Page 72 of The Estate
Something flashed across Rachel’s face, but before he could pinpoint what it was, she was smiling at him, lifting the flowers in her hands. “Well, if any bride runs short on flowers, you can always offer a last-minute bouquet.”
“True,” he smiled back. “It would be nice to have hydrangeas near all the buildings.”
“I think you should have some by the patio.”
“Really? I hadn’t thought to add any there.”
“It has a great view of the back garden and the ocean. But since you told me it was built for your grandmother to enjoy, I can’t seem to shake the idea of a few plants there for her.”
Now that she said it out loud, Cal couldn’t believe he'd never thought of that. Rachel was absolutely right. Stepping out of the planting bed with the final cut flowers, he handed them to her.
“I haven’t a clue why I hadn’t considered that,” he murmured, moving closer to her. He slid an errant lock of hair back behind her ear. He felt her shudder at his touch, and his world narrowed to her. The play of the wind in her hair. The freckles that dotted her nose and cheeks. The way her lips parted in a silent inhale as he crowded closer.
Curving his hand around her face, he cupped her jaw. There was no way he wasn’t going to kiss her. He had enough presence of mind to hesitate briefly. If she wasn’t interested in him or this, he gave her time to step away. When she nervously licked her lips, he lowered his head and kissed her.
When their mouths touched, a jolt of electricity sped through him. He gently explored her mouth, reluctant to rush but needing to taste her. He wrapped an arm around her back, careful not to crush the flowers she held.
He kissed along her jaw line, reaching her ear. When he nibbled on the spot right behind her ear, her sharp inhale was followed by a moan. It was a small noise, but it set his blood on fire. Lifting his head, he captured her mouth in a searing kiss. No longer gentle. No longer exploring. Diving his hand into her hair, he moved her head so he could claim her fully.
He was taken by surprise the night she kissed him. By the time his shock wore off, she was running away from him. He’d been left wanting. So he certainly wasn’t going to miss out on his chance to kiss her thoroughly now that he had her right where he wanted her.
A part of his brain knew he shouldn’t be doing this. Things between them were so complicated. But when she pressed into him and returned his kiss, he thought his heart would jump out of his chest.
If he had his way, they would spend the rest of the afternoon exploring each other. When he heard someone calling out his name, it took a minute to penetrate the all-consuming focus he had on Rachel. Pulling back, he looked down to witness her eyes flutter open. He experienced a moment of smug satisfaction seeing her dazed expression.
The voice called out again, causing Rachel to stiffen. It sounded like Adam possibly. He may have to kill Adam. Turning his head, he called back, “Coming!”
He slowly lowered his arm and took a step away, offering her his hand instead. “We better be rejoining the group,” he breathed. “I’m sure lunch is just about ready.”
They didn’t talk on the way back. Cal didn’t want to burst the perfectness of the moment. He was clueless about what was happening between them, but that was, by far, the most amazingkiss he’d ever experienced in his life. Lord, help him, he wanted to do it again. And again. And again.
Once they rejoined the group, Cal broke away to retrieve a few vases from the kitchen. While there, he directed Adam to the wine opener he needed. He took a deep breath to center himself before he rejoined the group. He had to focus on her friends and stop thinking about pulling her back into his embrace.
Stepping outside, he was amazed at how wonderful the table looked, especially when Rachel quickly arranged the flowers. There was an abundance of food and large pitchers of water and what looked like lemonade. He took a picture so he could share it with Trace. It was the perfect look for a casual baby or bridal shower, maybe even a charity lunch.
Thinking of Trace, he checked his phone before he sat down. She still hadn’t responded. He had to address that tomorrow. For now, he settled in the chair next to Rachel.
Rachel’s friends really were a fun bunch, and he had a great time eating and talking. Jake’s burgers were seriously out of this world. During lunch, his phone chirped twice with texts that he thought he’d subtly checked, but when it happened a third time at the end of the meal, Rachel touched his arm.
“If you need to get that, we totally understand,” she said. “We kind of hijacked your Sunday.”
The warmth of her hand radiated up his arm and curled in his chest. He noticed her lips still looked slightly swollen from their kiss. He couldn’t help the slow smile that spread across his face.
“Oh, no,” he said, laying his hand over hers. “I apologize for checking my phone.” He looked over at the group, who were listening. “After the conversation last night about the caterer,” he glanced at Jake. “I left a message for Trace. I was just hopingto hear from her. But it is her weekend off, so I don’t want to intrude. I’d just feel better if she gave me an update.”
He caught Jake’s reaction and turned toward him fully. Seeing the other man’s face, he asked, “Do I even want to know?”
Jake looked down briefly. “I was going to say something before we left.”
“What is it?” Lisa asked. The entire table focused on Jake, which was good because Cal didn’t want anyone to see him panic. And that was exactly what was happening.
“I called Joel this morning,” Jake started. “My friend who’s catering? He doesn’t have an appointment to come out. He was going to call tomorrow and see when he could drop by.”
“Shit,” Cal said softly, his stomach dropping. “So, Trace didn’t set that up?” He wasn’t sure why he asked. Jake had been pretty clear, but he couldn’t help it. He needed it spelled out to help his brain process.
“No, man,” Jake replied. “I’m sorry. I even checked with Joel to see if he’d talked to someone called Trace or maybe had a message from someone with that name, and he said he hadn’t.”
“We’re less than a week out,” Cal said, his eyes seeking Rachel. He could see the understanding on her face. She’d been around Trace enough to understand the tingle of fear making its way up his spine.
