Her breath caught, the sincerity in his tone grounding her in this moment. She let her overnight bag slide to the floor and took a step closer, her hands trembling slightly as they rested on the lapels of her coat.
“I want to take a chance, Caleb,” she said, her voice trembling but firm. “On us.”
His gaze dropped to her hands, then back up to her face. Something flickered in his eyes—desire, curiosity, and something deeper, something that made her heart stutter.
“Taylor,” he said, his voice a low rumble, “are you sure?”
She nodded, the weight of the moment pressing down on her but filling her with exhilaration. “I’ve never been more sure of anything.”
As the space between them disappeared, Taylor felt the world outside fade away, leaving only them in the soft glow of the room.
Taylor's fingers trembled slightly as she reached for the belt of her coat.
As the coat fell open, revealing her naked form beneath, Caleb's breath caught. His gaze roamed over her body, desire evident in his eyes. "Taylor," he breathed, reaching for her.
Standing before Caleb, Taylor had never felt more vulnerable or alive. Her heart thundered in her chest as she held his gaze, and the weight of anticipation made her breath hitch.
This was it. She took a huge chance, putting herself out there in a way she never had before. But tonight wasn’t about fear or second-guessing. Tonight was about her and Caleb.
No Liam to interrupt. No lingering ghosts of the past to pull them apart. Just the two of them stripped of distractions, finally free to explore what had always simmered between them.
Her pulse quickened as she waited for his reaction, her emotions a mix of exhilaration and uncertainty. Whatever happened next, she was all in.
She let the coat slip from her shoulders, falling to the floor as Caleb pulled her into his arms. His lips crashed against hers, hungry and passionate. Taylor melted into the kiss, all her doubts evaporating as Caleb's strong arms enveloped her. His hands roamed her bare skin, igniting sparks everywhere they touched. She pressed herself against him, craving more contact.
Caleb broke the kiss, his eyes dark with desire as he took in her flushed face. "Last chance to back out," he said, his voice husky.
Taylor shook her head, her fingers already working at the buttons of his shirt. "I've never wanted anything more," she whispered.
In one swift motion, Caleb lifted Taylor into his arms and carried her to the bed. He gently laid her down and then stood back to quickly shed his clothes. Taylor's breath caught as she admired his toned body, remembering how it had felt against hers.
Caleb joined her on the bed, hovering over her with an intensity that made Taylor's heart race even faster. His eyes roamed her body appreciatively before meeting her gaze.
"You're even more beautiful than I remembered," he murmured, tracing a finger along her collarbone.
It had been only a few weeks since the night they shared at the convention—just a handful of days—but it felt like a lifetime ago.
So much had happened since then, so many emotions stirred up, and pieces of the past unearthed. It was as if that brief encounter had set off a chain reaction that had shaken her carefully constructed world and left her standing on unsteady ground.
And Caleb was at the center of it all, the man who had once been everything to her and was now so much more than just a memory.
Taylor shivered at his touch, her skin tingling with anticipation. She reached up to run her hands over his smooth skin relishing the feel of his taut muscles. "I've thought about this moment.”
It was hard to believe it had been a month since they had last been together. The month was filled with new and familiar moments as if they were rediscovering the pieces of themselves they had left behind.
A month of learning—about each other, Liam, and the lives they had built apart: there had been challenges, awkward conversations, and tentative steps, but through it all, there had been passion. The kind that simmered just beneath the surface, igniting with every touch, every stolen glance, every unspoken promise.
Amid the heat, there had been revelations—secrets uncovered, fears confronted, and a growing understanding that what they had wasn’t just about the past—it was about the future they might have together.
Caleb lowered his head, trailing kisses along her neck. "So have I," he breathed against her skin. His hand slid down her side, caressing her curves.
Taylor arched into his touch, a soft moan escaping her lips. She tangled her fingers in his hair, pulling him closer as their lips met in a passionate kiss. The years of longing and unspoken desire poured out as their tongues danced and explored. Taylor wrapped her legs around Caleb's waist, pulling him flush against her body.
Caleb groaned at the contact, his hands roaming every inch of her soft skin. He kissed a trail down her neck to her breasts, lavishing attention on each. Taylor gasped and writhed beneath him, lost in the sensations he created.
"Caleb, please," she whimpered, her hips rocking against his.
He looked up at her, his eyes dark with need. "Are you sure?" he asked one last time.