He laughs while grinning. "Sorry. I thought girls gabbed about everything. I just a.s.sumed my sister would have told you or maybe Lys."

"Sorry. I never asked." I admit.

He seems surprised, as if he thought I'd press the girls for details. Honestly, after the fair warning I never wanted to discuss him again with them.

"Monroe. Jacob Monroe."

I extend my hand. "Callie Healy."

When our hands connect I experience that same electric rush as before. I can't be positive, but I believe it's the same for Cob.

"Now that we've gotten that out of the way, I'm going to the kitchen. Good luck on your toothbrush hunt. Need be you can always use mine, being that my mouth has been all over you."

"And plenty of other women," I add.

He peeks back into the room after exiting. "None here, Callie."

I raise my left brow. "Did you arrive yesterday?"

"Nope."

He disappears without being able to answer anymore of my inquiries regarding his personal endeavors.

Lucky for me, I find a toothbrush in the medicine cabinet. The shampoo in the shower expired two years ago, but I choose to use it regardless of the package date. It's just soap, and thankfully smells fantastic. I look on the bottom of the bottle and find the salon's name. Hopefully they still sell it, and might also be looking to hire a new beautician.

After making sure I'm nice and clean, I step out from the shower and get a whiff of something delightful.

I pull out the first t-shirt that's hanging out of his suit case and throw it over my body. Then I head into the living room where I left my purse. My phone still has a little battery left, so I check my messages first.

Addy is concerned. She's text me three times. Christian once. Aunt Van invited me to breakfast, which I'm kind of sad I won't be able to attend. She makes the best food I've ever eaten.

When my phone flashes that the battery is even lower, I know I only have a few moments left to use it, before needing to ask for a charger. I shoot Lys a message.

Tell me everything you know about Jacob Monroe. C I'm surprised to get a text back.

Why? Did you give him your number that time you visited? Did he find you on social media? L I forgot I haven't told her we slept together. Now I doubt Cob told her about my unannounced visit.

Just tell me what you know. C I don't know much about him. He's not my type. His sister says he's a manwh.o.r.e. She said he can't make his mind up about anything. He has a good job. He even owns the house we rent. I know he asked about you after that time you visited. I didn't tell you because I thought it would be a bad idea. L He asked about me. I'm sort of shocked, but in a way I feel giddy. Like a school girl, I'm excited to know he was interested.

What did he ask? C He asked if you just broke up with someone. He said you were too hot to be single. He asked me if I thought he had a chance with hooking up with you. I told him h.e.l.l no. L I'm laughing to myself as I read it. She has no clue we've hooked up on two different occasions, but now a lot more makes sense about the night I showed up in Pennsylvania. Now I need to know more from the source.

Making my way to the kitchen isn't difficult with such a wonderful aroma resonating. I find Cob shirtless standing over the stove. He's flipping what I think is a pancake, and I immediately get excited since they're one of my favorites. "I have to say, you look pretty d.a.m.n s.e.xy from the back."

He turns and offers a sly grin. "I can say the same for you. Especially without clothes."

I lean against the counter beside him and become startled when he sits down the spatula to fence me in between his strong arms. He leans forward and kisses me. As he pulls away I speak, while his eyes are still peering into mine. "Glad I found a toothbrush."

"I would have kissed you anyway."

"Who are you and what have done with the a.s.shole I first met?"

"When we first met I'd had a s.h.i.tty day. The second time was even worse."

"Speaking of the second time," I say when he gets back breakfast. "You planned on having a guest over, but you sent her away. Was it because I was there?"

I hear an air-filled laugh escape him. "What if I said it was? Does it change your opinion of me?"

"Did you ask Lys about me?"

He's not looking at me when he says it. "Maybe."

"Why?"

"If you know I asked about you, then it won't take a lot of brains to figure out why, Callie." For a second he glances at me with a half-smile plastered on the side of his face.

"Why act so c.o.c.ky then?"

"Because Lys told me I didn't have a chance, and after the c.r.a.p day I'd had, I wasn't in the mood for rejection."

"Not used to being turned down?" I playfully ask.

"Not usually, but you are worth the challenge."

The goose b.u.mps are back. I'm struggling to find reasons to hate this man when he's saying all the right things. "I didn't put up enough fight, I suppose. I should have made it more difficult for you."

He turns off the stove and sits the pan away from the hot burner, before pinning me again. "I doubt you would have resisted that first night. You were on a mission to forget something. It was a win-win for me. Either way I got to experience you, even if I suspected you'd hate me and yourself afterwards."

"I didn't. Hate you, that is. I thought you were an a.s.shole. You still might be."

"I've been called worse."

When he's this close to me it's hard to focus on anything but kissing him. My arms come up around his neck and I hold him close. "You said you're here a couple months?"

His lips brush over mine as he responds. "Yeah, why?"

"Do you want to see me again?"

The arms that were at my sides wrap around my back so that our bodies are touching at every part. "Maybe."

"Maybe I'd like that."

Cob takes one hand and reaches it up into my wet hair, pulling me against his lips as they crash into mine. Our kiss is heated, and within a few seconds we're carried away. He's shoving down his shorts, while I lift off his t-shirt. Before we know it he's taking me on the countertop, hard, as if to celebrate my wanting him. Unlike the times before it, we don't switch positions. He pounds me until he finally finishes, and it's not quick. It isn't until it's over when I come to rationalize with what we've done and how careless we've both been. Cob pulls away and peers down at his relaxed c.o.c.k. "s.h.i.t, Callie."

"It's okay. I think. I mean, I'm safe. I don't know about you."

"It's happened a couple of times several years ago. d.a.m.n. I'm such a d.i.c.k."

"I'd call it thinking with your d.i.c.k."

He nods but seems genuinely frustrated with himself. "f.u.c.k!"

Even though I'm a little concerned about having unprotected s.e.x, I know I could have stopped him from doing it. "We were both careless. I was caught in the moment too." I stand and grab his arm so he turns to face me. "I'm not angry with you, Cob."

As the remains of his load begin to run down my leg he cups my cheeks and kisses me slowly. "It won't happen again," he promises.

This might be the first thing he's said where I completely believe him. "Okay."

"Here, this should help." He takes a dry hand towel and sticks it between my legs. I laugh as I close them and manage to make it to the small table where I sit down. This is pretty uncomfortable, but at least he's being nice about it.

Cob brings a plate full of pancakes and bacon over to the table, before joining me. He points to the syrup and tray of b.u.t.ter he's already laid out, as well as two matching plates with pink flowers all over them. I hold mine up and laugh. "I love your choice in china."

He speaks with a feminine tone. "I know. It took me like four weeks to decided on pink or purple, but I think the pink accentuates my eyes," he says while holding up the plate to his face.

We laugh together as I nod. "Yeah. They really pop." He fills my plate with way too much food. While I get to work on b.u.t.tering them up, I tell him something to get a rise. "My family is famous for making the best pancakes. I just want to warn you if they don't compare."

He takes a bite before responding. I watch him close his eyes as if they're amazing. "Don't doubt my skills. My mom taught me how to make these. Dad always joked she learned the recipe from an old boyfriend or some s.h.i.t. I didn't care who taught her. She's a pretty c.r.a.ppy cook, but she always made these right."

I take my first bite and feel like I'm at home. The vanilla stands out, as well as the sweetness. The ends of each pancake have a bit of a b.u.t.tery crisp to them. They're exactly like the ones I've grown up on. "Didn't you say your family lived in North Carolina?"

"Yeah, a long time ago."

"Maybe it's just the way people make them there."

He chuckles. "So you're saying I did good?"

I nod while chewing. "I approve."

He throws me a wink. "Wait until I cook you dinner."

"Are you inviting me to stay?"

"Do you have something else to do?"

"Well, I just got into town, and my family is expecting me to hang out with them." When I see that he's sort of upset, I reiterate. "Maybe I could come by later? I can drive myself."

He nods. "It's a deal. I'll make steaks."

"What's for dessert?" I ask.

He points his fork right at me. "You."

Chapter 14.

Callie We shower together before I gather my things and he drives me home. What I think will be a quick effort to clean off the s.e.x, turns into a slow and sensual washing. Cob runs the bar of soap over every part of my skin, taking his hands and cleaning between my legs while pleasuring me at the same time. When he's done he leans forward and kisses me there, over and over, drawing designs with his tongue over my c.l.i.t. He doesn't stop until I'm weak in the knees and cry out. When he's finished he ravels in his own achievements. After we're done, he provides me with a dry towel first before tending to himself. He's calm and gentle, appearing to be a completely different person than the man I met the first time.

The way he looks at me gives me chills. It's as if he's peering into my soul in order to know me deeply. With each pa.s.sing moment that we share I'm beginning to wonder if he was right. Maybe we were supposed to run into each other last night, and if so, what does that mean for me?

I'm going to see him again tonight. I'd be denying myself if I declined his offer. I'm getting more enjoyment from this man than I've received in as long as I can remember.

Unlike our first encounter where I left before things could get weirder, I'm reluctant to go. I never ask to borrow a phone charger, because frankly I'm too preoccupied. This came out of nowhere, and although I know he's not going to be around for long, I still like him enough to see him again. He's new and exciting. He's familiar and talented where he needs to be. I'm in awe of him, and for the first time in forever I can see this man changing the way I view myself and my life. He's not tied to my family. He's new and untouched. Even though he's been known to enjoy multiple women, I have to go into this with a little faith that I won't get burned.

We're halfway down the road when he reaches over and takes my hand. He laces his with mine and lifts it to his lips. "What time do you think you'd want to eat dinner?"

I'm taken by surprise yet again by this gesture. He's charming me, and I want to believe it's real, but I'm the type of person who falls hopelessly in love way too fast. I need to continue reminding myself of that so I'm not burned again by another man. "Whenever you want."

"Is seven good?"

"We could do eight. That will give me time to visit with everyone. Do you want me to help you cook?"

"Nope. It's my pleasure. I invited you, remember?"

"Are you being kind to get into my pants again?"

He glances at me for a second with a huge grin on his face. "It's quite possible, though I'm trying to impress you however I can. You're a hard one to crack. I'm not used to working so hard and I appreciate the challenge, but I'm also determined to prove to you that I'm not the guy you've been led to believe. People change. My job forces me to spend too much time alone. When I'm alone I think. When I think I see everything I'm missing out on," he mentions while lifting my hand again to kiss. "Like the touch of a beautiful woman, who I can't seem to get enough of. I mean it, Callie. It's nice spending time with you, even if we have a funny way of making it happen."

"Yeah, me too. I hope you're the guy I want you to be. It's nice to sort of know someone here other than my family. I'd like us to be friends." I point to an upcoming road. "Turn right here."

It's quiet in the vehicle.

I break the silence. "Thank you for spending time with me, Cob. It was great. I enjoyed breakfast this morning. I don't think a man has ever made me breakfast before."

"Wow. A breakfast virgin. I'll take it."

I snicker and point for him to make a left. "Turn there."

"Where did you say your family lives?" He asks.

"It's a big ranch. Are you familiar with where we are?"

"Yeah."

"It's the Mitch.e.l.l Family Ranch. I'm sure you've seen the huge gates and white fencing."

He nods. "Yep. I know exactly where it is. I thought you said your last name was Healy?"

"It is. My uncle runs the ranch."

"Oh gotcha."

We pull to the gate and I tell him the code so we can enter. When we turn into the circle driveway I slide closer to kiss him goodbye. He's short with his kiss, and as I pull away I feel like he's withdrawing. "Something wrong?"

"Nothing at all."