Page 32 of Callahan's Haven

He surprised her by gently grasping her chin and tilting her head up, his concerned blue eyes searching her face. “What’s wrong?”

“It just occurred to me this whole couple thing and the ki…attention you’ve been paying me was probably some sort of backup plan all along.”

He took in a deep breath, a flush spreading over his cheeks. “No. It was never part of the plan. I broke cover and it had to be explained somehow.” He gave a half-shrug. “It was the first thing that popped into my mind.”

“So, what? The kiss last night was part of the setup for this plan thatpoppedinto your head?” Great. So, what had probably been the best kiss of her life was nothing more to him than aplotploy. She’d had a few hopes resting on that kiss. Then after the one at the coffee shop…

God, I’m a fool.

Silence filled the SUV for the span of a few heartbeats before Cal blurted out, “Fuck it.”

She whipped her head up in time to see him leaning over the center console and reaching for her. Within seconds, his strong hands had her by the upper arms and hauled close until her face was mere inches from his.

“I’m not going to let you believe whatever bullshit you have running through your head,” he said low. His heated gaze raked over her face while her lips and other parts of her body tingled in anticipation. “Nothing—nothing—about what is happening between us is faked.”

“But—”

“No buts,” he whispered, leaning in close. “Only this.”

The firm touch of his lips had her opening for him without thought. She needed to taste him again—to know if the slide of his tongue against hers was just as delicious as she remembered.

He didn’t disappoint her.

He gathered her close with one arm as a whirring filled the enclosed space. She found herself being dragged as Cal’s body went back and reclined with the position of the driver’s seat. She wasn’t about to lose contact with his mouth, so she let herself be pulled over the console until she straddled him, the ridge in his jeans pressing against her center.

Feeling him in his position wassomuch better than when she’d had her legs wrapped around him the previous night. A shiver ran through her body as her center bore down on all that hard, hidden flesh, then intensified when his groan filled her mouth as she rubbed against him.

They had on too many clothes.

“Haven… God…” Cal’s low words brushed over her skin while his strong hands kneading her butt held her immobile. “You have to stop,” he groaned, his fingers digging into her flesh denying her from finding the relief she so desperately needed. “I refuse to come in my pants.”

A low whimper escaped her—one he silenced with another searing kiss.

“Please,” she whispered on her next breath while squirming against the tight hold he had on her. “I need—”

“Shhh…” More kisses devoured her mouth as one of his hands worked under her jacket and sweater before wandering over her bare back to the clasp of her bra. “Stay still,” he murmured against her lips as the bra went slack. “Let me make you feel good.”

The hand at her back tickled over her ribs to slip under the loose cup of her bra and cover her breast and squeezed while the other slid around her hip and worked between their bodies to the front of her jeans.

She didn’t move—didn’t breathe—as his fingers deftly undid the button and worked the zipper down.

“Are you wet for me?” His words were a low rumble of sound. And as wet as she already was, she felt herself growing impossibly wetter. “Haven?” He kissed her cheek and ran his nose to the shell of her ear while one of his fingers brushed back and forth over the top band of her panties. “Are you?” he breathed into her ear.

She bit her lip and nodded.

“Mmm… Good.” He laid his head back on the headrest, his unwavering gaze holding hers as his hand breached the top of her underwear and slid little by little inside. “Keep your eyes on me, sweet girl,” he said when her eyes began to flutter closed. She took in a deep breath and watched heat filling his blue stare, her pulse thundering in her ears when his touch lightly caressed the seam of her pussy.

And that was all he did.

Why was he teasing her? She braced her hands on either side of his head and lifted her hips, thinking he might need more room.

“Good girl,” he said, giving her nipple a little tweak while the fingers of his other hand lightly furrowed deeper—but not deep enough. “Very good. Stay just like that.”

“O-okay.”

She wasn’t sure what to expect next, only knowing he was driving her crazy with the light petting and nothing more—that is until he pulled her sweater and bra up between the opening of her jacket and held it under her chin. Her eyes widened as his head lifted and his warm breath hovered over the nipple he’d been playing with, her breath stuttering when he gave it a lick.

Mmm… That’s n—

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