Bent Not Broken (A Cedar Creek #1) (24 page)

I gasped in shock, looked around, then slapped his arm while I hissed through my teeth, “Cal, shut up!”

“Why?” He was still amused.

Actually, it looked like he was getting more so by the second, which in turn made me getting more pissed by the second. And when I was pissed, I couldn’t always control what came out of my mouth.

“I’m glad I amuse you, honey, but it’s nobody’s business that you pulled me out of bed an hour ago when I was not done sleeping and then commenced in giving me two out of this world orgasms before I even had that first drop of coffee!”

Seeing as I was pissed I could not only
not
control what was coming out of my mouth, I also could not control the volume at which the words were coming out of my mouth. Which meant that I was unknowingly screeching for all and sundry to hear what Cal and I had been doing in the last hour, thus ironically doing the exact opposite of what I was telling Cal to do.

Cal pressed his lips together in an effort not to laugh. I growled and narrowed my eyes to slits.

Cal burst out laughing, head thrown back, loud out laughing. As he had done once before, he buried his face in my neck as he continued shaking with laughter. This time, though, I wasn’t giving in. I kept my body stiff and waited for him to be done. When he lifted his head again, his shoulders were still shaking. Upon seeing my frown still firmly in place he kissed me.

Not kissed me, but
kissed
me.

In front of the diner where everyone could see.

A full on, full tongue, wet and hot kiss.

When he was done, he didn’t move back but kept his lips touching mine and said with laughter still lacing his voice, “Out of this world, huh? Baby, if it wasn’t written all over your face that I just fucked you and fucked you good, your screeching it across town probably didn’t help in keeping that quiet.”

My body stiffened and my eyes grew wide in embarrassment.

Cal pressed his mouth firmer to mine and pulled my body more tightly into his to keep me from retreating. His tongue again demanded entrance and I was such a floozy that I couldn’t resist him and opened my mouth under his. When he went deep and touched his tongue to mine, my body instantly melted into his and I kissed him back.

“Baby, no reason to be embarrassed,” Cal said gently and, yes, you guessed it, still amused. “Don’t you get it yet? I want everyone to know you’re mine. That includes them seeing that I give it to you so good that your face is still flushed and your eyes shine bright hours later. I will kiss you wherever and whenever I want, however I want. Get used to it, baby, because for you and me, this is it.” After that only slightly terrifying statement he turned me back into his side, kissed my temple, and walked us into the diner.

I was too stunned to say anything and thus, let him drag me with him stiffly.

Cal found a table by the window. Thinking about me being a complete dork on top of my face still being flushed from the fantastic sex I had been introduced to just an hour ago and everyone being able to tell, had me fidget in my seat. I was sure the kiss Cal just lay on me didn’t help with my not-being-flushed complexion, either. Add the fact that I was now officially Cal’s woman and his promise that he would make sure everyone knew it, and I was turning into a nervous mess. I wasn’t sure where to look, didn’t want to make eye contact with anyone, so I decided to stare out the window until my coffee arrived and I had something else to focus on.

While I was waiting, I had my chin resting in one hand while the fingers of the other were tapping against the tabletop. Cal of course, was sitting beside me and had claimed me with an arm behind the back of my seat. I knew he was looking at me, could practically feel his eyes burning a hole into the side of my face, but I pretended I didn’t notice and kept staring out the window.

His hand came down on top of my fidgeting one, and he laced his fingers through mine. That surprised me and I gave a small start. My eyes went to our joined hands. This very intimate gesture of interlacing his fingers with mine, his thumb gliding back and forth in small movements, made me relax and freak out at the same time. I wasn’t used to this kind of intimacy, especially not in public.

Heck, apart from Cal taking me out to dinner two nights ago, I hadn’t even been on a real date in the last ten years. This public display of intimacy was making me uncomfortable and insecure. Not knowing how to react without being a dork and making another scene that would probably enhance my flush again, I just kept staring at our intertwined hands, not sure what to think or where to even begin.

“What are you nervous about?” Cal quietly mumbled only for me to hear, taking me out of my quiet but intense inner freak out.

“Um—” I wasn’t so sure myself, since there was a lot to be nervous about.

“Ivey, most people in town already knew this would happen eventually. I’ve been stalking you for a week, and for everyone who knows me my intentions were clear. My ma has been trying to throw you into my path for the last nine years and she is a talker, so you can be sure that she shared her opinion on that matter. Mostly everyone will be happy for us. Though, I don’t really care what they think, and neither should you. All that counts is making each other happy.”

That was a nice thing to say, and he was probably right.

Ruth had told me last week that Cal behaved like he was my man and a lot of people had witnessed our episodes in the bookstore or our run-ins in town. None of them had said anything nasty or given me the impression that they didn’t approve of us as a couple. On the contrary. Everyone seemed to already have accepted us as if they had known it would eventually happen and were relieved it finally had.

But I had no experience with this sort of thing.

“That’s not it. What makes me nervous is that all of a sudden, I’m a part of an us. I don’t know how to do this, Cal.” My anxiety was clear in my voice.

“I haven’t done this in a long time either, baby, but we’ll figure it out together. That’s the whole point of being an us. You gave yourself to me yesterday when you let me take care of you after that asshole threw a fit in your bookstore, when you let me cook for you and feed you in my house, last night when you let me take care of you in a different way and then stayed the night wrapped up in my arms. And again this morning when we took care of each other. I promise you, Ivey, if you let me in, I’ll treat you with care. Always. Have faith in me. Have faith in
us.
” His words and the obvious and unwavering sincerity in his eyes did a great deal in the way of settling me down. He was right. I was being a baby about this. Cal had made it very clear that from the start that I had his undivided attention whenever he was with me. That he didn’t care who saw us hug or snuggle or kiss. So I couldn’t say that I hadn’t known what I was getting myself into. I had decided to give this a chance, which meant I couldn’t hold on to my strict rules since they didn’t apply here, couldn’t apply to the type of relationship Cal and I were starting. We were building something together. Something important. I could feel it. Yes, it had only been a few days of actually being together, but it already felt more solid and real than any relationship I had ever had. Yes, it was scary and made me nervous and it probably would for a while. Only time would help me get over my issues. So I’d give it time. I nodded.

“Okay, honey, you’re right. But please be patient and go easy on me. It’s a lot and we’re going fast. We’ve only been on one date. And that was two days ago.”

“Baby, I can be patient, and I’m gonna try and go easy on you. But Ivey, easy does not mean I’m going to back off and give you a chance to rebuild those fucking walls of yours. You think we’re going fast and you’re right, we are. But just to be clear, for me, with you, it can’t go fast enough. I’ve wasted enough time. Nine years to be exact. I’m not going to waste any more. So you can get freaked out all you want and I understand why you’re freaked and will have a mind to that. But I promise you, baby, now that you’ve let me in, there is no fucking way I will ever let you push me away or kick me out again. Not ever.”

There was a seriousness and finality in his tone that was impossible to ignore. When he kept speaking, his voice took on a velvety rumble that made me shiver, “And now that I’ve had you, now that I’ve felt your silky heat around me, I know what else I’ve been missing out on. Already, I can’t wait to get inside you again. We’ve got a lot of time to make up for, baby, so brace.” He was telling me what to expect, but he didn’t give me any time to respond when he took my mouth again in a quick but deep open-mouthed kiss. His eyes were open and blazing, telling me that he had every intention to follow through on everything he had just said and more.

Oh, God.

I couldn’t help but want that.

I wanted everything he promised and more.

God help me, but I wanted it all.

Cal

After their breakfast, which according to Cal could not have gone better, since judging by the chuckles—from the men—, giggles and snickers—from the women and children—, and comments—again from the men, which caused more chuckles—and looks, his public displays of affection before, during, and after their meal had had the intended effect in making it crystal clear who Ivey belonged to—which incidentally made Ivey more and more uncomfortable, which turned into her getting pissed at him again, and thus, making it hard for him to hide his amusement, since she was hilarious and cute when she was mad—he dropped her off at her house before he had to get to work.

He was trying really hard to control his amusement.

Ivey was cute as hell when she was grumpy.

Shoulders shaking, he parked his truck in front of her porch. She gave him one last glare over her shoulder, making Cal burst out laughing for the third time that morning, before she jumped out of his truck and stomped up her front steps.

Cute.

And sexy as hell.

Watching her ass swaying in those made-for-her jeans made his dick twitch yet again. Seemed like his dick had its own mind when he was around Ivey. Or when he wasn’t, and his mind was on her. He had made her come three times last night and this morning, had been inside her just a few short hours ago, and still, he couldn’t wait until tonight to hear her moan his name again. Ivey could excite him like no other woman. Like a horny teenager, everything she did brought his cock to attention. More often than not he had to concentrate hard to make his dick calm down. Just like him, he couldn’t wait to be inside her again, to feel her wet heat pulsate around him.

Just like right now, watching her sweet ass sway in those sweet jeans made him instantly go hard.

Ivey had made it to her door and was rifling through her purse by the time he could tear his eyes from her ass and his mind off all the things he planned on doing to her tonight. He opened his door, swung his feet out, then took three long strides up her steps, grabbed her around her waist, turned her around, and pushed her until her back hit the wall next to her now open door. Then he gave in to his need and kissed her again. A long, deep, searching kiss that he knew had to tie him over until tonight.

Too fucking long. Maybe he would be able to get away for lunch and pay her a surprise visit.

He pressed his body into hers, grinding, needing more, always needing more from her. He would never tire of her, would never be able to get his fill. He knew this even after just one night.

When he tore his mouth from hers, both of them were breathing hard. He pulled his head back a little to look at her face and was satisfied to see that he had succeeded in making her forget her snit and putting that lost-in-a-daze look on her face that he loved so much. Cal had no qualms about using her undeniable attraction to him to his advantage whenever he needed to. He would do whatever it took to get his hooks in her, to make her need him so desperately that leaving him would be the furthest thing from her mind.

These past two days he had made it through, had cracked her shield, had kept at her walls like a battering ram until they lay in ruins.

And he had every intention of giving her no chance whatsoever to rebuild them.

She had come out of her shell a little more and started to trust him, not fully, but he was going to get her there. Though he also knew, she still hadn’t quite come to terms with trusting them as a couple. He sensed that she wanted to, but he also sensed that she was still too afraid of what that might mean. She would seek out reasons to doubt him and the sincerity and reality of their relationship, so the best chance he figured, was to constantly keep her on her toes, to overwhelm her with their almost carnal attraction and chemistry, and to slowly but steadily make his way into her heart by showing her the real him and the future they would have until he had all of her.

“Done being pissed at me?” He couldn’t help himself but tease, which seemed to snap her out of her daze and narrow his eyes at him yet again. She straightened her shoulders in preparation to push him away, which of course he didn’t let happen and instead, moved into her even further, pinning her body to the wall with his. Before she could open her mouth and hiss or shout at him some more, he pressed his closed lips to hers again and whispered there, “I would love to go another round with you, baby. Believe me, you’ve got me all kinds of turned on,” he emphasized that by grinding into her, showing her exactly what she was doing to him, “but I gotta get to work.”