Page 125 of Wicked Dreams

The house feels oddly familiar. Like I came here in a dream.

We go into Eli’s living room, and Caleb throws himself onto the couch. He pats the space next to him. “Sit.”

“You just let yourself into his house?”

He nods. “Yeah. His parents are pretty cool. They travel a lot, though.”

“Gotta love absentee parents,” I answer.

His face shutters for a second.

“Why did you attack Ian?” I need to change the subject.

“Just protecting what’s mine.” His hand wraps around the back of my neck and pulls me to him.

Our lips touch softly at first, barely moving.

I open my eyes.

He’s watching me. His free hand sneaks up the sweatshirt, dancing across my back. He unhooks my bra at the same time that he lowers me to the couch.

“Wha…”

“One choice,” he says, his lips moving to my jaw. He palms my breast. His fingers find my nipple, rolling it and pinching. “If you want this—if you wantme—just say the word.”

One choice.

It’s not justone. It’s a series of choices that could lead to catastrophe… But certainly not happiness.

God, that seems like a possibility right now, with Caleb’s breath in my ear and his hands on my skin. He could play me like an instrument, make me sing. I’ve never felt this way about anyone else. No one has ever bothered to try to touch me.

And then it comes back to me that we’re in his best friend’s living room.

I push his face away, staring up at him. “I do, but not here.”

He laughs, and the walls that he let down for a split second are resurrected. “If not here, where?”

If not now, when?

He picks himself up off me and leaves the room. My silence must’ve spoken for itself.

With shaky fingers, I re-clasp my bra and straighten the hoodie.

He comes back with his jacket on. There’s a new set to his jaw and a smirk on his lips. “My place. If you don’t want to here… and you’re not going to tell me where, then I’ll choose.”

I shiver.

But I can’t say I’m against it. A distraction is sorely needed.

The drive to his house is quick.

As we pass the front room, I point at the covered furniture. “Why is this place so…”

“Haunted?”

I walk into Caleb.

He catches me by my upper arms. “A lot of ghosts in this house, little lamb.”

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