Page 19 of The Fallen Ones

“You’re one to talk,” I muttered. He was still being weird since the night in my apartment.

He paused at a sandwich costume and looked over at me. “You’re right. I’ve been shit lately. I’m sorry. Just stressed.”

“Me too.” I sighed. “It doesn’t matter though. I think I just need time, you know?”

He gave me a sad smile and nodded. “I get it.”

We continued browsing in silence for a few minutes before I broke it with a question that had starting to really plague me.

“Do you really think I should go to this party? You won’t be there. It’ll be so weird.”

“Olivia will be with you,” he said, shooting me a quick smile. “I have to work. You’re going to be fine. You can call me after you’ve had some fun and tell me you’ve changed your evil ways and are ready to seek no strings attached relationships.”

I laughed at that. “What if doing this makes it worse? Like, I won’t ever want anything? I’ve always hoped I could change it all, but it scares me too.”

“I’ve always dreamed of being with the perfect girl for the rest of my life,” he said. “So I’m not the one to ask.”

“Caleb, please. I’m being serious.”

“So am I, Lil bit.” He came over to me and encroached on my personal space, his tall, muscular frame looming over me. He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “Do this for yourself. It could change everything for you.”

“I don’t even know what I’m doing,” I said, feeling frantic. “I’ve made out with Jace a few times. I don’t have any experience. God. What if I don’t do it right and whoever the guy is hates it? What if I hate it?—”

“What if he loves it? What if you do?” He raised his brows at me. “Stop thinking in the negative, Lil. Positive thoughts. Positive energy. That’s what you need to put into this.” He moved away and thumbed through the costumes again.

“Would it be weird if I asked you to show me,” I blurted out.

He froze where he stood.

“I-I don’t mean like that,” I squeaked out. “I mean, maybe a little. Purely as a way to help me learn. We don’t actually have to have sex. That would be way weird. Plus, I know you’re not really into me like that. God, I’m rambling. I’m sorry?—”

“I’ll help you,” he said, finally thawing and turning to me.

I blinked in surprise at him. “You will?”

He nodded and took my hand before giving me a tug to the door. I followed, forgoing getting my costume for the party and letting him steer me to his car.

We got in and he started the engine and drove us to my place, neither of us saying a word to one another.

We didn’t have to though. The tension was so thick it could be cut with a knife. That line I hadn’t wanted to cross with him was blurring way behind us now.

“Come on,” Caleb said, taking my hand as he helped me out of the car once he’d parked. I took his hand and let him lead me upstairs to my apartment. The moment I closed the door, he shoved me hard against it and stared down at me.

He’d never had that look in his eyes before. So dark. So possessing. So…fierce. And he’d certainly never manhandled me that way.

My breath hitched as he leaned in and ran his lips along my jaw. “What do you want to practice, Lil bit?”

“I-I don’t know,” I rasped. “Maybe everything before it gets to sex.”

He chuckled softly against my ear, sending goosebumps spiraling along my skin. This wasn’t the Caleb I had known nearly my entire life. This Caleb was a ticking bomb set to explode once he let go.

“Have you ever had an orgasm, Lil bit?” he husked out in my ear.

“I-I think so?—”

“Mm, if you’ve had one, you wouldn’t have to think about it. You’d already know. Do you want me to make you come?”

Oh god. What was happening?

---