Page 36 of Pinky Promises

Chapter 15

Brynn

Istarebackatthe reflection in the mirror and don’t recognize the woman in front of me. This woman threw caution to the wind, not caring about the possible consequences. There is a slight glow about me. His kiss and his touch erased all the previous ones before him. I’m not a prude of any sort, but it’sneverbeen like that with anyone I’ve ever been with. Hell, I even let him fuck me without protection, and I just didn’t care. I meant what I said: I wanted to feel all of him—go big or go home, and with Callum, it was without a doubt big.

I know that I can’t blame it on the champagne or wedding goggles. My reflection confirms that maybe it was just something that had to happen, years in the making—sexual tension building and building until one day it burst.

I can hear Callum moving around outside the open bathroom door. After taking a shower together, he walked out of the bathroom first, leaving me to my thoughts. When I asked him where this left us now, he left the decision in my hands. That’s a lot of pressure for someone who, only just a week ago,realized the immensity of her feelings. I still don’t fully understand them, if I’m being honest. I allowed the moment to sweep us away, and now reality is coming crashing down on us if I let it. I need to let my head and heart have time to catch up to my body.

Maybe I could stay in here and hide from him. No, I can’t do that. I can’t hide from him forever. But I’m more worried that I might jump his bones once again.That man dishes out orgasms like they’re going out of style. He took the words “only while we’re here” very seriously. I’m honestly surprised that my legs haven’t transformed into Jell-O.

“Brynn,” he calls out from the bedroom.

“I’ll be right out.” I secure my hair into a messy bun and tighten the tie on the soft puffy robe before joining him in the main bedroom.

He’s buttoning the last two bottom buttons on his dress shirt when he comes into view. “I’m going back to my room to change. That way, I’m not showing up to brunch in last night’s clothes.”

“That sounds like a good plan.” Otherwise, that’s a dead giveaway that he didn’t sleep in his room. Although if they guessed that he didn’t, we could always say that he met someone at the bar since both couples went to their room before us. A pang of jealousy shocks my heart at the thought of Cal with another woman. It’s not like I don’t know that there have been other women before me, and there might be plenty of women after me, but maybe it’s just because our hookup is so fresh. My skin is still indented with his teeth marks where he bit my breasts, and my vagina is still sore. By allowing my feelings to breach the surface, those old jealousies joined it. Those will fade over time, as will the marks he left on my body, right?

Cal steps up in front of me.Is he going to kiss me? How do we say goodbye right now?He begins to lean down, and my breath hitches. Instead of placing his lips on mine, he places a tender kiss on my forehead. He lingers for a moment and gives my hip a reassuring squeeze before pulling back.

“I’ll see you in a few.”

I only nod because I fear that if I actually open my mouth, I’ll do something crazy like telling him to stay.

I’m still standing there stunned as he grabs his suit jacket off the bed and walks out the door. It’s not until the door clicks shut that I break out of my daze. How can something so simple as a damn forehead kiss turn me on so much?

I plop down on the bed, grab the pillow beside me, and pull it into my chest.Fuck!The scent lingering on the material is a stark reminder that my best friend slept here, and the memories of our night—and morning—together replay in my mind. It’s enough to make my thighs damp with arousal. I adjust the tie on my robe. I need to get dressed and out of this room. It’s messing with my head.

The person who always brings me such peace is the same person that has twisted my world upside down.

I flop back onto the bed, cover my face, and get a strong whiff of Callum’s cologne.How can he still smell so good after sweating all day in his tux?“Ugh,” I groan before tossing the pillow to the side and rising to my feet. I open my suitcase to find something to wear. I had packed a few different options to wear today, depending on how I would feel and the weather. However, I only have one option, thanks to Cal and that fucking mouth of his. Only one of the outfits will cover up the hickeys and marks he left on my body.

I quickly discard the robe and throw on my outfit. I don’t bother applying makeup because I need to give my skin a break after all the makeup yesterday.

My phone buzzes from the nightstand.

Lexi:This is your morning wake-up call!!! Heading to brunch in 5.

I laugh. That’s hilarious that Lexi thinks we would only need five minutes to get ready had this been an actual wake-up call.

I grab my phone and throw the hotel key card into my purse before walking out the door. I don’t mind if I arrive first and wait for everyone else. As I spin around, I run directly into a hard chest.

“Oof!” Hands grip my arms to steady me.

“Hey, I was just coming to get you. I thought we could walk over together.” Cal gives me a gentle smile as if we hadn’t spent all night with his dick inside me. Can he seriously just go back to normal? I know that we pinky promised last night that things wouldn’t change between us, but did we finally make a promise that we can’t keep?

“Oh, sure.” I twist my hands together uneasily as my eyes rake up and down him. He’s changed out of his wedding clothes into a pair of dark jeans and a black polo that looks like it was made specifically for him. His hair is still unruly from me running my fingers through it in the shower.

The sun is bright, but the weather is once again beautiful. We walk side by side, our fingertips brushing.What would he do if I grabbed his hand in mine?He and I have held hands before; it wasn’t uncommon, but would it be different now? Would it mean something different?

I chicken out of doing it and instead focus on the property around us as we walk along the same path I ran on last night.

“It’s beautiful here.” I pause on the path, glancing around, and sigh. I could live here. Lexi said after she and Ben came here for the first time that she joked about moving here, but I see the appeal. Gorgeous property and wine at my fingertips—umm, yes, please.

I close my eyes and look toward the sky, allowing the sunshine to soak into my skin.

“Yeah, it is.” Callum’s deep voice forces me to open my eyes and turn to look at him. The smirk on his lips has me unsure if he meant the property or me.

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