Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

T revor tasted Callie until his entire body thrummed with anticipation. Her silky hair tickled his arm as he held her head. The scent of her perfume was warm on her skin. He nudged her legs apart to press closer to her body. His free hand trailed up her bare thigh as he kissed her jaw and then her neck. He sucked on her pulse point and sank his teeth into the tendon at the juncture of her shoulder and neck.

She placed her palms against his chest, but she didn’t push. She gripped his T-shirt as if to anchor herself. When his teeth scraped the sensitive skin of her neck, she moaned. His hand on her thigh inched upward until he had a firm handful of ass cheek. He squeezed, and she arched forward, rubbing herself against his leg. His dick became a rod in his jeans.

Still stroking her soft skin, he pulled back a fraction. She followed with her mouth.

“Callie.” Her eyes fluttered open, and lazy lust stared up at him. “Are you okay?” She nodded.

“I need to hear it, Callie. I don’t want to fuck things up between us. But I want you. Right here. Right now. If you’re not on board, say something.”

She reached up and stroked his jaw. “I have just one thing to say.”

His heart and his dick throbbed in unison, hoping for one answer, dreading the other. Another lonely night with his hand didn’t appeal to him in the least after having a taste of her in his arms.

She smirked. “The bedroom’s that way.” She tapped his shoulder and pointed to the stairs leading to the loft.

He walked backward, pulling her with him. Although the new air conditioner was running, it was working hard to balance the temperature in the house. The air was still warm, but he didn’t want to let go of her. He feared if they lost contact she might reconsider.

As they fumbled up the staircase, she tugged his shirt out of his jeans. Her cool fingers coasted across his stomach and up to his chest. He walked blindly toward her bed. Because it was at the back of the house, it was dark; little light filtered in from the alley.

As if reading his mind, Callie left him and flicked on the bedside lamp. The soft glow illuminated the room. He looked around, expecting to be surrounded by Callie’s sunny personality, but the room was pretty utilitarian, almost as empty as a hotel room. Like maybe she hadn’t planned to stay.

Except for the world map on one wall, different cities marked with bright colors, he wouldn’t have guessed the room belonged to her. He bent and untied his work boots, loosening the laces enough to kick them off. She watched him as she stepped out of her sandals.

He yanked his shirt over his head, and she stepped close again, tracing her fingers up his stomach and across his chest. His muscles twitched under her touch. He reached around her and tugged the zipper down on her dress. The skinny straps stuck where her arms were still raised, stroking his chest hair, but the material gapped, and he glimpsed the bright blue satin underneath.

Pulling her arms away, he stripped the dress off. Her bra and underwear matched, and he was insanely jealous that she’d worn this for some other man. That she wanted to look good for that guy, maybe get naked for him, made Trevor want to rip the scraps of material away. But he held tight to his control, knowing the reaction was ridiculous.

Instead, he led her to the bed and gently pushed her to lie back. With her head on the pillow, she raised a hand and beckoned him to join her. He dropped his jeans and socks where he stood and crawled over her body. He kissed his way up her torso, causing her to giggle in response. Trevor made a mental note about her being ticklish.

He sucked her nipples through the bra before continuing his trail of kisses up her neck until he reached her mouth again. She spread her thighs and he settled between them, feeling her heat on his cock through the clothes they still had on. He pressed against her while kissing her, thrusting his tongue into her mouth, tangling with hers.

Callie bucked her hips up, circling them, making them both hotter. And wetter. But he had no reason to hurry. While he always wanted the woman he was with to have a good a time as he did, with Callie, he wanted to know everything. He wanted to know what drove her crazy, what made her scream, what would make her beg for more.

“Condom’s in the drawer,” she whispered.

“We’ll get there.” He reached under her, undid the clasp of the bra, and pulled it away. Then he went back to playing with her tits and her nipples.

She slid her hand between them and stroked him, giving the head a little squeeze. His breath caught, and he pinched her nipple lightly.

“Stop trying to rush me,” he said against her mouth.

“Not rushing. Just moving along. We have all night. We can go slow later. I want you inside me now.” She pushed past the elastic on his underwear and rubbed her thumb along the slit on his dick. “I’m ready.”

Her words had him thrusting into her hand twice, but then he pulled away to remove her panties. Evidence of her arousal was plain. He stared for a moment, her scent calling to him. “I want to taste you. That okay?”

“So polite, Trevor. I never took you for a guy who would ask permission.”

He lowered again so they were nose to nose. “This is our first time. Like I said downstairs, I don’t want to screw this up. I want to know what you like so that I can take care of you. I won’t always ask.”

“Yes, you can go down on me. I love when a man can make me come with his mouth.”

“Any specific directions? Fast? Slow? Hard? Soft?”

“Yes,” she answered with a bright smile, and then she shoved his shoulder to get him moving. She threw her arms above her head and widened her legs even more.

Trevor’s shoulders pressed into her thighs as he lowered his mouth. He nuzzled her mound and then swiped his tongue along her slit. When the tip of his tongue flicked against her clit, her hips jumped, so he anchored his hands around them to hold her still.

Then he did everything she asked, listening to her body as he did so. As she rose up, she called to God and to him and when she came it was on a high-pitched moan, then utter stillness, except for her thighs trembling around his head. His cock ached, and he was dying to be inside her, but he waited for her to come back to him.

He wanted her to feel everything that he did. He slowly backed away, grabbed a condom from her drawer, and put it on. Settling between her legs again, he watched as she reopened her eyes and a smile crept across her face. Bracing a forearm near her head, he rubbed his dick on her, the head bumping her clit, making her jump again.

Then he slid in and never wanted to move again. Wet heat surrounded his dick, the aftershocks of her orgasm pulsating around him. He rested his forehead against her shoulder. Then he began a long, slow slide in and out.

But Callie wasn’t having it. She began to thrust up to meet him, grinding against him. She dragged her nails sharply up and down his back, squeezing his ass to pull him close again.

“More, Trevor.”

He pumped harder, faster. Her face was tight, her pussy clutching him, but she wasn’t quite there, and he wanted to take her there again. He reared up and back, missing the warmth of her skin. But he positioned her legs on his shoulders, giving him deeper penetration.

Watching where their bodies joined, seeing his dick slide into her made him move faster, seeking his own finish. Using his thumb, he pressed against her clit and then made circles like he had with his tongue.

Callie’s entire body bowed up, pulling him deep. His balls tightened and the base of his spine tingled and he followed her orgasm with his own, growling as he fell forward and drove into her to drain himself.

They were both spent. Hot and sticky, but he didn’t want to move.

She shoved his shoulder. “Move, you big lug. I can’t breathe.”

He rolled to the side. “Sure, use me and shove me aside.”

She huffed, and he thought it was supposed to be a laugh.

“Give me a few minutes to catch my breath and I’ll use you again.”

Now it was his turn to laugh. “I’m not twenty anymore. It’ll take me more than a few minutes.” He removed the condom and wrapped it in a tissue before dropping it in her wastebasket. Then he flopped back on the bed. He really hoped she wasn’t expecting him to go back home right now.

She turned and curled next to him. Toying with his chest hair, she asked, “Were you watching me earlier tonight when Craig came to pick me up?”

Busted. He weighed his options. He’d tried to be sneaky about it, but she obviously must’ve seen him. “Yeah. I wanted to see who you chose to spend your night with instead of having dinner with me.”

He didn’t need to admit that he’d been jealous.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?” he asked.

“For acting like nothing was going on between us.” She levered up on an elbow and looked him in the eye. “I just thought that if I went on a date, found a spark with a guy, maybe I could forget about this.”

“And yet you’re in bed with me now.”

“I spent the evening with Craig. He was boring. But even if he didn’t spend the whole night talking about craft beer, there was no spark. You know that itch or chemistry when we’re together. It wasn’t there with him.”

Trevor was glad to hear it. While he’d dated some women after Lisa had told him that they had zero chance of reconciling, he hadn’t felt that spark Callie was talking about. Even when he’d slept with other women, the few that there had been, it was about getting off. He’d never considered a tomorrow with them.

He couldn’t imagine a tomorrow without Callie anymore. He didn’t know what to do with that. “I suppose it would be tacky for me to say that I’m happy about that.”

She laughed, her shoulders shaking against him. “It might be tacky, but I like hearing it.”

He rose and kissed the top of her head. “Then I’m epically happy that your date with Craig was a failure. I’m even happier that you’re here with me now.”

“I’m happy, too.”

Callie lay in Trevor’s arms and wanted to pinch herself. For all the times she’d fantasized about being here, getting naked with him, she’d never considered that it would really happen. And this…this postcoital joking and talking. When was the last time she’d shared this with a man? Even if a guy had spent the night, which was rare, it had been more out of exhaustion than a desire to be with her.

Neither of them made any move for him to leave. She didn’t want him to, so she wrapped her arm around him. At some point, they both dozed off. In the middle of the night, Callie woke shivering because the air conditioner had been on full blast and there was a chill in the air. She pulled a blanket over them and rolled to her side.

Trevor moved toward her, pulling her back to his front, saying nothing. She wasn’t sure he’d even woken up. She took a moment to enjoy the feel of his hairy chest against her back, his arm around her waist, just below her breasts. With a deep breath, she fell back to sleep.

Hours later, with the sun barely brightening the sky, Trevor moved behind her. The fuzzy, still-half-asleep part of her brain assumed he was leaving for work. But he began to stroke her skin softly. With her eyes closed, she simply enjoyed the sensation of him touching her.

He kissed her neck, played with her nipples until she was wiggling against the hard-on pressing into her backside. Trevor reached between her legs and stroked her, making her ready for him. Callie turned over to face him. His eyes were much more alert than she felt.

“How long have you been awake?” she asked, her voice scratchy from sleep.

“A while.” His hands continued to explore her body.

“Were you watching me sleep?”

“Depends. Is it creepy if I was?”

“Maybe.”

His palm pressed against her clit as his fingers thrust inside her. She sucked in a sharp breath.

“You looked beautiful lying there. But you’re naked, so it didn’t take long before I started thinking about being inside you again.” His fingers were moving in and out, the pressure of his palm constant.

Feeling breathless, she said, “Okay. Not too creepy.”

She wrapped her fingers around his dick and stroked him. He answered with a groan. They lay face-to-face, foreheads touching, sharing their breath, driving each other crazy with their hands until they couldn’t take it anymore.

Trevor rolled her over and reached for another condom. He put it on and inched into her. He made slow love to her as the sun rose in the sky.

It was the laziest morning sex she’d had in years. It was glorious to just enjoy another person’s body, learning what he wanted, what pushed him to the edge, what made him growl her name.

After they both came and he’d disposed of the condom, Trevor kissed her neck, her lips, and then her forehead.

“I have to get ready for work.”

“Okay.” She rolled over, pulling the blanket back over herself. “I think I’ll go back to sleep.”

But as he gathered his clothes and hastily put them on, she watched with her eyes half closed.

“Dinner tonight?” he asked.

“Sure. You want to order in or should I cook?”

“You pick. I don’t care.” He stepped into his boots and didn’t bother tying them. “I’ll come here when I’m off work.” He bent and kissed her again.

“Will you spend the night again?” She didn’t know where they were headed and didn’t want to presume anything, but she didn’t think either of them thought last night was a one-night-only thing.

“I’d like that.”

Then he left. She heard his heavy boots clomping down the stairs, and a moment later, her door opened and closed. Callie rolled over the other way and pulled the pillow into her arms. It smelled of Trevor, and it was enough to coax her back to sleep.

When she woke up hours later, she took a shower and got dressed. Then she planned to check out some job prospects. She’d been thinking more and more of looking for something permanent that would keep her close to home. But her career had been built on her willingness to go anywhere to get the job done.

She’d never had anyone to answer to or worry about in her personal life, so it had always been an easy choice to make. Lately, the choice had gotten harder. Even before Lisa died, Callie had started to grow tired of constantly being on the go. But now, with Hannah, Evan, and Trevor, it felt right to stay in Chicago.

While she drank coffee sitting at her kitchen counter, she looked for photography jobs in the area. The prospects were slim, but she had time. There was no crushing urgency for her to find something now. The few local freelance gigs she had would tide her over. She also went through her contacts on social media and spread the word that if anyone heard about a job that would be good for her, to pass it on.

By the time afternoon hit, her legs were numb and sore from sitting on her ass for too long. After a long stretch, she looked out her back window into the yard. Lisa’s garden was torn up with nothing but a few weeds growing. Seeing that would break Lisa’s heart. She’d loved that garden.

Callie was struck with what her afternoon project could be. She grabbed her keys and went to the gardening center. She bought the brightest, prettiest flowers she could find. Although the kids had never worked on the garden with Lisa, it had always been filled with flowers. The only help Callie had ever offered was company since she knew nothing about gardening, but now, with Lisa gone, it just seemed wrong to let the garden sit untouched.

Plugging in her earbuds to listen to some classic ’80s music, Callie got to work. She turned over the soil like the guy at the garden center suggested, and she dug holes, putting the little plants in each spot. She spaced things according to the information on the tags, but as she worked, it didn’t look like she remembered it looking when Lisa did this.

She’d totally lost track of time and suddenly a pair of worn-out boots were in her field of vision. Looking up, she saw Trevor talking to her, but her music drowned out his voice. Yanking out an earbud in the middle of Madonna’s “Like a Virgin,” she said, “Huh?”

Trevor pointed to the ground. “What are you doing?”

“Oh.” She straightened and rubbed her dirty hands on her shorts. “I looked out the window this afternoon and it dawned on me that Lisa’s garden was empty. I thought I’d fill it.”

She turned off her music and stepped back. From this angle, the garden didn’t look any better than it had when she was on the ground. Hmmm. Maybe once the flowers grew in some, it would look better.

“It’s…interesting.”

She nudged him. “Come on. It’s not that bad.” With another glance at her work, she added, “Okay, so I’m not a gardener. I was just trying to do something nice. And I needed a project to get me off my ass.”

“Why?”

“I spent the day on my computer looking for a new job.” She gathered the tools she’d been using and tossed them in the bucket to put back in the shed.

“A job?”

“I have some proposals out for more freelance work, but I’ve been thinking about seeing if I can find something local.”

“To stay local?”

“Yeah.” She turned toward her house, and he followed.

“You don’t want to travel anymore?”

“I don’t know.” In her kitchen, she reached into the refrigerator and pulled out a couple bottles of water. “I’ve been traveling for twenty years. I’ve seen a lot of the world, and I love to travel, but now…”

“What?”

She didn’t know what to say. Was it too early to talk about their relationship as a reason? “I told you I’d be here to help with the kids. That’s hard to do from the other side of the world.”

Something flashed on his face, stealing a bit of the brightness of his smile. “Oh. I guess you’re right. But don’t turn your life upside down because of the kids. I think I kind of have a handle on this parenting thing.”

She drank some water to give herself a minute to gather her thoughts. The air was thick with awkwardness. “It’s not just the kids,” she started.

“No?”

Was that hope in his voice?

“Even before Lisa died, the travel was getting to me.” She was still dancing around the situation.

He said nothing.

“Jeez. This is stupid,” she announced. Slamming her bottle on the counter, she said, “What are we doing?”

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“As I said, I’ve been toying with the idea of slowing down on the travel, and Lisa’s death and the kids are a convenient excuse, but part of why I’m looking for a local job is because of you. Because of us.”

He continued to stare at her, and Callie began to think she’d fucked up again. “I know we only spent one night together, but it didn’t feel like we were just scratching an itch. Correct me if I’m wrong about that.”

“You’re not.”

“Then I shouldn’t feel like an idiot taking us into consideration when I’m figuring out my life and my career. Should I?”

He took a deep breath and released it slowly. Setting his water bottle down beside hers, Trevor stepped closer. He took her hand and waited for her to make eye contact. “I’m glad I’m part of the equation of your life. But I don’t expect you to give up what you love because of me.”

“It’s not because of you. I have no intention of taking a job I won’t enjoy, but this feels important. My career has always taken first place on my list of priorities. Maybe it’s time to switch things up.”

“Do what you need to do. Leaving the career you built is something you might end up regretting. And if you do it because of us, you’d resent me.” His thumb stroked across her knuckles. “I’ve wasted enough years dealing with disappointment and resentment. Whatever you choose, do it for you.”

His words were right. They were diplomatic and what she should’ve wanted to hear, but she wondered if they were honest. Trevor had always teased her about her continent-hopping and not being around. Part of her even wished he’d asked her to stay. Wasn’t that a kick? That was the main reason every other relationship she’d ever had fell apart. They’d asked her to stay, and she’d booked the first flight out of town. Ultimately, though, Trevor was right. She needed to figure out what she wanted.

“So what do you want to have for dinner?” he asked.

“I have stuff for sandwiches,” she offered.

“Sure.”

He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into a hug. Kissing the top of her head, he said, “I’ll be here whatever you decide about work.”

As far as commitments went, it wasn’t too bad. She’d never had anyone willing to just be there for her. Except Lisa.

Trevor turned and began pulling food from the fridge. Callie watched him and thought of Lisa. If you’re watching, I hope you’re okay with this, Lisa, because I think I’m falling for him .

For the next three days, Trevor spent the night in Callie’s bed and woke with her in his arms. The rest of their time together was much like it usually was: they ate dinner together, watched TV, and talked about their days. It had been so long since he’d had a partner in his life and in his bed that he’d forgotten how awesome it felt to have a woman in his arms.

He knew they needed to address their relationship in regard to the kids, but he didn’t know how to bring it up. They’d spent four days in their own little bubble, but he knew it couldn’t last. Hannah and Evan would be home in a few days.

He’d spent the day trying to figure out what to say. He was falling for Callie, but he didn’t think he was ready for their relationship to be open to the kids. What if something happened between him and Callie? They’d already lost so much. He needed to be sure before they told Hannah and Evan about their relationship.

But he didn’t know how Callie would take it. Or if she would agree. It seemed that when it came to the kids, they butted heads more than anything. He’d worked later than usual, something he often did when he needed to think. He liked being on the job site alone. The solitude gave him peace with his thoughts.

By the time he parked the truck in front of the house, the sun was setting. He’d texted Callie hours ago to let her know to eat dinner without him. Determined to talk about the kids tonight, he’d bought her a bouquet of flowers. He’d wanted to bring something to remind her that she was important to him.

At times like this, he wished he wasn’t an alcoholic. A normal man would bring a bottle of wine to share and have a conversation. What was he supposed to do? Bring her a bottle of pop? Shaking his head, he grabbed the flowers and walked down the gangway straight to the backyard.

He passed the garden that Callie had worked on earlier in the week. It looked even sadder now. He didn’t have the heart to tell her that he didn’t think it would last. He knocked on the door and turned the knob without waiting for an answer. “Callie?”

She came running around the corner, her smile huge. “It’s about time. I’ve been waiting forever.”

The emphasis on “forever” made him smile.

Pointing at the flowers, she said, “What are those for?”

“You.” He held them out, and when she grabbed them, he pulled her close for a kiss. Seeing her face was a stark reminder to him how she brightened his day. She filled all of his dark, lonely places with sunshine. Doubt about the necessary conversation crept into him.

When she pulled back from their kiss, she said, “Hello.”

“Hi. What’s up?”

“I have news. Let me put these in water. Go have a seat. Are you hungry?” She bustled around the small kitchen taking care of the flowers.

“No, I’m good.” Instead of going to the couch, he watched her. Even her movements seemed happy. There was a lightness in her body. He had no idea how it felt to be that way, but being near her made him feel like a better person.

When she finished putting the flowers in a vase, she grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the living room. They settled on the couch.

Callie sat close enough for her legs to brush against his, which made it hard for him to focus. She took his hand. “I got a job offer.”

“Already? That’s excellent. Congratulations.” He brushed hair off her shoulder.

“Well, don’t congratulate me yet. It’s not quite the kind of offer I thought I’d get.”

Unease crawled over him. He’d seen this look on Callie’s face before. When they were young, every time she planned to hit the road, she had a similar look. But he waited, hoping to hear something else.

“A travel agency reached out to me through some mutual acquaintances. They plan themed trips around the world. They want to hire me to go out for three weeks later this summer and bounce around taking pictures for a new tour they’re setting up.”

Three weeks? That wasn’t so bad. He wasn’t thrilled about it, but they’d survive. Something on her face told him that wasn’t the worst of it, though—or maybe in her mind, it would be the best of it. “Okay,” he said cautiously.

She took a deep breath and released it slowly. “The thing is, they want to use that trip as a test of sorts. If they decide they like my work, they want to hire me on for a longer project. Their goal is to update all of the photos for all of their tours.”

“So more than three weeks.”

“I don’t know how long the whole project would last. Easily a year or more. But the money is phenomenal. And I would get to literally travel the world, go to places I’ve never been.” Her voice was no longer as eager as it had been when she started.

“I thought you wanted to find something local. Settle down.” The words sat heavily between them. Their relationship was new, so new. They weren’t at a place of committing to settling down. He knew in his gut that if he made demands of her, he would lose her. She’d run.

“I was looking for something here. But this fell into my lap. I don’t know if I want to take it. I have a video call with the home office in Italy tomorrow morning. That’s why I’m talking it over with you. We have this thing going on and there are the kids. But at the same time, this is an incredible opportunity.” Her eyes studied his face, searching.

Unfortunately, he had no idea what she was searching for. He wasn’t going to tell her to go, but he also knew he had no right to ask her to stay. “It does sound exciting.”

His enthusiasm was nonexistent and his voice flat, but he wasn’t trying to be an asshole. He’d just started trying to wrap his head around his relationship with Callie and now she was talking about leaving. Again.

She shoved his shoulder. “Yeah, that sounds like you’re really happy for me.”

“I am happy for you. They’d be stupid not to hire you. But I’m a selfish bastard, and you’re talking about leaving me for three weeks.” His conviction there was solid and true. He would miss her. Desperately.

“We could talk or FaceTime.”

“That’s not the same.”

“We could be naked while we do it.”

His dick perked up at the mention of her getting naked. “As much as I might enjoy seeing you naked on the screen, I’d rather have you sharing a bed with me.”

“Ahh, Mr. Booth, you sure do know how to sweet-talk me.” She rose up and straddled him, bringing her body flush against his.

He instinctively bucked his hips up, his dick like a heat-seeking missile. He reached up and threaded his fingers in her hair as he pulled her in for a kiss. All thoughts of her conversation and his intended one fled when her tongue touched his.

For now, they had each other, and nothing from the outside world could intrude. They had time to deal with it all later.

Callie’s head was spinning again. The life that she’d been living for a couple of decades, one of regular travel and irregular sex, seemed like a distant memory. She and Trevor had spent every night for the past four nights together. Sometimes, they just talked until they fell asleep. But usually, they had sex. Not that she was complaining.

Having someone in her life on the regular was weird. She found herself consulting him on everything, from what to have for dinner to what she should do about her career. She wasn’t even really sure why. She’d spent her entire life going it alone. Trevor was bothered by the job offer, even though he tried to be supportive. Kind of.

She knew he didn’t like her traveling. He was the kind of guy who needed structure and routine. He hadn’t always been that way. It was one of the side effects of being sober. Needing to control everything in his life. So while he didn’t try to control her, she understood that her life and career made him uncomfortable.

Lying in bed, naked with Trevor, she stretched and thought about the job for Around the World Travels. It was an exciting opportunity. And three weeks wasn’t that long to be gone. Her typical trips were two to three weeks anyway. But it was the extension of a long-term job that niggled at her. Would she want to travel nonstop for the next year or two?

Trevor was right. She’d said she wanted to dial it down and stay at home, but the travel bug had its teeth firmly in her whenever she thought about it. Ringing brought her fully awake. Her alarm. She rolled out of bed and scrounged for an appropriate shirt to wear while she talked to the rep from Around the World. They wanted to talk details.

Downstairs, she started a pot of coffee and set up her laptop. She had about a half hour before the call, so she organized her notes and questions. As she sat to drink her coffee, Trevor came downstairs wearing his clothes from yesterday, looking rumpled and sexy.

He set his phone on the counter beside her, kissed the side of her head, mumbled, “Morning,” and trudged off to the bathroom to brush his teeth. While he was in the bathroom, she poured him a cup of coffee. If she’d learned nothing else about Trevor this week, it was that he was a man who absolutely needed his coffee in the morning.

As she put his cup down, his phone jingled with some crazy tune that told her it was Hannah. Every time Trevor turned his back, his daughter changed his ringtones.

“Hey, Hannah’s calling. You want me to answer it?” she yelled.

“Sure.”

Callie scooped up the phone and hit the accept button for a FaceTime call from Hannah.

“Hey, babe. What’s up?”

Hannah filled the screen with a scrunched-up face. “Didn’t I call Dad?”

Trevor came in and took the phone from Callie’s hand. “You did. I was busy so Callie answered so I wouldn’t miss your call.”

Callie couldn’t see Hannah anymore, but there was a pause. She slid his coffee over to him. He took a gulp.

“What are you doing at Callie’s? It’s like six in the morning there.”

He set his coffee back down. “Uh.” Rubbing a hand through his messy hair, he said, “I got her a new air conditioner.”

Yeah, like four days ago . And he kind of had been there since.

“I’m heading to work in a few minutes,” he continued.

Callie waited for him to tell the truth. She shot him a look that called him out on his bullshit. While she hadn’t expected him to tell his daughter they’d just been rolling around naked, she didn’t expect him to flat-out lie either.

His return look was semi-apologetic.

“I’m calling because we’re coming home today.”

“What? Why? I thought I was picking you up on Sunday.”

“Yeah, well, it’s way more boring here than we remembered.”

Callie snickered. “Told you,” she yelled loud enough for Hannah to hear.

“Whatever. Tell Callie she was right. Grandma said she’d drive us back today.”

“Okay. Does she want me to meet her halfway?”

“Nah. She wants to spend as much time with us as she can.” Hannah’s voice dropped. “I think she wants to stay with us.”

“Fuck,” Callie said. She didn’t think it was loud enough for Hannah to hear, but Trevor did. It was his turn to give a dirty look.

If Diane was here, Callie couldn’t imagine what that would do to her relationship with Trevor. Hell, she couldn’t imagine what it would do to Trevor. The woman wasn’t exactly in his fan club.

“Can you talk her out of it?” he asked quietly.

“I’m trying, Dad. We’ll be home in a few hours. See you for dinner?”

“Definitely.”

“Bye.”

Trevor clicked off and set down the phone.

“What was that?”

“What?” he asked. His face revealed that he had no clue.

“Why did you lie to Hannah?”

He took another gulp of coffee. “What was I supposed to say? I wasn’t ready for her to ask about why I’m here.”

“How about you tell the truth?”

“Yeah, I’m going to tell my teenage daughter that I spent the night with her mom’s best friend.”

“You don’t need to make it sound sleazy. We’re adults, Trevor. And they’re not toddlers.”

He dumped his coffee in the sink and rinsed his cup. “Look, I’ve been thinking about this. I don’t know if now is a good time to tell them about us. They just lost their mom. You’re an important part of their lives.”

Anger bubbled up at the possible implications of what he was saying. “Let me get this straight. You don’t want to tell the kids, why exactly? Because you’re embarrassed that you slept with me? Or this is a fling that will end and you’re afraid it’ll get ugly?”

He shook his head with a clenched jaw. “Neither. This thing between us is new. They’ve had a shitload of adjustments in their lives over the last couple of months. Dumping another on them right now probably isn’t the best thing for them. Besides that, I don’t want them to start making assumptions about us.”

“Assumptions like what? We’re a couple? We’re in a relationship?” Her voice rose every time she opened her mouth. Any minute now she’d sound like a hysterical banshee. “I’m sorry, Trevor. I guess I was already making those assumptions.”

“I don’t want them to get too attached to someone who might leave!” He was shouting now, too.

They stared at each other for a couple heartbeats.

He shook his head stiffly again. “I’m going to work.”

Then he walked out the door without another word.

Callie closed her eyes and slowed her breathing. She wasn’t even sure why she was so angry. So he wasn’t ready to tell the kids. It wasn’t like she was calling her friends and telling everyone she had a boyfriend. And these were his kids. Crap. She’d really stepped in it now.

She’d probably come off as a crazy girlfriend looking for a lifetime commitment after spending a week with a guy. Which she wasn’t. Yeah, she assumed they were in a relationship, but she could admit that she’d gone off the rails with that argument. The pressure of job hunting and this amazing opportunity that she wasn’t sure she wanted—that all depended on a call in a few minutes—made her come unhinged.

She pushed away the relationship craziness, finished her coffee, and prepped for her conference call.