Take it All (Blinded by Love) (19 page)

“See ya Sunday, mom.” He turned and opened the door for Lennox to walk ahead of him, and followed behind her as his mother confirmed, “Sunday, Caleb.”

Caleb shut the door just after her words and they walked back to his car, in silence. Lennox had no idea what had just went on between them back in the house but knew it was something by the way they eyed one another and the tension that oozed around them. Caleb unlocked the car then pulled open her door, closing it behind her once she was settled in her seat.

As he pulled out of the driveway and headed back towards his place, he reached across and put her hand back in his; no words being said as they drove to his place. When they got there, he pulled up in front and told her he’d run in and would be back in a second. Lennox watched as he jogged up to the porch and disappeared through the front door and she couldn’t help but wonder what was going on in his head and why he was being so quiet. She wondered if it had something to do with Raine, since it started when she picked up his call. Her mind, as she watched the door, went back to earlier, when Emerson had shown up and what he said when he walked in; it had been in the back of her mind throughout the day but now it was starting to nag at her.

She looked at the clock and saw that Caleb had been inside for almost fifteen minutes. Just as she reached for her door handle, the front door swung open and Caleb walked out, carrying her flowers. He walked to her door and opened it, then handed the vase to her to hold on to during their drive.

“Sorry,” he said, as he climbed in and closed the door behind him. “Decided to change and had to use the washroom.” He started the car and put it in drive, speeding away from the curb.

The drive to the highway was silent in an awkward way. Lennox watched out the window as car after car passed them and her hands, unable to keep still, traced along one of the frogs etched in the vase on her lap. Biting her bottom lip, she contemplated if it was a good idea to ask him the questions she wanted to ask him but wasn’t sure if it was a good idea to bring any of it up.

“Can I ask you something?” Caleb said, finally breaking the silence.

She looked over at him surprised, and eagerly said, “Always.”

“That guy, Raine, what’s the story there?”

“Raine?” her brows pulled together in question. “Nothing, why?” she asked, taken back by his question.

“Just asking,” he mumbled as he glanced at her from the corner of his eye.

Before she could stop herself, the words flew out of her mouth in a rush. “Londyn, Tatum and I went out for drinks Saturday night, to cheer me up ‘cause I was bummed I hadn’t heard from you and that’s when we met and kissed, but that’s it. Tatum was so drunk she could barely walk, so he helped me walk her home and then he walked me home because it was two in the morning and he wanted to make sure I got home safe. Then before he left, we kissed but there was nothing there; no leg popping, nothing that made me not wanna kiss anyone else ever again, nothing. And I told him that and he was good with it, and said we could be friends instead, that’s it, that’s all. Just friends,” she finished and took a breath, her eyes stuck on the side of Caleb’s profile watching as what she said penetrated into him.

She watched as his chest shook with laughter and he reached over and reclaimed her hand and brought it to his mouth where his lips brushed across her knuckles before entwining them. “Okay,” he said, without dispute.

“Is that why you were so... quiet afterwards, up until now?”

“Just wanted to make sure.”

“Make sure of what exactly?”

“That there isn’t anyone else out there vying for your attention.”

Lennox eyed him, knew what he was saying without actually saying it. “Caleb, I’m not that kind of girl, not in the least- no, not ever.”

He took a quick glance at her, seeing and hearing the honesty in her voice. “I know, Lox. Just one of those things, I guess.”

“I get it, so, now you–”

“Kiss me,” he cut in, throwing her off guard, “right now.”

“What, no–Caleb, you’re driving.”

He looked at her, a jagged grin spread across his lips, and his eyes bright with passion, “Lox, kiss me,” he said firmly.

“Caleb,” she laughed nervously.

“Kiss me,” he challenged.

Lennox huffed as she unbuckled her seatbelt and put her vase on the floor, sticking her purse close to it so it wouldn’t fall over. She glared at Caleb, muttering under her breath as she started to move over the center console, “Can’t believe I’m doing this, knowing how dangerous this is; a car accident waiting to happen.”

Caleb glanced at her, laughing. He looked over his shoulder and signalled over to the far right hand lane and set his cruise control. He looked at the road in front of him and after seeing there were no cars on his side or many in front of him, he propped his knee up and under the wheel to keep it straight and in his lane. He turned his head as Lennox shifted closer to him, all the while watching the road in front from the corner of his eye, until she was in kissing distance when his head moved forward and their lips met.

His hand settled on the side of her cheek and his thumb smoothed back and forth as their lips moved together. The kiss wasn’t like earlier in his kitchen, it was slower and without tongue, until Lennox started to pull back and he stopped her when his hand gripped her at the back of her head, his hand full of hair and holding her in place. Their lips moved faster and eagerly; a groan rumbling in his throat as a moan escaped hers as their tongues momentarily touched and his teeth grazed her bottom lip right before Caleb pulled back and took the wheel in his hands tightly.

Breathing heavily, Lennox moved back into her seat and put her seatbelt back on. She was still regaining herself, and slowing her heart rate down when Caleb spoke. “So, which was it, leg popping, or never wanna kiss anyone again?” he teased.

Lennox gaped at him, “That’s what this was about?” she started chuckling. “You could have just asked, you know.”

“I wanted to refresh your memory.”

Lennox knew she didn’t need to be reminded of their kiss in order to tell him how it made her feel. The truth was, it was both. Granted, she never kicked her leg up cause she was in a car, and she wanted so much more after that kiss, but things already seemed to be speeding up with Caleb; sex was the last thing they needed so soon. She may not be a virgin but it was one thing she needed to have control over until she knew it was the right time.

“Well, memory refreshed,” she grinned, looking out the window.

“So, which was it?”

“None of the above,” she said, nonchalantly shrugging one shoulder.

“You lie.”

“Maybe, maybe not, guess maybe you’ll find out one day.”

He smirked, “I’ll get it out of you one day, one way or another,” he promised.

“You go right ahead and do that then,” she challenged back.

He grinned, “I can be pretty persuasive, you know.” He looked at her then down to her lips, his eyes lingering on them a second before looking back at the road.

“Then, I look forward to your... persuasiveness.”

He shook his head in amusement as he took her hand in his then hit the gas as the car shot forward down the highway as they continued their drive to Spruce Hill.

Caleb pulled up in front of Lennox’s house and cut the engine. Lennox was sitting with her vase on her lap, looking up at her house with her lip pulled between her teeth. He could see how nervous she was as he reached across and grasped her chin in his hand, and softly guided her head to look at him. His thumb brushed across the bottom of her lip and then gently pulled it from between her teeth.

“Stop worrying.”

She nodded, then turned away and got out of the car. Caleb followed and met her around on her side and took her free hand tightly in his. “I don’t think dad’s home,” she said, looking at the driveway then at him.

“Babe, its fine, plus you’re parents adored me when I was a kid.”

“Yeah, key word there is kid, not a guy who–well you know.” She shook her head as they walked up to the front door. Lennox let go of his hand to open the door and he followed right behind her.

“Lennox, honey, is that you?” Kelli called, her footsteps padding against the hardwood floor.

Lennox looked at Caleb and mumbled, “Here we go,” then she called, “Yeah mom, it’s me.”

“Good, I was wondering when you were going to be home so we could...” she said through the house, her words then trailing as she came around the corner and stopped dead when she saw Lennox with Caleb standing next to her. “Oh, I didn’t know– sorry, I didn’t know you brought company.”

“It’s okay,” Lennox said, trying to get her attention on her and away from Caleb, “mom, this is Caleb–”

“Nice to–”

“Kingston. Caleb Kingston, mom.”

Her mom looked back and forth between the two, in surprise, “Like, next door Caleb?”

Nodding, Lennox said, “Yes mom, Caleb who lived next door when we were kids.”

“Wow,” she shook her head, “I mean, wow as in,
wow
,” her hands expanded in front of her and her eyes widened, “little Caleb, all grown up.”

“Mrs. Ward, nice to see you again.”

“Kelli. Mrs. Ward makes me feel old,” she laughed. “So how, how did this happen, when did this happen, Lennox.”

“You know, I’m sure Caleb wouldn’t mind telling you so I can run up and change for our movie,” she looked from her mom to Caleb, almost pleadingly.

“No, go ahead.”

She slid out of her Uggs, and then rushing up the stairs with the vase in her hands, she left Caleb to talk to her mom.

“So, Caleb, it’s been a long time. How have you been, how’s your mom and dad, and Haley?”

“They’re good, busy but good.”

“Good to hear,” she said, brushing a piece of hair behind her ear, “so, you and Lennox, that’s... so surprising.”

“Yeah, it was for us too.”

“When did it happen; how?” she questioned, crossing her arms over her chest as she leaned against the wall.

“Last Tuesday, we finally decided to meet for coffee. We met in a music forum online back in January and had no idea we were talking to one another, so seeing her in Fizzy’s was... a surprise.”

“Wow,” she said, trying to wrap her head around it, “that’s so...
wow.
”

Caleb laughed softly, “I know how you feel.”

“I’m sorry, I just don’t know what to say. Don’t get me wrong, it’s good, I’m just stunned, that’s all. What are the odds?”

“Slim, very slim.”

She nodded in agreement, “So, what are you guys doing tonight?”

“Just a movie then dinner. I bought tickets to that new chick movie that came out Friday.”

Kelli’s eyes brightened and a smile spread across her lips. “She’s wanted to see it since she finished the book–”

“Last month,” he finished smiling. “I saw it came out and remembered her telling me all about it so I thought it would be perfect.”

“Okay,” Lennox called as she came down the stairs in a hurry, “I’m ready.”

Caleb watched as she made her way down the last few steps, still in her jeans but in a different top. But it didn’t matter what she wore, because in Caleb’s eyes she looked beautiful in anything. Even if she was to wear a brown paper bag, she would still be the most beautiful girl he’d ever laid eyes on. He watched her as she started putting on her Uggs and then slid her coat on. “Ready?” he asked.

“Ready.”

Caleb looked at her mom, who was watching them back and forth, her face unreadable. “Kelli, it was nice seeing you again,” Caleb said as he reached and pulled open the door for them.

“Bye mom,” Lennox said cheerfully, and followed Caleb to the door, “We’ll talk tomorrow when you and dad are back from your meeting.”

“Yeah, sweetie,” she said, baffled by what was going on, “enjoy your movie, love you.”

“Will do, love you too,” she said, closing the door behind her and taking Caleb’s hand as they walked to his car parked at the curb.

“See,” he started, pausing to open her door for her, “that wasn’t so bad. Other than being in shock, she seemed... okay,” he laughed.

Lennox moved around the door and stood in front of him. He thought she was going to say something but she didn’t, she smiled then stood on her toes and kissed his jaw lightly, then said, “All of the above, especially the last one, Caleb.” She then folded her body into the car as he walked around to his side and climbed in.

He knew what she meant and he didn’t have to ask; there was no clarification needed. He leaned his right elbow on the center console and turned his hand so it was facing palm up, with his fingers spread apart, waiting. Lennox, seeing from the corner of her eye, without hesitation placed her left hand over his and their fingers entwined as their skin touched.

“Can I ask you something?” Lennox asked, as they pulled away from her house.

“Yes, my charm and boyish good looks come with the body,” he joked.

“Well that’s a good thing,” she chuckled, softly, “but no, that’s not what I was going to ask.”

Kissing the top of her hand, he said, “Ask away, baby.”

Lennox took a deep breath, “Okay, first, if I step over the line or something then I’m sorry, it’s not my intention.”