Page 5

Now standing here, touching him and seeing his beautiful smile, I can’t help but want to know. Is he going home tonight to make love to some woman while she gets to put her hands on the places that I’m touching now? I don’t want to know!

“Have dinner with me tonight.”

A smile spreads over my face, unexpectedly from his request. It’s so big that my face hurts, but I try my best to hide it so I don’t look like a desperate loser. “Are you cooking me dinner, Chef Cale? If so, then I hope it’s better than what I tasted the last time you attempted to cook for us,” I tease, even though I’d eat dirt if it made him happy.

“Of course,” he says confidently. “And it will definitely taste damn good. I promise you that the only things I’ll put in your mouth are the things that I know will satisfy you completely and ruin you for anything else.”

I swallow hard and try not to take that comment sexually, even though my body is definitely taking it that way. “Alright.” I agree. “I’m trusting you with my mouth, so you better not disappoint.”

He lifts his eyebrows and I can’t help but to notice him harden beneath the towel, but I play it off as if I hadn’t noticed. “You have no idea, Riley. You should be careful what you trust me with.” Sitting up, he leans in and kisses me on the side of the mouth, his lips lingering for a few seconds too long. “I have an early shift at the bar today, but I’ll get your number and address from Aspen.”

“Alright.” I smile. “I’ll be here until six, but I’m free after that.”

Nodding his head, Cale jumps up from the table, allowing his towel to drop as he reaches for his clothes to get dressed. I somehow manage to turn away before I get to see what I’ve been longing to see since we were in high school. Damn, I really hate myself right now.

I hear a small chuckle from Cale before I feel his hands wrap around my waist and his lips press against my neck from behind. “Gotta go, baby. Be ready for me tonight.”

Next thing I know, Cale is out the door, and I’m standing here fighting to catch my breath. “Baby . . .” I say softly. I have to admit I like being called that by Cale. That’s definitely new.

Being back is going to be a bigger challenge than I thought . . .

THERE’S ONE MORE HOUR BEFORE my shift ends and I’m feeling so restless that I can barely pay attention to the drinks being ordered. Hemy and I are working the bar while Stone is busy with the girls on the floor. I have to admit that the dude has skills.

I wasn’t sure if he’d be able to fill Slade’s shoes, but I’m pretty damn impressed at how crazy and out there he is with his abilities.

I look away from the crowd of crazy women, when I’m caught off guard with an elbow as it jabs me in the ribs. “What the shit?”

Turning beside me, I look up to see Hemy glaring at me. “What the fuck are you doing, staring off and shit? I’m working my dick off over here.”

Ignoring his ass, I quickly snap out of it and focus on the steady flow of drinks that keep getting requested, trying my hardest to not think about Riley and how fucking fantastic it felt having her hands on my body. Truthfully, I wanted them all over, but I don’t think she’s ready for that quite yet, so I’m doing my best to respect her and take things slow. Well, as slowly as I can.

As soon as I get a free moment, I pull my phone out and send Slade a quick text, asking him to get Riley’s number from Aspen. At first Slade texts back with a big FUCK YOU, before he sends another message about five minutes later, telling me he had to wrestle with Aspen to get her phone and that I owe his ass.

He’s just lucky that he’s my guy and that I know how much of an ass he is and still tolerate him. I have to admit that he’s gotten about eighty percent better since meeting Aspen, so really, I owe her.

Leaning against the register, I send Riley a text, ignoring the screaming crowd for a moment. There’s no way she’s getting out of spending the night with me. I don’t care if I have to throw her over my shoulder and handcuff her to me for the night. I’ve missed the shit out of her and tonight . . . she’s mine.

Me: Hey, baby. Where am I picking you up tonight? I hope you save room for dinner and dessert, because I’m ready to work magic with my hands . . .

My phone vibrates a few minutes later, causing me to turn away from the girl chatting my ear off at the bar. She’s still talking as I read Riley’s message.

Riley: Magic, huh? So you’re that good? ;) Don’t even answer that. I’ll be the judge of that later. Pick me up at my mom’s around seven. I’ll be ready and waiting . . .

Damn girl . . . She has no idea what she’s just started.

I adjust my cock and hope my boner will quickly go down. The last thing I need is something to set these women off. I barely make it through a shift as it is without getting attacked with a set of tits in my face. I don’t need anything slowing me down tonight.

“Are you free tonight?” Biting my bottom lip, I shove my phone in my pocket and shake my head at the girl in front of me, before letting her down as easily as I can.

“Sorry, beautiful, but I’m taken for the night.” I slide a free drink across the bar as a look of disappointment takes over her face. “The drink is on me.”

She smiles small and reaches for the drink, not doing much to hide her sour face. “Just let me know when you’re free.” With that, she turns and walks away, swaying her hips in the process. I know without a doubt that she’s trying to lure me in, but that shit isn’t working on me, especially when the woman that I’ve waited six years for is within my reach.

She’s about to finally see how much I truly want her . . .

CALE WILL BE OUTSIDE ANY minute, and for some reason that thought has me extremely nervous and sweaty. Why am I so nervous when this is the guy that I spent most of my teen years with? He’s still the same guy, except . . . he’s drop dead gorgeous and every inch of his body is covered in hard muscle that I want nothing more than to explore with my tongue.

This new desire stirs me up, making it hard for me to act normal and pretend that I don’t crave to be with him. It seemed a lot easier six years ago when I saw him almost every day, but after being away from him for so long, seeing him just brings back all of my old feelings on top of the ache that I felt when I could no longer spend my days with him.