off a shiver. Today has been positively insane, so I really can’t complain that Caleb is making an effort to make me feel good.

His mouth travels from my neck back to my lips, kissing me again. The kiss starts slow but soon becomes molten. He sucks on my tongue, and desire races through me. I’m acutely aware of our audience, but somehow the thought only makes me hotter.

He massages my breasts, his thumbs rubbing over my nipples. “Do you know how perfect these are?”

I let out a small noise of pleasure.

“Most girls have to pay for tits this perfect.” He caresses each of my breasts with his large, calloused hands. I whimper and reach up, sinking my fingers into his hair to pull his mouth back down to mine. I should stop him; I should practice self-control, but in this moment, with his tongue in my mouth and his hands on my tits, it’s hard to care about modesty. Sensation jolts through me as his thumbs glide over my nipples.

When he lifts my top over my head, I briefly realize that maybe we shouldn’t, but by the time he’s unhooking my bra and his hot mouth latches onto my sensitive nipple, all thoughts of stopping him have vanished.

His talented tongue feels incredible, moving from one breast to the other, sucking on my full curves as his stubble leaves goosebumps all over my skin. My brain is clouded with lust—that must be the reason I’m not thinking clearly.

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