Our Now and Forever (Ardent Springs #2) (14 page)

So Piper did say something. Gerald was a smart man.

“I assure you,” Caleb said, loading his fork with potatoes, “I did nothing to encourage the woman.”

Snow’s eyes went wide. “So you know Piper wants you?”

The woman had done everything but write her number across his palm. Of course he knew. “She wasn’t exactly subtle, but I barely spoke to her,” he defended. “And it doesn’t matter what Piper wants, she’s not getting anything that involves me.”

“She said if she has her way, you’ll be under her tree come Christmas morning wearing nothing but a bow.” Snow tapped her fork on her plate. “And I have a pretty good idea where she’ll want that bow.”

Unless his ears were deceiving him, his wife was jealous. The night was suddenly looking up. “Nothing but a bow, huh?”

A wadded-up napkin flew his way. “Wipe that smug look right off your face, Caleb McGraw. That woman is at least twenty years older than you, and if word around town is true, she’s pretty free with her bows, if you know what I mean.”

There was nothing unattractive about Piper Griffin on the surface, but Caleb wasn’t interested in becoming any cougar’s boy toy. Besides, he was married. Maybe their little game of pretend had Snow forgetting that part.

Caleb set his plate on the table and reached for his wife’s. Her body tensed as he set her plate next to his.

“I had eighteen months to find another woman if I’d been so inclined,” he said, looking into obstinate gold eyes. “I don’t want Piper Griffin or anyone else. I want you. And as much as it strokes my ego to know that you’re jealous, I need you to believe that.”

Snow rubbed a finger along his knee. “I’m not jealous. The way she talked about you made me want to smack her is all. An urge I’m not proud of, nor do I like it.” Rolling her eyes, she added, “So maybe I did get a little jealous.”

The confession could not have been easy for her, which made Caleb more determined to reassure her.

Nudging his wife’s chin up, he asked, “Did you tell her that I belong to you?”

Snow shook her head.

“Next time,” he said, leaning close, “feel free to stake your claim. Because I’m yours, Snow. All yours.”

Unable to help himself, Caleb pressed his lips to hers. He kept the pressure light, letting her know that he was a patient man, but that didn’t mean he didn’t want her in every way. When she slipped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, his intentions went to hell and his instincts took over.

Before Caleb knew it, Snow was pressed into the pillows, her body half under his. She tasted like buttery panko crumbs and strawberry lip gloss. His fingers slid beneath the hem of her shirt, garnering a purr from deep in her chest as Snow threw a leg over his hip and writhed up, pressing their bodies as close as their clothes would allow.

Seducing his wife hadn’t been on Caleb’s agenda for the evening. He’d agreed to her no sex condition, and defaulting now would strengthen her assertion that their relationship was based on sex alone. But how was he supposed to resist when she set him on fire and gave no signs of stopping?

Trailing kisses along her neck, Caleb breathed deep of honeysuckle and woman as he fought for control. If this kept up, he’d be a dead man before the month was up.

“I missed this,” Snow said, rewarding him with another hard-won admission. Trailing a delicate finger across his brow, she made no move to extricate herself from beneath him.

“Me too.” As much as his body demanded he take her right there, Caleb kept his tone casual. “I would have told you about the job if I’d known ahead of time. And I’m sorry you had to learn about it from Piper.” With a half grin, he added, “But I’m glad she got us to this.”

Pushing against his shoulder, Snow sat up. “This isn’t how I saw our evening going.”

Caleb handed over her plate, then picked up his own, but he remained pressed along Snow’s side on the couch. “You’re cute when you’re jealous,” he said.

That earned him an elbow to the ribs. “Can I ask you one thing?”

“Sure,” he answered, biting into his chicken breast, which didn’t taste nearly as good as his wife’s lips.

“If you wanted a job in the newspaper business, why didn’t you take one when your father offered?”

Setting down his fork, Caleb wiped his mouth before answering. “If I’d taken a job in McGraw Media, it would have been me cashing in on my name. The son getting a high-level position because his daddy runs the company. But here,” he said, “I got offered a job for no reason other than I knew a bit about the business and was willing to give it a try. Whatever I accomplish at the
Ardent Advocate
, for however long I’m there, will be my own. Not because Daddy gave it to me, but because I earned it.”

Caleb surprised even himself with his answer. He’d been running on the belief that refusing to work for his father stemmed from an aversion to being under the old man’s thumb. But maybe it had more to do with earning his own way. Being his own man. Selling ads for the
Ardent Advocate
wasn’t anything major, but Caleb
had
enjoyed the day. Other than the fog of smoke he’d had to endure.

“So you have a job,” she said, twirling a green bean on her fork. Not a flicker of excitement stirred in her tone.

He nodded. “I do.”

They continued to eat in silence until Caleb said, “We’re doing pretty good at this dating thing.” He watched for her reaction out of the corner of his eye.

Stabbing a green bean, she said, “Sure. We’re doing great.”

Chapter 14

“You’re never going to believe what she said!” Snow yelled as she burst into the apartment, throwing her purse and coat on the couch on her way to the kitchen.

By Thursday, she’d grown used to finding Caleb whipping up some delicious dinner for the both of them. Snow learned quickly that a mouthwatering meal could be a sensual experience, and watching her husband work around a stove was a complete turn-on. The combination of food and virile male was putting a dent in her determination to send her husband packing.

In truth, everything Caleb did turned Snow on. From the smile he gave her in the mornings, to the way his coin-bouncible cheeks looked in a pair of black boxer briefs.

“Who?” Caleb asked, wiping his hands on the new, manly gray apron she’d bought him. “Who said what?”

“The appraiser,” Snow answered, dragging her mind away from the image of her husband in nothing but the apron. An image that traipsed through her brain with unnerving frequency of late. “It’s real. And it’s valuable,” she said, resisting the urge to kiss the cook. “God bless William Norton and your good eye.”

When she thought about the things she could do with the amount of money this painting could bring, Snow wanted to dance a jig.

“I’ll take equal credit with Mr. Norton, sure. But how much are we talking?” he asked.

Snow contemplated her answer and with a smile said, “How about, make-Jackson-McGraw-jealous money.”

“Then it
is
worth more than Dad’s?”

“According to Ms. Bolliver, I shouldn’t take less than thirteen thousand for it, but she believes it would go even higher at auction.”

“Woo-hoo!” Caleb exclaimed, lifting Snow into a spin. Her laughter echoed off the black-and-white tile before he planted a hot kiss on her lips. Caught off guard, Snow held tight to Caleb’s shoulders as she kissed him back, ideas about how they should celebrate coming to mind.

Very naughty ideas.

When her husband broke the kiss and flashed a grin that made her toes curl, Snow almost suggested they take things to the bedroom. Instead she said, “Put me down,” in a voice that betrayed his true effect on her.

Snow’s weakened state was completely Caleb’s fault. He’d been planting sexy thoughts in her head at every turn. In addition to the
amazing meals, he’d adopted the habit of walking around half-naked
at every opportunity. And then there were the more subtle tactics—leaning a little too close, rubbing a little too much, touching a lit
tle too often. All th
e things that dating couples did. And in order to keep up the pretense of giving their relationship a chance, Snow had to endure the torture.

Something that would be easier to do if she hadn’t begun to really like him. As a person and a friend. Even a roommate. He had yet to master the seat-down thing, but Caleb didn’t leave shavings around the sink and only forced her to watch sports on certain occasions. Like when his Saints played on Monday night.

By the middle of the second quarter, Snow had been yelling at the refs right along with him. Turned out football wasn’t so awful to watch after all.

Instead of dropping her as quickly as he’d swept her off her feet, Caleb lowered Snow slowly, keeping their bodies in contact the whole way. By the time her toes touched the floor, Snow was ready to climb back up and take a second ride.

“So what’s next?” he asked, desire evident in the darker shade of his eyes.

“What do you mean?” Snow asked. She couldn’t stop staring at his mouth. Remembering how it felt, and not just against her mouth. “What do you want to do?”

If ever there was a rhetorical question.

Caleb chuckled, and Snow felt it ripple down her spine. “I mean with the painting.”

Blinking in confusion, Snow tried to remember what painting they were talking about.

“Oh,” she said, stepping back. “The Norton.” Bracing a hand on the edge of the sink, she looked anywhere but at her husband. “I don’t know. I guess I’ll put it in an auction.”

“You have to make sure it’s the right auction. With the right buyers.”

“Yes, that’s what Ms. Bolliver said.” Snow drew a glass off the shelf and filled it with tap water. She was in dire need of a drink, though she wished there was something stronger than water close at hand. “She’s going to keep an eye out for me and let me know when the right opportunity comes up.”

“Then it sounds like you’re in good hands.” Something spattered behind him, and Caleb swung to the stove. “You distracted me, woman,” he said, flipping two beautiful salmon filets.

“Sorry,” Snow said, “but I couldn’t wait to share the news.”

Pulling her against his side, Caleb set the spatula on the counter and tested each filet with the tip of a finger. “I think I saved them,” he said. Then he gave her waist a squeeze. “I’m proud of you, darling.”

“Thanks,” she said, leaning her head against his shoulder. “I would have missed that painting if not for you.”

“Then it’s a good thing I was here.” He kissed her hair as his thumb rubbed the skin above her jeans, increasing Snow’s heart rate. “You ready to eat?” Caleb asked as he shifted the pan to a cool burner.

Snow sighed and reminded herself that this was nothing but pretend. At the end of the month, she would send Caleb on his way. She had to. Better to break her own heart than let Vivien break them both.

“I’m ready,” she said. “I’ll get the plates.”

“You almost ready?” Caleb asked for the second time, peeking into the bedroom to see Snow staring into the mirror at her third outfit in ten minutes. The Ruby Restoration meeting was scheduled to start in less than thirty minutes. If they were going to make it on time, they needed to leave in the next five.

“I don’t know what to wear,” she said, turning his way. “How does this look?”

He took in the burgundy sweater and skinny jeans, and experienced the same reaction he’d had the last two times she asked.
You’d look better wearing me.
Once again keeping the thought to himself, Caleb stepped closer to settle his hands on her hips, feigning interest in the clothes.

“Looks good to me.”

The moment he touched her, Snow leaned into him. She’d been doing that more every day, which was why he made sure to touch her at every opportunity.

“You said that about the last two.”

With a tug on her belt loop, he dropped a quick kiss on her lips and said, “I can’t help that you look good in everything.” Which she did. But that didn’t mean he wouldn’t prefer she take the clothes off rather than put them on.

With a dazed look on her face, she said, “Try to focus.” He wasn’t sure if she was speaking to him or herself. “Is this appropriate for tonight?”

Rubbing his chin, Caleb asked, “Have you ever been to one of these meetings?”

“No, but Lorelei is on the committee. I should call her.” Snow reached for her cell, but Caleb cut her off.

“We need to leave in a few minutes, and Lorelei won’t be able to see what you’re wearing through the phone.” And if she called Lorelei, Snow might learn where he planned to take her after the meeting.

Tonight was their first official date since the do-over started, and he planned to get Snow onto a dance floor. The few times he’d taken her dancing in Nashville, she’d claimed a lack of rhythm, and he’d acquiesced, not wanting to push while their relationship was still new.

The free pass ended tonight.

“I could text her a picture,” Snow said, still stalling.

Caleb’s brow shot up. “Are you fifteen?”

Giving him a dirty look, she surveyed the clothes scattered across the bed. “I think a nice top and cardigan would be better.”

“So . . . outfit number one?” Truth be told, the little white tank had done wonders for his wife’s amazing breasts. And it didn’t hurt that the neckline offered him a clear view down to the lacy number beneath.

“Give me two minutes,” Snow said, shooing him out of the room. If they weren’t in such a hurry, Caleb would have insisted on helping her change.

Two minutes later, Snow stepped out of the bedroom wearing the burgundy sweater. To Caleb’s confused stare, she said, “What?”

“Forget it.” He would never understand women and their fashion struggles, so there was no sense in trying. “It’s time to get this night started. The sooner the meeting is over, the sooner we start our date.”

As he dragged her to the door, Snow asked, “Are you going to share the details of this date?”

“You’ll find out soon enough,” he said, spinning her onto the porch before locking the door. She displayed enough rhythm to make a perfect turn without losing her balance. “Now let’s go before we’re late.”

They were down the steps before Snow realized the Jeep was running. “Were you in that much of a hurry?” she asked, jogging to keep up with him.

“I wanted to warm it up for you,” he lied, then lifted his petite wife into the passenger seat and dropped a kiss on her temple. As he marched around to the driver’s side, Caleb thought about warming something else up later tonight, and hoped this meeting didn’t take too long.

Snow tried to focus on the meeting ahead and what it would mean for her going forward. After tonight, there would be no sending Caleb home without anyone in Ardent Springs being the wiser. Though she supposed that ship had sailed five days ago, the idea of having to put on an act as young lovers taking the next step in their relationship put her nerves on edge.

Especially since it didn’t feel like an act.

Snow’s libido had been arguing the case for days. Why couldn’t they have sex and still go their separate ways? Why should she go without? Why deprive herself of the delectable man who’d been showing her in every way possible that he was ready and willing to make her see God?

And he could do it, too. He’d certainly done it before.

Halfway to the restaurant, Caleb’s cell phone went off. “See who that is, would you?” he asked her, handing over the phone he’d pulled from his shirt pocket.

At the name on the screen, Snow’s blood turned to sludge. “It’s your mother,” she said, her libido instantly silenced. This was why Snow couldn’t have nice things.

“This night is not to include my mother.” The Jeep rolled to a stop at the light at Main and Fifth, and Caleb took the phone, swiping to send the call to voice mail. “I’ll call her back in the morning.”

She didn’t know how often Caleb ignored his mother’s calls, but she hoped it wasn’t too often. All she needed was Vivien getting the idea that Snow was telling him not to answer and who knew what she’d do. Or what she’d tell her son in retaliation.

“I don’t mind if you call her now,” she said.

“Don’t be silly.” He squeezed her knee. “This is our first second-time-around date. Whatever my mother wants can wait.”

“Okay,” Snow said, keeping her eyes on the streetlights going by as they crossed into downtown. More to herself she said, “I sure hope that’s true.”

As he parked in front of Lancelot’s Restaurant, Caleb put thoughts of his mother out of his mind. She’d called three times this week, taking every opportunity to ask when he was coming home. He’d told her that was up to his wife, which earned him another reminder of how Snow had abandoned him and that they kept the best lawyer in the state of Louisiana on retainer for these kinds of situations. Vivien had gone so far as to say that for as much as the man cost, surely he could get their son out of an undesirable marriage.