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Her walls tightened around him.
He rubbed harder. “Now.”
Gia let out a keening cry as her orgasm took over, milking him.
Every molecule of his body converged to a singular point as he emptied himself into her in endless contractions that threatened to take him out of this world.
Mine.
Caleb’s forearms hit the table. Still lodged inside her, his breath still ragged against her skin, reality settled over him like a heavy cloak.
He had just taken her bare. Nothing between them. No excuses.
His body was still humming with pleasure, but his mind raced.
The word that thundered through him moments ago—mine—hadn’t faded. If anything, it felt more dangerous in the quiet aftermath.
He eased off her, pressing a lingering kiss to her collarbone before tucking himself back into his jeans.
“Gia?”
She stilled for a moment before answering. “I’m okay.”
He heard the slight tremor beneath the words.
Her lashes pressed to her cheeks, denying him a peek into her soul.
Dammit.She still kept secrets from him.
God help him, he wanted her anyway. She was already too deep under his skin.
Caleb clenched his jaw. He’d spent years avoiding attachments for this exact reason—because once you had something, you had something to lose.
Turned out he was no better than her bastard ex, because he had no intention of letting her go.
“Tell me about your friends.” Gia took a bite of the eggs Caleb scrambled while she showered and dressed.
She’d decided on her black jeans for a change, and topped them with a wool blend royal blue turtleneck. On her feet, she wore fuzzy socks to counteract the chill of the wood and tile flooring.
“Friends?”
He appeared confused at her question, and her heart broke a little.
From what she’d learned of him, he’d grown up in a troubled home, disconnected from his family and, like her, seemed to have shied away from cultivating deep friendships.
“There are a couple of guys I served with in the Army. My colleagues at Dìleas. My boss, Ryder Montague. I consider him a friend.”
He smiled. A genuine smile that warmed her soul. “He lives in London with his fiancée, Nathalie.”
“I’ve never had many friends.” Gia gave a shrug that felt too casual, even to her. “It’s hard to get close to people when you’re living a lie.”
Caleb’s fork paused midair. His gaze sharpened, and she had the sense he’d read her too well.
“You’re not living a lie anymore. Right?” His words were careful, measured.
Her breath caught. She forced a small smile.
“No. Not anymore.”