Page 2 of Willow

“Thank you, Caleb, but that wasn’t necessary.” He frowns, and suddenly I’m worried it was the wrong thing to say.

“There’s something missing. Hang tight, I’ll be right back.” With that, I watch his retreating form as he heads back inside. In a matter of minutes, he’s walking toward me, a devilish grin on his face while carrying a plate in each hand. My birthday cake. Not going to lie, my heart melts a teeny bit.

“I’ve never had birthday cake with champagne. I’m curious, is all.” He takes a seat, scoops up a forkful and brings it to my lips. My lips! He’s feeding me. “Only fair the birthday girl gets the first bite.”

I open up and I swear to god he moans as the fork slides in and the flavors explode on my tongue. Chocolate, coffee, and caramel. An orgasm in my mouth by far.The Sweeterymakes the best cakes ever!

“I can honestly say that’s the best cake I’ve ever tasted. Here, your turn.” I scoop him a piece of mine and feed him like he did me. It feels intimate, and from the dark glint in his eye he thinks so too. Who is this man, and what has he done with Caleb Morris?

* * *

CALEB

When I leftmyhouse tonight, I was determined to leave Willow’s party right after dinner. Coming up with some lame excuse so I could leave. In fact, I was ready to hit the road as soon as the singing started. Until I looked at her face after Quinn told her to make a wish. Something inside of me snapped. In that moment, I just knew I needed to get her the hell out of that room. I’m glad that I went with my gut instinct. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be sitting in this quiet corner, getting to know one another.

“The champagne tastes decadent with the cake, don’t you think?” Now she’s feeling a little awkward and that’s understandable. We just shared a very private moment.

“It’s delicious. Perhaps it’s the caramel that balances all of the flavors.” I lean back, giving her some much needed space. Almost immediately, she relaxes. Good. I’ve been told that I have a tendency to be intimidating, and sometimes I forget when I get caught up in a moment. Like this one now.

I’d like to think I’m astute and observant but I’m now realizing that every meeting I’ve ever had withThe Sinful Sevenhas been with the men and not with this complicated woman. It takes me aback since I don’t consider myself a chauvinist or anything of the kind. Another sip of her champagne and I dig into my pocket for a surprise.

“I wasn’t sure what to get you for a present, so you can exchange it if you don’t like it.” She seems uncomfortable when I reach across the table and place the signature blue box in front of her. I made sure to grab it off the table when I went inside to get our cake. There were a ton of inquisitive glances, and I knew they had questions on the tips of their tongues. I just shook my head and walked right out. I’ll bring her back inside when she’s damn well and ready.

“Caleb, you didn’t need to buy me a gift.” She waves her hand between us and continues. “The champagne and your company are more than enough.” I shouldn’t puff up at her kind gesture, but I do.

“Nonsense. You deserve to be spoiled every now and again. Go ahead, open it.”

Her hands are trembling as she slips off the silky white ribbon. Even more so now that she realizes it’s from Tiffany’s. “Oh, Caleb, this is too much, you shouldn’t—”

“Nonsense, let’s see what’s inside.” A small nod and she removes the cover, and gasps.

Since I don’t know her very well, I decided to get her something I think she’ll love. Being that I’ve only ever seen her wearing bangles and a locket around her neck. I’ve never seen her without that necklace, and I don’t think she will ever take it off. When she got upset tonight, I noticed she grasped it without realizing it. If I had to take a wild guess, I’d say it’s her security blanket. It’s comforting.

“It’s so beautiful. I’m overwhelmed at such a generous gift. Really.” The bracelet is the perfect fit when she slides it over her wrist. She didn’t notice the engraving inside, but I won’t point it out right now. It will be a special moment once she’s alone. It’s the way it was meant to be.

While she’s admiring her new gift, I fill our glasses and tip the empty bottle upside down inside the bucket. Picking up my glass, I reach for her hand. “Are you ready to go back inside or do you need more time?”

A big sigh, a flip of her hair, and she stands with her hand tucked in mine. Something deep inside of me thrills that she trusted me enough to do so. “The champagne did the trick, so I’m ready.” Grabbing her flute, we walk hand in hand, but before we enter, I need to tease.

“Are you sure it’s the champagne and not the wonderful company you keep?” She stops, and when her eyes meet mine, it’s electric. What the hell is going on?

“The champagne took away the edge, but somehow you knew I needed to flee and that’s so much more than I expected.” God, I have a lump in my throat the size of a baseball. This tough girl with the hard outer shell has a soft center that just needs compassion and understanding. I must admit, I’m glad I was the one to be there for her.

“Well, don’t let anyone in on our secret. I have a reputation to uphold.” There’s that smile again. So, fucking gorgeous. She agrees with a nod and we walk inside to face the music.

I feel strangely proud when we walk inside hand in hand. There’s nothing wrong with a man enjoying the company of a beautiful young woman. Is there? Well, I didn’t think so, until I get a death glare from the three men ofThe Sinful Seven.Lucas, Jet, and Trevor waste no time in hauling the birthday girl away from the likes of me. I’m not sure if I’m angry, or overjoyed that they think I’m a threat of some kind. They needn’t worry. I have too much on my plate at the moment to indulge in such a diversion. Willow’s a very beautiful and talented girl, and for now, she’s only allowed in my fantasies. Yes, you heard me correctly. Just don’t tell her. It will be our little secret.

To avoid any confrontation, I sit down and watch Willow show off her new bracelet to everyone in the room. No one dares look in my direction. Good, I have the right to give her a birthday gift just like everyone else. And, from this distance, it doesn’t appear that anyone asked about her unexpected disappearance. Very smart on their part. After all, I’m an invited guest and I can do whatever the hell I want with my time and money.

After she opens all her gifts, which, if I’m being honest, can’t compare with mine, my skin itches to be near her. Close enough to feel her body heat and breathe in her fresh clean scent. If you were to ask me when I became so fixated on Willow, I wouldn’t be able to give you an answer to save my life. There’s one thing I do know. Tonight I came out of a moral obligation, but I’ll be leaving with a sense of gratification.

2

WILLOW

Last night’sbirthdayparty was uncomfortable, yet the conversation I had with Caleb more than made up for it. He’s nothing like I thought he would be. I get that he’s all business when we’re in a meeting or at a press conference. It’s to be expected since we’re signed with his label and he has a reputation to uphold. There’s no room for mistakes. Yesterday, he made me feel at ease with no judgement or prying questions. Which was wonderful! What I thought was going to be one of the worst nights of my life wasn’t so bad after all.

After we went back inside, he let me show off my gift and then stuck to me like glue. It was endearing—I felt like I had my very own personal bodyguard. I’ve no doubt he would have deflected any questions that came my way. I even noticed the glances I was getting from Lucas and Jet. Trevor, not so much, because he knows I’m not interested in a relationship. Although I did notice the concerned look on Mom’s face, but she let it go once she realized Caleb was just being kind. I’m sure he just wanted to rescue me from an awkward situation since he doesn’t know about my past. Well, if I’m being realistic, Quinn and Abby didn’t know either. I’m sure that changed once Caleb and I went outside.

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