Chapter Eleven
She hadn’t spoken to Caleb in two weeks. He’d left her alone for the first couple days, but then the calls began, the roses, the chocolates and unannounced visits. The flowers she’d donated to the local hospital, the candy she gave to her employees and when Caleb came knocking on her door, she didn’t answer.
Sommer screened her calls and didn’t bother to return his messages. Thank God work kept her busy and out of the store most days, otherwise, she’d be forced to face him. She’d been informed that he’d come by a handful of times already. It was only a matter of time before he did catch her while she was in the office.
Work.
The high she’d experienced at all her success didn’t quite feel the same knowing what he’d done. By calling in favors for her, he’d taken away the one thing that should have been hers. It hurt because he knew how much it had meant to her do this by herself.
She wasn’t foolish enough to throw in the towel and close down, because she did, after all, have a nice clientele built up now. Still, in the back of her mind, she’d always wonder what would have happened had he not intervened.
Despite this, she missed him like crazy and cried herself to sleep every night as she remembered how good it had felt to be held in his arms. She recalled the good times and how he’d made her laugh and made her body sing with passion. It wasn’t that she didn’t believe him when he told her he loved her, but now that she knew he was capable of going behind her back all in the name of ‘helping’ her, would he smother her?
She didn’t fool herself into believing that their paths wouldn’t eventually cross, but she was angry and hurt about what he did. Sommer wasn’t sure what she would say when they did finally see each other again, but until then, she needed this time apart to clear her head.
Sommer took another bite of her breadstick and glanced at her watch with a frown. It wasn’t like her father to be late for an appointment. He’d called her a few days ago to set up this lunch date as they hadn’t seen each other for a couple weeks. This happened to be one of the few days when she didn’t have a lunch client to cater for. She’d been looking forward to this.
Just when she was about to pull out her cell phone and call him up, he strode in. She stood up with a smile and walked into the arms he held out to her. “Hi, Daddy. I was starting to worry. It’s not like you to be late.”
Trevor kissed her on the forehead and squeezed her tight. “Hello, Princess. I’m sorry. I should have called, but there was something I needed to take care of that held me up.”
She pulled out of his embrace with a laugh. “Well, it’s about time, I’m starving.” They took their seats. “I hope you don’t mind, but I took the liberty of ordering your usual.”
“New York Strip, extra rare?”
“As bloody as the law allows.”
“Great”
“How’s Mom?”
“She’s been busy organizing a charity fundraiser. And she’s wondering why her daughter hasn’t called in the past week.”
Guilt licked at her insides. She offered him a sheepish grin. “I’m sorry. I meant to come by for a visit these past couple days, but things have been so hectic at work lately I haven’t had much energy to do anything other than go home and crash. I promise to come by soon.”
“I can’t tell you how proud I am of you at all you’ve accomplished. I knew you could do it, honey.”
She snorted before biting into another breadstick. She wanted to get through lunch without the subject of Caleb coming up. “Yeah, sure,” she mumbled with her mouth full.
Her father’s eyebrow shot. “You mean to tell me you’re not ecstatic? The few times I’ve had a chance to come by, you were busy and those teenagers you hired were actually doing some work.”
“Dad, they’ve been a big help to me.”
“The first time I visited, one of them was filing her nails and the other was on his cell phone.”
“That’s because we weren’t busy at the time. They’re good kids.”
“Just making sure they’re doing what you’re paying them for.”
“I get more than my money’s worth.”
They were interrupted when their meals came. The conversation resumed when the waiter left them alone again. “Sweetheart, there is something else I wanted to talk to you about.”
“What?” She asked before taking a bite of her Cobb salad.
“I know about you and Caleb.”
She stiffened, and then stuffed a forkful of salad in her mouth, ignoring her father’s statement.
“Sommer, you’re not going to put me off.”
She took a sip of her sparkling water. “I don’t want to talk about it, Dad.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, young lady. We both know work isn’t the only thing that’s been keeping you away. You have bags under your eyes which tells me you haven’t been getting enough sleep. And no matter how busy you’ve been in the past, you’ve always managed to give your mother a call. You know she worries about you. To top it off, when I congratulated you on your success, the light in your eyes when you started your venture wasn’t there. Sommer, don’t let what Caleb did affect your relationship.”
Her head shot up as she held her fork midway to her mouth. “What do you know about Caleb and me?”
“I know the two of you have been dating for the past few months and you haven’t bothered to tell me about it.”
“Did Caleb or Uncle Seth tell you?”
“No, I figured it out myself weeks ago. Your old man isn’t completely out of it.”
“How did you know?”
“I had a sneaking suspicion something was going on between the two of you at your launch party. The way Caleb looked at you is the same way I look at your mother. He’s loved you for a long time, Sommer. I knew it would only be a matter of time before he made his move. Me and him had a talk a while ago. I had to make sure his intentions were honorable toward my little girl.”
“You never said anything.”
He shrugged. “Sweetheart, I’m sure Caleb wouldn’t have appreciated my intervention on his behalf. Sometimes there are things a man has to do on his own, and going after the woman he loves is one of those things.”
“But you’re intervening for him now.”
“Caleb didn’t put me up to this if that’s what you’re thinking. To be honest, I had to practically threaten him to get him to tell me what was going on. I wanted to find out if he’d done anything to hurt you, but I could see he was hurting, and from the looks of you, you’re not faring any better.”
Sommer didn’t want to hear how bad Caleb was doing or that he was upset. She didn’t want to care because that would lead to letting him back in her life to run roughshod over her “I suppose you probably applauded what he did.”
“Frankly, yes.” He said it unapologetically.
“I figured you would. Dad, don’t you realize how important my business was to me? Afternoon Delights is my baby. I put in a lot of blood, sweat, and tears to make it happen. I realize I got off to a slow start, but when things finally began to look up for me, imagine how I felt when learned that he went behind my back and did the very thing he knew I didn’t want. How can you sit there and tell me you’re pleased to hear it?”
“Because I’m your father and I care about your happiness.”
“I would have been happier if he hadn’t interfered.”
“Would you have? From what I understand, things weren’t going so well for you in the beginning. Had Caleb not stepped in, I would have eventually done it myself. And the fact that he did proves to me that he will do whatever it takes to protect you. That’s the kind of a man I would want for you.”
“Someone, to smother me the way you and Mom do?” She regretted the words the minute they came out of her mouth. Damning her temper, she was quick to apologize. “I’m sorry, Dad. I know you and Mom mean well, but sometimes…I guess it would be nice if you let me sink or swim on my own.”
Her father reached across the table and engulfed her hands within his. “Sommer, I only say this because I love you, but you’re being stubborn and ungrateful. I think what Caleb did for you was a good thing, and as I’ve already stated, I would have done the same thing.”
“How can you say that, Dad? You know how much my business means to me.” She tried to pull her hands out of his grasp, but he held them firmly.
“No, Sommer. You will listen to what I have to say.” Trevor shot her that stern look he used to give her when she was a kid and got into some mischief.
“Fine. I’m listening.”
“Princess, I understand where you’re coming from by wanting to assert your independence. Your mother and I are so proud of all you’ve accomplished, but don’t you think you’re taking things a bit too far? I mean, everyone needs help occasionally. Do you think I’ve never had to ask for help? Or maybe Seth? He may be our Alpha, but every day he relies on the rest of the pack to ensure everything runs smoothly. That’s why there are Betas. I, in turn, rely on others to help me through my tasks. That’s what the pack does. We help each other out. Having someone intercede on your behalf doesn’t take anything away from all the hard work you’ve done. It’s the way of business.”
Sommer lowered her head, unable to meet his green gaze any longer. She saw where he was going with this and she had no argument to give.
He stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. “Sweetheart, before you came along, your mother and I had given up hope of ever having children of our own. For so long, our culture has only allowed us to adopt within the pack. When Seth brought you to us and backed us as we fought to keep you, understandably, you became our world. We tried to shield you from the pack’s censure, and social and racial prejudices. We never meant to smother you and I didn’t realize how much we did until I had that talk with Caleb. Sommer, why didn’t you ever say anything?”
She lifted her head to meet his gaze then. “Daddy, how could I? I know you and Mom meant well, I didn’t want to hurt you. I love you two so much. I know that the things you did were out of love.”
“Kind of like what Caleb did?” he prompted gently?
Sommer lifted her head to meet her father’s gaze, her shame complete. She’d pushed Caleb out of her life, and for what? Pride. When she thought about how much he meant to her, she realized how foolish she’d been. “You’re right. He only wanted to help, but I wouldn’t listen to him.”
“It’s not too late to go to him and tell him how you feel. Besides, I think he understands the situation better than you think. In a way, I blame myself for some of this. Had I given you more space growing up, it would be easier for you to accept help from time to time. Saying you can’t do something on your own isn’t a show of weakness, Princess. It’s a sign of strength, in that you recognize what your shortcomings are without being afraid to seek out someone who could assist you.”
“I never thought of it like that,” she murmured. Suddenly a terrible possibility crossed her mind. “What if Caleb doesn’t want to talk to me? I’ve been ignoring him for weeks.”
One corner of Trevor’s mouth tilted to form a half-smile. “He won’t turn you away.”
“You think so?”
“Let me put it like this, I never thought it was possible for anyone to love you more than your mother and me until I saw that look in Caleb’s eyes. Do me a favor and go put the poor guy out of his misery. He’s been moping around the office like a guy who looks likes he’s ready to end it all. Seth tells me Caleb has been doing a lot of baying at the moon lately.”
“It’s that simple, huh?”
“Do you love him?”
Sommer didn’t have to dwell on that question for even a second. “With all my heart.”
“Then it is that simple.” He gave her hands a gentle squeeze. A brief frown flitted across his lips.
“What’s wrong, Daddy?”
“You know, I’ve dreaded this moment from the day you showed interest in the opposite sex.
“Why?”
“Because I realized there’d come a time when another man would take my Princess away from me and your mom.”
Tears sprang to her eyes, her heart overflowing with love. “You and Mom could never lose me. I love you.” Sommer was glad she’d had this talk with her father. It was like an awakening. For the first time, she understood what it truly meant to be a part of the pack. She could finally appreciate better where her parents were coming from and why Caleb had done what he did. He’d only wanted to make her happy. How could she have been angry at him for that?
Sommer only hoped it wasn’t too late to tell Caleb exactly how she felt.
* * *
Caleb had never been more miserable in his life. He skulked back into his house through the sliding glass door he’d left slightly ajar before going for a run in the wood. Walking through the house on padded feet, he shook out his mane to rid himself of all the raindrops that had just started to fall before he came in.
Not even howling at the moon had given him the pleasure it normally did. Nothing seemed right without Sommer. Stretching his body lengthwise, he realigned his organs as his fur retreated into his skin and changed back to a light dusting of human hair along the contours of his body. His paws lengthened and spread out and his legs elongated. It only took a few minutes before he returned to first form.
His body slick with sweat, Caleb headed for the shower. As he stepped under the cool spray of the water, he resolved this would be the last night without Sommer. Even if he had to kick her damn door down, he would not allow her to shut him out any longer.
That talk with Trevor had put things into perspective. He and Sommer belonged together, and there would be times when he did things for her that she would simply have to accept. Yes, that’s what he’d do. He’d storm into her house and do whatever it took for her to listen to him, even if he had to screw her into submission.
As he washed, Caleb contemplated what he’d say to her and he wondered why he should wait until tomorrow. He should go over to her apartment now. She would be home by now, and if she wasn’t, damn if he wouldn’t go to her parent's house and then to her friends’. He’d find her by the time the night was over.
He was so deep in his thought that he was caught off guard when the shower curtain was pulled open. Under most circumstances, he would have heard an intruder. Caleb balled his fist ready to strike but was surprised to see a very naked Sommer step into the shower stall behind him. She must have used the key he’d given her weeks ago.
Wiping his eyes to make sure he wasn’t dreaming, he was lost for words. Unable to speak even if his life depended on it, he stood still as she stepped closer to him, stood on her toes and kissed his jawline. Then she began to rain kisses on his chest, making a downward trail, until she rested on her knees.
Caleb inhaled sharply as his cock came alive in her hand.
“Sommer,” he groaned.
“Don’t say anything, just enjoy,” she whispered with a smile, her eyes twinkling with the love he thought he’d killed. But there it was, shining just for him.
She ran her tongue along his shaft and then circled the sensitive head of his cock, teasing and torturing him. Her warm breath against his skin was nearly more than he could take. The blood pounded in his ears and the coolness of the water raining on them did nothing to pacify the heat coursing through his body.
At her mere touch, he was driven to near insanity. When she wrapped her lips around his dick, he moaned her name. “Oh, Sommer. God, yes. I’ve missed you so much.” Grasping her head, he slowly pushed forward until the tip of his cock touched the back of her throat.
Sommer grasped his balls with one hand, fondling them, heightening the sensations flowing through his core. Two weeks was a long time to go without her and he wanted her right now. Caleb doubted he could hold on much longer. He thrust in and out of her mouth, fucking it. Her lips were so tight around his length and it felt like absolute heaven, but he wanted some pussy. Sommer’s.
With a growl, he released her head and pulled away. Quickly, Caleb turned off the shower and lifted Sommer off her knees into his arms. He made it to his bedroom within seconds.
When he tossed her onto the bed, he quickly fell on top of her, nudging her thighs apart. They gasped simultaneously as he slid into her hot cunt, so wet and ready for him.
“I missed this so much. I missed you, Sommer,” he groaned planting his hands on either side of her head and bracing himself on his forearms. He pumped and pushed into her with a savageness of a man denied for too long.
Sommer wiggled and writhed beneath him. “I love you, I love you, I love you.” she chanted and she lifted her hips, meeting each of his thrusts with her own.
They moved, ground and strained together, their bodies working in perfect synchronization. When her pussy muscles clenched around his cock, a powerful explosion tore through his body. Caleb shot his seed deep within her channel.
Sommer screamed her release, opening her arms wide as he collapsed on top of her. She shuddered beneath him, whimpering and moaning with her apparent pleasure.
Caleb placed kisses on her face, lips, and neck, unable to believe she was here in his arms, and back in his bed.
Finally, when his breathing became normal once again, he captured her face between his palms and kissed her hungrily on the mouth. “You came to me,” he sighed, his heart filled with joy.
“I…I’m sorry, Caleb. I know you did what you did to make me happy. And I appreciate what you’ve done. I overreacted and should have been appreciative instead of giving you a hard time. I’ll never be so stupid or jeopardize your love for me again.”
“That isn’t possible because I could never stop loving you. Sommer, one of the reasons why I love you is your fierce independence and your strong will, but, honey, don’t push me away again. I want to share in your life, not be an observer on the outside looking in.”
She brushed the side of his face with her hand. “I promise I won’t. I love and appreciate you and I’m glad you helped me to become a success. I can’t wait to be your mate. Nothing will make me happier.”
Caleb could barely believe his good fortune. Words couldn’t adequately express how deeply he felt for Sommer. Finally, he had the woman he loved right where he wanted her, in his arms. “Nor can I.”
Uncertainty crossed her lovely face for a brief moment. “Are you worried about what the rest of the pack will say? You might be challenged for your position because of choosing me as your mate.”
“Maybe I will, maybe I won’t. But like I said, you’re more important to me than being the next Alpha. Anyway, my parents adore you and your parents have given me their blessing. There are fewer people who will take issue with us together than you think, but if we do meet opposition, it’s a bridge we’ll cross when we get there. Let’s not borrow trouble from tomorrow. Instead, tell me how much you love me.”
“I do, with all my heart. I can’t wait for the rest of our lives.” Sommer snuggled beneath him, a large smile on her face. “I know we’re going to have a wonderful life.”
Caleb grinned. “As long as you’re by my side, how could it not be?”
“As long as we have each other, you mean. Anyway, there’s another reason why we’re going to be happy.”
He lifted a brow. “Why is that?”
She gave him a knowing smile. “Because it was it was written in the stars.”
Caleb wasn’t exactly sure what that meant, but it sounded wonderful.