Page 45 of All Along

What happens when Caleb realizes I’m not loveable? How will I survive it when the man I love walks away from me?

It won’t break my heart. It’ll rip my heart clean out of my chest.

I can’t chance it. I won’t.

Caleb presses his lips to mine. “Don’t fight me, Bunny.”

I try to respond but he kisses me again.

“Don’t get me wrong, I’ll fight you. But I don’t want to.” He nibbles along my jaw. “I have more interesting things I’d rather do.” He presses his hard length against my belly. “Do you want to fight or fuck?”

My whole body shivers.

Despite knowing this is a bad idea, I don’t stop him when he slips a hand under my t-shirt and begins to massage my breast.

Despite knowing this is going to lead to heartache, I don’t protest when he draws the shirt off of me and rolls me onto my back.

Despite knowing this is going to ruin our friendship, I don’t say a word when he pulls out his cock, dons a condom, and lines it up to my opening.

“I promise you won’t regret giving me – us – a chance,” Caleb vows as he inches inside me. I cling to his shoulders as he sinks into me. “Because this is where I belong.”

He slowly withdraws before thrusting into me again. I moan at the feeling of him filling me up. Sex with Caleb is everything I’ve ever dreamed about. It’s even better than I imagined. And, trust me, I have quite the imagination. There’s a reason I’m obsessed with romance books after all.

“Will you give me a chance?” he asks and I can’t deny him.

It was hard enough to deny him before he was inside me. But now that he’s filling me up and I’m surrounded by everything Caleb, I can’t say no. I don’t want to. I never wanted to.

“Okay,” I whisper.

“Thank you, Maya. You won’t regret it.” He kisses my forehead before smirking. “I’m going to show you how much you won’t regret it now.”

He begins pounding into me and all my worries about the future disappear as I let everything Caleb overwhelm my senses and my thoughts.

Chapter 17

“For Maya, I’ll do anything. Even risk another embarrassing panic attack.” ~ Caleb

Caleb

Maya clings to my hand as we walk up my parent’s driveway for Sunday lunch. I’ve avoided Sunday lunches since I’ve been home but I’m going to try. For her. I’ll do anything for her.

I want Maya to realize she’s not alone in the world. Her parents are assholes but she’s got me and my family. She has her friends. She is wanted. She is loved.

“There’s no reason to be nervous.”

“Easy for you to say,” she mutters.

I lift an eyebrow.

Her brow furrows before understanding lights her eyes and she gasps. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think about how hard this would be for you. We can go back home. Not home. The cabin. I mean the cabin. Your cabin. Not mine. Not ours.”

I enjoy it when she calls the cabin home. I want her to feel she has a home with me. Because she’s my home. My centerof gravity. The person I depend on above everyone else. The person I want at my side through all of life’s trials.

She’s my everything. For too long I pushed her away. Kept her firmly in the friend zone. No more.

The door flies open and my sisters – Willow, Abigail, Clara, and Eliza – crowd the entrance.

“Too late to run away now,” I mutter.

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