Yours Completely (Reign 2)

My lips parted. I wanted to berate Cal with more questions. Like, did he care? When he got home, what would happen? Would I have to see him? Do Cal and I even have long term capabilities?

“You want to know everything?” Cal asked with a slight angry rasp. “Want to know what he said?”

He was the one here. He was the one that fought for me, held me, and lifted me up. While a piece of my heart was with Jack, I couldn’t bear to know what he said. For both Cal and my sake, I shook my head.

“No. I don’t want to know.”

Cal sat back. It was now or never. Time to see just what more we were talking about and if we’d survive it. Just one time, I had to say the truth out loud if there was a real chance moving could be possible.

“I trusted Jack,” I admitted. “I loved him.”

“I know.”

“He’s your best friend.”

“I know that too.”

“So…how can you and I ever really—”

“It will be difficult. You’re right, Jack will come back. His home is here. And when he does, we’ll have some issues to face. Being naïve to that is a waste of time. But what I want is you. Now. The rest we’ll deal with when it happens.”

After Jack, I learned that the best laid plans with promises didn’t even work. So Cal’s notion of flying by the seat of our pants and dealing with it as it came was just as sound of a method to attempt as any other.

I set my tea down on the coffee table and rose. “I’m ready for bed.”

Heat smoldered behind his eyes and he pushed to his feet and picked me up like a princess. I laughed and wrapped my arms around his neck.

“I can walk, you know?”

“Perks of dating a firefighter,” he said, carrying me toward the bedroom.

“So, we’re dating…” I said with a raised brow.

“We’re about to be doing a lot more than that, Kitten.” He kissed me quick, then pushed open his bedroom door with his foot and entered.

It was large with soft cream carpet and wood furnishings. But everything looked rustic and made from actual tree stumps and limbs. Like a cozy cottage. The massive bed had dark blue sheets and pillows, and everything about his room screamed mountain getaway. I loved it.

“You know, I’ve got nothing to sleep in.”

“Exactly,” he said with a smile.

I shimmied down and he let me. One of the best things about Cal was that he was playful and easy. But I had yet to really reciprocate that playfulness. Something I was going to rectify, because I wanted this good mood to last.

“Well, you leave me no choice, I’m going to have to steal something from you,” I said.

“It’s only fair,” he agreed.

I faced him and gently ran my hands beneath his shirt and up his torso. “You should not be wearing all these clothes if we’re set to go to bed.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

I stepped back and watched him kick off his boots, unbutton the first several buttons of his shirt, then peel it over his head, leaving him in bare feet and jeans with a wickedly hot black leather belt.

“Hang on,” I said, taking my time to look him over. His tattoo alone was drool-worthy and I just stood there, ogling him.

“Getting a good look, Kitten?”

“Yes, I am,” I said with no shame. “Now, do a little spin.”