Infatuated (22 page)

“Thanks a lot. I really appreciate you calling and letting me know.”

“Thanks,” Kale told her, too.

“Bye.”

I set the phone aside and sighed.

Kale came back over and sat beside me. His arm went around me. “Are you okay, babe?”

“Yeah. I guess getting him tossed in jail for a few years the day I get the restraining order would’ve been too much to ask, huh?” I actually had no idea how long he could get for stalking or how much time he’d get for breaking the restraining order again—if he did. Part of me wanted to find out, just so he would go to jail, so maybe someone would lock him up and throw away the key. Forever had a nice ring to it.

“She had a point about it. You called the second you saw him, so now he knows. With any luck, he’ll keep that in mind.”

I looked at him. “Do you think he will? Honestly?”

“I wish I knew, Ally. Part of me thinks, yeah, maybe he’ll behave, because he would have to be stupid to try it again so soon. But…”

“But?”

“But we’re not taking chances on ‘maybes’ with a guy who’s obviously unstable.”

“So hope for the best and expect the worst?”

“Basically, yeah.” He nodded. “That’s exactly what we do.”

My phone rang again and I answered it immediately, thinking it might be Officer Simms again. “Hello?”

“Mine.”

Earl.

I froze, for just an instant, just long enough for him to make more disgusting grunting sounds over the line, before I disconnected. I tossed the phone to the side and got up to pace.

It rang again as Kale said, “Who was it?”

“Earl.” I bit the word out like a curse.

He answered it this time, with a violent threat that would have made my dad proud. When he disconnected, he turned it off and set it down. “How the hell did he get the new number?”

“I don’t know,” I said, frowning. I’d had it changed the day after our fight. “Has to be someone at the bar, doesn’t it?”

“Maybe Dave or Laura?”

“Maybe.” But I didn’t think either of them would give my number out intentionally. Had he grabbed one of their phones and scrolled through to get my number? He hadn’t gotten the number for the pre-paid Kale had gotten me. I’d put the number in myself manually, at least with Laura and Dave’s phones, and put the contact name down as
Kale’s Phone
so they didn’t get confused. But I’d just given everyone else the new number, so they’d probably put it under my name.

“You still have the disposable one I got for you, don’t you?”

“Yeah. In my purse.”

He nodded. “Start using that again. At least your mom and Max have that number, and work, right?”

“Yeah. I’ll call tomorrow and get the number changed again.” I didn’t want to mess it with for now, so the phone was staying off until then.

Kale stood and turned to face me, then held out his hands. “I want you to come stay with me for a few days, okay?”

I laughed. “I guess we’re skipping the ‘hope for the best’ portion of the program now, huh?”

“No, not really. I’ve been staying here off and on at your place for the last month, so I figured it’s time you stay with me for a while. Bonus? Easier access to sex,” he said, then laughed as I tried to hit him. “Seriously, I’d just feel better knowing you were close by. Debbie’s at Rob’s place for a few days while her roommates’ parents are in town, so you wouldn’t be alone. And I’d feel better if one of us drove you to and from school…at least temporarily.”

My heart sighed and fluttered, reminding me just how lucky I was that Kale smooth talked his way into my life. I’d always wondered what Mr. Right would look like, and now I knew for sure. “You’re kind of sweet when you want to be.”

“Please, I’m always sweet. It’s the chocolate.”

“Thanks, Kale. It’s nice.”

“What is?”

“Being cared for. Having someone who wants to protect and look out for me. I—”

“What?”

I inhaled and held it for a minute. “I…love you.” It wasn’t the first time I’d said it, but somehow saying it this time was even worse and scarier. This time I hadn’t been angered into saying it. This time I didn’t have alcohol in my bloodstream—not that I hadn’t meant it before, because I did. I just didn’t know if he’d believed me.

A panicked look crossed his face. “Ally—”

“It’s okay. You don’t have to say it back. There’s nothing in the rulebooks that say you do, so…don’t. It wasn’t said to pressure you or anything, okay?” I smiled. “But if you want to change your mind about having me over, that’s fine, too.”

He didn’t answer immediately. That, more than him not saying he loved me back, hurt.

“That wasn’t a girl trick, Kale. There’s no right or wrong answer. I’m not going to get pissed if you say you’ve changed your mind.” Hurt, but not pissed. Probably.

He blinked at me. “Sorry. I was just picturing you naked. It kind of took over my thoughts.”

I laughed and hoped he didn’t hear the strain in it.

“Go pack what you need for a few days, okay?”

“Okay.”

I went to my closet but I wasn’t sure if I should have. He may not have heard the strain in my voice, but I’d heard the strain in his.

“Y
ou okay here for a while?” Kale asked once we got to his place. He set my bags down right inside the door.

“Yeah. I’m fine.”

“Okay, good. I’m going to go talk to Rob,” he said with a trying-too-hard smile. “I’ll be back in a bit. Help yourself to…whatever.”

And then he was gone.

Yup. This isn’t going to be awkward at all. My own damn fault for dropping the L bomb on him again
, I thought. Because now, in under an hour, everything had changed. I could almost see the barrier between us that those words had caused. Three stupid, tiny words. Who knew a four-letter word could cause so much trouble?

“Idiot,” I muttered as Debbie appeared in the doorway. I jumped. She raised her eyebrows at me. “Sorry. Me. Not you.”

“Good to know.” She walked in slowly. “Kale said you’d be staying here for a few days, too. It’ll be good to have some company and not be stuck with
them
the whole time.”

I scratched my head. “I don’t think I’m staying.”

“Fighting already?” She leaned against the back of the couch. “Man, you guys really do move fast, don’t you?”

“No, not fighting. Not yet, anyway. Just…awkwardness. Kind of like after-sex awkward, only worse.”

“Ouch. That bad, huh? Want to talk about it?”

“Nope, not even a little.”

She laughed. “Fair enough. Kale sometimes needs an adjustment period, and having a girl stay with him is kind of a big adjustment to make.”

“That’s a big can of worms you’re trying to open in front of me and I’m not biting.”

“Come on.” I couldn’t tell if she sounded shocked or indignant. “You’re not the least bit curious?”

“No, I am, but some things can’t be taken back and I think I’ve had enough good news for the day.”

“That stalker thing?”

Stalker thing. That summed it yup, didn’t it? “Yeah.”

“So, aren’t you safer here than at your place?”

“Maybe. But he knows where this place is, too, so…”

Debbie frowned. “I…didn’t know that.”

“Sorry. I assumed Kale said something.”

“You’d think.”

“See what I mean?” I sighed. “I think everyone would be better off if I went home. I didn’t mean to bring my problems here.”

“You’re not. Kale’s family to me, so that makes you an honorary member of said family.” She pushed away from the couch. “So, you’re going to at least give him a while before you bail.” She checked her watch. “We’ll go with midnight. That’s supposed to be the witching hour, right? If Kale isn’t back to his usual self by then, I’ll personally drive you home and come back and kick his ass for you.”

I laughed. “You sound like my friend Max.”

“She’s pushy and obnoxious until she gets her way?”

“Pretty much,” I agreed, grinning.

“Well, I can’t fault you your taste in awesome friends. Come on. We can go steal Rob’s food and play in his place. We’ll watch some movies while the boys do manly things like burp and talk sports. His TV is bigger than Kale’s, anyway.” When I didn’t say anything or move toward the door with her, she let out an impatient sight. “It’s twelve hours, Ally. What do you have to lose?”

What did I have to lose? Only my heart.

But it was lost already.

T
hings with Kale were a little better, though I suspected Debbie had more to do with Kale’s attitude change than his ‘needing time to adjust’. I wasn’t complaining, because at least he wasn’t avoiding me entirely now.

They might’ve been a little better, but they were far from normal. Kale smiled at me, a lot, and while they weren’t entirely fake, they weren’t really the same as before, either. The smiles never quite reached his eyes. His laughs weren’t as full or rich as they usually were. I’d caused that, all because I’d told him I loved him.

Could you take back those words? If you did, would the other person believe you?

I honestly didn’t know, and as much as I wanted to rewind time and take them back, I knew I wouldn’t given half the chance. I wouldn’t take them back for myself, anyway. I would consider it if it made Kale feel better, because love was supposed to make people happy, not miserable, and that’s what I’d done. I’d made him miserable.

To give him some time where he didn’t have to pretend, I went in for a shower before bed. I leaned against the wall, letting the water pour over me. Kale wasn’t the only one miserable now. I’d made myself miserable and tense trying to stay out of his way.

“Ally?” I heard Kale call out.

I sighed. “In the shower.”

The bathroom door opened a minute later and Kale walked in. He stripped his clothes off and got in behind me.

“Sorry. I’ll get out so you can—”

When I moved to step out, his arms went around my waist and he pulled me against him. He rested his head on my shoulder. “You don’t have to go anywhere.”

I turned around. “Kale, you’ve been miserable all day because I’m here. The only time you seem okay is when I’m not in the picture. That’s a pretty big hint.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I’m not saying it to start a fight with you and I’m not mad at you. I just think things would be better if I went back home.”

“I want to show you something,” he whispered. “Turn around.”

“How am I supposed to see something if I’m not facing you?”

“Please, Ally.”

I didn’t question him again and turned.

I heard the snap of a bottle opening and then felt his hands on me seconds later. He smoothed them over my skin, from my lower back to my neck and down again. “Your neck and back are beautiful,” he said. “I love these tattoos.” He traced them. “Little wings. One an angel wing, one a demon. You’re more angel than demon, though.”

I didn’t feel very angelic. “Kale…”

“I’m not done.” Soaping his hands again, he ran them over my shoulders and down to my wrists. “Your slender arms. I love when they’re around my neck and you’re holding me close.” He knelt behind me, slowly massaging his way from my ankles to my thighs. “Strong, beautiful legs. I love when they’re wrapped around my waist.”

The scent of raspberries hung thick in the air now.

Pulling me against his chest, he ran his fingers along my stomach, up my sides, over my collarbone and breasts. “Your stomach is so flat and sexy, and your breasts… I love the feel of them.” He spoke close to my ear, almost conversationally, but I could hear the quiet restraint in his voice. “So smooth and round. Not too big and not too small. They fit my hands perfectly.”

I looked down, watching as he gently cupped and squeezed them. He teased my nipples into hard points.

The heat in the shower became nearly unbearable, like a sauna, and when he angled my body under the spray to rinse me off, I thought we were done. But he pulled me against him, holding me tight.

His hands slicked over my butt. “And your ass.” He made a half purr, half growl sound. “I love your ass. I love watching you walk, the way it moves side to side. But what I love most? I love that it turns you on when I do this.” He squeezed it, making me moan. I felt him go hard against me. “I love that it turns me on.” His voice was darker now.