Chapter 4

“Tell me where we’re going, please,” I begged, lying on my bed.

Caleb laughed over the phone, “How will it be a surprise if I tell you now?”

“Okay, then just a hint.”

He smirked. I could feel it. “Dress to kill.”

“I told you if it’s an occasion, I’ll pass,” I reminded him.

“It’s not,” he said simply. “Just us.”

“Okay,” I murmured, pretending to sound unimpressed, though my stomach flipped with anticipation.

Caleb was the guy I’d met at the library, the one who had asked if I was new around campus while pretending to look for a book. He’d turned out to be a graduate, a data analyst working for a company in Wyvern. We’d been talking for a little over a week, and honestly, he seemed like a good guy. Confident, charming, funny in a quiet kind of way. So when he asked me out, I said yes, even though I had no clue where we were going.

I spent forever deciding what to wear before finally settling on a short black bodycon dress and my nude heels from home. The dress hugged my curves and showed just enough to make me second-guess myself every few minutes. The heels made my legs look impossibly long, something I wasn’t mad about. I wasn’t big on makeup, but I brushed on a bit of foundation and nude lipstick. My light brown skin didn’t need much.

He picked me up around seven, wearing light brown pants and a cream-white cardigan that somehow made him look both soft and expensive. His cologne filled the car, warm, spicy, a little addictive.

He drove us to an outdoor restaurant that immediately took my breath away. The roof was made of dark wooden planks that crisscrossed above us, strings of golden bulbs dangling like stars at every intersection. There were no walls, no doors, just the night breeze wrapping around the space, carrying the faint scent of grilled food and wine.

We sat at a small table for two. Around us, the low hum of conversation mixed with soft jazz from hidden speakers. I was quietly relieved that I wasn’t overdressed or underdressed. Everyone there wore that perfect blend of casual and classy that only locals seem to master.

Dinner was good. I went for my safe option, chicken and chips. They served it with vegetables, onions, and a bowl of sauce that tasted faintly of pepper and herbs. We talked about random things, music, movies, and sports. I liked that he didn’t try too hard. He made it easy to communicate with him.

When we were done, he paid the bill before I could even pretend to reach for my purse.

“The night’s still young,” he said as we walked toward the parking lot.

I checked my phone, 10:03 p.m. “Actually, it’s not,” I countered, laughing.

He smiled. “What are you doing tomorrow?”

“Nothing really. I told you about that online job, it’s self-paced, paid by the hour,” I said.

“When do you start?”

“Next week.”

“Then come to my place. I want to show you something.”

I squinted at him. “What do you want to show me?”

“You don’t like surprises, do you?”

“I do,” I said, smiling, “but I love asking about them.”

He grinned at that, and that grin was dangerous. Effortless. I felt my pulse quicken as I followed him to his car.

I knew it wasn’t the smartest thing to go home with a man I barely knew, but something about him made me feel safe, or maybe I just wanted to believe I was safe. I hadn’t been touched in weeks, and the loneliness had been loud lately. And, honestly, my roommate and his girlfriend had been driving me insane with their late-night moans.

When we got to his place, he unlocked the door with a card. The apartment was neat, two rooms, a minimalist setup, the kind of space that told you he cared about comfort but not clutter.

He gestured toward the couch. “Make yourself at home.”

I sat down, and he disappeared briefly before returning with a bottle of wine and two glasses.

“Is this what you wanted to show me?” I teased.

“Have some wine first,” he said, pouring it for both of us.

“Don’t your feet hurt?” he asked suddenly, kneeling to slip off my heels before I could answer.

They didn’t, not really, but I didn’t stop him. His touch lingered just a second too long, his fingers brushing the arch of my foot. That caught my breath.

“Thank you,” I said softly as he placed the shoes aside and sat next to me.

“Can I tell you something, and you promise not to get mad?” he asked, his tone lighter now, almost boyish.

I turned to him. “Go ahead.”

“I don’t have anything to show you,” he confessed. “I just wanted you here. I like your company.”

“Oh, really?” I said, hiding a smile behind my glass.

“You promised not to get mad.”

“I’m not.”

And I wasn’t. Part of me had known already. Maybe even hoped for it.

“Really?” he asked, studying my face.

“For real,” I said, meeting his gaze.

For a moment, neither of us spoke. The quiet between us thickened, electric. I wasn’t thinking about danger, or common sense, or anything that made sense. All I could think about was how close he was and how much I wanted him to be closer.

He smiled faintly. “Thank you.”

“Welcome.”

He shifted, turning on the couch so that one leg was folded beneath him, facing me completely now. I mirrored him, my knees brushing his thigh.

“I know we’ve been talking for over a week,” he said, his voice lower now, “but tell me one thing about yourself you haven’t told me yet.”

“I think I’ve told you everything. I’m an open book.”

“Open book?”

“Yes. Ask me anything.”

His eyes glinted. “When was the last time you had sex?”

The question caught me off guard, but I smiled instead of flinching. “Two weeks ago,” I said lightly.

He didn’t react, just watched me, his expression unreadable.

“With whom?” he asked next, his voice rougher, eyes narrowing just slightly.

I looked down. That wasn’t a topic I wanted to discuss. “How ab…”

“Look at me when you talk, love,” he said, lifting my chin with his fingers.

That single touch sent shivers down my spine. I swallowed hard, trying to keep my voice steady.

“When was the last time you had sex, Caleb?” I asked, dodging.

He smiled. “You sure you want to know?”

“Never mind,” I said quickly, glancing around to steady myself. “Your place looks good.”

“Thank you,” he replied, his gaze still locked on me. “I try.”

The silence that followed was thick, charged. Even someone deaf to emotion would’ve felt the heat building in that room. My heartbeat echoed in my ears. His hand brushed against mine.

I could feel it then, the inevitable pull between us. And before either of us said another word, it was already too late to pretend otherwise.

“So,” I began to say, but he held my face and shut me up with a kiss. It was a passionate, mouthwatering kiss. His lips filled mine, his tongue playing with mine, and I felt dizzy from that, and the throbbing between my legs got even worse, but I couldn’t be the one to push it further; I needed him to take the lead. 

As if reading my mind, I felt his hand going close to my breast, and then he stopped and looked at me.

“Is this okay?” he whispered with that deep raspy voice of he’s that I loved, looking into my eyes. I shook my head yes. I was drenched down there. 

“I need words, baby,” he said, sounding out of breath, “words.”

“It’s okay.”

Almost immediately, he was on me, laying me down on the couch, playing with my nipples, while he kissed the hell out of my lips, making love to them and causing me to beg for more, even as I felt out of breath. I couldn’t speak, so I looked him in the eyes. I had to make him understand I needed more.

His hand left my right breast and traveled down my belly, as he played for some time with my navel. I felt like I was going to come before he actually fucked me. After playing with my navel, his hand traveled down until it stopped at the entrance of my pussy, and he stopped and took a long breath.

“Fuck,” I screamed and lifted my body, with both my hands covering my face, when he inserted his middle finger in me.

“You like that?” he stopped and asked.

“Don’t stop,” I panted, as I held his hand and started moving it; it felt too good.

While he fucked me with his middle finger, he used his thumb to finger my clit, and sucked my nipples one after the other. Within seconds, I was coming; I felt like I was breaking some bones in my body, with how intense the vibrations came in. It felt like an eternity before I calmed down and lay completely still on the couch. I felt weak, breathing heavily as I struggled to open my eyes.

When I finally did open my eyes, Caleb was staring down at me, smiling. That made me shy, and I tried to put my dress back in place, but he stopped me. “Don’t,” he said as he held my hand.

He started giving me slow kisses again, and I could feel how horny I was still, but I was weak; I needed a minute.

“Can I get some water?” I asked him.

“Sure”.

He came back with a glass of fresh water, and while I drank, he played with my breasts.

“Give me a minute, please.”