17. Caleb

SEVENTEEN

IT WAS OFFICIAL: I was the stupidest person alive.

I couldn't believe what I'd done, what I'd let happen. Giving in to Travis shifted our whole reality. My mind was full of questions I couldn't answer.

Why had I kissed him back?

Why did my body react the way it did around him?

Why couldn't I stop fucking thinking about him?

I couldn't even chalk it up to being drunk. I'd made out with Travis, in public, stone-cold sober. That wasn't me. My body must've been hijacked, because none of this made sense.

So after obsessing over the situation all night and during classes the next day, I did the only thing I could think of: I asked out the girl who'd been making eyes at me since the semester started.

My motives were usually a lot more straightforward with a potential hookup, but this time I felt a bit of guilt at the fact that I needed her to get my mind off Travis. I needed to remind my traitorous body who it was really hot for, and that wasn't my fucking stepbrother.

"This was fun. I was wondering if you'd ever ask me out." Bronwyn looked up at me under long, curled lashes as I held the door open for her. She stepped out of the restaurant and onto the sidewalk, and her eyes told me she wasn't ready for the night to be over. She just wanted me to say the words.

This was what I wanted. To take her home, lose myself inside her, and prove to Travis that what happened between us was nothing. Less than nothing—it was a fluke.

I was straight. I wasn't interested in his dick or anyone else's. And I definitely wasn't into him.

TRAVIS:

You didn't have to run away…

The text Travis had sent when I left the club played in my head over and over again, driving me out of my mind and solidifying my decision.

I reached for Bronwyn's hand, and she took it eagerly. "Wanna come back to my place?"

"I'd love to."

There. That was easy enough. But why did my stomach suddenly feel like it was twisted into a ball of knots? There was a high possibility Travis wouldn't even be home. He wasn't exactly a homebody, and it was about that time the guys would be heading out.

I couldn't decide what the better scenario would be. If I got Bronwyn home and Travis wasn't there, then this would all have been for nothing, right?

But that wasn't true. I wasn't only doing this to prove a point to him. I was also proving one to myself. I needed tonight. I needed to lose myself in long hair, soft skin, and shy lips. Maybe then I'd stop being haunted by hard muscles and bold hands. Possessive kisses and sinful promises.

"Caleb?"

"I'm sorry. What did you say?"

"I was just wondering how far it is to your place."

"Oh." I smiled as we turned onto Park Avenue. "Just a couple of blocks. I live at the, um, Waldorf Towers." God that feels pretentious to say.

But apparently pretentious worked just fine for Bronwyn. Her eyes lit up, a surprised little laugh escaping her. "The Towers?"

"Uh, yeah."

"I've never been there before. Or even stayed at the hotel. I did go to a bar there once, I think." Then her grin grew wider, as if something just occurred to her. "Isn't that where those um, prince guys live?"

Oh, for fuck's sake. I couldn't escape Travis and those morons even when they weren't around. "Yeah. I, uh, live with Travis. He's my stepbrother."

Actually, that was perfect, exactly what I needed to do—put Travis back in the box he belonged in. The one with the family connection.

Talk about that. Think about that.

Don't think about how he was rubbing his erection against you last night. And definitely don't think about how hard it made you.

"Oh, I didn't know that."

I wasn't surprised. It wasn't like Travis and I went around advertising the fact, and up until recently I didn't give him or his friends the time of day.

"Yep. Lucky me, huh?" I tried for a laugh that sounded strained to my ears, but she didn't seem to notice as we reached the entrance to the Towers and the doorman opened the door for us.

"Good evening, Mr. Reeves."

"It's Caleb," I said for what felt like the hundredth time to the older man, but just like his younger counterpart in the mornings, he insisted on using formalities, making me feel like they were talking to my dad.

"Yes, Mr. Reeves. Have a good night."

Bronwyn giggled at the exchange as I led her across the lobby to the elevators, and soon enough we were at my floor.

The scent of her perfume or shampoo found me as she passed me and stepped out of the elevator. I welcomed the distraction from the headier, more masculine scent I hadn't been able to erase from my mind since last night, feeling as though Travis had laced it with some sort of addictive quality.

"This place is insane. That elevator…" She shook her head. If you weren't accustomed to places like the Towers, then it was like stepping into a whole new world, which was why people begged for the invite to East and West's parties. People wanted to see how the one percent lived.

"This is me," I said, opening the door to the condo, unsure of what I wanted to find waiting for us. But as soon as we stepped inside, the sound of the TV let me know Travis was home.

My stomach flipped, those knots tightening as I took Bronwyn's hand and led her out of the foyer, and like a moth to a flame, my eyes immediately found him.

Travis was sitting on the couch, his long legs stretched out in front of him on the coffee table. He wore a pair of loose grey sweats that looked comfy, and his black t-shirt was tight enough to show off the body that had pressed me up against the club wall last night.

Not that I remembered—much.

"Someone doesn't answer his texts," Travis called out, but when I didn't answer, he rolled his head on the tall cushion to look over at me. His eyes went immediately to Bronwyn before meeting mine, and a small smile played at his lips. "Ah, I see."

Bronwyn nudged me, and I swallowed a sigh.

"Bronwyn, this is Travis. Travis, Bronwyn."

"Hi." She grinned, and just like that, Travis turned on the charm.

"Aren't you a looker." He propped his chin on his arm. "And what pretty blonde hair you have."

His dig at me set my teeth on edge, but she blushed.

"Make sure my guy treats you right." He winked at her, and I took her hand, leading her to my room and flipping Travis off when her back was turned.

His answering laugh echoed down the hall, and I was grateful to shut my door and block him out.

Well, that got his attention, even if I wasn't sure my message had been received the way I wanted.

Bronwyn set her purse on my desk and walked over to the window. "Wow, what a view."

"Yeah, it's not bad." I shoved my hands in my pockets, suddenly feeling awkward now that it was just the two of us. But this was what I wanted. She was hot, she was interested, and God knew I needed a night to forget and just feel.

"So." She turned around and leaned against the wall, putting her curvy body on display. "You gonna stand over there all night?"

Pushing down my unease, I strode forward and let my eyes trail down her body. Her blonde hair cascaded down over her full breasts, and the minidress she wore made her tanned legs look a mile long.

Think about those wrapping around you. Imagine lowering that top a few inches and taking her into your mouth?—

A knock on the door interrupted my perusal. What the hell did he want? To join in? "Fuck off."

Bronwyn smirked and moved off the wall as he knocked again. This time, I yanked open the door.

"What?"

Travis held up a bottle of lube in one hand and a handful of condoms in the other. "I wanted to make sure you're stocked and ready to go."

I scowled at his smartass face. "I've got it under control."

"Well, I just know how hard up you've been lately." He grinned. "You can never be too prepared. Especially with such a sexy body waiting?—"

"Thank you, Travis." I slammed the door in his face and locked it.

"He's…helpful." Bronwyn twirled her hair between her fingers and moved in close. "I'm impressed he thought you'd need so many. That bodes well for me…"

Shit, my cock wasn't exactly responding yet, and now I needed to go all night? Had this turned into a spectacularly bad idea?

No. She was here because I wanted her to be.

I reached for her waist and pulled her in close. As my hands roamed over her body, she arched into me and lifted her chin. Even with sky-high heels on, she barely came up to my shoulders, and I had to bend down to give her the kiss she was all but begging for.

Her pouty lips met mine, but they were slick with a thick gloss that tasted faintly like strawberries. I couldn't get a feel for her skin through the layers, and it caused a slippery slide that might've worked for lubing my cock, but it wasn't doing shit to get me riled up.

Oh so casually, I moved away from her lips and kissed down her neck, leaving trails of gloss down her skin to wipe it off mine.

She practically purred, gently running her nails over my abs as she tilted her head to the side to give me better access. Closing my eyes, I tried to get into it, but Travis knocked on my door again.

"One sec." Annoyance and relief warred inside me as I unlocked the door and threw it open. "Is our place on fire, or do you need something?"

"Nooo, but you might." Travis held up a pair of handcuffs. "I got these last week and thought I'd share."

He was fucking ridiculous.

"Bronwyn, give us a minute, would you?" I shoved Travis out of the doorway and shut the door behind me.God he was a pain in the ass."Are you insane?" I hissed, glaring at the self-satisfied expression on his face.

"Nope." Travis slipped one of his hands into his pocket, and my eyes automatically followed the move. Something he didn't miss, judging by his low chuckle. "Quite sane, actually, and rather brilliant, if I do say so myself."

The twinkle in his eyes made me grip the door handle a little tighter. He was up to something. "Brilliant?"

"Mhmm." Travis took a step forward, closing the distance between us. "You see, I wanted you out here with me, and here you are. So my plan worked brilliantly."

I narrowed my eyes, realizing what a monumentally bad idea this had been. What had I been thinking bringing a girl back here? There was no way to teach Travis a lesson. No way to one-up him when it came to using sex to make a point.

"You really think you can just take what you want, don't you?"

Travis's eyes lowered to my mouth, and he licked his lips. "If that was the case, I'd be a lot less frustrated right now."

I shook my head. I was the one orchestrating things tonight, not him. But then he took a step forward, and my back met with the door.

"What are you trying to prove in there? That last night didn't happen? That you're straight?"

All of that. But I wouldn't confess my confusion to him. Not when he'd just throw it right back in my face.

Travis put a hand up on the doorframe, and I was immediately thrust back into the club last night—the empty nook, the dark shadows, the electrifying feelings that coursed through me when he moved in close, and my dick kicked behind the zipper of my pants.

Fuck. Of course it decides to come to life now.

"I'm not trying to prove anything."

What a crock of shit that was, and judging by the smirk that hit Travis's lips, he knew it.

"Uh huh, sure. Nice lip gloss, by the way. Cherry or strawberry?"I turned my head, about to tell him to fuck off, but he whispered across my lips, "Or maybe I should just lick it off and find out for myself."

I trembled at the threat, and I wasn't sure if it was from fear or desire—maybe a bit of both. I didn't want this. But apparently my body had other ideas, because now my erection was standing tall.

"Send her home."

"What?"

"Send her home," he said again, then shifted until our bodies were flush. "I can give you what you want."

I shook my head. But Travis wasn't buying it, probably because my dick was trying to start a fire with his.

"All you have to do is say the words. It's that easy."

"You mean you are." If I'd thought that would hurt his feelings, I was in for disappointment.

"For you, I'd be so fucking easy. Tell me you don't want that. Tell me you haven't imagined what I'd do to you."

This was getting me nowhere fast. I'd come out here to tell Travis to get lost, and now I was thinking about all the things he might do with that indecent mouth.

"Still not sure?" he said, taking a step back and running his eyes down my body. "That's cool. I'm going to go have a shower and, uh, take care of this."

He reached down and rubbed the thick bulge in his sweatpants, and the ache between my legs intensified.

"You should take that back to your girl in there. But Caleb?"

"What?" I muttered, annoyed at him and myself.

"Just remember who gave it to you."

He winked and turned on his bare feet, and I knew there was no way I'd be taking anything back to Bronwyn. Not when the only thing I'd be able to think about was Travis naked in the shower, getting himself off to me.