Page 43 of Mine

Either way, I’m here for it.

This man could ask me to jump off a cliff and I would.

“You make me want to be a better person, Gretchen. You make me wish I could rewind my life and do things differently,” he rubbed his head and seemed to be lost in thought.

“Rewind your life how?” I asked, my fingers trailing down his chest.

I knew this was dangerous territory, that Cal had secrets. But I wanted to know everything about him.

He sighed, capturing my fingers and lifting them to his lips. “I’ve done some unsavoury things, babe, with some pretty nasty people. I would never want you to get involved with any of that, ever.” His jaw clenched, and his eyes narrowed.

I shuddered, not because of him, but because of what he must’ve done. I sat up, pulling the duvet around me for modesty, my dark curls spilling over my shoulder.

“Do you want to tell me about it?” I murmured,

“Not today. Today’s been strange as it is. But we just made it spectacular, didn’t we?”

I blushed and held his gaze, allowing his hands to travel down my back before I answered.

“Yeah, we did.”

I reached over, grabbing my phone out of my bag to see I had received a text from my Mom asking me what time I was due home. I groaned and Cal looked at me with exasperation.

“What now?”

“No, it’s cool, just my mom wanting me home soon.”

He laced his fingers through mine. “Until tomorrow then?” he whispered softly.

I dressed quickly, still feeling weird about him seeing me naked.

He watched me as I slid my jeans back on, whilst I leered at his tanned body, remembering my legs wrapped around it less than ten minutes earlier.

He caught me staring and chuckled softly. “Do you want me to walk you home like this, or shall I get dressed?” He winked at me and I giggled in response.

‘You might cause quite a stir walking around like that.”

He walked over to me, kissing me slowly.

It felt different: more intense, more passionate.

“I don’t want you to go,” he muttered into my hair. ``How long have we got left of school again?”

I met his gaze, and I bit my lip.

“Don’t keep biting those lips, Raven. It’s my job.”

My heart thudded in my chest at his words. “You don’t have to walk me home, you know,” I pointed out half-heartedly.

He didn’t respond, other than to roll his eyes at me.

We made our way downstairs and thankfully I find no one is in. I had an image of his mother glaring at me like she knew what we had done. To be fair, if anyone was in, undoubtedly, they would have heard it.

Cal held my hand the entire walk home.

“What are you doing to me, Raven?”

I tugged him into my arms, his mouth crushed against mine as we leaned up against a wall. His arms circled my body, and I stood on tiptoes to run my hand through his golden locks.