Flawless Desire

He raises his hands. “Woah, it’s OK. Just tell me what’s wrong and I’ll fix it.”

“You can’t.” I shake my head. “It’s my mother’s nursing home. They’re kicking her out.”

He frowns. “What facility is it?”

“Meadow View, out in Queens,” I reply. He whips out his phone. “What are you doing?” I ask, my anxiety rising.

Caleb taps at the screen, then puts it to his ear.

“Caleb,” I try, confused, but he just holds up a finger to me. “Yes, I need to speak with someone about a patient, by the name of Nichols.”

Dread sweeps through me. What is he doing?

Caleb begins heading back upstairs, talking in a low voice. I hurry to try and catch up.

“Mmmhmm… I understand… Yes, that won’t be necessary. I will be paying the outstanding bill in full. And in future, please direct all financial matters to my attention. I’ll be taking care of them from now on.”

Caleb hangs up, and turns to me. “The problem has been taken care of.” Then he saunters back to his office.

I stop dead in the hallway in disbelief.

What the hell?

I charge after him, and burst through his office doors. “What was that?” I demand. “You think you can just buy me?”

He gives me an even look. “I’m not buying anything. You had a problem, I have the resources to fix it. So I did.”

“But…” I’m speechless. “That place isn’t cheap. She’ll need to stay there for years. Decades, maybe.”

“I understand.” Caleb looks at me with sympathy in his eyes. “You didn’t tell me, about her condition.”

“Because it’s none of your business.”

But my voice falters. He’s really just paid our bill in full—forever?

I’ve heard a lot of things about Caleb Sterling in the past. He’s a thief. He’s blessed in bed. He has an insatiable appetite for women. People have called him hot, egocentric, hard-headed… But no one has ever called him generous.

He takes a step towards me, “Juliet. I know I’ve been… Distant. Careless, even. But I’m not the man you think I am.” His voice is quiet. Sincere. “Give me another chance.”

“See. You did do this just to buy me,” I say in disgust.

“No.” Caleb insists. “If you want to keep things just professional between us, then I swear I won’t ask you again. But you feel it too, this connection. I know you do.”

His eyes blaze into mine, and I can’t deny the rush I feel, just being so close. It’s instinct.

It’s inevitable.

I part my lips, and the word tumbles out.

“Yes.”