Callum

I hate the way things are between us. I hate not knowing what to say or how to act with her. I want to pull her into my lap and kiss her senseless for the hell she has put me through the last six months, but I can feel the unease coming off her in waves. I want to put all this annoying bullshit behind us and start fresh, but I don’t know how to do that until I know how she feels and what she wants.

It’s blatantly obvious she wants to be as far away from me as humanly possible. She’s practically molded herself into the door just to keep from having to sit next to me.

Take it slow.

Just when I was starting to wonder what I was going to do on our time off this week, the heavens opened up and placed her back in my life, giving me plenty to worry about the whole week.

I plan to spend every minute of the next week making her regret leaving me. I know that somewhere inside that hard shell, she still feels something for me. I just need to dig until I find it.

Preferably in the bedroom, where we excel.

My cock strains against the tight confines of my jeans, begging me to release him. It’s been too long since he’s found comfort between a woman’s thighs. Six months and nine days, to be exact. I remember the last time like it was yesterday.

Hell, I should.

I replay it over and over in my head every single damn day.

Her lying beneath me, her chocolate skin glistening in the moonlight. I can hear the sound of the city in the distance, background noise to the sound of her cries of ecstasy in the still March air.

If I close my eyes, I can feel her small, delicate hands against my arms, holding me in place as I slide in and out of her tight, wet pussy over and over again until she calls my name.

“Cal.” My cock throbs against my stomach, jumping against the rough fabric of my jeans. Her walls tighten around me, coaxing my own orgasm out. I fire deep into her womb as she screams my name into the cool night air.

The sweetest sound I’ve ever heard.

“Cal? Callum?” She calls to me, bringing me back from wherever my mind takes me when I think of her.

“Yeah?” I ask, glancing down at her hand against my arm and then back up into her honey brown eyes. Her cheeks are flushed, causing her silky caramel skin to darken, and I wonder if she knows where my mind was. I lay my free arm across my stomach, pressing it against the head of my dick. The soft cotton of my tee shirt brushes against me just right, and I moan involuntarily and then cough into my hand to cover it up.

She turns her head from me, hiding the knowing smile on her face, but not before I catch it. I want more than anything to grab her face and pull her to me, kissing her until she forgets the feel of any other man's lips, but I can't.

“Oh shit. Is that the time?” she asks, looking at the clock on the dash.

“Yeah. Why? Do you have somewhere you need to be? The office said they would cancel the rest of this week's appointments.” I ask, praying to God she doesn't say yes. It never occurred to me that she might still be in a relationship with someone else.

Tom.

Just the thought of his hands on her makes my blood boil.

“I have to get Carson in fewer than thirty minutes. Otherwise, his sitter charges out the ass.”

“Carson?”

“Yes, Cal. Remember him?”

“Of course I do. I just . . . I wasn't thinking.”

I glance out the window and notice that we have arrived at my house. The sun is setting across the back of the house, illuminating it in a soft, golden glow.

“Can you call her and let her know Lonnie will be by to pick him up? I want to get you inside and in the bed.” I say and then realize how horrible it sounds. Not that I don't want her in my bed, but right now, she needs to relax. Doctor’s orders.

“I guess, but Carson doesn't know him. It's already going to be hard to explain how you just reappeared.”

“Stop it. Carson is not a toddler anymore. Call the babysitter,” I say, passing her my phone and waiting as she dials the number. An older woman answers the phone after two rings, and Amelia quickly explains what happened and that someone else will be there shortly to pick up Carson.

“Can I speak to him for a moment?” She asks and then waits as the lady calls for him to come to the phone. I motion for her to put it on the speaker, which she does after rolling her eyes at me and huffing.

“Hello?” I didn't realize how much I missed him too until I hear his voice on the other end, and then every single memory over the last five years comes rushing back to me.

The day Amelia’s mother left, leaving her alone at home with her two-year-old brother.

The countless sleepless nights and half-finished bedtime stories.

The numerous visits to the hospital and the dozens of doctors.

Every pink bucket filled with puke from the chemo medication.

I miss most of the conversation between them, and when I come back to reality, Carson is whining into the phone, playing on Amelia’s tender heart strings. I take the phone from her, ignoring her blustering expression.

“Carson?” I ask into the speaker, cutting off his lengthy spiel.

“Cal?” He asks cautiously.

“Hey, buddy, guess what?” I ask.

“What?” he asks excitedly.

“This big, hairy guy named Lonnie is going to come pick you up and bring you to my house in about twenty minutes.”

“For reals?” he yells into the phone, and if I'm not mistaken, it sounds like he's jumping up and down. “To stay?”

“Yep, to stay. Now get your stuff together and be ready. He’s leaving right now. And buddy?”

“Yes, sir?”

“Don’t tell Lonnie I called him hairy, okay? We don't wanna make him cry.”

“Okay, I won't. I promise.”

“Okay good. See you soon, bud.”

“Okay, love you, Cal.” he says, and then the line goes dead.

“Thank you. I could have handled it, but it's nice to have someone there to back me up every once in a while.”

“No problem. Seriously.” I say. It’s amazing how much her presence is affecting me right now. I thought over the last six months, I had done a good job at moving on. Apparently, I was severely mistaken.

A couple of hours with her, and I'm fighting to hold onto any of the anger that I felt back then. I’m consumed with so many different emotions, I don't know if I’m coming or going. One minute, I want to pull her to me and never let her go, and the next, I remember her in Tom’s arms and I can't get far enough away from her.

One thing is certain.

This week is going to be interesting.

“Let’s go. You sure you don’t want me to carry you? It would be my pleasure,” I taunt her as I open the car door and wait for her to climb out, hoping against hope that she will agree, knowing she won’t. Reaching for my phone, she unlocks it, guessing my passcode on the first try. Her gaze meets mine, and I can see the gears turning, wondering why I still use our anniversary as my code, but I refuse to answer her unasked questions.

I couldn't even if I wanted to. Until this moment, I didn't even realize I had done it.

She scrolls through it, clicking on Lonnie’s name and sending him the address for Carson’s babysitter before passing it back to me and climbing from the car.

“I’ve got this. Lead the way.”

I offer her my arm, but she just shakes her head and nods toward the front door, leaving me to lead the way.

Fuck.

This is going to be harder than I thought.