Page 14 of Never Yours

“It’s my last one, I promised Pop.”

“Last what? So, what was your plan here? Make me fall for you and then bail?” The idea has my stomach in knots. What if he doesn’t come back?

“It’s not like that. I promised another two years before I knew you were coming home.” He slides his hand through his hair and rubs the back of his neck. “Fuck, if I had known, I never would’ve agreed to it.”

“So, what now?”

Caleb takes a step forward and closes the distance. “Hurt me. Let me fall in love with you, and break my heart.”

“No.” Shaking my head, I take a step back. “I did once, I won’t do it again.”

“I survived.” He smirks. “Three weeks.”

My heart and head are at war. Still, every fiber of me wants to say yes to his ridiculous proposal. “And at the end of three weeks?”

“If I play my cards right, I’ll get to keep the girl who got away.”

“And you disappear for years.” I shouldn’t care; I left for a decade. But this feels different, he’s different.

“Ingrid. I’ve always been yours. Give me the chance to show you before I leave.” I consider it all. There’s no way I’ll walk away from this unscathed. He deserves better than this. I deserve better than this. His voice pulls me out of my spiral. “Three weeks?”

“I don’t know. Maybe?” I chew on my lip, and he smiles—one that meets his gorgeous brown eyes. My heart can’t help melting at the whole declaration. My mind has other ideas. “But we need rules.”

“Fine, but you only get three, and I get three. We’re not going to write up a whole fucking contract so I can date you.”

“All right,” I say slowly and carefully. “No sex. I don’t want this to get messier than it already is.”

“Done,” he replies, surprisingly without hesitation. “But I get to stay the night at least once before I leave.”

“Clothes on?”

His eyes briefly drag down my body but snap up to meet mine. “Whatever you want.”

“Fair. Okay, what’s one of yours?”

Cay pauses a moment. “I take you out twice a week.”

“That’s implied,” I laugh.

“And you let me kiss you goodnight, wherever you’re comfortable.”

The implication isn’t lost on me, and I cock an eyebrow, crossing my arms over my chest. “I thought I said no sex.” He tucks a stray tendril behind my ear, his fingers lingering on my neck as his thumb grazes my jaw. I close my eyes and lean into his touch, covering his hand with mine. “We’re idiots for doing this.”

“Probably,” he chuckles but doesn’t pull away. “My second rule: I get your ereader.”

“What?” Record fucking scratch. My eyes widen. “No deal, I’m out.”

“No, you’re not. You have all of your paperbacks, and I’ll give it back to you in a few weeks… I’m taking it tonight before you can delete books off it.”

“I don’t read fantasy like I did in high school, Cay,” I deadpan.

He leans in and brushes a kiss on my cheek, whispering, “I know, I’m counting on it.” His beard tickles, but in a few weeks he’ll be clean-shaven. A reminder that if we do this—really do this—I only get a short time with him. I need to make the most of it. My hands slide down his chest, and it vibrates beneath my fingertips as he groans.

“The pizza’s getting cold,” I whisper, my eyes fixed on his toned pecs, wondering if they look as good as they feel. He’s in incredible shape, and I am, well… not.

“I’m not hungry,” he says cooly.

“I should unpack.”

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