Page 83 of A Temporary Forever

She snaps the lid closed, takes her cup, and walks into the living room, giving me a wide berth.

“Come on, Celeste. Talk to me.”

She whips around at the foot of the staircase. “Look, Caleb, you don’t owe me anything. You’re free to have other liaisons. It’s not like we discussed exclusivity, but it’s shitty form to fuck me and then ditch me out of the blue.”

Fuck, she thought I went to see another woman. That didn’t even occur to me, but of course that would sound like a plausible explanation in the absence of facts.

“I had a meeting with Xander.” I hate myself for lying to her, but I just can’t bring myself to tell her the truth.

I went to the Madison Club and had a drink andtalked to a few people. All of them men. And that’s not even the pathetic part of the truth.

We already broke all the boundaries of this arrangement, so what difference would it make if I took her to my bed?

But this is also about my personal boundaries, my basic principles. Ones I set up to protect myself.

From unnecessary complications.

From deeper connections.

From close dependence.

From deception.

Besides my siblings, everyone else I got close to betrayed me, starting with my parents. I’m the typical cliché of a rich boy with trust issues. Fuck. My. Life.

She sighs. “As I said, you don’t owe me an explanation, but next time, could you give me a bit of a notice? I didn’t beg you for your time.Youcame to pick me up.” She extends her thumb, counting. “Youtook me for dinner.” She points up her index finger. “Youthrew a tantrum when you thought I was with someone else.” She adds another digit. “We spent hours together, and several times during that time, you could have mentioned that you had a meeting later and Peter would drop me off.”

“I get it. I know I fucked up, hence the gifts.” I shrug, not daring to approach her. Yet.

“I would prefer it if you didn’t need to apologizefor your actions. You made me feel used and discarded.”

Her bottom lip quivers, but she wipes the weakness away and squares her shoulders.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

I close the distance between us. “I’m new at this. I have no point of reference for keeping a relationship alive. I fucked up, and I promise to try harder.”

It’s not lost on me that I’m still lying to her. But one step at a time. And have I just labeled this as a relationship?

“Look, Caleb, if this—whatever it is—is too much, too fast for you—”

“No, black swan. It’s not enough.” I step closer, crowding her. Her back hits the glass balustrade. “I thought getting a taste of you would be enough, but I was a fool. One nibble.” I do just that, lowering my lips to her throat. “One bite.” I sink my teeth into her warm skin.

Her chest heaves, but her body remains tense.

“One handful.” I cup her breast. “One pinch.” I twist her nipple between my thumb and finger. “One swallow of you, black swan, and I’m an addict.”

I grind my hips against her as I lift my gaze to meet hers. She glares, but she doesn’t protest.

And it might be just my wishful thinking, but her body relaxes a bit, engulfed with mine.

I lean down to pick up the hem of her dress and trace my fingers up her thigh. A whole-body shiver rakes through her and, fuck, I love her reaction, and that’s before I skim the fabric of her panties.

“Look at you, all wet and ready for me.”

“And still mad at you for ditching me.”

“Let me make it up to you.” I seize her mouth in an arresting kiss.

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