Page 58 of Falling

I hold out my hand and she takes it, and for a moment, I just sit there enjoying how right this feels.

“Tell me why you have to go back,” I finally say.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

NEVER HAVE I EVER

RUBY

Where do I begin?

I lean my head against the seat and then shiver.

“Do you think you could…make me some of your hot chocolate first? I’ve been thinking about having it all day…in front of your fireplace. I don’t think I’ve ever fully warmed up from the farmer’s market.”

He curses under his breath and hurries out ofthe truck. I’ve barely opened my door and he’s there, helping me out of it.

“I’m fine,” I tell him. “I shouldn’t have asked—”

“We don’t sayshouldn’taround here,” he grunts.

I smile, but he’s already hurrying me into the house.

“Here, take this.” He hands me the blanket that’s become my favorite.

I sit on the floor in front of the fireplace, wrapping the coziness around me as I watch him.

“Thank you.”

Callum has a roaring fire going within minutes. He pauses next to me once he’s done.

“Maybe a bath would warm you up more while I work on the hot chocolate,” he says. “If you want to take a longer one, I’ll get my shower too.”

“That’s a brilliant idea.”

He moves into the kitchen to set out the ingredients. I want to turn and watch him in there too, but I don’t. I study the fire for another moment and then hurry upstairs to run my bath. A few minutes later, I hear Callum in the room across the hall and get warmer than I’ve been all day when I imagine him in the shower.

Thoughts of Junior screech those lusty thoughts. Seeing him again. Seeing therealhim…I was given such a gift when I overheard him trashing me. That’s been the overriding thought, far more than any sadness: I dodged a major bullet.

The pleasure is real when I step into the bath. This day feels like it’s been at least three, and after a long day on my feet out in the cold, I can’t think of anything better than this right here…except that fire downstairs and the broody man who stoked it.

By the time I step out of the tub, I’m content. Smooth andsilky and smelling like my brand new cherry body wash, the chill is gone.

I dig through the drawer and pull out something I haven’t worn around Callum yet—one of the long sleep shirts I designed that has an emu with parted hair and glasses and says Emunized. It hits me mid-thigh, and I glance in the mirror to make sure it’s not too obvious that I’m not wearing a bra. I take the clip out of my hair and give it a good shake, bringing some of it around the front to cover my breasts in case it is apparent.

There’s always the blanket down there too, if I need backup coverage.

I don’t usually care about this in the mornings, but I guess it’s because I’m half asleep then.

I slide into my slippers and walk downstairs, grinning when I see Callum in the kitchen. His hair is wet and he’s wearing a white Henley with grey sweats.

Mouth-watering.

He looks me over and his low chuckle makes my stomach clatter to the floor.

“I like the shirt.”

“Thank you.” I curtsy.

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