Page 11 of Hold Me

“Okay.” I take his hand and let him lead me to the dance floor. Putting my arms around his neck, I feel warmth rushing through me as he wraps his arms around my waist. I don’t know how long we’ve been dancing when I notice someone staring at me, and I lift my eyes. Mark is standing not far from us, holding his date’s hand, his face deadly serious. My whole body tenses, and I’m glad my moves are automatic or I’d have stopped on the spot.

“Your ex is here, I presume,” Caleb whispers into my ear.

“Yeah.” I keep staring at Mark over Caleb’s shoulder. Mark’s date is excitedly chatting about something to him, but it doesn’t look like he’s listening. Finally, he gives her a quick kiss on the check and sends her to take a seat at one of the tables, which she obediently does. As he starts toward us, my heart skips a beat, and I suddenly want to run. What will Mark come up with now?

“Do you want to talk to him or not?” Caleb asks.

“No.” Caleb’s grip is the only thing holding me up.

“Then follow my lead and just relax.”

Before I can figure out what he wants me to do, his lips close over mine, and we stop dancing. I know Mark now has the perfect view of our kiss, so when Caleb parts my lips with his tongue, I let him. His hands lower down my back, cupping my bottom.

“Come.” He briefly breaks off the kiss and tugs at my hand. We go behind one of the columns, hidden from everyone’s view except Mark’s, who’s still coming in my direction, but his steps are much slower. Caleb nips on my earlobe and then pushes me until my back collides with the column. His hand ends up on my bare thigh and he lifts my leg up, his fingers inching under my dress.

“Tell me if you want me to stop,” he whispers, and I throw my head back, a moan escaping my lips as he licks my collarbone, his hand sliding under my dress. I can feel Mark’s burning gaze on me, but I don’t care. I just run my hand over Caleb’s back and pull him to me for another kiss. In the corner of my eye, I can see Katherine has joined Mark, and he’s glaring at her as she laughs. They finally both turn around and walk away. I should probably tell Caleb that our show is over, but I don’t want him to stop.

The music dies down and I hear my father’s voice. Shit. I have to come out and be there for his speech. “Stop,” I say, and Caleb immediately pulls back, his mouth red from my lipstick. I put my hand over my chest, trying to catch my breath. “How do I look? I can’t go out there like this!” I try to straighten my dress as best as I can, my stomach doing a nervous flip.

Caleb pulls out a handkerchief from the pocket of his suit jacket and lifts it toward me, dabbing around my mouth. When he’s done, he helps me fix my hair.

“You’re good to go,” he says after giving me a once-over. “I’ll be right there with you.”

I nod and head toward the main table where my father is still speaking, his glass raised. Warmth fills my cheeks when Katherine winks at me from one of the tables, her glass tipped toward me. I don’t see Mark anywhere as I take my seat at the table. After my father finishes his speech, Caleb emerges from behind the column and confidently strides toward me, a ghost of a smile tracing his lips that are still slightly red from my lipstick. The room seems to stop for a moment, and I can see people glancing curiously at him, but he doesn’t seem to notice or care. He slides into the chair next to me and leans forward, his lips brushing my cheek.

I finally spot Mark across the room, his jaw set, his eyes hard. Picking up my glass, I raise it toward him, then turn back to Caleb, my smile broader than ever.

I don’t remember how Caleb and I got back to my apartment, but somehow we did. Maybe I’ve taken a bit too much champagne to celebrate my little victory over Mark, because I sway on my feet and have to lean against the wall.

“Caleb?” I turn to him, kicking off my shoes, as he closes the door.

“Yes, princess?”

“Thank you for everything.” I pad over to him and place my arms around his neck, hugging him to me. “You were absolutely wonderful tonight.”

“I hope that jerk never bothers you again.” He clenches his jaw a little, his eyes serious, and I want to put a smile back on his face.

“Do you want some ice cream?” I let go of him and start toward the kitchen, the tiled floor cold under my feet, but I don’t care. “I really want some.” My father’s dinner was delicious, but the dessert was some weird pie, and I didn’t like that one little bit.

“Sure.”

“Okay, I’ll go get it. Wait for me in the living room.” I nod in the direction of the living room and head to the kitchen. I squint my eyes as I turn on the light in my now too brightly white kitchen. After I grab a box of ice cream from the fridge and two spoons, I head toward the living room. I’m not sure what Caleb expects from me.

I know Alessandra told me he’d be willing to spend the night with me, but this is different from our first time. Now I know Mark was wrong about me, so there’s no need for me to have sex with Caleb again, and yet... As I see him sitting there, his shirt slightly unbuttoned, his suit jacket casually draped over the arm of the couch, I wonder if I should just send him home and say goodbye to him forever or not. He’s not a potential boyfriend, and he can never be, so I’m not exactly sure why I don’t want to let him go.

I plop onto the couch next to him, handing him one of the spoons, then place the box between us. “Do you do this often?” I ask as I open the box. “I mean, pretend to be someone’s boyfriend.” My dress has hitched up, exposing more of my legs than I’m usually comfortable with, but I’m not bothered by it.

“Not really.” He shrugs.

“Then why did you agree to escort me?” I tilt my head, licking a bit of chocolate ice cream off my spoon. Deep, deep inside of me, I want him to tell me that I’m somehow special; that I intrigue him more than his average client, but I push that silly thought away.

“And why wouldn’t I?” His eyes bore into mine, and then his gaze briefly travels down my body. Oh God. Letting him go will be more difficult than I could have ever imagined.

I chuckle, taking another spoonful of ice cream. “So, why exactly do you do this? For money?”

“Because I’m good at it.” He rolls his tongue around his spoon, his eyes fixed on me, and I bite the inside of my cheek. The thought of him tracing his tongue across my heated flesh makes my whole body tingle.

“I’m sure you’re good at many other things,” I say, my voice quivering slightly.