Wicked Lovers 06.5 Wicked All The Way (9 page)

“Surely, this sadness will pass.”

“But why should you feel it at all? When you were with him,
before the incident with Gordon, were you happy?”

As brief as it had been… “Very.”

Carlotta sniffled. Goodness, had she allowed herself to
create her own misery?

“Do you really think after so many years with Gordon that
you would fall back onto the same timid path or that Caleb would be interested
in a woman he believed had no backbone?”

No, but… She couldn’t quite find the right words to phrase
her worries.

“You’re scared.” Kata summed it up. “I understand. Believe
me, I
totally
get that.”

With precious few words, Kata zeroed in on her issue. She
was afraid of being back in that place, of being that person again.

“But do you realize that by being too afraid to move on and
be with a wonderful man who loves you, you’re letting Gordon win? Even two
years later, even from a different state, even after the divorce, you’re
letting him dictate your life to you. You’re giving him your power.”

Kata’s terribly honest words were a blow to the chest. A
thousand thoughts all rushed her mind at once, the loudest that her daughter
was right. If Gordon knew that he had stirred up enough fear to cause her to
leave a man who genuinely wanted to cherish her, he would relish that. The
small man would feel big. He would have the last laugh.

“I will not let him win.” Carlotta clenched her fists,
determined to get Gordon out of her life once and for all.

“I don’t think you should.” Kata hugged her and smiled. When
she pulled back, her eyes danced with mischief. “You know…I think Caleb is due
back in Lafayette tomorrow for the holiday. Maybe you should talk to him.”

No maybe about it. She was no longer the timid woman whom
she had allowed Gordon to browbeat. She would not let him rule her life now.
She would not remain unhappy because of him, not when Caleb was so wonderful to
love.

“Thank you,
Mija
,
for giving me a kick. I will.”

#

On the pretext of visiting Mari and the boys, Carlotta left
Kata’s apartment and headed over to the new house. With only two days before
Hunter would surprise Kata with this Christmas gift meant to cement their
future, she had a lot to do to finish getting the house ready. Her trunk was
packed full of gifts for everyone, as well as all the curtains, throw pillows,
area rugs, and other accessories she would need to complete the rooms. Hunter
would surprise Kata with a night in Dallas tomorrow, some “couple” time before
the holiday started. Everyone else would move the furniture in so that when
they returned for the party on Christmas Eve, their new home would be mostly
complete.

And somewhere in the midst of all that chaos, she would pull
Caleb aside, apologize, and ask if they could start over.

A happy little smile lit her face. Hopefully, everything
would come together in her life this holiday season. Family, celebration,
joy…and finally a man to love, one who not only made her feel cherished, but
like a woman.

Navigating the last curve onto the right street, she arrived
at Hunter and Kata’s charming new house on the corner. The porch and trim had
been painted, as had the detached garage out back. She frowned. But the door to
the little building behind the house stood open. Had squatters barged their way
in again?

Parking on the street as dusk gave way to night, she was
grateful for the streetlamp that lit the path in front of her. She walked
toward the garage carefully to investigate, clutching her phone. When she
reached it and peeked into the darkened space, she didn’t see anyone, just a
familiar truck.

Caleb’s.

He is here!
Nerves
suddenly fluttered in her stomach, and she drew in a shaky breath. It was
probably a very adolescent reaction, but he often tied her up in so many knots
that she behaved like that shy, uncertain girl again. When he kissed her
though, all that slid away until she felt only flushed and needy and…like she
was in the best hands possible.

Carlotta turned and darted back toward the porch, climbed
the steps, then tested the front door. It was unlocked. The latch lifted in her
hand. She stepped inside the house and gasped. Everything had been
transformed—every surface painted or gleaming, all the light fixtures hung.

She wandered through the bedrooms and bathrooms, marveling
at the new tile. Caleb had even replaced the vanity in the master bath with
something that looked more custom and high end—and had double sinks. The
frosted shower door with brass accents had been replaced with something sleek
and frameless. The fiberglass tub had been torn out. A new clawfoot sat in its
place. Caleb had done a magnificent job.

But she did not see the man himself. As lovely as everything
looked, she yearned to see him, talk to him…touch him.

As she walked into the kitchen, the cabinets all fit
perfectly, their countertops glossy and sleek. New appliances sat snugly in
their appointed places, ready to cool and heat great food.

Suddenly, she heard a clink behind her and noticed the door
ajar, leading to what he’d told her was the attic. A sigh followed, then a soft
curse.

Caleb!

Grabbing the knob, she tore the door wide open and scrambled
to the steps. Then insecurity hit her. What if his patience had run out? What
if he had decided not to give her another chance? She nibbled her lip. She
would convince him. She would do whatever she needed to prove that she was
ready to move on, open up, and love him with all her heart.

She scampered up the wooden stairs, her heels clicking with
each one. About halfway up, Caleb killed the light in the rest of the room and
ambled into view. Shadows clung to his rugged face and bare chest as he blocked
the top of the stairs. His gaze latched onto her, unreadable. Blue eyes could
seem so cold, but never his. They were especially hot tonight, intense as he
looked her over thoroughly.

“Lottie, what are you doing here?”

Carlotta didn’t stop running, she merely reached the top of
the stairs and launched herself at him, her skirt hiking up her thighs. Caleb
caught her with a grunt and held tight, so she wrapped her arms around his neck
and pressed her lips to his with a little cry. He was damp with sweat and
smelled like musk. Above the faint mustiness of the attic, the scent of leather
hung in the air.

He staggered back a step or two until he had his balance
again. But he didn’t kiss her in return. Instead, he palmed her waist and set
her on her feet, then anchored his hands on his hips. “What’s this?”

“I was wrong and I am sorry. I refuse to let Gordon continue
to dictate my life. You were trying to protect me, and I overreacted. And I
love you, too.”

Now that she had blurted everything straight from her heart
and off her tongue, Caleb watched her in unblinking silence. The seconds ticked
on. Anxiety knotted her up again.

She reached out, touched his bare shoulder, ridiculously
relieved when he didn’t pull away. With a caress over his taut skin, she
reveled in his heat and hardness. “Caleb? Say something.”

His lips pressed into a tense line. “What made you change your
mind?”

“I missed you terribly, so much that it stunned me. I tried
to shield my heart from you, close myself off, but you still managed to take up
all the space inside. I talked to Kata earlier. She pointed out that I was
letting my fear lead my actions, not my love. And my love is far bigger. Please
tell me I am not too late.”

Even the thought of this beautiful man turning away from her
made her eyes swim with tears, her chest buckle. Every time he had tried to
forge something with her, she had allowed her doubts and her fright to dictate
her actions. She was still scared, but she would rather be brave and take a
chance on being happy than be alone and trapped by her past.

“You’ve run out on me twice.”

She had, and he must feel somewhere between angry and hurt,
maybe even rejected. “Never again. I promise.”

“I won’t apologize for telling Gordon off.”

“I would not want you to. I should have done it myself and
saved you the trouble. I am strong enough to stand on my own two feet.”

“I know that, Lottie.”

“I want him to know it, too.”

Caleb shrugged. “Who gives a shit what he thinks? But you
have to know that I’m always going to defend you. I’m always going to take care
of you. I’m probably always going to be a little overbearing and
overprotective. But it never means that I think you’re incapable or that I want
to suppress you, just that I refuse to see you suffer. Understand right now
that I would never want to take away your identity like he did.”

“I know. It was not you I failed to trust. It was me. It was
my strength.” She sidled closer and braced her palm against his
whisker-roughened cheek. “It was my heart. But I have searched it now enough to
know that it is yours.”

Shadows grazed his strong cheekbones and the hollows around
his eyes, making him look big and dark and dangerous. Carlotta’s heart pounded
as she waited for him to say something…

But Caleb only proved that he was a man of few words. He
wrapped his arms around her and brought her crashing against his hard chest.
Her head snapped back, and he swallowed her gasp as he covered her mouth with
his own. Parting her lips, he surged inside, possessing her with a single kiss.

Carlotta stepped on her tiptoes to get closer, give him
more, moaning as his hands roamed her back, pressing her in tightly, before he
cupped her backside. Caleb fitted her directly against his male flesh, thick,
hot, and erect against her moistening folds.

He ignited her as he rocked between her legs and fueled a
fire so hot, only he could put it out. She wriggled against him, silently
pleading.

Digging his hands into her hair, he tugged, pulling her head
back. His lips hovered over hers. “Your heart is mine, you say? I want it,
Lottie, along with the rest of you. I want to spend the night inside you.”

Goodness, the way he talked to her…low and sexual, a deeply
determined male not asking a question, but stating his intent.

“Yes,” she breathed, spreading kisses over his jaw, down his
neck. “Here?”

He hesitated. “How much do you trust me with your body?”

What sort of question was that? “Completely.”

“Wait. Don’t move.” He pulled away and disappeared into the
surrounding darkness, taking his body heat with him. She shivered, wrapping her
arms around her. It was late December, and the temperature had dropped the last
few weeks. It was chilly in the attic.

Then light suddenly flooded the space, and Carlotta looked
over to see Caleb let go of the lone string beside the light bulb. The golden
glow cast over his tense face. He squared his shoulders, looking suddenly
taller, more…formidable. His piercing blue eyes looked through her remaining
walls and seemed to see down to her soul. Carlotta met his gaze, trembling
under all his silent demand.

“Take a look around us, Lottie. You know what this is?”

A padded bench of some sort sat just beside her. A
seven-foot mirror dominated the back wall. A giant wooden X painted in red took
up the rest of the space beside it. To her left, a rack of hooks suspended a
variety of paddles, whips, and restraints. To her right, a bed with a massive
headboard—and cuffs built right into the middle.

Her stomach dipped, rolled, and tangled in shock.

“I know. A dungeon.”

She could not quite meet his gaze, but questions zipped
through her head. Was he not just an alpha male, but a Dominant, like his sons?
Did he want to use this equipment on her? How did she feel about the idea of
being immobile and at his mercy? Her nipples peaked and the ache between her
legs surged. She supposed that answered her question. Her body liked it a great
deal…but what about her psyche?

“Are you scared about the idea of giving yourself to me
here?” he asked. “I need your honesty, Lottie.”

“A little. But probably not as much as you might imagine.”

He raised his brows. “Not too scared to try?”

Carlotta swallowed. Her first thought was to ask him to wait
until they were more established, until she felt more secure. But she was
either with him or she was not. After many conversations with Kata about this
topic, she understood the psychology of it. Caleb needed her to prove that she
could put herself in his hands and give him all of herself because she trusted
him. Because she loved him. And she needed to prove to herself that she was
strong enough to handle a forceful man without losing herself. Together, they
needed to form a bond through their communication and pleasure that would serve
as the foundation for the “us” they would become.

Carlotta reached up and fumbled with the buttons of her
blouse, slipping each one free until she slid the silky red garment over her
shoulders. Then she shimmied out of her charcoal skirt and kicked it aside.

Finally, she stood before him, wearing only another
serviceable bra, lace-trimmed panties, and her red shoes. “I am yours, Caleb. I
will never be frightened by you again.”

He sucked in a deep breath, his chest expanding as he
stalked toward her with slow, measured steps until he stopped right in front of
her, so close that the heat of his body radiated to her and made her shiver. “I
haven’t topped anyone in a very long time. I put this side of myself away
because Amanda couldn’t deal with it. But I can’t pretend to be someone I’m not
with you. It won’t work, Lottie.”

She understood that completely. “I know. I was never myself
with Gordon. He did not want the real me.”

“Just so we’re clear, you won’t be allowed to hide anything
from me. If you’re scared or worried or confused, you give that all to me, in
or out of bed. Yes?”