Poison Me Sweetly (31 page)

I wake up to the delicious sensation of Caleb's lips
trailing down between my breasts. A sleepy sigh escapes me as I lift my hands
and let my fingers sink into his dark hair. Those wicked lips trail down to my
belly button, then his hands are on my thighs, gently spreading them.

My hands instinctively slide from his hair as I reach
above my head and clasp my fingers around the iron bars of my headboard. I know
what's coming, Caleb's tongue drove me to crazy heights last night. I’ve
trusted him with everything that I am, and now I trust him with my body as
well. He has free reign to do as he pleases, because the man can fuck like no
other.  He can do me anyway he wants, I’m game for anything.

I don't bother to open my eyes as I willing spread my
legs further to give him better access. His tongue flicks over my clit, and I
let out a moan as his mouth works between my legs. He skillfully licks and
flicks his tongue, then briefly sucks on my clit until he goes back to that
wicked flicking thing he does to my sensitive flesh. God that feels so damn
good. I've experienced oral sex before, but it's different with Caleb. My hips
arch as my breathing speeds up. He has me gasping and moaning in no time, his
name on my lips as he expertly teases the little nub. When he slides his finger
inside me and curves it upward, rubbing the sensitive area within me, I cry out
loudly as my body explodes, clenching and tightening around his finger that
keeps moving. He draws out my orgasm as long as he can before he kisses the
inside of each thigh lovingly.

My hands fall limply back to the bed as I lie there, my
heart pounding as I try to catch my breath.

Caleb chuckles lowly as I feel him slide up my body,
his lips trailing up my neck before they nibble on my mouth. “You didn't think
I'd forget about number six, did you?”

I smile against his lips, and my heavy eyes open to
meet his smoldering gaze. “I was going to give you hell if you did,” I murmur.

He reaches for the nightstand and grabs a condom.
“Let's go for number seven,” he drawls with a hungry gleam in his eye.

“Mm... Have at it, Cowboy.”

He quickly slips on the condom, then I wrap my arms
around his neck as he gently eases into me. We both groan in unison. “Fuck...
You always feel so good. I want to go slow this morning, savor you,” he says in
a strained voice as his hips begin to move.

I curl my legs around his hips, my hands framing his
rough cheeks as I gaze up at him with barely contained urgency. “Savor later,”
I order as I push my hips against his with impatience.

“I can't get enough of you,” he whispers as he picks
up the pace, his eyes focusing intently on mine. “I need you like I need to
breathe, Zoey
Monohan
,” he says in a raw voice.

My eyes widen as his words cause my body to clench
around him. He groans, and we both begin to lose it as our bodies take over,
frantically grinding together. I reach down to press my hands against his lower
back, urging him to move faster within me. I need him deeper. I want everything
he has to give me. He must sense my desperation, because his hands are rough as
they slide beneath my ass. He jerks my hips up into his as he quickens the
tempo, causing me to writhe beneath him.  His jaw clenches with his
determination to bring us to the edge of what feels like mindless insanity
before the pleasure takes over, and we are consumed by it.

I hold tight, my eyes meeting his as my body bursts
into a fiery explosion, his name falling from my lips as I lose myself to the
rapture he's bringing me this morning. His eyes darken, and he growls my name
in that sexy raspy way of his as he goes over the edge as well, his arms
tightening around me as he relishes his own orgasm.  Then he slowly
relaxes against me, his head dropping to my shoulder where his lips kiss my
shoulder tenderly.

“I can get used to this,” I murmur in a throaty voice
as I savor the feel of him still inside me. I can’t resist squeezing my inner
muscles and arching slightly. His breath catches slightly, and I simply enjoy
the feel of his length still connected to me. Even coming down from our sexual
frenzy feels good.

“You and me both,” he says in reference to my comment
as his heart still thuds out of control against my own.

My hand reaches out, and I lazily run it through his
now slightly damp hair. “I think I can definitely learn to enjoy the morning
after’s.”

His head lifts and he meets my gaze. “No more running.
What we have now, it's worth fighting for. You get that, right?”

“I'm not going anywhere. I promise,” I say as I lift
my head and press my lips against his, kissing him tenderly. He nips my lower
lip, then soothes it with his tongue. With a mischievous look, he flex's his
hips, causing me to groan.

“I can become addicted to this,” he tells me as he
gives me a devilish look before easing himself out of me.

“I already am.”

“Good. That means you won't be straying,” he teases
before reaching out and playfully feathering his finger against my left nipple.
He watches with fascination as it instantly goes pert. Then, with great
reluctance, he glances at the clock on my nightstand and sighs. “I have to go
shower before class,” he tells me as he sits up and begins to pull off the
condom.

I yawn and stretch, my back arching as my arms go over
my head. When I gaze back at Caleb, his blue eyes are focused on my bare
breasts with barely controlled longing. I grin. My man's a breast man. He plays
with them as much as he can, and he'd been caressing them last night before I'd
fallen asleep. “You can play with
em
' later, Cowboy,”
I laugh.

“Count on it,” he confirms as he leans forward to give
me a quick kiss. He then rises to his feet and looks around my bedroom floor
for his clothes. I watch his sexy body slowly disappear from sight as he slips
into a pair of jeans, and I sigh with disappointment. He looks at me as pulls
on his shirt, adjusting it over his toned abs. His eyes are serious as he says,
“I'll be there waiting for you after your last class before you leave,” he
tells me firmly.

“Okay,” I say softly. I have my first meeting with a
possible therapist today. If I like the therapist, I'll continue seeing him on
a weekly basis.

When I leave my last class of the day, I'm surprised
to find that Caleb isn't lounging against the hall wall like he'd promised.
Nerves have my stomach twisted in knots, and my lips press flat as I search the
faces in the hall, hoping to see Caleb.

I wait for two long and anxious minutes, and when he
doesn't show up, I admit he's not coming. I'm disappointed, because he knew how
much I've been dreading this appointment. I also know that he wouldn't
intentionally miss seeing me before I leave.

With great reluctance, I leave the Design Building and
walk across campus to the parking lot, my phone in hand the whole way. I’m
hoping for a text message or perhaps a phone call, but my phone is silent. I
feel absurdly abandoned, and I warn myself not to let that feeling take over.
I'm a big girl, I can handle my appointment on my own. I shouldn't need Caleb
to walk me to my car before going to the therapist's office.

“I can do this,” I say out loud to myself as I back
the Camaro out of the parking space and drive towards the exit. Therapists are
there to help, right? I mean, if he tries to force the jumbled mass of thoughts
out of my head, it doesn't help me in the end. I'm
supposed
to want to
talk to him. He's not going to expect me to lay everything out on the table
today anyway. I'm just going today for an initial meeting. To see if he might
be someone I could see myself opening up to.

I slow down at an intersection, and my hand is
reaching for the radio when my phone rings. I snatch it out of the front of my
backpack pocket and put it to my ear. “Hello?” I ask as the cars in front of me
move forward as the light turns green.

“Hey,” Caleb breathes in my ear, sounding oddly out of
breath. “I just hauled ass across campus, but you're gone already. I'm sorry.
Class let out late,” he says with frustration.

I smile, instantly feeling comforted that he'd had
every intention of seeing me before I'd had to leave. “It's okay,” I say
lightly as I keep my eye on the traffic in front of me. It's busy out today,
and the last thing I need is to rear-end someone, because I'd been too focused
on talking to my boyfriend on the phone. I grin widely. Boyfriend. I fucking
love
the sound of that word.

“It's not okay,” he grumbles. “I know how nervous you
are about this appointment. It's a big deal, Zoey.”

“So you'll make it up to me,” I tease.

“You work tonight. And I work tomorrow night. Damn, I
should have just skipped class this morning and spent an extra hour in bed with
you,” he says with obvious regret.

I laugh as I glance at the intersection lights as I
approach them. They are green, and I cruise through it. “Caleb, we have the
entire weekend to spend in bed together,” I say before I hear someone lay on
the horn to my right. I look up, my eyes widening as I see the truck barreling
towards me as it races through a red light. “Oh my—”

The sound of crunching metal cuts me off as my world
suddenly explodes in the sound of shattering glass and squealing tires. I have
a moment—a second really—to experience the horror of knowing my car's been hit,
and the car is leaving the ground.

Then there's nothing but darkness.

I feel extremely groggy. And my head aches. At first I
think it's another stupid hangover, but then I take note of the fact that my
entire body hurts.

“Zoey?” Someone gently squeezes my hand.

After some major effort on my part, I pry my eyes open
and blink a few times. Everything is white and kind of blurry.

“Hi, sweetheart.” My mom's face comes into focus,
hovering over my own. Her brown bangs look ruffled, like she's been running her
hands through them, and dark shadows hover beneath her tired brown eyes.

 I'm confused, and my head feels like it's
stuffed with cotton. It's a struggle to pull my thoughts together.

“You were in a car accident,” my mom explains to me
gently.

I blink, feeling disoriented. Car accident? “Micah?” I
ask in a thick voice.

Sadness flickers in her gaze. “Micah died three years
ago, Zoey. You're twenty and you're in college, remember?”

That's right. I go to CSULB. Why is my mind so
muddled? My eyes shift to follow movement, and I see my dad hovering over my
mom's shoulder. He looks just as worn down as she does. In fact, how have I not
noticed that his dark blond hair is beginning to thin, and he has more wrinkles
around his hazel eyes than I
remember.
“Dad?”

He smiles down at me, his eyes shiny with tears. “You
gave us quite a scare yesterday.”

“I did?” I mumble as I fight back a yawn. I'm so
tired, and I can feel sleep beckoning me.

“The doctor warned us you may not remember the actual
accident,” my dad says hesitantly.

Caleb's face flashes in my mind, and I struggle to
look around the hospital room. My drowsy eyes halt on Micah. He's standing by
the window, dressed in his jeans and white polo. My brother smiles at me as if
all is right in the world. “You're going to be fine from here on out. It's all
coming together,” he tells me.

I stare at him with puzzlement.

His brown eyes hold mine. “Come see me when you're
ready. I'll be waiting,” he says gently before he fades into the sunlight shining
in through the window, and then he's gone.

“Micah!” I call, staring at the space where he'd just
been.

“Honey, Micah's not here,” my mom says carefully.

My eyes shift back to her and I frown. “But...”

Dad leans over mom's shoulder, and he squeezes my arm.
“You've got a concussion, and that's probably why you're confused. I'll go get
the doctor,” he says, patting my arm one more time reassuringly before
disappearing from view.

“Caleb?” I murmur as I struggle to keep my eyes open.

“We twisted those boys' arms and made them go down to
the cafeteria to eat. This is the first time we've gotten any of them to go
beyond the restrooms down the hall.” She sighs. “Now I'm sure I'll be in a
world of trouble since you woke up while they weren't here,” she jokes.

“I'm so tired...”

“Go back to sleep. You need the rest, and we'll be
here when you wake up,” she assures me.

I want to ask more questions, but my eyelids begin to
droop.

The next time I manage to pry my eyes open, I find Caleb
sitting next to the hospital bed. My sleepy eyes roam over his face, and I
can't help but smile. Even with his rumpled hair and two days growth of
whiskers, he looks delicious.

He smiles in relief when he notices I'm awake. “Ah,
Sleeping Beauty is back with us again.”

“Mm. Where's my kiss from my sexy prince?” I ask in a
tired voice.

“Right here,” he says as he leans over and very gently
brushes his lips against mine.

“More,” I murmur as longing sweeps through my aching
body.

Caleb pulls back, looking amused. “How about some
water?”

My mouth instantly waters. The inside of my mouth is
dry and tastes like something crawled into it and died. Ick. “Water, please,” I
agree.

He picks up a glass of water with a straw in it. I
instinctively try to raise my upper body, but I cry out as pain shoots through
my left shoulder while the area below the ribs on my left side protests.

Caleb frowns at me. “Easy, Zoey. You were in an
accident, remember? Here, just relax and I'll adjust your bed.”

My eyebrows draw together, and I try to take stock of
my body as the upper part of my bed slowly rises. My body aches, but mostly in
my shoulder and below my ribs along my left side. I look down and see something
bulky around my right leg beneath the hospital blanket. “Am I still in one
piece?” I ask as I study the outline of my legs. My arms are still attached as
well.

“Yes, you'll make a full recovery,” Caleb confirms. He
holds the glass near me so the straw is nearly touching my lips. I tentatively
take a sip, and the cool liquid feels good sliding down my dry throat. When
I've had my fill, Caleb sets the glass down.

I fight back a yawn. “I'm so tired, and my head feels
foggy.”

“It's the pain medication. You'll be in and out of it
today. Tomorrow they're talking about cutting back so you're not so drowsy.”

I lick my dry lips and scan the empty room. There are
several bouquets of flowers and get well balloons scattered around. “Have I
been here a while?”

“A couple days. The accident happened on Thursday and
today is Saturday. Your parents are getting some breakfast down in the
cafeteria, and Ace, Jeremy, and AJ will be dropping by later to see if you're
awake.”

“What's wrong with me?” I ask as I reach up with my
right hand and tentatively touch the bandage along my forehead.

Caleb gently takes my left hand in his. “You have a
concussion and numerous cuts and abrasions. You have a tear in your left
rotator cuff,” he explains. “They didn't surgically fix it, because the doctor
thinks it'll heal on its own with time.”

“What else?”

“You have a broken fibula, right above your ankle. It
was a clean break, so you're looking at about six weeks in a cast.”

 A grimace scrunches up my features. I'm a very
active person. Being restricted to crutches is going to drive me nuts.

“And you had emergency surgery right after the
accident,” he continues quietly. “You had internal bleeding, and they had to
remove your spleen. That was the worst of your injuries, but you'll make a full
recovery.”

I'm quiet as I process this news before I ask, “When
can I go home?”

Caleb chuckles and his lip curves up in the corner.
“How did I know that would be your next question?”

“I hate hospitals,” I say softly as I think of Micah.

Understanding flickers in his gaze. “I know. I think
they're releasing you on Monday. The doctor wants to give you today to become a
little more alert, and then Sunday he said he'll assess your injuries and see
about letting you out of here.”

“What happened? Did I cause the accident?” I ask with
puzzlement.

“No, it wasn't your fault.” His expression looks
pained, and I look at him worriedly. “It wasn't,” he promises. “I just...” He
rubs a hand over his face. “I was on the phone with you when it happened,” he
explains.

“I was on the phone? Was I distracted?”

“No. I was supposed to meet you after your last class
before your appointment with the therapist. My class ran late, and I didn't get
there in time. Do you remember?” he asks as his eyes search mine.

“The day is kind of fuzzy.” I can't help but grin
widely a second later. “I remember the sex we had, though.”

He grins crookedly. “Yeah, that was a good way to wake
up, eh?”

“
Mmhmm
.”

Caleb sobers up. “Anyway, I called to tell you I
didn't mean to miss you before you left. We were talking, and I heard the sound
of a car horn, then the sound of smashing metal and glass.” His jaw clenches
and he looks away. “That fucking sound keeps echoing in my head. I heard it
right before your phone went dead, and I knew something bad had happened to
you.”

“I'm sorry,” I whisper.

His blue eyes turn to focus on mine. “Why? It wasn't
your fault. You have nothing to be sorry about.”

“It's just that sound. It'll stay with you forever. I
hear it all the time when I remember the accident with Micah...”

Caleb squeezes my hand, and we’re both silent a moment
before he continues speaking. “I fled campus and drove towards the clinic the
way I figured you'd have taken. I came across the accident.” A muscle ticks in
his jaw, his lips tightening. “Your car...” He shakes his head and says, “One
of the officers on the scene said someone ran a red light. They nailed the
passenger side of your car, and you ended up in on-coming traffic where your
car collided with another, causing your car to flip. It was bad, Zoey. They'd
already rushed you from the scene by ambulance and were loading up one of the
other driver's when I got there. I almost lost it,” he says softly.

“I'm sorry.”

“I'm just so relieved you're okay.”

“Me too. My baby's gone, isn't she?” I ask, and my lower
lip quivers at the thought of her being mangled and twisted.

Caleb looks at me with puzzlement.

“My car,” I explain as I fight back the ridiculous
urge to cry.

He nods. “Yeah. It's totaled.”

I grimace. “I
loved
that car.”

“Cars can be replaced.
You
can't,” he points
out.

“My parents are here,” I say quietly as I switch the
topic before I do something mortifying, like cry over something materialistic
like a car. God, I'm going to miss it.

“They've been here this entire time. They love you,
Zoey.”

I look away.

“Let them be here for you. They need this, and I think
you do, too.”

“I'll try to be nice,” I say grudgingly.