“What wouldn’t I mind?” I heard his voice as soon as footsteps started to run down the stairs. I didn’t even have to turn myself around to know that it was Caleb this time. I had no idea where Nana had disappeared to. By the looks of it, she had just walked away from the house once I had come knocking, maybe she was back at the stables? I surely didn’t hear her around the house right now.“You wouldn’t mind if I made sure to Miss Reese over here, to be aware of the fire risk out here,” Zach spoke using a darn good poker face.“We have a lot of dry weather here, and the grass is pretty tall. I don’t want to see anyone get hurt.” He spoke as he turned his back to his brother, sending me a playful wink behind his back.“Thanks for letting me know.” I smiled back at Zach, forcing myself not to laugh out loud. As soon as I turned myself around to look at Caleb, I saw how he walked straight my way, smiling that dangerous smile of his. He was wearing a pair of light blue jeans and a brown t-
Caleb’s P.O.V. As I had finished showing Reese around the land where I wanted to build my own home, I had found myself drawn to her even more. Maybe it was the fact that she had actually come today after school like she had promised me she would. Maybe it was seeing her walking around on the Loup ranch grounds as if she actually belonged there. Hell, maybe it was the fact that she was walking around on a piece of grass where I was about to build a home, not only for myself but for her as well, not that I was telling her that little fact already. At least, that was if my inner wolf had something to say about the matter. When I had spoken to my brothers, they had all told me that after my injury and my abrupt ending as a professional athlete, how they wanted me to find a new dream, a new meaning to my life, a new goal. And maybe I had just told Reese that building a home was that new meaning… what I really meant to say to her, was that my new meaning in life, my new goal… it was her.No
Caleb's P.O.V.“Her ex-boyfriend fucked her up, and now, she has trouble letting me in.” I sighed, my fingers gripping the steering wheel a little harder since speaking about that fucker out loud made me angry.“OK. Hear me out,” Jake spoke, looking out in front of him at the road.“That ex-boyfriend of hers is wherever the hell he is, doing whatever the hell he pleases. Right here, right now, you are here. Reese is here. You are going to be the guy that she will come to to keep her company. You’re the one that is texting her every day and every night, and don’t give me that look, I can hear your phone vibrate all the way to my room, wolf hearing and all.” He stated, making me roll my eyes at him because all of a sudden he sounded more like a father than a brother to me. “So, good luck. Go get her, chaise her, make her yours. Label whatever you want to get labeled.” He smiled at me, leaning in closer.“And besides, you don’t have the willpower to resist her either, your wolf will mak
Caleb’s P.O.V.“Caleb is an incredible hockey player, and you’re only calling out on him for his injury because you know that he would wipe the floor with Florida’s team if he would be at his full strength. Hell, he’ll wipe the floor with you WITH an injury!” Reese yelled, sticking out her finger and probably giving the man the look she would give her students whenever they were crossing a line. I could not help but feel my chest swell, along with my dick, seeing and hearing how Reese was sticking up for me, trying to protect me even though I knew for a fact that she had never seen me play on the ice. Fuck… it made me want to throw her over my shoulder, take her home so I could have my way with her, ending with her having my mark on her body so no other guy would ever dare to look her way ever again. The guys standing with the troublemaker already sent me an apologetic look, but all I cared about was hearing what else my woman had to say. Fuck… hearing her so angry somehow was freakis
“Actually, I’m pretty busy tonight. It’s my brother Zach’s birthday.” Caleb finally said, bursting my bubble.“Oh,” I responded, trying to keep the disappointment out of my voice.“Yeah, sorry about that,” Caleb continued.“I promised to celebrate his birthday with him, it’s kind of a family tradition and all.” He added, as I felt a lump form in my throat. Caleb was going to celebrate his brother’s birthday, meaning he was not going to spend his time with me, or even worse… not ask me to join him and his family for his brother’s birthday celebration.maybe he really doesn’t feel the same way as I did?Wouldn’t he ask me to join him, if he wanted more with me than just being friends?He had said he wanted to explore this 'thing that was growing' between us...maybe I was now the one that was rushing things?“That’s OK.” I said, trying to keep my voice steady.“I have plans too, anyway.” I added, nodding mostly at myself, in the hopes that my words would make me feel strong. Which they
Reese’s P.O.V.I turned myself around, facing the bartender so I could ask him for a drink and at the same time hide my blush from Caleb.“No, I’m not jealous at all. I don’t even have any reason to be jealous in the first place.” I answered him matter-of-factly. “In fact, I’m so ‘not jealous’ right now, that I won’t even bother you for the rest of the evening, especially when you seem to be so… busy,” I spoke, before lifting my hand in the air, finally getting the attention of the man behind the bar, finally.“A martini, please!” I shouted over the music, giving Caleb my back and nothing more. I was pissed and right now, I needed time to cool off, so instead of giving Caleb any more attention so he could piss me off even more, I took my drink and walked over to Dana, saying hi to my coworkers and sticking out my hand to meet some of her friends who I had never seen before.“Hi, I’m Reese.”I shouldn’t even have felt down when Caleb seemed to take the hint and stepped away from me. B
Reese’s P.O.V. As soon as I knew that the creepy guy called Jef Markle had walked away, I turned myself back around, my eyes scanning the bar to make sure I would find Dana. Caleb had loosened his grip on me, but his arm was still very much there, and in the meantime, ever since I had been to the bathroom, more and more people had shown up inside this place, so now, I was forced to have my body close to his.Very, very closemaybe even too close for my self-control…Darnit... “Are you trying to run away from me again, gorgeous? Because let me tell you, it was my job to chase after a tiny puck on slippery ice, grab it and score with it. If I can do it with a puck, don’t be mistaken, I can and I will chase you again. And just like on the ice, I will win.” He told me as he leaned down so closely that his lips were against my ear. The crowded bar pulsed with energy, the music thumping in my ears. Or maybe that was my own heartbeat I was feeling? Who could really tell at this point? I st
Caleb’s P.O.V. I sensed her turmoil, so I stopped walking and turned to face her. Her gaze burned with intensity, her eyes filled with a mix of frustration and affection at the same time. And I sighed, as I tried to find the right words to say to the most stubborn woman that I had ever met in my life.“Reese, I need you to listen to me for a second,” I said, my voice steady but laced with vulnerability.“I get why you are scared here, but you have to know that my feelings for you go beyond any superficial desire. What we have between us, it’s real, and I care about you deeply.” I watched her as her eyes welled with tears, her defenses slowly beginning to crumble. Thank you, alcohol!“I’m terrified.” She gasped before she pressed her lips together. Looking like a little bird that needed to be saved. And I felt my own expression soften, my hand reaching out to gently cup her cheek.“Oh gorgeous, you have to believe me. You are not just another name for me. I have never felt this way be