Page 132 of Stolen Voices

“Nothing, it’s just… I never thought this would happen.”

“What would happen?”

“You, me, kissing … last night.” The blush on her cheeks spreads to the top of her breasts, and fuck, what a sight it is. “Did you?”

Yes. It’s why I avoided you for so long.

Instead of admitting that, because it feels way too soon, I parrot her question, playing dumb. “Did I what?”

“Expect this to happen?” I run my fingers down the column of her throat and her eyelids flutter closed. There is no easy answer to her question. While a part of me feels like we were inevitable, my brain was not having it.

“No.” My answer is the truth. For the longest time, I fought the connection that chains me to her. I would have happily died on that stubborn hill if not for Hudson’s little setup and her fall. I think, in some ways, I needed the push to help me see what was right in front of me. “But I’m glad it did.”

I pepper kisses over her forehead, nose, cheeks, and neck before taking her mouth with mine. Her lips are soft, and she tastes like the sweet berries she had for breakfast. Kissing her harder, deeper, I slip my tongue into her mouth and massage it with mine in a decadent dance. Callie meets me stroke for stroke, gripping my shoulders tight, as we make out on the sofa like a couple of love-struck teens.

Our hands roam, tugging and groping. I could kick myself for not kissing her sooner. For not jumping at the opportunity for us to be together.

Callie sucks my bottom lip into her mouth, and I almost come in my pants like a horny teen as she grinds her pussy over my cock. I can feel the heat of her cunt through the thin fabric of her shorts and smell the sweet scent of her arousal as she swivels her hips, searching for the friction she needs to come.

Without thinking, I drop my hands to her ass and squeeze. Callie flinches, and her reaction is a bucket of ice water poured directly on my cock.

I pull away and as gently as I can; I move her off my lap before leaping off the couch, putting some very much needed distance between us. “This is exactly what I was afraid of,” I pant.

“Eli, I’m fine,” she pleads.

I point my finger at her. “Don’t lie to me, Callie. You just winced in pain when I grabbed your ass.”

“No, I didn’t.” The little liar looks away.

To get her attention, I lower my voice and pour all of my emotions into the syllables of her name. “Calliope.”

It has the desired effect.

She can’t help but respond with, “Elijiah.” Callie stares up at me from the couch, with her big brown eyes and those sexy-as-fuck, pouty lips of hers.

Why does she have to be so goddamn irresistible?

She looks sad and vulnerable, and I fucking hate it.

Closing the distance between us in two strides, I kneel between her legs and rub my hands up her thighs in a soothing caress, hoping it calms whatever wild thoughts are floating around in her head.

“Give your body time to heal. I’m not going anywhere. We don’t need to rush.”

Callie sighs, resigned to the decision I’ve made for the both of us. She needs time, and to be honest, so do I. I want—no, I need—to plan something special for us. I want to do this thing right. That means dates and spending more time getting to know each other.

“Yeah, okay,” she says.

“Okay, so … we’re good?”

“We’re fine.” Callie not-so-lovingly pats my cheek in a way that says she’s not fine.

“You’re fine?” I repeat.

“Yup. I’m going to go take a shower and get dressed. Rhys is coming over for a guitar lesson around three.”

“Okay, then.” I’m confused and a little scared by the quick change in her reaction. Sitting back on my heels, I give Callie the space she needs and let her go.

Without another word, she gets off the couch and heads to the bedroom.