Page 17 of Cautious

Callie

One date turned into two. Two turned into four, and four turned into twelve. It’s official. I suck at staying away from Blake Price and his cocky voodoo magic that makes my nether regions sing the national anthem whenever he’s nearby.

The worst of it is I can feel him holding back. I thought after our first date, despite my reservations, that we’d wind up tangled in my sheets by the second. But every time things escalate between us, Blake backs off. I’d think I’d been friend zoned if it wasn’t for the fact his dick is always hard around me.

“Earth to Callie.” I jolt at the sound of June’s voice calling me from the bottom of the porch steps.

I look up from the book I have been pretending to read—I have been on the same page for the last twenty minutes. June smiles at me with a pie dish in her left hand as she balances her weight on her cane with the other.

“June!” I gasp, rushing down the steps to relieve her before scolding her for not calling out to me.

“Child, I called you ten times, but your head was so far in the clouds you couldn’t hear a thing,” she tells me, making me blush.Damn, busted.

“Sorry, June. I guess I need more coffee. It’s not even lunchtime, and I can tell it’s going to be a multiple-pot kind of day,” I admit, heading into the kitchen with the delicious-smelling pie.

“What’s got you in such a tizzy, or do I even need to ask?” she questions with a hint of smugness in her voice.

“Urgh,” I answer eloquently, placing the pie on the counter before pulling a chair out for June and indicating for her to sit.

“He better be treating you right. He might think he’s a tough guy now that he’s all grown, but he’s not too big for the ass-whooping he’ll get if he isn’t treating you like a lady.”

Oh, he’s treating me like a lady all right. Every time I think we might get down to the good stuff, he pulls back, leaving me with a killer case of blue balls or whatever the equivalent may be. Frosted ovaries maybe?

“He treats me wonderfully. That’s half the problem,” I admit as I pour us both coffee, adding sugar and creamer to each. Smiling, I pass her drink to her and give her arm a squeeze. I’ve fallen for this woman as much as I have her grandson.

“I had a plan. Live a simple, quiet life without complications. But then Blake came along and messed everything up. Every time he takes me out, I swear it’s going to be the last time, but I just can’t say no to him.”

“So don’t. He’s a good boy, Callie. He needs a good woman beside him,” she tells me before taking a sip of her drink.

I sigh. “It feels like a catch twenty-two. He’s holding back, which makes me keep him at arm’s length. I feel like we’re caught in limbo. There are things he doesn’t know about me, June. Things I’m not sure I’m ready to tell him. Heck, I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready. Until I do, I feel like what’s between us is being built on a lie. And that’s before whatever he’s hiding comes to light. Is dating really supposed to be this complicated?”

She’s quiet for a beat, studying me, and I get the impression she is choosing her words carefully.

“Callie, you know what Blake does, right?” she hedges, so I nod and wait for her to continue.

“Well, there is more to protection than being a physical presence. That’s just one facet of his job. The other is to be well-informed. You’ve been seeing each other for the last two months now. I guarantee you that whatever you’re holding back, Blake probably already knows. He would have done at least the basic background search on you weeks ago.”

Bomb. Dropped.

“What? No! He wouldn’t do that!” I protest.

“It’s who he is. It’s not done maliciously, but he would be able to sense, just like I can, that you are running from something. He wants to protect you.”

I shake my head and stand, walking over to the window, feeling sick to my stomach. “Protect me by going behind my back?” I spit out angrily. No wonder he’s holding back. He’s looking for a way out without looking like the bad guy.

“Callie, don’t you see, all this worrying about you feeling like you are lying to him is pointless now because he already knows.”

I’m sure her words are meant to reassure me, but they have the opposite effect, whatever the fuck that might be. I clench my fists, angry at Blake for breaking the trust between us but even angrier with myself for trusting him to begin with.

“It’s only pointless because he’s hiding stuff from me too.” I’m trying not to take this out on her, but even I can hear the bite in my tone.

“Child,” she continues, but I cut her off with my hand up, trying really freaking hard to hold the tears at bay.

“I don’t want to talk about it anymore, June. I’ll talk to Blake later. Thank you for the pie, but I’m suddenly not feeling well.I’m going to lie down for a little while. Please stay and finish your drink.” I walk to her on shaky legs and press a kiss to her cheek.

Ignoring her protests, I head up to the bedroom. I stand for a moment staring at my bed in a daze, a bed that only hours ago I wanted to share with the man who has just gutted me. Kicking off my shoes, I climb onto the bed and lie down as the tears start to fall, my anger making way for the sting of betrayal. Pulling my knees up to my chest, I wrap my arms around myself protectively.

Swallowing hard, I blow out a breath and try to fight back the tears, but they continue to cascade over my cheeks in little rivers onto the pillowcase beneath me.

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