I couldn’t get out of that god-forsaken airport fast enough. I needed a scotch and a shower to wash the stale, sickeningly floral perfume of the woman in the seat beside mine off me. Flying didn’t typically bother me that badly, but I’d been so desperate to see Daphne after a week and a half away that I’d switched my flight when my final meeting ended ahead of schedule, foregoing the comforts of first class for coach, all because I wanted to get back to her half a day early.

It was supposed to have just been a simple business trip, but knowing that Daphne had originally grown up in New York, I took the opportunity to hook up with the private investigator I kept on retainer to try and dig up any dirt on Connie King I could find to use against her. I couldn’t stand the fact that I was once again trying to clean up after my parents, but this time was different. I wasn’t doing it for them. I was doing it for Daphne, because she didn’t need any of this bullshit blowing back on her.

I wanted to fix it before she got dragged into the situation, and had been hopeful when I first landed in the Big Apple. But Connie was just too damn clean. Other than being a shitty mother who had more failed relationships than Jennifer fucking Lopez, there wasn’t anything to find on the bitch.

It was exhausting and frustrating, and there was only one person who could make me feel better about my failed mission.

I didn’t even bother stopping by my place to get clean clothes; I’d wash what I took on my trip and just live with that. After spending nearly every free moment with Daphne at her house, my apartment felt cold and sterile in comparison. Even with a few of the upstairs rooms still under construction, her house was more warm and inviting, more homey than any place I’d ever lived.

I knew I couldn’t broach the subject, at least not right now, but my goal was to eventually engrain myself into her life to the point where she wouldn’t want me to leave.

Pulling into her driveway was like coming home. A weight was lifted off my chest.

Music echoed from upstairs. I dropped my bag by the door and took the stairs at a near run. She was in what I referred to as the bookshelf room, wearing those adorable overalls with a tank top that showed off a delicious amount of cleavage.

Christ, I missed her. It felt like it had been forever. I could have sworn her tits looked even rounder, fuller. My mouth watered.

She reached above her head, pulling at a piece of the old, outdated wood paneling on the wall, making my cock thicken behind my fly. I snuck up behind her as quietly as I could. Reaching out, I grabbed her hips and started tickling like crazy.

“Argh!” she screamed, spinning around with her hands flat like she was about to karate chop my ass. “Caleb!” I laughed, leaning back so she couldn’t punch me in the throat. “God, you scared the crap out of me! How are you here right now? You weren’t supposed to be back until later tonight.”

I pulled her into me, clasping my hands at the small of her back. When I held her against me, I felt like everything was right in my world. “My last meeting ended ahead of schedule and I couldn’t wait. A week and a half away from you is too damn long.”

Her face got soft as her whole body sank into me. “Caleb,” she whispered, reaching up and wrapping her hands around the sides of my neck. “I missed you too, honey.”

She used that word so rarely that when she called me ‘honey’ I felt ten feet fucking tall. “So what are you working on in here?”

She turned in my arms, inspecting her work with a heavy sigh. “Honestly, I don’t know.”

Resting my chin on her shoulder, I looked at the wall she’d been tearing apart before I walked in. “I thought you said you were keeping the paneling, that you were just going to sand and paint it white.”

She glared at me over her shoulder. “It wasn’t white. It was eggshell. You know that, I showed you the swatch.”

I grinned down at her, placing a kiss on her nose. “Looked white to me.”

“Whatever,” Daphne grumbled with an eye roll as she turned back to the wall. “I woke up this morning and stupidly decided that I’d changed my mind. I saw this awesome textured wallpaper with a really pretty fleur-de-lis pattern that I thought would look amazing in here. But apparently the previous owners were in love with this paneling, because they nailed and glued it to the damn walls. It’s taking forever to rip off.”

“Well, I’m not sure about fleur-de-lis textured walls, but if that’s what you want, then how about I go change my clothes so I can give you a hand?”

Warmth infused her expression. “Have I told you yet that I really missed you?”

“You did, but I’m a big fan of hearing it, so feel free to say it over and over.”

She smiled up at me, but there was something deeper there, something more meaningful, though I couldn’t quite put my finger on what it was. “I missed you. And I’d really love your help. And maybe when we’re done we can order in some dinner? There’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about. It’s kind of important.”

A knock sounded on her front door, interrupting the moment. “Hold that thought. I’ll get the door, then get changed and be right back.”

She blew out a breath like there was something heavy weighing on her mind. “Okay.”

The knocking came again, that time more insistent. I pulled at the door, ready to send whoever it was away so I could get back to my girl. “Listen, whatever you’re selling, we aren’t buy—” The douche who’d tried outbidding me at the auction was standing on the other side. “What the fuck? What are you doing here?”

“What are you doing here?” the jackass countered. “I’m here because this is my fiancée’s house.”

“Your what?”

“Caleb?” Daphne called from upstairs. “Who was it at the door?”

Like the sneaky little fucker he was, the asshole darted past me and headed up the stairs. I took the stairs two at a time, reaching him at the same time he hit the room Daphne was in.

She jerked around at the sound of our rapid footsteps, ripping a piece of paneling off as she turned. “Stefan?” she screeched in shock. “What the fuck are you doing here?”

I spoke before he had a chance to answer. “Better question is why did this asshole just call you his fiancée?”

“His what?”

“Fiancée,” Stefan answered. “I called you my fiancée, because that’s what you are.”

“I most certainly am not!” she yelled. “Omigod! What is wrong with you, you psycho? We haven’t been together in years!”

I grabbed him by the collar and started yanking him out of the room. “Ducky, just give me a second! Please. I just want to talk to you, honey.” He struggled against me, shouting for Daphne the whole time. There was something seriously unhinged about this guy.

“Get the hell out before I throw you out. I swear I’ll take her to the courthouse to get a restraining order my-fucking-self.”

“Get your hands off me!” He continued to fight against my hold. “I swear to god I’ll sue you.”

I was about to shove my fist through his fucking face when Daphne let out a pained cry that consumed all my attention. She held her arm to her chest, blood trickling down her forearm from her wrist. “Shit. Fuck, baby. Are you okay?” I released my hold on Stefan’s shirt and rushed to her. I gently pulled her arm away from her body, finding a long, jagged cut that extended halfway to her elbow. “Jesus, sweetheart. What happened?”

“Oh god. That looks bad.” I spun my head to find Stefan had come up to inspect Daphne’s arm.

“Will you get the fuck out of here?”

“I cut myself on a nail sticking out of the paneling,” Daphne said, tears pooling in her eyes.

I lifted the piece of wood lying on the ground to find a large rusted nail sticking out of it. “Fuck, okay. We need to get you to the emergency room, Daphne. I think you might need stiches.”

“I’ll take her in my car.”

“Touch me and I’ll rip your arm off,” she snarled at Stefan, letting me guide her from the room.

Opening my passenger door, I got her settled in the seat and reached into the back, pulling a clean T-shirt from my gym bag and wrapping it around her forearm to try and staunch the blood. Then I drove as quickly as I could to the emergency room.

That bastard Stefan following us the entire way.