Page 32 of Callen's Captive
“No.”
“You get lost, not sure how to go?” Worry had morphed to sarcasm.
“No, but—”
“You leave something behind?”
“Yes! You!” he practically shouted, then remembered he was in a cemetery in the open. Callen lowered his voice as he walked a few steps away with his hands on his hips and then returned. “I left you behind, in a town full of hate and decay, with mercenaries and police determined to kill you. You didn’t even give me a chance to say goodbye. Hell,younever said goodbye. You disappeared in the middle of the night. None of that is okay.”
“Fine. Goodbye. Thanks for everything. Drop by and say ‘hi’ next time you’re in the neighborhood.”
Callen pulled her to him and seized her lips with his mouth. If she was going to pick a fight, then he’d damn well give her a reason for it. She tasted heavenly, and he’d finally gotten a word in.
“You done?” she said when he finally pulled away.
“Not by a longshot,” he said as he pulled her in for another kiss. He fully expected she’d hit him, or run—she was good at that. Instead, when they came up for air, she caressed his neck. Slowly, her hands moved lower, and she squeezed his biceps. Next, her hands slid to his abdomen, lightly running over the ridges.
“If you plan on going any lower, Princess, you might want to wait until we’re on the other side of that wall.”
* * *
KATE
She should feel ashamed for running her hands over him like she was, right in the middle of a cemetery, but it wasn’t something she had planned. And it was a hell of a lot better standing there feeling those nice muscles of his, seeing how far she could push him instead of thinking about Janie in the ground behind her. It wasn’t respectful to Janie, or even fair to Callen, leading him on like that.
It was time to face the facts. She had no clue what she was doing when it came to Callen. She had every intention of telling him off, but as usual, when it came to him, she couldn’t get mad at him, especially when he was right about everything he’d said. She had left without a goodbye, without giving him a chance to say goodbye. It was like when Janie had died. Except Callen hadn’t died. Her shifter deserved better from her. Janie had deserved better, too.
Kate patted his stomach and took a deep breath. “You’re right. I should have told you I was going. I expected to come here, talk to Janie, and then return.”
“Really?” he asked, as if he doubted her.
“Maybe.” She wasn’t sure anymore. Last night, she had been determined to leave, but waking up this morning, with his arm still around her had messed with her head. Nothing about her life seemed clear. When Callen was with her, it was hard to think of leaving him, but when she was alone, on her own, the world seemed normal again. That’s when she’d decided to visit Janie, to talk things through with the one person who wouldn’t judge her, the only person who had always listened, truly listened.
“I was expecting a fight, not whatever this is,” he said, pointing to her hand still on his stomach.
“Oh, shut up, you big lug.” She rose on her toes and gave him a quick kiss on the mouth.
“I’m very confused, Kate.”
She knew the feeling, but she had to admit, Callen was cute when he was confused. His confusion aside, she sensed an urgency in him, the need to leave. He kept looking around, as if he expected Briggs’s men to surround them any second.
“I guess it’s time to leave, huh?” Kate kissed her fingertips and touched them on the ground of the grave. “Bye, sis,” she squeaked, before turning around and leaning into Callen. She needed a few more seconds to think of the good times with Janie, not how she’d last seen her.
Callen’s arms circled her waist as she leaned her head against his chest. “I didn’t realize she was your sister.”
“Foster sister, but still my sister.”
Having him at her back, holding her tight somehow made leaving Janie easier. She didn’t feel as alone as she always did when she left Janie’s grave.
“Next time we’ll bring flowers,” Callen said as he led her toward the back wall of the cemetery and not the main gate.
“Next time?”
“Unless you prefer to have privacy with her.”
“No. I mean, yes. Flowers would be nice.” He sounded sincere, and it was a nice thought, him returning with her someday. When he had first shown up, it had felt like an intrusion, because no one had ever cared about Janie except for her. Callen really cared.
Tucked away behind a row of trees, the eight-foot wall was in desperate need of repair. The crumbling mortar between the stones provided enough foot and handholds for an easy climb. On the other side, an old dirt access road ran parallel to the wall and beyond that were woods. Kate sank to the ground and stared at the woods, wondering if Callen would choose that moment to leave. Instead, he sat down right beside her, both of their backs against the wall.
