Page 191 of Let Me In

And then he reaches down, tears off a piece of bacon, and flicks it gently toward the floor.

“Here,” he murmurs. “One for you.”

Luca snuffles it up with a grunt.

Then Cleo gets hers.

And I laugh—really laugh—for the first time since I don’t know when. A soft, choked sound that bubbles up before I can stop it.

Cal freezes.

Then looks up at me.

Like I’ve just handed him something priceless. His eyes go wide, then soften, jaw flexing like he’s holding something back. His hand comes to rest over his heart, thumb pressing in as if to keep it from breaking open right there in front of me.

“You should laugh more,” he says.

My breath catches. I look down at my plate, fingers tightening around the fork.

He reaches over.

Brushes a crumb from the corner of my mouth with his thumb.

“Keep eating, sweet girl,” he says, voice low. “I want to see you full.”

I finish most of my breakfast.

Not because I feel like I have to.

But because he keeps watching me like he wants me to. Like every bite settles something in him too.

When I set my fork down, he leans back in his chair, studying me.

“How’s your body feel?” he asks softly.

I hesitate. Then shrug a little. “Sore.”

“Too much?”

“No,” I say quickly, and feel the heat build in my cheeks before I even say the next words. “In… in a good way.”

Cal closes his eyes for a moment, dips his head. I swear I see his mouth move, silently counting. It takes everything in me not to giggle. Maybe a small one slips out.

“You’re going to kill me, talking like that,” he rasps out, before standing and reaching for my hand. “Gonna make me throw the whole day out the window. Just take you to bed.”

My pulse races, and I say nothing, lips pressing together in a small, bashful smile. His gaze flares at my sudden shyness, at the fact that I don’t say no. That I might want that, too.

Then, he reaches for my hand.

“Come on.”

“Where?”

“I ran the bath before breakfast. I want you warm. And I want you to let me take care of you.”

I go quiet, struck with… how much this man cares for me. So deeply, and seemingly so easily.

But I follow.

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