Semua Bab Off Limits : Bab 31 - Bab 40

CallieThe cool air of the early morning clung to my damp skin as I stepped carefully onto the patio.Last night's swim still burned through me. The way Grayson’s hands had claimed me, the heat of our bodies colliding in the water, the way the moonlight had glinted off his skin.I wrapped a towel around myself, shivering slightly. My pulse was still racing from him.I spotted him stretching near the pool edge, shirtless and impossibly perfect in the gray dawn. The sight stole my breath.“Morning,” I whispered, trying to sound casual, though my voice trembled slightly.He turned, eyes locking on me, dark and hungry even in the early light. “You’re insane,” he said, voice low, teasing. “Still thinking about last night?”I swallowed hard, feeling heat crawl up my neck. “Maybe a little.”He smirked, the kind that made my chest ache and my stomach flutter. “Good. Because I’ve b

Callie The town buzzed in that summer way that always seemed to cling to my skin. The annual barbecue festival has started. The smell of charred corn husks and sizzling meat mixed with the sweetness of kettle corn and the faint smoke from a distant bonfire. Music drifted from the stage at the far end, upbeat and happy, layered with the laughter of kids darting between tables, popsicle juice running down their wrists. Couples strolled lazily, hands joined together.I trailed after Mia, sandals crunching over gravel as she walked us through the crowd. I hadn’t wanted to come, but when did Mia ever let me hide?“You need to stop locking yourself in that room,” she had said earlier, tossing clothes at me until I finally gave in. “It is summer, Callie. You are supposed to enjoy it. Pretend to, at least.”So here I was, my braid had slipped loose from the humidity, skin sticky, already wishing I was anywhere else.“Go grab us drinks,” Mia said now, pointing to a long table lined with pa

Callie I slipped from Grayson’s room as quietly as I could, heart beating fast from the intensity, the possessive claim he had in every fiber of me. My braid hung loose, damp strands sticking to my neck, and my thoughts tangled in the way his hands and lips had owned me completely. I had to move, Mia could be back from the festival at any moment. I walked down the hallway, careful with each step. My fingers held the doorknob of my room, and just as I was about to slip inside… “Going somewhere, sneaky?” I froze. Mia stood in the doorway of her room, one eyebrow raised, the corner of her mouth tugging into a teasing smirk. “Uh… nothing,” I whispered, trying to smooth my expression. She stepped closer, rolling her eyes. “Really? Because you look like someone just got caught doing something very interesting.” Heat flushed my cheeks. “I just… needed a little air,” I mumbled, moving past her. Mia’s laughter followed me softly as I shut the door behind me. I pressed my back again

Callie I moved through the kitchen, my fingers brushing over the cool countertop, but my mind wasn’t on breakfast. The smell of coffee lingered in the air, and the morning sunlight slanted across the countertop. Every corner of the room blurred around me as I replayed Mary’s smile. I could still feel her prying at my insecurities, making me doubt myself in ways I hadn’t felt in years. My stomach tightened at the thought, a mix of frustration and unease twisting inside me. And then there was Grayson. His dark, unreadable gaze haunted my memory, following me with an intensity that left me shivering in ways that had nothing to do with the air conditioning. “Callie,” Grayson’s voice cut through my thoughts. He was leaning casually against the doorway, arms crossed, watching me like he could see straight into my chest. “You have been quiet this morning. Something on your mind?” My pulse skipped a beat. I forced a casual shrug, trying to sound normal. “No… just tired.” I hated the

CallieThe bell above the cafe door chimed softly as I stepped inside, and for a moment the warmth of the place wrapped around me like a blanket. The air was thick with the scent of roasted beans and cinnamon, chatter floating lazily between tables, punctuated by the clink of mugs against saucers.It should have been comforting. A normal morning in town, people gossiping over pastries, students hunched over laptops. But my stomach twisted as if I had swallowed stones.I kept my head down while I ordered, my voice barely audible above the noise. Then I slipped into a corner seat near the window, hoping the world would forget I was here.It didn’t.Through the glass, across the street, Mary stood with her hand looped casually through a shopping bag, chatting animatedly with Mrs. Maxwell from the post office. Her laugh was bright, but her eyes didn’t belong to her smile. They flicked toward me once, twice, too many times for coincidence.I gripped the coffee mug between my palms, heat bu