Page 40 of Wayward Temptation
“So, Abbie, what’s new with you? How’s Derek?” Megan asked. She and Abbie focused on each other and gave Rose the time she needed to compose herself again.
“He’s great.” There was a dreamy quality in her voice, “He’s in Paris for the week for an event and then he’ll be home for a couple of months. I’m looking forward to it.” Abbie sighed, her head on her hand. “I miss him.”
“Looks like Megan won’t be the only one up all night,” Rose joked.
Megan laughed, and Abbie’s face turned bright red.
“Oh, please, Abs. It’s not like you to be shy – I do believe you spent a weekend having lots of hot sex with him after you met,” Megan said.
“No, it’s not that. It’s – I haven’t slept next to him in months and all I can think about is jumping his bones as soon as he walks in the door.”
Rose shrugged. “I don’t see why that’s a bad thing. Jump on him. Good sex is hard to come by, and great sex even more so.”
Megan twisted to look at Rose. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard you talk about sex, Rose.”
“I don’t, usually. But it’s not like I’m wrong.”
“No, you’re not.” Megan wondered if that was one of the reasons Rose had called off the wedding but thought asking seemed impertinent and callous.
“We shouldn’t settle, that’s all I’m saying,” Rose clarified.
“Hmm,” was all Megan said. Abbie watched the exchange with the rapt attention of someone taking in an exciting tennis match.
Rose took a long drink of her water. Megan took that to mean the topic was over and they needed to find something new to talk about.
Thankfully, their waitress brought their food over a moment later. It was distraction enough and both Megan and Abbie let the conversation drop.
“Abbie, how is your art coming along?” Rose asked between bites of her omelet.
“Pretty good. Derek helped me revamp my website and set up a nicer online store, and that’s been insane.” Abbie blushed.
“That’s awesome. Good for you,” Rose raised her coffee mug. Megan followed suit, and then Abbie lifted hers and they all clinked mugs and took a sip.
“Proud of you, Abs,” Megan said.
A little more than hour later, Megan was back at home and in the kitchen to finish decorating the goodies for the second party at the bookstore. She’d convinced Caleb to have a delayed opening this morning, but the sound of his truck in the driveway surprised her.
The front door opened and closed, and she heard Caleb call out for her.
“I’m in the kitchen,” she said. The piping bag was still in her hand as Caleb wrapped his arms around her middle and buried his face in the crook of her neck.
“You smell delicious.” The growl in his words made her heart race.
Megan put the icing down and turned around in his arms. “I smell like icing and chocolate.” She put her hands around his neck and kissed him. His lips were soft, and she groaned at the taste of him.
Caleb moved his hands to her ass and lifted her. She wrapped her legs around him as he carried her to the couch. He sat down and she adjusted her position on his lap, her knees to either side of him. The desire in his green eyes was matched by her own, but there was softness in his eyes, too.
He traced his fingers along her back. Megan closed her eyes and let her world narrow to the two of them. In that moment, nothing else mattered.
“Megs?”
“Hmm?” She opened her eyes and took in the quiet strength and rugged handsomeness of him. He’d let his hair grow out a couple of inches – not long enough to require a lot of maintenance but just enough so she could wrap her fingers in it when his head was between her legs.
“Thank you.” He brushed a loose strand of hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. Her heart warmed at the gesture.
“For what?”
Caleb held her left hand in his and brushed his thumb against the three stone-engagement ring he’d given her the week before. “Giving me the chance to be yours.”
Tears sprung in her eyes, and she did her best to hold them back. “I love you, Caleb.”
“To the moon and back, princess.”
* * *
