Page 52 of Make Your Shot
“Don’t worry, pup, you’ll be able to take it,” I growl, pressing against her center as she slowly slides her hand down my length and back toward my groin again. “Not now though,” I tell her, my eyelids fluttering shut as I revel in the way she feels, stroking me in such a teasing way as I lazily push my finger in and out of her. “I want to have an entire night to take my time with you. I want to taste and touch every inch of your skin. I want to fuck you until we’re both satiated. And then I want to fuck you again.”
The gentle breeze drifts past us and a wind chime sounds in the distance. I freeze. They sound just like the ones Amelia had hanging on the front porch of our old house. I stare down at Mia, my heart crawling up my throat, my cock throbbing as I feel a cold sweat rolling over me. My lungs constrict as panic licks at my veins. She said we could take it slow, that she felt it would be best for both of us, yet here I am with my fingers inside of her and her hand wrapped around my cock.
This is too much, too fast. And I’m a fucking asshole for letting it go this far.
Mia’s eyebrows pull together, her hand releasing me as she pulls it out of my pants. My face screws up and a ragged breath escapes me as I drag my fingers from her. “Hey,” she says softly, her hands coming up to cup the sides of my face. “It’s okay. It’s okay.”
“I’m sorry,” I say in a rush, lifting myself from her, reaching for my shirts as I sit back on the edge of the lounge chair. “I—” I pause, closing my eyes as I drag my hand down my face. I blow out a deep breath. Shame washes over me at the way I just pulled away from her.
“Caleb,” she says quietly, sitting up as her eyes search my face. She reaches for me, her hand wrappingaround mine as she gives me a gentle squeeze. “Please don’t apologize, unless you didn’t actually want to do any of that.” She swallows roughly. “I think we both got a little carried away there.”
“No, I did,” I say in a rush to assure her. The last thing I want is for her to question any of this because of my inability to get my shit together. “I don’t know.” I let out a breath, frustration washing over me as my gaze drops down to her hand on mine. “I don’t know what I’m doing.”
“And that’s completely fine,” she says with a tenderness that seeps into my soul. She gives my hand another squeeze. “You don’t have to know what you’re doing. I meant what I said, about not being in a rush. You’re setting the pace here.”
“I just let myself get into my head sometimes,” I admit, my voice barely above a whisper. “Sometimes it’s like a goddamn prison in there. I forget about things and then as soon as I’m reminded, it’s like I’m trapped again. Paralyzed almost.”
“I got you, Caleb.” She releases my hand and inches closer, her leg brushing against mine. I turn my face to hers and she stares at me with an intensity that has my heart beating harder inside my chest. “If you get lost in your head, I’ll come find you.”
Emotion lodges in my throat. I stare back at her, then brush the hair away from her face. “Yeah?”
A tender smile lifts her lips as she slowly nods. “Yeah.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
MIA
Two days of silence and I feel like I’m going insane.
“How do casual hook-ups work?”
“What do you mean?” Willow questions me just as Steven also begins to talk.
“Who are we talking about?”
I let out a breath, pressing my foot down on the brake pedal as I pull up to the red-light. I’m currently on my way to Caleb’s house to watch Tella for most of the day. The other night has played on repeat in my mind since I drove home that morning.
“We’re talking about her and that gorgeous hockey player who hired her as his nanny.”
“Wait, wait, are we talking about the one I think we’re talking about?” Steven asks, his voice coming through the speakers in my car as soon as Willow stops talking. “Momma Mia, where art thou?”
“I’m here,” I say quietly, letting them have theirmoment. “Is it normal to have an intimate moment with someone and then just not talk for a few days after?”
“Oh, honey,” Willow says softly. “Yes. Neither of you owe the other anything more than what happens in that moment.”
“I think it just depends on the person or the hook-up, honestly,” Steven adds in. “I’ve done ‘casual’ with a few people who ended up being clingy as hell.”
I purse my lips, pressing on the gas when the light turns green. “So, all this could be perfectly normal?”
“I mean, what’s going on?” Willow asks.
I shrug, even though neither of them can see. “Nothing really. We—um—we were together the other night and haven’t spoken since. I mean, he texted me about what time to come today, but that was it.”
“Sounds normal to me,” Steven says.
“Let him adjust and acclimate. This is new for both of you,” Willow says, chiming in as the voice of reason. “If he acts like you don’t exist in person, then fuck that, but if you’re just talking about when you’re apart, then I think it’s normal.”
“Is there anything really normal with casual flings?” Steven chuckles. “Just go with your gut, Mia. If it feels wrong, it probably is.”
