Page 45 of Love is Grand

I traced my way down his abdomen, scooting by his side in nothing but my strapless bra. Making quick work of unbuckling his belt and pants, I yanked them down. Next came his boxer briefs before I took all of him in my grasp, being as rough as I remembered he liked it.

I didn’t have much time to return favors because before I knew it, I was being lifted up and laid on the pillows. Cal propped over me, his hand bracing him on the bed, his arm straight and strong, holding him up.

“Protection?” I managed to choke out.

“For what?” he asked, his brow furrowed.

“Disease?”

He came down to his forearm, his hand sweeping my hair off my face, and laughed. “Darling Shell, there hasn’t been anyone since the holidays for me. You ruined me for anyone else.”

I swallowed my disbelief and nodded. There were no words to explain how I was feeling because my emotions were too much. Too grand.

Cal took my nod as the permission it was and slid inside me, stopping to savor the feeling, I assumed. After all, it was what I was doing.

“Shell, fuck,” he said, my name and the curse a melody on his lips.

He started to move ... long, deep, and slow, then faster.

“You feel like heaven,” he muttered, and I believed him.

“Caleb,” I said, calling him by his full name like I’d done on nights before. Evenings in the past when I’d thought this was for fun.

As he drove into me now, though, I scolded myself for thinking right now was anything more than fun. Cal was caught up in the moment, as was I.

He whispered more sweet nothings in my ear, talking of visits and bedroom rounds to come. I absorbed it all as he drove into me, until I couldn’t take the sensations anymore and came apart.

Not far behind me, Cal poured into me, riding it out until falling to my side. “God, you’re going to kill me, Shell. I’m an old man.”

I laughed. “You’re not old. Forty-one isn’t—”

“Too old to just become a father,” he said, his words like an ice bucket dumped over my head on a hot day.

Stiffening, I sniffed back a tear and sat up. “I’m going to clean up. Can you ask Jack to take me home, so I can get some rest before getting Weezie?”

“Shell, don’t. I told you I don’t know what I’m doing.”

Shaking my head, I murmured, “Save it,” and went straight to the bathroom to get a washcloth.

As soon as I was cleaned up, I came back out and snatched up my dress. “Fun time’s over. Time for me to go back to being a mom.”

With his hands held up in surrender, Cal nodded. At least he knew better than to argue with a pregnant woman in the middle of the night. He called Jack and walked me to the lobby.

There, I kissed him on the cheek and said, “Thanks.”

“I’m going to come with you—”

“No. I’m tired. Good night, Cal. Safe travels tomorrow.”

I turned and walked out to the Jeep, grateful the lobby bar was closed and Teddi wasn’t there to witness my freak-out.

Every cell in my body wanted to turn around and see Cal one more time, but this time, my brain won out, forbidding it.

• May •

Cal

Slowing my treadmill to a walk, I cursed through clenched teeth. Not even a punishing five miles could stop the freight train of thoughts barreling through my brain.

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