Whatever the cause, it made it so hard to ignore him. It didn’t help that he kept watch on her while she worked. If she happened to turn and peek, there he was, staring at her, hunger lighting his gaze, stark longing drawing lines in his face.
It might have made a weaker woman melt. Not her. He wasn’t going to win her back with either his looks or his attention.
Too bad. So sad. This ship has sailed. You had me once and look at what happened.
Caleb had dumped her ass and gone to war. So what if he returned? So what if he’d obviously suffered judging by the scars he bore? Being only human, she wondered what happened to his face. The scar with its distinctive flat shine spoke of a terrible burn, one that went down his cheek, spotted his neck, and disappeared into the collar of his shirt. How far did it extend?
I wonder if he’d let me find out.
For curiosity’s sake, of course, not sensual.
Did it still hurt? She had to wonder if it was why he acted so jaded. So prickly.
Is he trying to keep people away from him?
That wasn’t the Caleb she knew, who thrived on hugs and snuggles.
Given the direction of her thoughts, she wasn’t too surprised when she exited the building to see Caleb leaning against her car.
She halted in the doorway, torn with indecision. Am I ready to deal with him? Would she ever be? Caleb was right in one respect. In a town this size, they couldn’t avoid each other forever.
Bruno grumbled from his spot by the door, the red tip of his cigarette glowing bright. “Bloody stalkers. Stay put here for a second, Renny, would you? It will only take me a second to chase that bottom feeder away.”
Placing a hand on Bruno’s arm, Renny stopped him. “It’s okay. I know the guy. He won’t hurt me.” Because he no longer had the power to hurt her. He’d already done his worst.
“Are you sure? I don’t mind crunching him up.” As a big bull gator, Bruno meant that quite literally.
Living in the bayou meant accepting certain rules. The first one being shifters made their own rules and they were quite often violent.
“If I need you to smash his face in, I’ll let you know. Thanks, Bruno.”
“Bah.” He scoffed. “I’d do it for fun. Anyhow, I’m going to be here for another half hour locking things down. You need me, just holler.”
“I will.” Renny stepped away from the safety of the hulking bouncer and strode to her car. She tried to appear nonchalant, but inside, her heart raced. What did Caleb want?
When she was close enough not to shout, she asked, “Why are you stalking my car? I thought we’d said all there was to say inside.” And she’d also imagined a whole hell of a lot after she realized what Caleb meant to do with her bra. Every time her hand wrapped around a tall glass, she couldn’t help but be reminded.
“I didn’t like the thought of you being out here all alone at night. Who knows what kind of creeps are lurking?”
“Calling yourself a creep now? That’s harsher than what I would have said. More like clingy and unable to let things go.” She stopped a few steps from him, head cocked at an angle as she stared at Caleb, trying to read the mysterious workings of his mind. She came up blank.
“I am not clingy.”
“Oh, that’s right, you’re not, or you wouldn’t have dumped me.”
His lips thinned. “I had my reasons.”
“I hope they were damned good ones.” Should she mention there wasn’t a reason valid enough to justify his actions?
“They were.”
“Good enough to justify leaving me and, other than a measly text, never contacting me again?”
“I said I had my—”
“Reasons? Yeah. Whatever. Move away from my car. I need to get home.”
“I’m coming with you.”
She gaped at him before gathering her wits. “Oh no you aren’t. I can drive myself.”
Caleb snorted. “I should hope you can drive, seeing as how I’ve had too many beers.”
“You must have if you thought bugging me for a ride after work was a smart idea.”
“Actually, I had a ride with Daryl, but I came back.”
Curiosity made her ask. “Why?”
“Like I said, to keep an eye on you and make sure no one bothered you.”
“People bothering me isn’t your business. I’m not your business. And I don’t need you waltzing into my work, giving me hell, and then stalking me after just because we used to date.”
Caleb leaned toward her. “Come on, baby, you know we did more than date. We made love in every which way possible.”
“I was young and gullible.”
“We were horny for each other.”
Yes, they were. Sometimes, at night when she was alone, she could still feel the heat and sensual thrill of his hands on her skin, the exhilarating rush of climax.
His reminder made her flush, even as she sputtered, “You’re gross.”
“No, I’m honest.”
A bitter laugh erupted as she latched onto the word. “Honest? Really? That’s priceless coming from you. Honesty from the man who ditched me with a text message and even now won’t tell me why. Was it something I did?”
He didn’t even hesitate. “Of course not.”
“Were you in love with someone else?”
“Never!” The word burst from him with force.
“Then tell me why you left.”