Page 32 of (Un)Planned

Even without an alarm set,my eyes opened at four in the morning. It took me a moment to get my bearings, unsure why I was in a room surrounded by color and clutter rather than my own bedroom. But when I turned, finding a sweet, slumbering redhead tucked into my arm, all felt right in the world again.

Typically, when a hookup was over, I was out the door as quickly as possible, but the thought never crossed my mind last night. When Calla asked if I wanted to stay over, I nodded, unwilling to waste a single moment of the night. But as much as I wanted to keep fucking her until the sun rose, my body had other plans. After several rounds, we’d passed out, our naked bodies wrapped together.

Calla nestled closer to my chest and let out a small, satisfied sigh. It brought a smile to my face. There was a part of me worried that last night was a dream, that I was going to wake up in my bed alone, still yearning for the woman I wanted most in the world.

But here she was, sleeping soundly in my arms, a fact I vowed never to take for granted. With a soft kiss on her forehead, I started to climb out of bed to start my day. However, before I could get too far, Calla’s grip tightened around me, anchoring me close to her. I pressed my lips to her shoulder. “You should still be sleeping.”

“So should you,” Calla mumbled. She opened one eye and smirked up at me. “You didn’t get enough of a workout last night?”

“It was one of the best of my life,” I mumbled, shifting to hold her tighter in my arms. “But I need to get going. I have a session scheduled with my trainer. He’s already going to be pissed that I’m moving slower than normal.” Shechuckled as I kissed her neck. “And I should get out of here before your sister wakes up.”

Calla smiled, lifting onto her elbows to kiss me once more. It was slow and lazy, the kind of kiss that promised more in the future. I’d never been a man to need a send-off. Hell, when I was married, days would go by without checking in with my ex-wife. But now, I knew I never wanted to start another day without Calla’s lips on mine.

She looked down at me, and then her face shifted, apprehension now layering her features. “So at the office…”

I exhaled, shifting to sit up but bringing her with me. “We need to act like nothing has changed.” Calla nodded, her eyes falling to her fingers. She started toying with the edge of her comforter, the nervous tick meaning she was holding something inside. I held her a little tighter. “Talk to me, baby. What’s going through your head?”

“This… We aren’t over, right?” She sucked in a sharp breath. “Not that we areanything, but whatever is happening between us, please tell me it wasn’t a one-time thing.”

I shifted, capturing her underneath my frame. Her lips fell open, staring up at me with those wide eyes I adored so much. “Absolutely not,” I said, my tone firm, leaving no room for argument. “Did you really think one night with you would be enough? I’m already plotting all the ways I want to take you tonight.”

“Tonight?”

“Come to my place after work.” I sweetened the offer with a kiss. “I’ll cook for you, and we can talk about what comes next.”

Her brow furrowed. “You can cook?”

“I can try.” I smiled, unsure where this odd sense of confidence came from. It had been years since Ihad spent any real time in the kitchen, but something about this girl made me want to spoil her, made me want to see that sparkle in her eyes.

“Tell me you’ll be there.”

“Nothing could keep me away.”

EIGHTEEN

In the morning, I woke up with a delicious ache all through my body. Last night felt like the best dream. Even after weeks of pining for Theo, he exceeded all my expectations. A shiver rolled down my spine as I thought of how easily he switched from domineering to gentle, checking in with me every step of the way.

It was hardly my first time, but it almost felt like it. In the past, being with someone new filled me with anxiety and nerves. It took me a few times to fully let go, to let myself be completely vulnerable. But with Theo, it was almost innate. Before our lips even touched, I trusted him, wanted him to have every part of me. He’d made me feel beautiful-cherished. All I wanted was him, unable to have enough of his body moving against mine. Even though we’d only been apart for a couple of hours, I was already counting down the minutes until I could be with Theo again.

I reluctantly climbed out of my bed, hating that I had to wash Theo’s scent off my skin. But trying to pretend it was a typical workday was already going to be difficult. I didn’tneed a constant reminder of last night surrounding me all day.

Stepping into my bathroom, I turned on the shower, shifting to study my reflection while the water warmed up. There was a flush to my cheeks and a slight stubble burn on the curve of my neck. My lip tucked between my teeth as my fingers ran over it, loving that Theo had left marks on my skin. It’d take a lot of concealer to cover it up, but I’d know it was there. Normally, I’d wear his marks like a brand, proudly declaring I was his. Now, though, there was no way that was possible. Not when it could jeopardize both of our jobs.

While my job wasn’t my dream career, it was working out better than I ever could have expected. All my bills were paid, I was able to contribute to Devyn’s rent, and I could put a good amount in my savings. Not to mention, I really enjoyed working with Theo. Even before things shifted between us, I admired him, loving watching how he commanded rooms and drew others to his presence. I didn’t have much work experience, only working for my family, but I could see that Theo’s management style was different. My stepfather watched over his company from afar, barely bothering to interact with his subordinates unless they made him look bad.

My mother, on the other hand, ruled her domain with an iron fist, refusing to let anyone question her ways. She preferred fear over any sort of loyalty. While Theo had his moments, it was clear that his employees respected him.

I knew I did.

My hands scrubbed through my hair, trying to plan out how I would act when I got to the office. It would probably depend on Theo. My stomach lurched a little; it was going to sting when he acted like nothing happened. Even thoughwe said it wasn’t a one-night stand, a part of me feared that Theo could have changed his mind. A lot could have happened since we parted earlier this morning.

When we first met, Theo was adamant he didn’t want to be in a relationship, that all he was looking for was a hook-up. And while I was confident in our connection, it wasn’t enough to convince me that I was enough to change his mind.

You weren’t even enough for your mother, who is supposed to love you unconditionally.

I groaned, hating that this was the moment my brain decided to remind me of that fact. In the months since I left home, I tried to keep thoughts of my mother to a minimum. It was too painful otherwise. Honestly, there was a large part of me that thought she would have cracked by now, calling me or doingsomethingto show that she missed me.

But there had been nothing—no calls, emails, or even messages passed to me through Devyn.

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