Flawless Prize

JULIET

In the morning,when I wake in Caleb’s sprawling bed, I’m alone.

I sit up on my elbows and look around, ‘what ifs’ swarming my mind. What if he’s already regretting last night—letting his guard down? Letting me in? What if he’s still stuck on protecting me?

What if ‘forever’ didn’t mean a thing?

I suddenly can’t stand to wait around and find out. His shirt’s draped over the footboard, but I don’t put it on. Instead, I fish around for my thong and bra, finding them scattered all over the room. I slip them on, pull my clothes over my head, and grab my shoes, ready to make my walk of shame back to Mara’s alone.

But when I open the bedroom door, I hear noises from the kitchen. I smell coffee. At the end of the hallway, I find Caleb, wearing nothing but sweatpants, pouring coffee into two mugs.

“You’re up,” he says, giving me a sleepy morning smile.

My heart leaps.

He stayed.

“What time is it?” I ask, moving closer with a yawn. Damn if this man doesn’t look irresistible in the mornings, all tanned skin and mussed hair.

“Just after nine.”

He hands me a mug of coffee, eyes raking over my hastily assembled outfit. “Going somewhere?”

I blush.

“I thought you went to work.”

“Funny thing about that… When you own the place, you get to make your own hours.” He smirks as he brings the coffee to his lips. “Besides, I thought I gave you permission to work from home.”

I grin. “You did… But last I checked, sleeping in the boss’s bed doesn’t count as work.”

“Who said anything about sleeping?” Caleb leans in and gives me a sizzling kiss.

I melt happily against him, my fears dissolving in the morning sun.

He draws back. “How are you feeling today?” he asks, gently touching the bruise on my forehead.

“OK. Better,” I say. “No thanks to the workout last night.”

He chuckles. “I forgot. I’ll be gentle next time. Now, sit. Eat. We need to keep up your strength.”

Caleb steers me to the dining table, where he has a whole spread set up—pancakes and scrambled eggs and sausage and fruit.

He pulls out a chair for me, then settles me in, even filling a plate for me. “I told you, I feel better,” I protest, feeling spoiled. “I don’t need you to play nursemaid.”

“How about Doctor?” Caleb asks with a wink, and I laugh, relaxing.

“OK, maybe that…”

He sits down beside me, nursing his coffee. I take a forkful of eggs and when I look up, he’s watching me carefully. “Aren’t you eating?” I ask, self-conscious.

He shakes his head. “Not so early.”

“Well, you probably have a lot to do today. Don’t let me get in the way of it…”

But Caleb doesn’t move. “There’s nothing more important than this.”

“Oh really?” I tease, my voice light. “So, nothing more important than the mob boss blackmailing you and demanding payment, or the hostile takeover Olivia and Sebastian Wolfe are planning for the company, or the fact that your whole family’s reputation is on the line?”