Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 129460 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 647(@200wpm)___ 518(@250wpm)___ 432(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129460 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 647(@200wpm)___ 518(@250wpm)___ 432(@300wpm)
Regretfully, Caleb’s ego is either too high for my comment to sting, or he believes my false statement. “I guess that’s true.” He shifts across the couch barely an inch, but it feels like an ocean. “And I can’t really give you permission to pick then force your selection, can I?”
Although he is asking a question, he turns his focus on the television so well I doubt he’d hear it anyway.
CHAPTER 31
JESS
The ruffling of clothes captures my attention first then it is closely followed by Caleb’s hushed whisper, “Leave Jess. I’ll get her.”
“Are you sure?” Although I’m lucid enough to participate in the conversation around me, I’m too curious to see if Daniel will leave me in Caleb’s capable hands to open my eyes.
I must have fallen asleep. You wouldn’t blame me if you knew of Daniel’s fascination with Sci-Fi movies. He doesn’t just fangirl over Stars Wars and Star Trek. He gets a boner over Aliens vs Predator and all those badly done movies that should be stacked into a heap and burned.
I also got a little generous with the helpings of wine since Octavia and I were the only two drinking.
Tonight is another weekly Movie Marathon event, and just like the past five events, both Caleb and Daniel showed up for the festivities.
I know Daniel’s objective—he wants to be in my father’s good graces—but I’m a little lost when it comes to Caleb’s goals. Between dodging Octavia’s bad choice in movies and sidestepping Daniel’s neurosis for at least three inches of air between male and female guests at all times, we haven’t had the chance to talk.
Our natural, flirty banter is always in abundance, but it’s missing something it once had.
My eyes pop open involuntarily when Daniel states without a stutter. “I’m more than capable of taking Jess to bed.”
I have to fight both my eyes and my mouth when the faintest growl rumbles into Caleb’s chest. If I’m awake and smiling, I’ll be forced to walk myself to bed. Since that would steal the only opportunity I’ve had to be alone with Caleb in over two years, I refuse to give it up.
“N-not like that. I’m a God-fearing man,” Daniel assures Caleb, his stutter returning full force. “I’d never—”
Anything more Daniel is planning to say is gobbled up by Caleb scooping me into his arms and muttering under his breath, “Not fucking helping, Dan.” His cologne hits my senses when he nuzzles me in close to his chest and commences striding down the hallway. “Goodnight, Daniel.”
Daniel’s reply is delayed, but he gets there in the end. “Goodnight, Caleb.”
I wait until my front door closes before popping open my eyes and muttering, “You shouldn’t be so hard on him. He’s a nice guy.”
“I knew you were faking it.”
My laugh trickles in the quiet. “You did not. And I wasn’t faking. I was bored enough I fell asleep.”
With his grin bright enough not to need a light, I’m a little surprised when Caleb flicks on the light in my bedroom before dropping his eyes to my face. “Because Daniel is snooze palooza.”
I smack him in the chest, hopeful it will hide the grin popping onto my face. I’m not a fan of bullying. I am loving that even knowing I’m awake hasn’t seen him placing me back onto my feet just yet. “Daniel is lovely.”
“Ah-huh. Sure, he is.”
“He is!” When Caleb denies my accusation with silence, I say, “If you can give me one legitimate reason not to like him, I’ll cut all contact.”
That freezes him midstride. “Just like that. Cut off without an explanation?”
I nod. “If your reason is legitimate enough.”
He twists his kissable lips before muttering, “I don’t know what it is about him. Something about him just rubs me the wrong way.” He moves to ‘my’ side of the bed. “For one, I don’t like the way he looks at you.”
I laugh. “He doesn’t look at me the way you’re thinking. He wants my father’s approval.”
“Not helping the guy get in my good books, Jessie.”
“Who said I was trying to help?”
He squeezes my butt. We could blame it on the fact he balances me on one hand while pulling down the bedding, but I’d rather believe it is something more than that. This is the most interaction we’ve had in over two years, and I can’t help but wonder if it has to do with my father’s confession last week that he told Caleb I helped keep him out of prison.
“It also isn’t a good enough excuse, so I guess you’ll have to continue putting up with him.”
“I guess I will,” he murmurs under his breath, his tone not as peeved as expected. It is more jealous than anything.
“I’ve missed this, Caleb. The banter and the friendship.” Since the wine is letting me express words I swore I’d never say, I continue being honest without fear of the repercussions. I’ve always been an all-or-nothing girl. “If you didn’t want to stick to our agreement, you could have just said you wanted out. You didn’t have to ghost me. I’m a big girl. I would have moved on without objection.”