Poison Me Sweetly (28 page)

“You walked away tonight,” I point out.

He smiles crookedly. “I told myself on that front lawn
that I was done with you. But by the time I walked through the door of my
place, I was already cursing myself for being too hasty with that decision.”

“You really think this could work between us?” I have
to ask.

“Yeah, I do.”

“I'm not easy to be around,” I feel the need to point
out. “I know what you're thinking. That once I start dealing with this
disorder, I'll change and become a better person—”

“
Shh
.” His lips press gently
against mine, effectively shutting me up. I wait for him to kiss me further,
but he doesn't. He pulls back slightly and looks at me seriously. “Zoey, I'm
falling for the woman you already are. I like your honesty and boldness. I like
that you challenge me. I don't want someone I can walk all over.”

I shake my head. “You say that now, but I say stuff
out of anger. Hurtful things. They don't call me Poison for no reason.”

“Then poison me sweetly.”

“What?” I ask with confusion.

He smiles. “Say what you have to say, but then follow
it up with a kiss. Or damn good make up sex. Have you forgotten I like it when you're
riled up? Sparky, I love your fire. We'll figure things out as we go along.” He
leans in and kisses me gently, but pulls back again before it can deepen.
“Anything else you're doubting?”

I shake my head. I think we covered it all.

“Good.” He slaps my thigh playfully. “Off to bed you
go.”

“With you?” I can’t resist asking hopefully.

“You've been drinking, and I'm not taking advantage of
that. Whatever else needs to be said can wait until morning. And let's just
wait a couple days on sex, all right? I don't want you thinking that's all I
care about.”

“Please tell me you're joking,” I say with disbelief.
We've basically got the green light to have as much sex as we want now that
we're officially together. And he wants to wait?

“I wish,” he says soberly. “The reality is, you have a
lot going on right now that needs to be addressed. If I get you in bed, that's
all I'm going to want to do for a full week straight.”

“I'm okay with that.”

Caleb groans. “Go to bed. We'll talk more in the
morning before classes.”

I stand up, and then I look down at him and give him
an odd look. “I didn't feel anything when he kissed me. I was thinking of you.”

He rises to his feet and looks pleased. “Good to
know,” he says as he puts a hand on my hip and leans down to kiss me gently on
the lips. I part my lips, wanting more, but he ends the kiss and I give him a
look of minor irritation. When had our roles reversed? He's usually the one who
wants to jump me while I'm the one who holds back. With a resigned sigh, I turn
to walk towards the apartment door, but Caleb's arm loops around my waist,
hauling me back up to him. “Just where do you think you're going?”

I look up at him, confused by the gleam in his eyes.
“Back to my apartment.”

“No way in hell,” he says firmly with a crooked smile.
“You just finally admitted you're all mine, and I’ve decided I'm not letting
you out of my sight. You know where my bedroom is,” he says, gently nudging me
in the direction of the hallway that leads to his room.

“But you said...”

“That we're not having sex tonight,” he finishes. “I
didn't say anything about not holding you.”

Okay, so maybe I can get used to this whole
relationship thing if I can wake up every morning in Caleb's arms. The doubts
I'd had last night are non-existent this morning. It's as if now that I've
given in and agreed to be with him, the stress of admitting my feelings has
faded. I feel oddly at peace with my decision.

“Morning,” Caleb murmurs, his bare chest vibrating
beneath my cheek slightly.

I can't help but smile. He'd gone to bed wearing the
only pair of pajama bottoms he owns while I'd worn one of his shirts. It had
ridden up during the night, and his warm hand is planted firmly on my
panty-clad ass. His morning hard-on is pressing against my thigh, and I'm
tempted to tease him by rubbing against him. I wonder if some morning sex is a
possibility.

“Morning,” I say as I debate whether or not he'd cave
to my wants.

“I like waking up with you in my arms.”

“
Mmhmm
,” I agree.

“Second thoughts?” he asks me lightly.

“Nope.”

“Good.” His hand leaves my butt and slides up my back
beneath the shirt, rubbing my bare skin lightly. “Have you given the PTSD much
thought?” he asks in a careful tone.

My horny urges disappear. Instead of answering right
away, I study his chest as I trace a nail gently along his pectoral muscle
while I chew my bottom lip. “I have,” I confess. “I need to see someone, but I
just haven't gotten around to setting up an appointment.”

“How about today. I'll even go with you, if you'd
like,” he offers.

My head immediately lifts as I peer at him. “You
would?”

His eyes hold mine steadily. “Yes. If you want me to.”

“I do,” I breathe with relief. “I'm kind of scared.”

He reaches out and gently brushes my hair away from my
forehead. “It's okay to be scared.”

I stare at him before I smile slightly. “Sometimes I
feel like a different person when I'm with you.”

“How so?”

I shrug. “I feel like I can breathe easier. It doesn't
hurt as much.”

A gentle smile spreads across his lips, and he reaches
up and pulls my head towards his.

“
Ew
! I have morning breath!”
I exclaim as I try to pull back.

“So do I. Deal with it,” he says as his lips close
over mine.

When I find Caleb waiting for me after my Design
Drafting class, I manage to restrain myself from jumping in his arms. He gives
me a smile that makes my toes curl as he slips his arm around my waist. I relax
into his side as we leave the building.

“How's Micaela?” I ask lightly as I adjust my backpack
over my left shoulder.

“I haven't heard from her in a couple days. She calls
the center on the nights I'm working, so I'm sure she'll check in tonight,” he
says as we walk towards the quad.

“Do you think there's any way I could drop by and talk
to her mom?” I look up at him to watch his reaction.

Caleb’s brows pull together. “Not a good idea, Zoey.
You'd have to come up with a back story, and then Micaela will get dragged into
the lies as well. Let's not add to her stress.”

“I just want to help.”

This causes Caleb to pause as he faces me, and he
seems to choose his words carefully. “I know. Let's just wait it out and see if
Micaela's mother snaps out of it all on her own. If nothing has changed a few
months down the road, we'll put our heads together and see if there's something
we can do to salvage the situation.”

I gaze up at him sadly. “She needs her mom right now
more than ever. Look at what happened with me. The kind of resentment that I'm
sure Micaela's developing is something that will stick with her for a long,
long time.”

He squeezes my waist reassuringly. “We won't let it
get that far.”

“Promise?”

“Promise,” he assures before we continue walking to
the quad. We immediately spot Ace, Jeremy, and most of the others sprawled out
on the lawn near a tree. “You okay with our relationship being out in the
open?” Caleb asks me, his gaze watchful as he studies me. “Because I don't want
to hide that you're mine. But if you need time to adjust...”

My eyes roll. “I'm done running, Caleb.”

“Good.”

We approach them and Ace glances up at me coolly.
“Well, if it isn't our little lush,” he says a bit sarcastically.

I shoot him a look, because he's still angry with me
over Friday's incident. Evidently, sitting silently for twenty minutes while he
railed at me about no more alcohol
, ever
, wasn't enough to soothe his
anger towards me. And seriously, twenty minutes of silence on my part is dang
hard to pull off! Before I can reply, Caleb grabs me around the waist and sits
down on the grass, pulling me onto his lap.

The conversation around us comes to an abrupt halt.

“No way,” Dillon says as he stares at me and Caleb.

Ace suddenly grins. “So it's like that now, eh?”

“Yep,” I say as I settle my butt more comfortably on
Caleb's lap, which means I'm rubbing up against his crotch. This elicits a soft
groan from behind me, and I can't help but smirk. Being naughty with Caleb is
going to be tons of fun.

Jeremy clears his throat and pushes a book in his
backpack. “I
gotta
get to class.” His gaze settles on
mine and he smiles, but it doesn't reach his eyes. “Glad you guys got it finally
figured out. Catch you all later,” he says to the rest of the group before he
lithely rises to his feet and walks off in the direction of the Liberal Arts
buildings.

I stare after him. I'm getting the sense that
something seems 'off' with him.

“So, our little Z is officially off the market,” Bev
says with a smile.

Caleb rests his chin on my shoulder. “That she is.”

Jake snorts. “I give it two weeks tops.”

“I find you betting on our relationship, and you and I
are going to have issues,” Caleb warns as he lifts his chin from my shoulder,
an ominous tone in his voice.

I know exactly what he's thinking. We have a long road
ahead of us, and the last thing we need is these dickheads betting on when
it'll all fall apart.

Jake throws his hands in the air in surrender.
“Christ. I'm just
sayin
' this is Zoey we're talking
about here. She doesn't do commitment.”

“Shut your pie hole, Jake,” Ace says, shaking his
head.

Charlie tosses a crumpled up napkin at Jake's head. “I
just saw Alisha headed the other way. Weren't you looking for her earlier?”

Jake immediately scans the quad with interest. “Yeah.
Let's book it.”

We watch as Jake and Charlie take off with Dillon
trailing behind.

“He's such a douche,” Bev says shaking her head.

Ace snickers. “If he's such a douche, why'd you fuck
him last weekend?”

My nose wrinkles. “Oh Bev, tell me you didn't.”

“I was tanked.”

“Was it good?” I can't resist asking.

“Honestly, I don't even remember it,” she laughs.

Caleb snorts from behind me. “It was bad then.”

I turn slightly and peer at him teasingly. “I don't
remember the night I cuffed you to my bed,” I point out.

“We didn't get far enough that night. If we had, you
would have definitely remembered it in the morning,” he says arrogantly.

I just shake my head.

“Congrats, you two,” Bev says to us as she rises to
her feet. “I'm out. Later,” she says to Ace before she takes off.

“That's my cue. All that lovey-dovey shit radiating
off you guys is making me nauseous,” Ace says as he grabs his stuff and takes
off as well.

“Hmm. I didn't even get to this part yet,” Caleb says
as his lips brush the side of my neck, his teeth nibbling lightly.

I shiver in his arms and carefully turn to face him so
that I'm straddling him. We both groan in unison as our bodies align. I wrap my
arms around his neck and lean in close to brush my lips against his. “Tell me
we're having sex tonight,” I say in a throaty voice as I rock my body against
his.

“I work at the crisis center.”

“So come over afterwards.”

“It'll be too late.”

I give him a pouty look. “I'm yours as long as you
keep me happy. And I mean really, really happy,” I warn.

“I see lots of orgasms in your future,” he says with a
wicked grin.

My eyes narrow. “There better be. I want none of that dominating
'you can't orgasm until I say' shit you pulled the last time.”

“We'll see.”

“Caleb,” I warn.

His eyes shift, and now he looks oddly serious. “How
are you feeling about this afternoon?” he asks as he switches the topic.

“I'm nervous,” I say, referring to the doctor's
appointment I have after my last class of the day.

“I know. But it's the first step, and I'm proud of
you, Sparky,” he says as his gaze settles into mine.

My gaze flickers away from his as I feel sudden
anxiety building within me.

“Hey, talk to me,” Caleb urges as he catches my chin
gently and forces me to look at him.

“I don't want the others to know. Especially Dillon,
Jake, and Charlie,” I tell him.

“About your appointment?”

I nod. “And if I have to take pills and shit. I just
want to keep it on the down low.”

“That's understandable. It's not really anyone's
business but your own. I do think you should tell Ace, Jeremy, and AJ though. I
think they'll be relieved to know that you're getting help.”

“Maybe.”

“They won't treat you any differently whether the doc
confirms you're suffering from PSTD or not. Is that what you're worried about?”
he asks as he studies me.

I shrug. Before he can say anything else, my phone
breaks the brief silence, and I pull it out of the front pocket of my backpack.
I stiffen up on his lap when I see it's my parents.

“Who is it?” Caleb asks immediately.

I show him the screen.

“You need to talk to them sooner or later. They need
to know everything you've kept from them, and I think you'll feel better
getting it off your chest,” he tells me.

“I don't want to talk to them. It's a little too late
to be wanting my attention when I needed
theirs
three years ago.” I
shove the phone back in my bag.

“It's never too late when it comes to your parents,
Zoey.”

I glare at him. “Easy for you to say. You're not the
one in my shoes, feeling what I'm feeling. If it happened to you, you wouldn't
be brushing it off.”

“I'm not brushing it off—”

“I'm not so easily fixed, Caleb,” I cut in as I climb
off his lap and rise to my feet, my bag gripped in my hand. “Next thing you
know, you'll be suggesting I go visit Micah's grave as well, as if it's going
to magically make everything better. Make
me
better.”

Caleb jumps to his feet and grabs my hand to keep me
from running off. “Hey, you're not being fair,” he says in a carefully
controlled voice. “If any of this was easy, I wouldn't have busted my ass the
past few weeks simply trying to get you to
talk
to me. I get you're
scared about the appointment, but don't take it out on me, okay?” he says
lightly.

I chew my lip and realize I just went off on him out
for no reason. “I'm sorry. I just feel a little on edge.”

“I know,” he says as he draws me into his arms. “Just
know that I'm trying to support you, not fix you,” he says as he kisses my temple.

I pull back and look at him warily. “I told you I say
stuff when I get upset.”

“Sparky, that was nothing. Quit worrying.”