Page 83 of Sunkissed Colorado

“Callum, I wasn’t going to leave.”

“Just making sure. On foot, I can definitely chase you down.” With a grin, he vanished behind the bathroom door.

The clang of dishes and scents of bacon and coffee came from the kitchen. Which meant Callum’s roommates were up. I wasn’t hungry though, and I wasn’t interested in socializing. I reallydidn’twant to leave this room.

While Callum was in the bathroom, I took the opportunity to glance around. I’d seen it the night we cooked together, after I’d showered off the brownie batter. I’d been surprised at how tidy the place was.

Walking over to his desk, I touched the framed photos there. His brother Ashford, sister Grace. A little girl I assumed was Callum’s niece, Maisie. There were lots of candid poses of family and friends.

Callum was always surrounded by people. That had annoyed me when we were younger. But had I just been jealous? Of him for effortlessly having so many friends. Or maybe jealous of everyone else, because they got to have Callum’s happiness shine on them.

My teenage self would’ve denied such longings to her last breath. Also she would’ve had an opinion or two about my sanity.

I was still studying his photos when the bathroom door opened. Half a second later, Callum’s arms had closed around me, my feet had left the ground, and he was carrying me back to the bed.

“Hey!”

He knee-walked us both across the mattress, lying me down and stretching out over me. “If you want your car keys back, you’ll have to earn them.”

“Excuseme?”

His mouth dropped to nibble my neck. “Kidding. But I think you should spend the day with me. It’s Monday. No work.”

“Spend all day in your bed?”

“Doesn’t sound so bad.”

“I should text Rosie.”

“I already did last night. I let her know you’re safe.”

“Without asking me?”

“Z,” he said softly. “You don’t need to fight me on everything.” He lifted his hand, brushing his thumb down my lower lip. I shivered as threads of pleasure worked their way through my body, forcing me to relax.

“Since I got here last night, I’ve been very agreeable, I’ll have you know.”

“Yes, but your first instinct is to push back. To grump at me and tell me to fuck off. No matter what I’m asking.”

My mouth opened, but I didn’t really have a response to that. Because he was right. I knew it, and I wanted to be easier. To not have the wordNobe my first thought at all times.

At least, not with him.

I wanted everything Callum could give me.

The gold in his irises glittered. “Say yes to me. For one whole day, just say yes unless we hit something that’s a hard limit. Bet you a hundred bucks you’ll enjoy it.”

I found myself nodding, not quite trusting my voice. This was not comfortable for me. Yet at the same time, I craved it. The power to let go and let Callum make me feel good.

Make everything better, like he’d said last night.

A slow grin spread his lips wide. “Let’s start with an easy one. Can I kiss you?”

“Yes,” I whispered.

His lips slanted over mine. Kissing gently at first before deepening the connection. At the same time, he took my wrists in his hands and brought them over my head, placing my hands beneath the pillow where my head rested.

“Now I’m going to kiss and touch the rest of you.” It had been a statement, yet his eyes held an implicit question. Another test.