Every Kiss (15 page)

He nods. “Yeah, she’s probably looking for me by now. But
before we go, I need to say something.” Both of his hands slide up my back to
either side of my neck. “Callie, you deserve so much more than anything I could
ever give. You’re perfect. Don’t settle for anything less than that. Regardless
of what nonsense spews out of my mouth, don’t let some jerk like me use you.”

I open my mouth, although I’m afraid of what’s about to come
out of it. My saving grace comes in the form of a petite brunette sweeping into
the room as if she’s on a mission.

“Well, there you are, handsome. I’ve been looking for you.”
She walks up to Wes and accepts a kiss on the cheek from him before turning to
me. “And unless my son is a complete moron, I’ll assume he’s all hugged up to
the date he told me about. You must be Callie.”

I take her extended hand and shake it. “Yes, ma’am. It’s
nice to meet you, Mrs. Baxter. Thank you for arranging the gorgeous dresses for
us.” Speaking of dresses, the one she’s wearing is stunning. The color of
midnight blue, it has a wide boat neck and is fitted perfectly all the way to
her knees. It reminds me of something stylish that Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
would have worn. Even though she has chocolate eyes, I can see that Shane got a
lot of his looks from her.

“Oh, please, honey. It’s the least I could do for you after
agreeing to accompany Wesley. I like for the boys to bring pretty girls to
these things. It’s my way of keeping my friends from trying to set them up with
their selfish daughters.”

“Mom, seriously?” Wes groans.

“What? It’s the truth. You know how some of these people
are.” She’s not ashamed to admit it either. I think I like her. “You’re a
pretty little thing, too. Finally, my son has some real taste.”

“Uh, thanks?”

“Mom, please,” Wes begs. But he’s smiling and shaking his
head at her.

She pokes a bony finger into his bicep. “Are you telling me
you don’t agree?”

“No, ma’am. I have the honor of being in the presence of the
prettiest women here.”

“Ah, now you’re acting just like your dad. Such a charmer.
Give me a kiss, sweet boy, and get this girl some dinner. They’re about to
serve everyone.”

He bends down to her as she takes his face in her hands.
“Love you, Mom,” he says softly as they kiss each other’s cheeks at the same
time.

“Love you, darlin’. Callie, I expect I’ll be seeing you
around a little more now that we’ve met.”

“Yes, ma’am. I look forward to it.”

She smiles, watching Wes’ hand go to the small of my back.
“Find me and let me know when you’re heading home later.” She turns and looks
back over her shoulder after taking only a couple of steps. “And Wesley? Is it
just me, or are there a few embers?”

He chuckles and looks at me, then back to her. “Yes, ma’am.
More than a few.”

“About time,” she says under her breath as she walks away.

Wes urges me forward, but I plant my feet. “Embers?”

“I’ll explain another time. Trust me on that.”

I’m not satisfied with his answer, but it’s clear he’s not
going to explain right now. We join Makenna and Shane at the table just as the
first course is served, and by the time dessert makes its way to the table, my
cheeks hurt from laughing so much. The banter between Wes and Shane is
hilarious, and seeing Wes so different has been good for me. This isn’t Tall,
Dark, and Moody or Sexy Suit CEO. There’s no mask. No walls. Just Wes. And I
really enjoy being around him. A lot. And it scares the hell out of me because
I know there’s no future for us. There’s no more that can come of this. Well,
unless I agree to the benefits part.

And for some reason, I’m not so scared of that anymore. I
want to be with him. I want to stop fighting the constant, nagging pull between
us and just let it happen. It may make everything much more complicated, but
maybe it won’t. I won’t ever know for sure if I don’t try it. I’ll just have to
constantly remind myself that there won’t be an emotional connection. Just
purely physical. And if it doesn’t work out, then we’ll have to learn to keep
things on a friendly level. People make these kinds of arrangements all the
time.

So . . . I’m going to do it. Literally. Maybe it’s hormones
or the fact that I haven’t been intimate with anyone in a while, but regardless
of the reasons, this feeling won’t go away until I just do it. And if I don’t
tell him now, I’m afraid I’ll chicken out. That in itself is rather scary. I’m
usually the forward one.

While Shane and Mak are looking at some pictures on his cell
phone and Wes is turned around in his seat, chatting with someone at our
neighboring table, I take my phone out of my lap and send him the two hardest
words I’ve ever typed. It’s only five little letters, and my fingers are so
unsteady that I keep hitting the wrong buttons.

I swear my heart stops when I hear his phone chime in his
pocket. I can’t retract it. It’s there. He’s going to see it.

Wes is still talking when he pulls it out and unlocks the
screen. I watch over his shoulder as the words appear, as the world comes to a
screeching halt.

Use me.

Well, I’ve wanted physical proof that I’ve gotten to him,
and now I have it. He stops talking mid-sentence and spins around so fast that
he knocks his plate into the floor. But I don’t think he even notices. His eyes
fix on mine, and in that moment, all of my nerves simply fall away. Yes, this
is what I want.

“Damn, Wes,” Shane chuckles. “If I hadn’t seen you drinking
water most of the night, I’d think you were drunk. Quit acting like a caveman
and pick up your plate.”

I burst out laughing, finding it incredibly fitting that
he’s finally fallen into the caveman category that he’s always telling me I’m
attracted to. Maybe I do like cavemen a little.

He cleans up his mess and leaves the table without a word. I
have no idea what’s going on, and after exchanging glances with Shane and
Makenna, I know they don’t either. It isn’t until I spot him across the room,
talking to his mom, that I realize what’s going on. He was supposed to tell her
when he’s leaving.
We
are leaving. Together.

Wes finally returns, but this time, he tells Shane he needs
to talk to him and they walk over to the corner of the room.

I look at Makenna, and she just shrugs. “They’re adorably
weird. What can I say?”

When Shane sits back down, I swear he knows something.
There’s a little something extra in his smile. Like the cat that ate the
canary. But before I can really think about it, Wes holds a hand out to me.
“May I have this dance?” Without giving me a chance to answer, he’s dragging me
across the room.

“Care to explain what this is all about?” I ask as soon as
we stop in the center of the dance floor.

He pulls me just as close as he did before, and if I wasn’t
so out of my mind at the moment, I’d worry about what Makenna was seeing. But
right now, I don’t care, so I wrap my arms around him, too. We dance slowly,
fluidly. His hands aren’t linked around my back this time; they’re low on my
hips, occasionally sliding up my ribs or around dangerously low on my back.

“My mom said that every lady should dance at least once at a
party. I’m not stupid enough to argue with her and say that I’ve already danced
with you tonight. So before we leave, she wanted to see us on the dance floor.
It’s just another opportunity to feel you against me, so I’m not complaining.”
He nods to her when she waves from the corner of the room.

“She’s a smart lady. I really like her.” I rest my head
against the silky lapel of his tuxedo jacket. “Why did you tell Shane?”

“There’s not a lot I don’t tell him, but I had to give him a
reasonable explanation why they aren’t riding home with us.”

I should be irritated, but I guess it makes sense. Makenna
is going to find out soon enough on her own, and she probably won’t believe it
at first since we’ve tricked her. “What do you mean by ‘home’ exactly? You’re
coming home with me?”

He shakes his head. “If you want to, I was thinking you
could come home with me.”

I look up at him. “Yeah . . . I want to.”

And in front of everyone—his mom, Shane, Makenna, complete
strangers—he kisses me. A feather soft kiss that lingers just slightly before
it’s gone. And I feel something inside me shift. My resolve crumbles into
jagged chunks. My doubts fall away.

All I’m left with is the realization of how wrong I could be
about everything. I know now that I could fall for him, if only he’d let me.

TO SAY THAT the ride to Wes’ house
is awkwardly silent would be a grave understatement. For nearly thirty minutes,
the only sounds in this car have come from the constant hum of the wheels on
the pavement and the tap of his fingertips on the steering wheel. No
conversation. No music. Just unrelenting quiet that’s allowing me to
contemplate on what’s about to happen, even though thinking is the last thing I
want to do right now.

I’m not some sacrificial virgin or anything, so I don’t know
why this feels so strange to me. This should be simple. No strings. No
expectations. I really like Wes, so that should make this easier, right? He’s
different than the other guys I’ve dated in so many ways. He’s more mature, but
still playful. He’s serious about life and his career. He knows what he wants,
and he’s honest about it. And I’m more
physically
attracted to him than
I’ve ever been to any other guy.

So I think that may be the reason for the weirdness. It’s
like driving a beat up clunker your whole life and then test-driving a Bugatti.
After driving the heap of dented metal for so long, you’re hesitant to even
pull out of the lot. The feel of the buttery leather against your skin is such
a contrast to the rough, holey upholstery you’ve grown accustomed to. The soft
purr of the engine when you nudge the accelerator makes your heart race a
little bit. But even though you’re nervous, you know deep down you want nothing
more than to take it out on the open road and floor it, to speed down the
highway with the windows down and leave all your inhibitions and worries
behind.

Or something like that.

I feel my phone vibrate in my purse, so I pull it out. I
know who it is without looking.

Makenna:
‘Shane just told me you and Wes left.
Said you aren’t feeling well. You okay?’

God bless Shane. At least he bought me a little time before
I have to tell Makenna all about it. I’m nervous enough as it is.

Me: ‘
I’m fine. Just a little headache. Probably
the champagne.’

I didn’t even have to lie. Good.

Makenna:
‘Okay, I’ll check on you when I get
home.’

Shit.

Me:
‘Won’t be there. Wes insisted I go home with
him.’

Makenna:
‘I was giving you an opportunity to tell
me what’s really going on. I saw the kiss, Cal.’

Me:
‘Again, effects of the champagne. It’s
nothing.’

Please let it go. Please let it go.

Makenna:
‘Well, if it’s nothing, you won’t mind if
Shane and I come over to check on you. Maybe we’ll even stay the night.’

Me:
‘Sure. Just have Shane call Wes if you’re
coming, so he can work out the sleeping arrangements.’

I know she’s trying to call my bluff, but I also know that
Shane wouldn’t dare set foot at Wes’ house tonight. He knows exactly what’s
going on, and I have a feeling Wes would pummel him if they showed up.

Makenna:
‘Okay, then. I’ll probably see you in an
hour or so.’

Yeah, probably not.

“Makenna says they’re coming over here in an hour to check
on me,” I blurt out nervously when Wes pulls into the long driveway. “And they
might even spend the night.”

He stays quiet until he comes to a complete stop. “The hell
they are.” He plucks his phone from the console and punches a quick message,
hitting send before he hands it to me. “Problem solved.”

He sent a message to
Makenna
.

Wes:
‘Mak, you can stop fishing for the truth.
Tell Shane that I give him permission to fill you in. I love you, kid, but
don’t you dare show up here tonight.’

“Wes! Why would you tell her that?!”

He shrugs. “Stay put.” He gets out and comes around to open
my door. “She’s going to find out everything anyway, so why hide it. Are you
ashamed or something?”

“No.”

“Good. I’m not either, so we don’t have to keep it a
secret.”

Once inside the house, he doesn’t waste any time. He grabs
my hand and leads me straight into the bedroom, immediately stripping off his
jacket and tie while I watch from just inside the door. I don’t know if I
should start undressing or sit down or . . .

“Stop thinking, Callie,” Wes orders, obviously sensing my
unease. “You really think I’m going to pounce you as soon as we walk in the
door?” He finishes unbuttoning his shirt and walks up to me. “You want one of
my t-shirts and some boxers? I thought we might get comfortable and relax a
bit.”

I let out the breath I didn’t realize I was holding. “Okay,
sure.”

He grabs some clothes from a drawer and drops them into my
hands before rubbing a thumb across my cheek. “If you want to shower, you’re
more than welcome to go first. Don’t take this the wrong way, but if you don’t
shower, at least wash the makeup off. You’re gorgeous tonight, but you’re a
damn knockout without it.” He pauses to kiss my forehead. “I’ll shower when
you’re done, and maybe we’ll watch a movie or something. Sound good?”

I nod and force a confident smile before I slip down the
hall and into the bathroom. What kind of cat and mouse game is this? I think I
liked it better when I thought he was going to jump me as soon as we walked in.
Now, I don’t know what we’re doing. It’s like he’s toying with me, so I’ll be
constantly guessing when it’s going to happen. But will it be worth the wait
and anticipation? Oh, I definitely think so.

After pulling a million hairpins out of my hair, I get in
the shower. I have so much hairspray and gunk in my hair that I can’t even run
my fingers through it, and I feel like I need to be sandblasted to peel off the
layers of makeup, creams, and heavy perfume on my skin. I’m relieved that he
likes me without all of it because I certainly feel better without it. I feel
like my skin can finally breathe once I start scrubbing it all away. The bonus
of it all is that I get to use his body wash and shampoo, and it’s like
testosterone in a bottle.

Finally feeling clean, I dry off and pick up the pile of
clothes on the counter—a plain white shirt and some pale blue boxers. After
getting dressed, I swipe my towel across the mirror to clear the fog and laugh
to myself at how big his clothes are on me. But then again, something about
wearing his clothes is oddly sensual. Finally, I move on to the tangled, wet
mop of hair on my head, and I’m rummaging through my purse for a brush when
there’s a knock at the door.

“Cal, you decent? Open up.”

I peek through a narrow crack in the door at Wes. “Need
something?”

“Yes.” He pushes the door the rest of the way open. “It’s my
turn, and you’re a bathroom hog.”

I just stand here with a hairbrush in my hand, gawking while
he turns the water on and adjusts the temperature. He turns to grab a towel
from the shelf beside me but pauses as his gaze meets mine in the mirror. “You
look damn good in my clothes.”

“Thanks,” I croak as he begins to unbuckle his belt. “I’ll,
uh . . . I’m going to go see if Makenna ever sent another text.” I dart out of
the bathroom. Was he testing me? Probably. Did I fail? Most definitely. The
confirmation of that comes from the low chuckle I hear echoing from the
bathroom.

Running the brush through my hair, I go down the hall to his
bedroom, where I left my phone. A missed call and two messages. I knew Wes’
message would really set her off.

Makenna:
‘Wes just sent me a message. What exactly
is Shane supposed to fill me in on? He’s busy talking and I have to know!’

Makenna:
‘OMG. Seriously? Shane didn’t know all
the details, but he knew the most important one. You and Wes? Okay, you’re
joking with me again, right?’

I have a couple of minutes, so I decide to call her or
she’ll never shut up. She picks up on the first ring.

“Callie! If this is another one of your stupid jokes, I
swear I’m going to strangle you.”

I take a deep breath. “No, it’s not a joke. I took a deal
with the devil himself. We added some benefits to our friendship.”

“How long has this been going on?”

“Well, it hasn’t officially started yet, but I suspect it
will within an hour or two. He’s showering right now.” I sink into the chair by
the bay window and look out at the pinpricks of twinkling light in the obsidian
sky. The stars are so much clearer away from the city lights.

“Jeez, you make it sound more like a business transaction
than anything else.” Shane laughs in the background. “I don’t get it, Callie.
You just went through all that nonsense with Tanner, and you’re pretty much
doing the same thing to yourself again. I love Wes to pieces, but I have to
admit that I’m a little shocked. Don’t get yourself hurt.”

“Don’t worry about me, Makenna. Tanner was an idiot. At
least Wes is honest about what he wants, and I can work with that. We’re both
getting exactly what we want from this relationship, and there aren’t any other
expectations. That’s the beauty of it.”

She groans. “You’re such a dude sometimes. Do you even like
him?”

“I probably like him too much, to be honest, and it’s
probably going to come back and bite me later. But I’m a big girl. I can deal
with the consequences.”

“Suit yourself. I love you both, and I hope you know what
you’re doing.”

“We’ll talk when I get home tomorrow. Goodnight.”

“Yeah, goodnight.”

I hang up and realize I don’t hear the shower anymore. “He’s
fast,” I mumble under my breath.

“Because
I’m
not a shower hog.”

I turn to find Wes leaned against the doorway of his room.
“Maybe not, but you’re an eavesdropper.”

“I’ll neither confirm nor deny that statement.” He
straightens and approaches me. “What do you want to do? I can make us a snack.
We can watch a movie. Play cards. Whatever you want.”

“I need a drink.”

He grabs my hand and drags me out of the chair. “Me, too.”

Once in the kitchen, he starts his spiel of every possible
fluid he has in the house to drink, but I cut him off. “Whiskey.”

He cocks his head to the side and raises an eyebrow. “The
hard stuff, huh? Am I that bad that you have to drink yourself into it?”

“Not at all. I was just hoping to make things less weird.
Easy. Like it was the night of your party.”

“Ah,” he sighs. “You mean when I was drunk and depressed.”

I take the whiskey bottle from him and pour a little into
two glasses. “I thought you were kinda adorable.” Before I lose my nerve, I
pick one up and shoot it, feeling my eyes water as the liquid fire runs down
the back of my throat. “God, that’s disgusting,” I choke out.

He follows suit and shrugs. “It’s not that bad. More?”

“
Hell
, no,” I say, wiping the tears from my eyes.

“Okay, then. Now what?”

I can’t take this little game anymore. It’s like we’re
circling each other in a wrestling ring, waiting for the other one to lunge
first. “What are we waiting for?”

Wes leans his hip against the counter and crosses his arms
over his chest. “I’m waiting for you to act like you’re not scared of me.
You’re the one that said you wanted this, but ever since you did, you’ve been
quiet and acting freaked out. I thought if we just chilled for a bit, you’d
relax and realize nothing is different between us.”

Oh, but it is. “I’m not scared of you, Wes. I know what this
is. I know your limitations. I know it will inevitably end. It’s not a matter
of
if
. . . it’s
when
. And I’ve decided that it’s better to get
it out of our systems and go on with our lives after it’s over, instead of
acting like the attraction isn’t there. Then you can stop acting like an ass
because you want me and can’t have me, and I can stop pretending that I don’t
want it as much as you do.”

His mouth quirks up on one side. “It’s about time you showed
up. I’ve been missing your big, opinionated mouth.”

I narrow my eyes at him and jump up to sit on the counter, crooking
my finger at him to come closer. “Good because I’ve missed your mouth, too.”

Taking the situation in my own hands this time, I grab each
side of his face and pull him to me until our lips meet. The sweet hint of
whiskey on his lips takes me back to that first kiss. With his hands firmly
planted on the granite, he allows me to take the lead, only giving what I ask
for and matching my pace. Gentle. Unhurried. All-consuming.

I let myself drown in him, in the feeling of his soft lips
caressing mine, in the way his breath catches when I suck gently on his bottom
lip. When my tongue grazes the seam of his mouth, his darts out to meet mine
hungrily, and I suddenly need more.