Taming the

Boy Next Door

A Dickerman/Moretti Novel

By MJ Carnal

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual
events or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Copyright © 2013 by MJ Carnal, author. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce, distribute or transmit in any form or by any
means. For information regarding rights, contact the publisher.
Cover photo by Eric Wainwright, Wainwright Images, Portland, Oregon.

www.facebook.com/wainwrightimages

Cover Model: Paul Hagen,

www.facebook.com/phagen17

Book cover by Dawn of Dark Dawn Creations
First Edition November 2013
The author acknowledges the copyrighted or trademarked names and owners.
This book contains adult content.

Dedication

To the Moretti Minions. You are the best street team an author could

ever ask for. Thank you for the late night chats, the belly laughs, the

ugly cries and most of all, the amazing friendship. You make my world

brighter. This book is for you

.

Prologue – September

Los Angeles Memorial Hospital, 6:00 AM

Taking a deep breath, Jena prepared herself for the dreadful task of giving another family bad news. It
never got easier. Regardless of how many times she said the words, looking in the eyes of the
devastated and frightened family members was always heartbreaking. Opening the ICU doors, she
stepped out. They were on their feet immediately. “Are you the Moretti family?”
“Yes.” A petite Italian woman who bared a strong resemblance to her patient spoke up. “I’m his
sister. How is he?”
“My name is Dr. Turner. I am the neurosurgeon on call tonight. Mr. Moretti is in critical condition.
He has a nondisplaced skull fracture and a subdural hematoma. The surgery to fix the brain bleed
went well. We will need to do a CT scan in the morning to check his progress. He has a CSF leak
and we may need to go in and repair that. The next twenty-four hours are critical. He will likely
need a few more surgery. His left arm is shattered and he has some broken ribs. We can’t do anything
about his other injuries until he is stable. I can tell you this, he is very lucky to be alive.”
“Can I see him?” His sister wiped her eyes.
“I’m sorry. We cannot allow any visitors at this time. We don’t know if he will regain
consciousness. If you would like to go home, we will call you with any changes. At this point, there
is really nothing we can do but wait.”
“We aren’t going anywhere.” Another brunette stood on shaky legs. “We will be right here.”
Jena smiled her rehearsed smile and nodded her head. “I will update you on any changes.”
As she reached for the door to the ICU, her eyes fell on the tall blond man standing before her. Her
heart sputtered. His haunted green eyes met hers, begging for answers she didn’t have. His pale face
was grim but beautiful. A spattering of freckles covered his cheeks. He was muscular and broad and
even exhausted, he took her breath away. Butterflies took flight in her stomach. As she stepped
through the doors, she took a deep breath. What was happening to her?

Chapter 1

“Are you really making me do this? No way am I pulling this off, Moretti.” Caleb shifted his weight
back and forth. The front porch light was off and he struggled to get his key in the lock.
“Just act surprised. Mackenna and Sophie have worked hard on this surprise party. Just jump and
smile.” Mark patted Caleb on the back and laughed. “You only turn thirty once and there wasn’t a
chance in hell they were letting you off the hook. Let’s go.”
Caleb smoothed his shirt, ran his hands through his sandy hair and took a deep breath. “Fine. But
payback is a bitch.”
He turned the doorknob and entered his dark living room. He smiled briefly. When the lights flipped
on, they all jumped from their designated spots and yelled. Caleb laughed. He tried to act surprised
but seeing their faces, so full of determination, he couldn’t help himself.
“Did we surprise you baby?” Mackenna jumped into his arms.
Smiling, Caleb reassured her. “You did. Thanks for this. It’s amazing.”
Steve cranked the music and the party kicked into gear. People gathered in every corner of the house.
Drinks were flowing and laughter filled the room. His favorite people in the world were gathered in
one space. Caleb couldn’t help but feel blessed.
Growing up, he had been wild and rebellious. Being unruly made him the life of the party and the
loose cannon of the Moretti gang. And as his grades slipped and his all star status on the soccer field
was in jeopardy, reality kicked in. His UCLA days were spent studying and he graduated with honors
three years later. Now, he spent his days as one of the most prestigious editors in Los Angeles.
Mackenna had been the girl next door growing up. He had chased her nonstop through high school.
But the chase might have been more fun than the catch. They had been together for three months.
Although it had been fun, Caleb couldn’t commit himself fully to the relationship. He had been honest
with her. But she had told him it didn’t matter and that forever was something that happened slowly.
She had agreed to an open relationship when he found himself pulling away. Almost daily, his mind
wandered back to the days when Mark was in the hospital. The experience had been one of the worst
of his life. But the gorgeous Dr. Jena Turner had been a bright spot in those dark days.
“Did you hear me?” Mackenna’s slurred voice broke through his fog. Losing her balance, she fell
into him. “Where were you, baby?”
“Sorry.” He took a sip of his beer. “Why don’t you give me your drink and go sit down on the
couch? Andi could probably use a friendly face. She looks a little nervous.”
His sister, Andrea, had moved to Los Angeles a few weeks prior and was starting her residency.
After twisting her arm, she had moved into his guest room and Caleb loved having her close. They
were from a traditional family. After twenty-seven years, his parents were still happily married and
that was exactly what he was looking for in a mate. True, Natalia Allen was not his birth mother but
she was the only mother he had ever known and she had made his father unbelievably happy.
Unfortunately, he knew Mackenna was not the happily ever after he was looking for.
He walked down the hallway toward his bedroom. He had to get out of his suit. He felt like it was
choking him. The door to the bathroom opened and someone stepped directly in his path.
He bumped into her hard and she stumbled backwards. Caleb grabbed her arms to steady her. As he
looked up, their eyes locked. “Jena.” He breathed.
“Happy birthday, Caleb.” She blushed and tucked her hair behind her ear.
“I didn’t know you were here.” He didn’t let go of her arms and she made no effort to pull away.
“I wouldn’t have missed it.” Her smile lit up her face and Caleb tried to swallow around his heart,

currently lodged in his throat and making it impossible to breathe.
“I miss seeing you. God, I think about you every day.” Her blush deepened so he kept going. “You
are more beautiful than I remember.”
His hands ran up her arms and he gently pushed her back into the wall. They stood almost face to
face. She was tall and tanned and her legs went on for miles. Her skin broke out in goosebumps
under his touch. Her breathing changed. “I missed you guys too.” Her voice was sensual and
smooth.
He leaned into her, pressing his body softly against hers. When she didn’t push him away, he pressed
harder. “You smell amazing. You always smell like the beach.”
Her fingers wrapped through his belt loops and pulled him as close as she could. She knew he was
dating. Layla had told her they were not serious but Jena had stayed away to allow Caleb to explore
his feelings for Mackenna. The shots that Ryan had served her fueled her desire. She needed to make
her feelings known before her courage was lost once more. She could feel his arousal against her leg
and she longed to touch him. His face was so close. His green eyes sparkled and his lopsided grin
sent butterflies through her body. She shivered.
“It’s my birthday. Do I get to make a birthday wish?” He wiggled his hips against hers and her eyes
closed.
“Yes.” She moaned.
“I want your lips. I stared at them for weeks and I have dreamt of them for months. I want to know
what they feel like on mine.” His hand found Jena’s hair and pulled her face toward him. “Can I have
that Jena?”
Mark cleared his throat and they flew apart. “I hate to interrupt. But Mac is drunk as hell and she has
just announced to the whole party that your penis is pierced and you like some kinky shit. Any way
you could come retrieve her? And please, for the love God, find a way to get that image out of my
head?”
He looked at Jena and her eyes were wide. “I’m so sorry. I need to go handle this. Can I get a rain
check?”
She nodded her head but stayed silent.
Caleb laughed as he passed Mark in the hall. “From now on Moretti, I expect you to call me sir.”

Chapter 2

Jena made her way back to the living room. Her head was spinning and her body was on fire. She
had dreamed of Caleb so many times and having her lips so close to his made her heart beat wildly.
She had forgotten where they were as soon as he pressed against her. Her rule against any kind of
public display was thrown out as soon as she felt the sizzle of his fingers. His touch did something to
her that she had never felt before.

She watched him struggle with the woman he was dating. Had she missed her chance? She was
sitting on the couch next to another beautiful brunette with olive skin and to die for hair. He knelt in
front of Mackenna, hands on her thighs, whispering to her in an attempt to remove her from the room.
The brunette on the couch leaned forward to kiss Caleb on the cheek and helped him pull Mackenna to
her feet. They worked together to get her moved to his bedroom. Jena’s heart dropped as the door
shut with both women inside. She knew the close encounter in the hallway had been a fluke. Caleb
was dedicated to everyone he loved. And if she had learned nothing else about him, his loyalty,
however misguided, would never falter.

“What’s new J Dog?” Mark laughed as Jena cringed at the nickname. “Glad you could make it. Can
I introduce you to some people?”

Jena took his hand and Mark led her through the mess of people that had invaded Caleb’s house. She
shook hands with more people than she would ever remember but everyone was kind and happy to
meet her. Mark called her his hero and credited her with saving his life after his accident. Her blush
was permanent.

She was able to catch her breath a while later. Sipping on the same beer she had been drinking for a
few hours, she sat on the plush sofa and sighed. Caleb’s house overlooked the marina and the lights
off the boats sparkled in the moonlight. It was clear his home had been decorated by a designer, with
everything modern and new. Her apartment in downtown LA was small and cramped but it served its
purpose during the long sleepless nights of her residency. Seeing Caleb’s beautiful Marina Del Ray
home made her long for some roots of her own.

“Not so fast Caleb. You’re gonna make me sick. Slow down.” The beautiful brunette’s voice broke
through her thoughts.

Caleb’s deep chuckle and crooked smile made Jena sigh. “Don’t be such a girl.”

She struggled to stay on his back as he ran down the hall. “I am a girl you jerk.” She grabbed his hair
and he tackled her onto the couch next to Jena. She squealed as Caleb tickled her. After a minute of
torture, she wiggled out from underneath him and ran for the kitchen.

Caleb ran his hand through his hair and took a deep breath. Jena blushed. “Hi.” His smile, with the
right side tipped up further than the left and the deep dimple that she could get lost in, took her breath
away.

“Hi again.” She couldn’t stop herself from staring.

“Thank you for taking the night off. I know how hard it is for you to get time away from the hospital.
It means a lot to me, Jena.” His pinkie brushed along her hand. The jolt of electricity she felt every
time he touched her made her ache. As he pulled his hand back into his lap, he smiled at the gorgeous
brunette that was watching them intently.

Jena cleared her throat and focused on Caleb. “Not quite as hard anymore actually. I was offered a
staff position at the hospital last month so no more crazy hours unless I am on call. Much better than
residency hours. And a lot more sleep.”

Caleb’s face lit up. “So you’re staying? Last I heard you were interviewing for a position in San
Francisco.”

“Mr. Allen, were you checking up on me?” Jena’s heart raced but she tried to keep her voice calm.

“Well Dr. Turner, you kind of stayed with me. Maybe I shouldn’t tell you that. Makes me sound a
little creepy.” Caleb reached out and tucked her hair behind her ear.

“You have stayed with me too.” Jena’s words were lost as the Brunette walked up behind Caleb,
grabbed his hair and yanked him from the couch.

~~~

“What the hell are you doing?” Caleb pulled free of Andi’s grip and followed her to her room.

“I don’t mean to interrupt whatever that was. But Moretti and his minions were watching you. And
as much as I despise Mackenna and her gold digging fake nails, I was concerned about the way they
were looking at you. Who is that?” Andi looked over her shoulder at Jena before shutting the door.

Caleb smiled and laid down on her bed. Sighing, he shut his eyes. “That would be Jena.”

“And Jena would be? Caleb, if you could have seen your face. Priceless. She’s very pretty.”

“And light years out of my league. I’m not sure if she’s off limits or not. She watches me but hasn’t
shown much more interest than that.”

Andi punched him in the arm and he cringed. “Why would she be off limits? Can I be the annoying
little sister and ask her if she is seeing someone?”

“No. Don’t you dare.” He laughed as he stood up. “Jena saved Mark’s life after the accident. And I
can’t exactly pursue her with Mackenna passed out in my bed.”

“Wait a minute.” Andi pulled him to a stop. “That’s Dr. Turner? Jena Turner?” Caleb nodded his
head and she continued. “Shut up! Starting tomorrow, she’s my boss. My first rotation is
neurosurgery.”

~~~

Jena fumbled through her purse looking for her keys. Seeing Caleb with Mackenna had been hard
enough but the curious look she had received from the brunette just prior to shutting him in a bedroom
had been too much. Mark and Sophie had prepared her for tonight. She had known coming in that he
had a girlfriend. In fact, she had seen her just a few weeks prior in the hospital hallway the day Ryan
got the news about his remission. And although she was gorgeous and could tell they all had a past,
she seemed shallow and Jena had hoped he would see through her.

The front porch light was not enough to light up the entire driveway and arriving at the party late
meant parking in the back. The crunch of gravel snapped her head up just as the large body was
approaching. Growing up in downtown Chicago had taught her to be cautious but her overactive mind
filled her with fear. With shaking hands, she unlocked the car and pulled the door open.

“Jena?” Kevin put his hand on her arm and she jumped. “Are you alright?”

“You scared me.” She took a deep breath.

“I’m sorry.” He chuckled. “I had to get some fresh air. Are you leaving already?”

“I have an early morning tomorrow. My new interns start so I should probably get going.” Her voice
shook. Clearing her throat she continued. “It was good seeing you again, Kevin.”

“Caleb will be sorry to hear you left. Does he know?”

Shaking her head no, she looked away. “He is a little busy tonight. Not sure he will even notice I am
gone.” She climbed into the car and put the keys in the ignition.

Kevin held the door open for her as she buckled her seatbelt. “It was good to see you. Drive safely.
And don’t be a stranger. We’ve missed you.”

She smiled at him as she backed down the drive. Kevin seemed like a good man and had always been
more than polite around her. But her heart did back flips for Caleb and she didn’t know how to make
that stop. It seemed his hands were a little full with the perfect model girlfriend and the exotic
stranger. She had missed him for the last few weeks. After a little time together nearly every day
when Mark was injured, she missed the smile he put on her face with his jokes and smiles. Some
would even say her mind was consumed by all things Caleb Allen. But it was a line that couldn’t be
crossed if she wanted to remain friends with the group. And friends were what she needed more than
anything now.

Chapter 3

Jena sipped her coffee and watched as the sun came up marking a new day. Today was the day she
took on eight interns in their quest to become the doctors of tomorrow. She thought back to the first
day she arrived here. It seemed like an eternity, with rotations in oncology, plastic surgery and even
obstetrics. But her heart had been stolen by neurosurgery and with each passing day, she knew she
had made the right decision. As she watched the doctors and nurses rushing past her to start their day,
she said a silent prayer to the gods of medicine to keep her hand steady and her mind clear as she
attempted to teach what she loved.

She sat on a bench just outside the entrance of the hospital. The sun would be in full force soon
enough. And even though it was chilly in the mornings now, she took a deep breath and let the early
morning rays hit her face. She loved to people watch and her half hour coffee session every morning
gave her the chance to do that.

With her mug halfway to her mouth, she noticed the familiar car pull up in front of the hospital. Her
heart leaped into her throat. He wore a baseball cap and a hooded sweatshirt but she would know him
anywhere. She held her breath and stared. The man had a hold on her that didn’t make sense and she
wasn’t sure she could deny it much longer.

As the passenger side opened, her stomach dropped. The exotic brunette from the night before leaned
over to kiss his cheek as she got out. She knew her window of time to tell him how she felt had
definitely closed.

~~~

“I’m too old for this shit. I’m buying you a car this weekend. No way in hell I’m getting up every
morning to bring you in.” Caleb scrubbed his hands down his face as he put the car in park. “I have
two hours to kill before work.”

“You don’t have to buy me a car. That’s crazy.” Andi put on her lip gloss and shut the mirror. “I’ll
make friends soon enough. You won’t have to drag me around.”

“Andi,” Caleb shook his head. “You have to be at work at six in the damn morning. And then I have
to come back here at dark thirty to pick you up. That isn’t going to work for me. Seriously. This
weekend.”

She laughed as she leaned in to kiss his cheek. “You love me.”

As she got out of the car, Caleb laughed. “Just not as much as I hate you right now.”

He watched her walk into the hospital for her first day as an intern. He couldn’t help his grin as his
heart swelled with pride. His sister, despite the gap in their age, had always been one of his best
friends and he would give her the world if he could.

~~~

Jena leaned against the nurse’s station organizing charts for morning rounds. Her interns were
arriving and getting to know each other. Movement out of the corner of her eye grabbed her attention.
She froze.

“Dr. Turner?” The brunette cleared her throat. “I’m Andrea. I am really honored to meet you. I

heard what you did for Mark Moretti and I cannot tell you how excited I am to be working with you.”

Jena shook her extended hand. “It’s nice to meet you also. Why don’t you go join the group and I will
be with you in a few minutes.”

As Andi’s smile dropped a little, she pulled her hair back and clipped it off her face. Jena noticed
the embroidery on the chest pocket of her lab jacket. As Andi turned to leave, Jena reached out to
stop her.

“Wait.” She pointed at the name on her jacket. “Allen?”

Andi smiled. “Andrea Allen. I know we have to be professional in front of the patients but you can
call me Andi.”

Jena closed the chart she was working in. “I’m sorry. Are you related to Caleb Allen?”

“Caleb is my brother.” Andi laughed at the confused look on Jena’s face. “I know, we don’t look
anything alike. Caleb’s mom died when he was a baby and his dad remarried. A couple years later,
he got me on his birthday. My mom was born in Puerto Rico and my dad is Irish. But they have been
together forever and she’s the only mom Caleb has ever known. I’m rambling. Sorry.”

Jena beamed. “I’m sorry. Asking that was terribly unprofessional. Seeing the two of you together
last night, well, never mind. I just assumed…”

“Dr. Turner, never assume anything where my brother is concerned. He’s got a huge heart but he’s
just a man. And that says a lot.”

~~~

“Relax baby. You are so tense tonight.” Mackenna whined as she crawled onto Caleb’s lap and
wrapped her arms around his neck to massage his tight muscles.

“Mac,” Caleb tried to push her off his lap. “I’m really not in the mood.”

She crouched on the floor in front of the couch and ran her hand into his lap. Tracing the outline of his
penis with her fingers, she concentrated on his apadravya piercing. She tugged slightly and he
instantly hardened.

He grabbed her hair. “On your knees.”

The command excited her and she licked her lips as he pulled his pants to the floor. The piercing
clinked against her teeth and as she took him deeper, it tickled the back of her throat. As his breath
increased, she tugged the bottom of the apa with her teeth. His head fell back and his eyes shut.
Mackenna focused on his face. It wasn’t like him to take pleasure without giving it first. And he had
never shut his eyes before. He shifted his stance as if he couldn’t get comfortable. One large sigh.

“Stop.” Caleb pulled out of her grasp. “We can’t.”

She huffed and stood up. “What?”

“I can’t. I’m sorry.” He sat down and put his head in his hands. “I’m sorry Mac. I can’t.”

“I don’t understand.” She sat next to him and turned his face so she could look him in the eye.

“Mackenna, this isn’t working for me. You have been really good to me. Shit. You were my
childhood fantasy come to life. When I saw you after all this time, it was like I was fourteen again,

staring at your picture and having pretty intense dreams.”

Mackenna laughed. “Do you remember what you said right before you asked me to prom?”

Caleb shook his head. “I’m afraid to know.”

“You told me I was a walking wet dream.”

“Holy shit. I’m so sorry.” Caleb chuckled as Mackenna ran her hand up and down his arm. “And
you said no? How could you resist an offer like that?”

“Truth was, you were the boy next door. I used to watch you kick the soccer ball around in your
yard. You would have all the guys over and my friends and I would just giggle. I think between Mark
and Ryan, every one of my friends lost their virginity. But you were different.” She pulled her knees
up under her and smiled at him. “When I was in fifth grade, I wrote Mackenna Denise Allen on all my
books. And I had pictures of you all over my room with little hearts around them. You were my first
crush. And you made me laugh when we used to play hide and seek or whatever crazy shit we did.”

“Mac..”

“Caleb, let me finish. I know I’m not what you’re looking for. I know we aren’t in high school
anymore and we can’t just go back to how it might have been. But you’re exciting and unexpected.
You are this quiet, loveable guy when everyone is around but once that door shuts, you morph into this
kinky sex God and I can’t help myself.”

He didn’t mean to laugh. And when her face scrunched up and she chuckled, he laughed harder.
“Mac, you are great. And some of my very best memories are of you. Hell, all of my fantasies were
about you. But my heart isn’t in this. And I’ve tried to let this just happen naturally. It just hasn’t.”

“I understand. I really do. And I knew this would be coming. That day we went to the hospital to see
Ryan, I saw how you looked at that doctor. You have never looked at me like that.” When Caleb
tensed, Mackenna shoved his arm. “Even when you were peeking in my bedroom window.”

Chapter 4

Jena checked her watch for the hundredth time. It had been a tiring few days with the interns and a
long night in the operating room. The halls were quiet except for the constant hum of the overhead
fluorescents. Her stomach rumbled.

Strong arms trapped her against the desk. “This might help.” Caleb whispered in her ear as he set a
cup of coffee down next to her.

Instinctively, she leaned back against him. “Thank you. I needed this.”

He swept her hair off her neck and placed his hands on her shoulders. As he began to massage her
tight muscles, she moaned. It was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard. He pressed his body
against her back and she moaned again. His blood rushed to his groin and he shut his eyes. She was
perfect. Soft where she should be soft and firm where she should be firm. “I never did get my
birthday wish.”

His whisper sent shivers down her spine. “Refresh my memory.” She leaned her head back against
his chest.

He pressed his lips against her neck. The kiss was light but sent electricity right to her core. She
moaned again. He knew he shouldn’t, but he pressed his erection into her back and she gasped. His
voice was a forced whisper. “Jena.”

“Come with me.” Jena took his hand and led him into the file room. This late at night, it would be
empty. Her hands shook. She was never the aggressor in any type of relationship. The blush on her
face would give her away. But at that exact moment, she needed his lips against hers.

“What are you doing?” Caleb whispered as he looked around the dim room. He pulled her into a hug
and sighed. Looking down at her, he noticed the pink in her cheeks. “You are so beautiful. I need to
kiss you. If you don’t want that, you have about three seconds to tell me.”

Her smile answered for her. Caleb tilted her head back and brushed his lips against hers. The kiss
was soft but she wanted more. She whimpered against him and he ran his tongue over her bottom lip.
“More.” He smiled and wrapped his fingers through her hair. The kiss deepened, his tongue roaming
her mouth, memorizing every inch. She wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled him closer.

Caleb’s head spun. He had dreamed of this for so long and now that it was happening, he wasn’t sure
he could ever stop. His body screamed at him to take control but his heart wouldn’t listen. He held
her as she ran her hands up and down his chest and back. Her fingers skimmed the waistband of his
work out shorts and then drifted lower as she explored his body.

“I don’t really know what I’m doing.” She panted as she touched his erection.

He gritted his teeth, shut his eyes and took a deep breath as he comanded. “More.”

She couldn’t get close enough. Her hands were frantic and the kiss was desperate. She rubbed her
body against him and he growled. He couldn’t take much more if they weren’t going to finish what
they started.

Pulling out of the kiss, he stilled her hand. He was breathless. He lifted her up and she wrapped her
legs around his waist as he backed against the wall. He didn’t try to touch her or undress her. The
kiss may have been out of control but his hands never roamed.

Jena sighed. Did she want him to touch her? Here in the file room of the neurosurgery floor? Yes.
Without a doubt. Her body was on fire. She had never been this close to a man. Not on purpose and
not in passion. Her past trickled to the front of her memory but she pushed it away and slammed it
shut. His mouth was heaven. He tasted of peppermint. His skill was unmatched.

Over and over, she ground her body against his. He was so hard and the thin fabric of her scrubs was
hardly a barrier. He felt so good. A heat began building in her belly. She bit his shoulder.

“J. Baby. You have to stop.” He tried to hold her still but she was too far gone. He moaned. “I will
come if you keep this up. Jena.”

She panted against his shoulder. “Can’t. Stop. Never. Before. Oh God.”

Caleb’s eyes flew open. “What do you mean never?”

She came apart against him. Her head fell back, she bit her lip and let out one long moan. Her body
shivered and she locked her legs around him. “Caleb” She whispered his name like a prayer.

“Holy shit.” He took big gulps of air trying to control himself. Her hooded eyes met his and she
smiled. “Jena, that was the hottest thing I have ever seen in my life.”

“Oh God. I’m so embarrassed.” She buried her face into his neck and laughed.

“Don’t ever be embarrassed about that. Jesus Jena. Are you trying to kill me?” He laughed as she
tried to hide her face. “What do you mean never, baby?”

Her blush deepened. She mumbled into his shoulder. “That was the first time that has ever happened
with another person.”

“J, look at me.” Caleb nudged her face with his chin. “Look at me.”

She slowly raised her head. “I haven’t been with anyone. Not for a really long time. And I never
wanted to. That was…” She slid down his body and reached into his shorts. His skin was hot. She
bit her lip as she wrapped her hand around his impressive length. The metallic edge of his piercing
brushed her fingers.

Caleb hissed. His head was swimming. He couldn’t compute what she had said with her hand down
his pants. She pumped him hard. His body responded with a shutter. He preferred to play rough.
Control was an addiction. But with each stroke, he surrendered. She tugged on his apa and his eyes
rolled back.

“Can I see it?” Jena smiled. “I want to see it.” She yanked at his pants and gasped when she saw the
barbell. Without hesitation, she dropped to her knees. Her tongue grazed the silver ball. “Wow.”

The flat of her tongue ran along the bottom of his penis before she took his whole length into her
throat. She stroked him with her mouth. She gagged a few times as she adjusted to his size. His
flavor was mesmerizing. She hadn’t done this before but she was so turned on hearing his grunts, she
couldn’t be nervous. She watched his face and each time his head fell back, she repeated what she
had done. Before long, his hands were fisted at his sides and his breathing was erratic.

“Jena, I’m close.” He tried to pull away but she pulled him back. He fisted his hands in her hair as
he exploded. The orgasm blinded him. He saw stars. Falling to his knees in front of her, he kissed
her hard. He was lost and didn’t want to ever be found.

~~~

What the hell had just happened? Caleb shifted in his seat as he drove down the dark highway. He
had given her full control and he hadn’t known he was doing it. One kiss and he was helpless. And
what had she meant she hadn’t done that before? He shook his head. His brain was full of sludge.
Not the way he ever imagined that going down. He had wanted to take her out, to hold her hand, to
ease her into his bedroom and the lifestyle he had always preferred. She had taken charge and he had
lost his mind.

His phone beeped and he looked down.

I’m sorry. I have no idea what came over me. That was really out of character for me. I’m
completely embarrassed. Jena

He pulled into the marina and parked his car. Sorry? Embarrassed? He was ready for round two and
she was sorry? He picked up his phone and typed back two words that meant everything.

Don’t run

Chapter 5

“Merck. What are you doing here?” Caleb opened the door wider to let Kevin in.

“Sorry. Hope I’m not interrupting anything but I left my wallet in your laundry room last night.”
Kevin cleared his throat and looked around the room.

“The laundry room? Never mind. Don’t answer that. Come in.” Caleb stepped aside.

Andi looked up from the kitchen. “Oh goodie. Is this another one of Moretti’s little minions?”

“Andrea!” Caleb glared at his sister in warning.

“Wow.” Kevin whispered as he winked at Caleb. “Good job.”

“Shit, no. Kevin, this is Andi. My sister. Andi, Kevin Merck.” Caleb laughed as his sister rolled
her eyes.

“I’d like to say it’s nice to meet you.” Andi walked past them back to her room.

“Nice to meet you too, Candy.” Kevin grinned.

“It’s Andi.”

“Whatever.” Kevin headed to the laundry room to get his wallet.

“Did you just seriously whatever me?” Andrea slammed her bedroom door.

Caleb laughed and settled back down on the couch to watch the football game. He sipped his beer
and skimmed through the latest manuscript to land on his desk. The next knock on the door made him
huff.

Kevin came out of the kitchen with a beer in his hand. “I’ll get it. I’m up.”

Caleb laughed. Since Mark and Sophie had their baby, Caleb’s house had been the gathering place
for the Moretti gang. And now he knew that his friends were comfortable here, judging by the fact
that one of them had lost their wallet screwing around in his laundry room during a busy party.

“Hey gorgeous.” Kevin’s voice echoed from the front hall. He cringed when she jumped. “Why are
you so jumpy when you see me? No reason to be nervous baby. I won’t bit unless you ask me
nicely.”

“For the love of God, Merck. Don’t you have your own house to…” Caleb’s voice trailed off as he
noticed Jena standing in the doorway of the living room. “Hey.”

“Can we talk?” Jena blushed as she looked between Kevin and Caleb.

“Sure.” Caleb led her into his bedroom and shut the door.

~~~

Andi walked back into the kitchen and glared at Kevin. “Do you live here now?”

Kevin looked up from his beer and smirked. “You would love that, wouldn’t you?”

“Wow.” She leaned against the counter. “I can’t believe I’ve finally found you. I honestly didn’t
think God’s gift to women existed.”

“Oh I exist. I’m very real. Want to take me for a spin?”

“You’re disgusting. Go back to your cave.” Andi smiled as she walked down the hall.

~~~

Caleb had dreamed about having her alone in his room for months. But Jena’s body language told him
that his fantasy was not coming true tonight. “Sit. Everything ok?”

Jena wrung her hands together. “Are you sure it’s ok if I’m in here? Mackenna isn’t going to be
upset?”

Caleb chuckled. “That didn’t work out.”

“I’m sorry.” Jena shifted on his bed as her eyes roamed around the room. “Last night was…”

“Amazing.” Caleb took her hands to steady them.

“I was going to say unexpected. I’m surprisingly nervous right now.” She took her hands back and
rubbed them down her jeans. “I spent most of my life in school. I haven’t had much of a social life
since I was really young. There is a lot about me that I don’t share with people. And one of those
things is my body. I am not experienced and turning into that woman last night really scared me.”

Caleb touched her leg and she froze. “That woman last night took my breath away.”

She smiled. “This is me laying it all on the line.” Deep breath. “I haven’t done anything like that.
Ever. I’m not a one night stand. I have nothing to compare anything to. And I am too busy and my
career is far too important to me to have a relationship. So, where that leaves us, I’m not exactly
sure. I would be lying if I said you didn’t cross my mind quite often. And I want to know what it
would be like. I mean..”

“J,” Caleb tried to interrupt but she held her hand up to stop him.

“Mac was really drunk at the party. She told the room more about your personal life than I think any
of us needed to know. Based on what I heard alone, I could never keep up and I would be afraid to
try.”

Caleb ran his hand down her jaw and she shivered. “I have thought about you every night since
Mark’s accident. You are different. I don’t expect you to keep up.”

“But oh how I want to.” Jena blushed. “I’ve never been that girl. I’ve never screamed. I’ve never
let go. I just don’t think…”

Caleb pulled her into him and crushed his lips against hers. His tongue thrust into her mouth and she
gasped. He pushed her flat onto his mattress and pinned her hands above her head. “Stop thinking so
much, Dr. Turner. Just feel for once.”

He nudged her legs open with his knee, never breaking the kiss. She was helpless and melted against
him. She whimpered as he rubbed his body against hers. Liquid pooled between her legs and she
ached. He bit her bottom lip and pulled. Was it possible to break apart with just his kiss? She
thought so.

Caleb shifted his weight, keeping her hands pinned with just one of his large hands. His fingers ran
down her neck, across her shoulder blade and down her sweater. “Can I touch you?”

She nodded frantically. She rubbed herself against him, her body begging him to ease the ache
between her legs. “Please touch me. Please don’t hold back. I can’t stop thinking about what it
would be like to be with you.”

His hand skimmed over her waistband, and for the first time, noticed the belt she was wearing. He
smiled against her lips. His brain kicked into full gear. He was afraid to scare her away but couldn’t
deny what he needed. “Are you sure?” When she pulled him closer, he decided it was all the consent
he needed.

Caleb yanked the belt from the loops, watching Jena’s eyes go wide. He wrapped it tightly around
her wrists and knotted it to the headboard. Her body stiffened but she didn’t protest. With both hands
free, he unbuttoned her jeans and slid his fingers into her lace panties. She bucked against him when
he grazed her clit. Liquid poured between her legs.

“You like that don’t you baby?” Caleb’s fingers were soaked. His pants were impossibly tight and
he needed relief. But something about Jena begged to be satisfied. Pushing one finger into her core,
she screamed. He felt her tighten around his finger but he was nowhere near finished. “You are going
to come again, Jena. But this time, I’m going to tell you everything I wish I was doing to you. And
you will tell me before you come so I can taste you.”

She whimpered as he yanked her jeans down her legs. “First, I would run my cock through your lips.
Do you feel that baby?” He ran his fingers through her folds and she moaned. Shoving two fingers
into her, he pumped slowly. The sound of his touch drove him wild. “I would start by fucking you
until you begged me to go faster. Harder.” His fingers bent, hitting her G spot and she bucked off the
mattress.

“More.” She was breathless.

“Not good enough.” He bit her nipple through her sweater.

“Please, Caleb.”

His fingers were torture. He stroked her so slowly that she wanted to take over and touch herself. “I
want to hear you say it. Ask for it. Beg for it.”

“Please,” Jena cried out as he touched her G spot again. “Oh my god. Please. I’m so close.”

He leaned into her, whispering against her neck. “I want to fuck you Jena. But not tonight.” He
removed his fingers and licked them clean. “Tonight, I want to own you.”

He dove between her legs, sucking hard on her clit and she shattered apart. Her scream echoed
through his room. She lost herself in the sensations running through her body. He did own her and
that scared her to death.

Chapter 6

Jena opened her eyes to pitch black. Disoriented, she reached for her cell phone. 4:00 AM. Caleb's
room. Her body was sore in all the right places but her mind screamed at her to run. She shifted on
the bed and froze. When Caleb's breathing remained steady, she swung her legs over the side of the
bed to stand.

His hand fisted in her hair and pulled her back down to the bed gently. "I didn't say you could
leave." His voice was rough from sleep but the command sent shivers down her spine. He shifted his
weight on top of her and held her hands above her head. "Can you see anything?"

Jena tried to focus on his face but the room was too dark. "No."

"Do you trust me?"

"Yes." She whispered.

Caleb reached for the night stand and plucked a piece of ice from his water glass. The cold water
dripped onto her body and she whimpered. "I will never hurt you. If this ever becomes too much,
you need to tell me to stop. And I promise you that I will." Caleb ran the ice cube across her
collarbone and down onto her breast. Her nipples instantly hardened. As the cube melted, he
reached for the glass again. Sucking on the ice, he took the hardened peak into his mouth and she
hissed. "In this room, you are mine. You cannot touch me unless you ask. Do you understand me
Jena?"

"Yes." Despite the temperature of the ice, her body was on fire. Liquid silk pooled between her legs
and the now familiar ache began to build again. She panted as he continued his icy attack on her
breasts.

He pulled her into his arms and stood. He moved with grace, even in the dark. His muscles rippled
with each step and she wanted to reach out to run her hands over his stomach. She had gotten a
glimpse of his flawless chest and stomach and wanted to trace the lines with her fingers, her tongue.
His words echoed through her head. You cannot touch me.

The bathroom light came on, almost blinding her back to reality. She met his stare in the mirror. His
hooded eyes matched hers. Her breathing was ragged and uneven. Putting her down facing the
mirror, he kicked her legs apart with his feet. "Hands on the counter. And leave them there." He
pushed her forward so her chest was resting on the cold granite. One hand tangled in her hair, pulling
her head back to meet his gaze in the mirror once more. His other hand travelled down her stomach.
She gasped as he grazed her clit with his thumb. Her knees went weak.

He ran his fingers through her folds and pulled them back. They were slick and he smiled. "Baby,
you’re weeping." He licked his fingers and ran them over her again. She bucked against him and he
pinned her harder against the counter. His eyes never left hers as he worked her with his talented

hand. She was soaked and every time he touched her clit, she felt like she would scream. Warmth
built in her stomach and she knew she was close. "I want to watch you come. Eyes on me, Jena."

He picked up his pace, adding another finger, and just as she thought she couldn't take anymore, he
pushed on her clit with his thumb, the pressure a mixture of pain and ecstasy. She screamed his name
as her body convulsed around him. Her eyes never leaving his as he licked his lips and bit her
shoulder.

Her body betrayed her. She begged for more and he gave her everything she wanted. She screamed
his name two more times before she fell boneless onto the counter.

~~~

Caleb stood in the kitchen, leaning against the counter. His sweatpants hung low on his waist and he
hadn’t bothered with a shirt. It had been a sleepless night but Jena’s scent still lingered on his skin.
He sipped on his coffee, his mind lost in thought.

“Did we break the number one house rule last night?” Andi pushed past him and opened the
refrigerator.

Caleb chuckled. “And what would that rule be, mom?”

Andi smiled. “The overnight guests rule. No one shall spend the night in my house, blah, blah, blah.”

“No one shall spend the night with my little sister under my roof.” Caleb poured her a cup of coffee
and laughed. “Yes. I broke the rule. Sue me.”

Andi’s jaw dropped. “You broke it? Seriously? I was kidding. Is she still here?”

“No. And no, I won’t talk about it. I love you but not that much.”

“Have you ever broken the rule before?”

“Again, no.” Caleb flipped through the newspaper, ignoring her stare.

“Was it Mackenna? Please tell me miss fake boobs is still gone.”

Caleb choked on his coffee. “I thought you liked her. You were nicer to her than you are to my other
friends.”

“The minions? Please. A bunch of sheep following their leader. And what is the deal with the new
guy? Mr. two girls in the laundry room?”

“His name is Kevin. And he’s always with two women so don’t get any ideas in your head.”

“I would rather sleep with Mackenna. Give me a little credit here. I have a thorough screening
process. Not sure Mr. two sluts makes it past the name line.”

Scratching his chest, Caleb rolled his eyes. “This conversation is over.”

“Fine.” She pouted. “Can you shirt up then?”

Laughing, Caleb walked out of the kitchen. “It’s my house, Andi Allen. Deal with it.”

~~~

Jena’s mind wandered. This couldn’t keep happening. She needed sleep. Her body ached. She had

spent her entire adulthood staying away from temptation. Her phone beeped and she pulled it from
her lab jacket.

Tonight. 9 PM. My bedroom. Don’t keep me waiting. I know your schedule Dr. Turner.

Chills ran down her spine. She bit her lip and reread the text. She didn’t have to work tomorrow.
One more night wouldn’t kill her. Would it? She wanted him. Her past laughed at her. Visions of
the night that changed her life threatened to surface.

We can’t. I have to focus on my career. I have to keep my head clear.

She shoved her phone back in her pocket. Forcing herself to focus on her patient’s chart, her phone
beeped again.

I will see you tonight.

She cursed as she set her phone down.

“You alright, Dr. Turner?”

She jumped as Andi’s voice broke into her thoughts. Her face instantly flushed. “I’m fine, Andrea.
How are you?”

“Off the record?” When Jena nodded, Andi continued. “How long have you known my brother and
the band of misfits?”

She chuckled. “A few months. Everything alright?”

“And you are close to some of them?”

“I almost lived at Mark and Sophie’s house when he first came home so I would say so. Ryan and I
got pretty close during Mark’s recovery as well.” Jena blushed remembering how close she had been
to Caleb a few hours ago.

“And my brother?” Andi cleared her throat.

“What about your brother?”

“OK, look. I know this is totally out of line since you’re my boss right now. But I worry about him.
He spends his life taking care of everyone else and last night he had some woman spend the night.
That just isn’t ok.”

Jena’s eyes narrowed as she looked at Andi. “Why isn’t that ok?”

“Because he has feelings for you. I know this sounds crazy and is totally out of left field. But he
talked to me about you the night of his party. And if you have even the slightest interest in him, could
you tell him? He would kill me if he knew I was saying this but I just want him happy. He does so
much for me. For everyone.”

Jena put her hand on Andi’s arm to quiet her. “Andrea, your brother is a very special person. He
didn’t leave Mark’s side at the hospital. And when Ryan was sick, he took a leave of absence to help
care for him. Someone is going to be very lucky to have him someday. I just don’t think that person is
me. You know our schedule. And it only gets worse. I gave up my personal life the day I decided to
be a surgeon. And I wouldn’t change that decision for one second.” When Andi tried to protest, Jena
continued. “There are parts of my past that prevent me from thinking differently about this. And I
hope that you will respect that. What you are trying to do for Caleb is beautiful. But while we are in

the hospital, I need to remain your boss.”

Andi’s face fell. “I understand.”

As she walked away, Jena tried to refocus on the patient’s chart. Her heart raced. Caleb had talked
to his sister about her. She shivered as she remembered his mouth, his hands, the weight of his body
on hers, the feel of his breath against her neck. She knew better than anyone that one night could
change the future. But could one night erase a past of fear? She wasn’t sure if anything was strong
enough for that.

~~~

“The screaming eagle has entered the building.” Kevin looked up from the treadmill as Caleb walked
into the gym.

Laughing, Caleb rolled his eyes at Ryan. “Dare I ask?”

“Not a clue bro.”

“He has officially replaced you as my hero.” Kevin took a sip of water and hit Ryan on the back.
“The screams coming out of his room last night could have woken up the entire marina.”

“Dude!” Ryan high fived an unwilling Caleb. “Is she hot?”

“I’m not discussing this.” Caleb looked nervously at Kevin. There was no doubt he knew it was
Jena.

“Totally hot. The girl and the noise. I had to take a cold shower.” Kevin laughed as Caleb groaned.
“Speaking of hot, holy shit your sister.”

Ryan fist bumped Kevin. “You should have seen Moretti the night we came home from UCLA
graduation. She was outside washing her car and I think he actually twisted his ankle stepping off the
front porch.”

“Ryan, stop. That’s my sister. My sweet and innocent baby sister might I add. The same baby sister
Kevin asked to take for a test drive last night.”

Kevin laughed so hard he bent over and put his hands on his knees. Caleb knew he had been joking
but that hadn’t eased the need to protect his sister. He loved these guys. But there was no way any of
his friends were getting their hands on Andi. Ever.

“Allen, go stretch and then hit the weights.” Ryan barked at him from the locker room.

“All joking aside, C. Good job on landing Jena. She’s really something else. If she didn’t seem
afraid of me, I might have asked her out myself. Make us proud, man.” Kevin walked away before
Caleb could answer him.

Chapter 7

Caleb sat at his desk finalizing his latest project for publication. Working for a publishing house had
always been his dream. While others dreamed of fame and fortune, Caleb had always found respite
in reading. Now in the corner office with the view, and the view of Sophie that had almost landed
him in a world of hurt with his best friend, he realized that life had truly been kind to him. His friends
were all healthy and happy, his sister was on her way to a life of success and he had a front row seat
to watch it, and Jena. He didn’t really “have” Jena. But just knowing she would be in his bed tonight
made his heart rate spike.

He had been in love with Sophie. He didn’t doubt that for a minute. And aside from a kiss or a dance
or the occasional cuddle, they had never been physical. He had been physical with Mackenna, but it
was nowhere near love. Jena was different. The first time Caleb saw her, in scrubs and fresh out of
surgery that had saved Mark’s life, he thought she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.
The first time she touched his arm in the hallway of the hospital had been like getting hit by
lightening. The zap that went from her hand to his arm had scared him. And despite spending hours at
the hospital at Mark’s side, he had watched her and dreamed about her and wondered if there was a
chance she was doing the same.

The instant she kissed him, Caleb’s life imploded. He couldn’t breathe without her already. He had
given up control for the first time in his life. She was intelligent and beautiful and seemed so
innocent. And he knew he needed to proceed with caution. She was not accustomed to the lifestyle
he preferred.

“I’ve been standing here about five minutes and I’m not sure you’ve moved. What is so fascinating
out that window, Allen?” Mark’s voice startled Caleb back to reality.

“Sorry. Just lost in thought. What’s up?” Caleb stood to shake his hand.

Mark took a seat across from him and rubbed his eyes. “Came to take Sophie to lunch but she’s busy.
Her boss is a real prick.”

Caleb laughed and shook his head. “I get that a lot.”

“We’re having a last minute get together at the house tomorrow afternoon. Three o’clock. Bring
Andi. I got a bunch of steaks to throw on the grill. Just bring some beer or something. Sorry about the
late notice but there is an announcement.”

“Another one, Moretti?” Caleb laughed as Mark scrunched up his face.

“It’s not my announcement asshole. See you tomorrow.”

~~~

Jena stood at the front door, hands shaking and heart pounding. She wanted to go inside. She wanted

to get lost in Caleb. Her brain told her that she needed to walk away. Her schedule was too packed
and her career too important. He wasn’t offering a relationship. But wasn’t that what she wanted as
well? No strings and some fun with the ability to walk away if things got out of control?

Who was she kidding? When Mark was injured, Caleb spent every day by his side. And that meant
that she saw him every shift. They had talked then, and afterward while Mark was healing at home.
But mostly, she had watched him. His sandy blond hair and green eyes had captivated her. The
sprinkling of freckles on his cheeks made him boyish, while his tall and muscled body screamed man.

“You OK?” Caleb leaned out of the front door, pulling her from her thoughts. He smiled his crooked
smile with the dimple that made her weak kneed.

She met his eyes and immediately knew the answer. She would give this a go. Whatever this was,
she would enjoy it for the time they had left. “Yes. I’m fine. Thanks.”

Caleb opened the door wider to let her in. When she stopped in the foyer and looked down the
hallway toward the bedroom, he took her hand. “I have a surprise for you.” Leading her out the back
door, he smiled at the warmth he felt having Jena by his side.

They stopped in front of a large boat in the first slip at the marina. She gasped. “I’ve always wanted
a boat. Is it yours?” She ran her hand across the leather of the captain’s chairs. “It’s beautiful.”

“It’s my neighbor’s. But it’s ours for the night. Want to take it out?”

Jena nodded her head, all the tension easing from her body. As they pulled out of the marina and
picked up speed, the wind picked up. She opened her arms and threw her head back. Freedom. The
stars lit the sky, the wind was warm as it hit her face, and just as she thought it couldn’t get any better,
a feeling of peace washed through her body. She smiled and shut her eyes. She took a deep breath.
“It’s heaven.”

Caleb couldn’t help but stare. He had seen Jena in scrubs, in dresses, in all kinds of social
situations. But never once had he seen her more beautiful. She was glowing. The woman who saved
lives every day, that always looked like the world was on her shoulders, had transformed into the
most captivating, carefree and breathtaking woman he had ever seen. It was settled. He was buying a
boat. He couldn’t help but chuckle at the impulsive thought. But if he got to see this side of her every
time, he would buy one tomorrow. “Jena?”

Her eyes opened at the sound of the motor shutting off. Her smile was radiant and drew him to her
like a magnet. “This is amazing. Thank you so much. I needed this more than you know.”

“Thank you for coming with me.”

“I’m having a hard time staying away.” Jena sighed as she sat at the edge of the seat.

Caleb knelt between her knees and brushed the hair back from her face. “Then what’s the problem?”

“I don’t know, Caleb. I suppose it’s fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear of what this might do to us.
Maybe even fear that I will disappoint you.” She looked down at her hands. They were shaking and
she felt ridiculous.

“Jena. Look at me. You could never disappoint me.”

She interrupted him. “I don’t know what I’m doing.” A tear escaped her eyes. The breeze picked up
once more and she smiled.

“You don’t have to. As long as I know what I’m doing, you are safe and loved and. Jena, you have no
idea what you do to me.” He kissed the tear off her cheek and moved to her mouth. His lips brushed
hers gently and he stopped. “We don’t have to do anything at all tonight. We can go back to my house
and just watch a movie and I can hold you. I just want to spend some time with you.”

“That sounds nice.” Jena took a deep breath and leaned in to kiss him. The kiss started gently, sweet
brushes of her lips against his. When his breathing sped, so did the kiss. She needed to be close to
him. She thrust her tongue into his mouth and he moaned. That one sound sent her brain into a
tailspin. “Take me home, Caleb. I want you.”

She didn’t have to ask twice. He was on his feet, boat motor cranked and heading for home before
she could change her mind.

~~~

Caleb pushed her down onto the mattress, his full weight on top of her. She grabbed at his back, his
ass, anything she could reach. "Do you trust me?"

"Yes," she panted as she clawed at his shirt.

Caleb reached onto the nightstand and pulled his phone from the docking station. He attached the ear
buds and smiled at her. Hitting play, he put them in her ears. Her confused look gave way to a smile
when the music started. Opening the drawer, he pulled out a scarf. He motioned for Jena to sit up
and she did so without hesitation. Tying the scarf over her eyes, he laid her back down. She
whimpered when he reached for the button on her jeans. She pulled at his shorts but he stopped her
hands.

Caleb pulled her arms over her head and wrapped her hands around part of the headboard. Leaning
forward, he removed one ear bud and whispered. "Don't move your hands. Do you understand me?"

"Yes." Jena grabbed the headboard tighter when he put the ear bud back in.

Her jeans were yanked down her legs and she moaned. Caleb knew she was already soaked. He
watched as she lay still on the bed awaiting his next move. She was perfection. Tall and thin, soft
and curvy. He adjusted himself in his shorts. He hadn't allowed himself to have sex with her yet. He

wanted her more than he had wanted anything in his life. He feared she would run if he pushed too
far.

He unbuttoned her shirt slowly, the anticipation obvious on Jena's face. When it was unbuttoned,
Caleb moaned. She had not worn a bra. He rolled her nipples between his fingers and she arched off
the bed. "Caleb, I want you. Please."

Her world consisted only of what he was doing to her. The music played in her ears, blocking out
any sounds and the blindfold took away her sight. She was helpless and at his mercy. And at that
moment, she didn't want to be anywhere else. The feel of his touch, his breath on her stomach,
everything was intensified.

He smiled as he trailed kisses down her stomach. He spread her legs and watched as she dripped
onto the sheet. She was so ready and so beautiful. He had to taste her. His thumb slid inside her,
massaging her walls and working her into a frenzy. His tongue kept time with his thumb, circling and
pulsing around her hardened bundle of nerves. She was close. He knew every inch of her now. Her
breathing changed, her body tensed and her clit swelled. He sucked in a breath as she tightened
around his thumb. His cock so hard against his shorts, he thought they would rip.

Her orgasm ripped a scream from her throat. The strength of it unlike anything she had felt
before. She wanted more. She couldn't handle more. She wanted him inside her. She wanted to
know what it would feel like to make love to him.

He untied the blindfold and she looked him right in the eyes. She saw through him, into his soul, into
a part of him he never allowed anyone to see. Pulling the ear bud out, she whispered. "Can I touch
you? Please Caleb."

She rolled on top of him and he froze. Her hands were warm as she ran them up his chest and into his
hair. He shut his eyes and took several deep breaths. Could he let go of control? Could he turn this
around and control it? His hands shook.

"Trust me back." She kissed down his neck but he didn't relax. She smiled against his throat and put
him back in charge. "Tell me what to do."

Caleb opened his eyes. "Take off my shorts." She followed his command and looked to him for the
next one. "Touch me, Jena. With your hands. Do not use your mouth."

Jena smiled as she worked him. His piercing fascinated her. She wanted to know what it would feel
like buried deep inside her. Would it touch her where she needed it most? Would it send her over
the edge? She tugged at it, testing his response. A bead of moisture escaped the tip and she wiped it
off and licked her finger. He growled and shut his eyes. He was big and thick and she wanted him.
But as she watched him try to remain in control, she knew tonight was not the night. She knew the
lifestyle he was used to and she was willing to try.

"Just trust me. I just want to feel you a little. Trust me." She crawled over his lap and straddled

him. Taking him in her hands, she ran him through her slick folds, soaking him.

"Holy shit." Caleb moaned and bit his bottom lip. "Again."

Without warning, Caleb flipped her underneath him and took his cock in his hand. He ran it through
her folds once more and placed the head on her clit. His piercing cold against her hot flesh. She
whimpered. He stroked himself, each time hitting her in just the right place. She cried out his name
as he stroked harder and harder. Just as she shattered, he yelled her name and she felt hot liquid hit
her most sensitive spot, sending her immediately into another orgasm that made her toes curl.

He fell on top of her, breathless. "That was amazing Jena. You are amazing." His lips crushed hers.
She tasted herself on his tongue and was immediately turned on once more. She knew she would
never have a lover that compared to him. Her past may have taken a way a large piece of her. But
Caleb was healing her heart and her body.

Chapter 8

Caleb stretched his legs and lay back on the lounge chair. The late afternoon sun baked his skin and it
felt like heaven. His eyes burned from lack of sleep but his body was at peace.
“The party can officially start. We are here.” Ryan chuckled as he walked through the sliding glass
doors holding Mark and Sophie’s smiling son. Layla followed behind him holding Molly and Rich’s
three month old daughter.
Caleb sat up and took a wiggly Mario from Ryan. “Hey buddy. How’s your beautiful mommy?”
Mark grunted and snatched him out of Caleb’s hands. “He’s just bitter little man. Mommy is the one
that got away.”
“Maybe not. He’s had a woman over the last two nights.” Andi laughed as Caleb threw her the death
stare. “And by over, I mean, sleeping over. All night.”
Ryan and Mark immediately sat down. Looking right at Caleb, both men asked at the same time.
“Who?”
Caleb glanced at Jena through his sunglasses. She was sitting on the edge of the pool, circling her
toes in the water. “The who isn’t important. When the time is right, you will find out.”
“I call bullshit. The who is very important. Spill it.” Andi sat straighter as Kevin walked into the
yard. “You owe it to the minions.”
“My brother.” Ryan stood and hugged Kevin and moved over so he could sit. “Seems Allen here has
himself a secret.”
“The woman?” Kevin smiled at Caleb’s panicked look.
“Deuce knows and I don’t?” Andi pouted.
Kevin gave Caleb a confused look. “Don’t ask. And when the time is right, I’ll tell you. It’s just
really new and I’m not ready.”
“All my boys are growing up.” Sophie walked up and sat in Mark’s lap. “Ryan is married, Caleb is
having slumber parties, guess all that is left is for Kevin to find the right woman.”
Andi snorted. “Ménage a man whore? I don’t think so.”
“Oh Sandy. You kill me with that wit.”
“It’s Andi.” She fumed.
“Whatever.” Kevin slipped his sunglasses down over his eyes and walked to the cooler.
Caleb couldn’t help but laugh as he got up and made his way to the pool. Andi’s sarcastic mouth had
met its match and with one word, Kevin had the upper hand. He knew that the two of them would
never live in harmony. Kevin was wild and open and Andi, although mouthy, was much more
reserved and private.
He stepped into the water and swam toward Jena. She stilled her legs and watched him. He surfaced
right in front of her and she couldn’t help but smile. The water rolled off his broad shoulders, down
his toned chest and through the chiseled muscles of his six pack. His long eyes lashes, darkened when
wet, framed his emerald green eyes. “Hi” she whispered as he smiled at her.
“Dr. Turner.” Caleb nodded. “How are you this afternoon?”
She blushed. “I’m tired. I haven’t been getting much sleep lately.”
Caleb smiled and pulled himself from the pool. He sat next to her on the edge and nudged her with
his shoulder. “Hmmm. Who’s the lucky guy that gets to keep you awake?”
“Oh, you don’t know him. He’s very shy. Timid too. I am having to drag him out of his shell. It’s
pretty embarrassing actually. He really doesn’t have much experience. And with my sordid past, I
have to teach him everything I know.”

Caleb’s laugh drew everyone’s attention. She smacked him in the arm to quiet him but it made him
laugh harder. Sophie’s brows drew together as she watched them. Everyone else went back to their
conversations, but Sophie’s attention remained fixed on Caleb and Jena.
“I want to know everything, J. Why surgery? Why LA? Where you grew up and where your parents
are.”
Jena sighed. “I’m boring. Can we talk about you?” When Caleb shook his head, she continued. “I
grew up in Chicago. My parents were pretty average. They shipped me off to live with my aunt and
uncle in Tennessee my sophomore year of high school. I didn’t have any friends when I moved so I
watched a lot of television and the shows I liked the best were the medical dramas. So, I went to
college on a scholarship and the rest is history.”
“Why did you move in with your aunt and uncle?” Caleb ran his pinkie over the back of her hand.
Hidden from view, he just needed to touch her.
Her back stiffened at the question, but his touch soothed her. “It’s a long story. I want to hear about
you. Everything.”
He chuckled. “I grew up here. My mom died when I was a baby and my dad remarried. They’re still
together. Shocking, I know. I went to college on a soccer scholarship and went pro for about a minute
before I tore my ACL. I read for a living. I still have dinner at my parent’s house every Sunday. If
I’m not at home or Moretti’s, I’m usually hanging with my dad. Thank God I am not as lame as the
guy that’s keeping you awake.”
She smiled at him as he ran his finger down the side of her leg. A shiver ran up her spine. “Your
friends are going to see you.”
“Does it matter to you?” He smiled his crooked smile. When she shook her head no, he laughed.
“Can you swim?”
“I don’t want to go swimming.” Jena looked over at the group of friends gathering around the grill.
“I didn’t ask if you wanted to. I asked if you could.” Caleb launched himself into the pool, pulling
her behind him. She shrieked as she hit the water and went under. Everyone jumped and looked at
the pool. Jena surfaced and took off after him. He laughed as he tried to swim away but she caught
him almost immediately.
Jumping on his back, she dunked him. “Caleb Allen. You suck. I didn’t bring a change of clothes.
I’m soaking wet.”
Even knowing his friends were watching, he grinned. “I like it when you’re soaking wet. That dress
looks amazing now.”
In an instant, his lips were on hers. The kiss was fierce, like two lovers reunited after being apart for
too long. His hands tangled in her hair, leaning her head back to deepen the kiss. He swallowed her
moan and smiled against her lips. She wrapped her legs around him in the water and he instantly
hardened. Her firm nipples pressed against his bare chest and he wanted to take her right there. It
didn’t matter that his friends were all there, probably watching their every move. Jena had become
his air, his every thought, his addiction.
A throat cleared and Caleb looked up into Mark’s eyes. “Did you guys want us to leave you alone for
a few?”
“Is that an option?” Caleb chuckled as Jena slapped his arm and buried her burning red face in his
chest.
“So, how long has this been going on?” Andi ran to the side of the pool and crouched down to look
into her brother’s eyes. Mark couldn’t help it. He pushed her in but she was one step ahead of him
and latched onto his calf, pulling him in on top of her.

In the commotion, Caleb leaned into Jena’s ear and whispered. “Follow me. I need to be inside you.
Now.”
He pulled himself from the pool and extended his hand to Jena. He lifted her out of the pool and
wrapped a towel around her shoulders. Sophie caught his eye as he led her through the door, into the
house. He winked at her and she gave him a thumbs up.
Jena’s body buzzed. For all the times he had touched her and made her feel alive, he had never
allowed himself inside her. She hadn’t had sex since her sophomore year in high school. And even
then, it was hardly sex. She was hyperaware of his body as he led her up the stairs to the guest room.
Caleb locked the bedroom door and pulled Jena into him. His breathing was already heavy and she
squeezed her thighs together to ease the ache that was growing by the second. He kissed her across
the forehead, down her jawbone, gently nibbling at her neck. She couldn’t help but shiver. He pulled
her into his arms, nudging her legs around his waist and pushed her against the wall. She moaned as
he circled his hips against her. “This will be a first for me, Jena. I never give up my control. I never
let anyone pull down my guard and sex has been just sex for me. I’ve never made love to anyone
before. Please be gentle with my heart.”
A tear rolled down her cheek as she kissed him again. This would be a first for her, too. She could
never tell him how much being with him had meant to heal a past that was filled with trauma and
loss.
“Make love to me, Jena.” Caleb pulled her dress and wet bikini top off her and dropped them to the
floor. She slid down his body and wiggled out of her bottoms. Caleb moaned as he looked her up
and down. “You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.”
He stepped out of his swim trunks and pulled her back into his arms. She kissed his shoulder, his
neck, his strong jaw and finally, the dimple that drove her mad. As he laid her down on the bed, her
whole body shook. She wanted him more than she had ever wanted anything in her life but fear nearly
paralyzed her. “I’m scared.” She whispered.
“Do you want to stop?” Caleb leaned up and looked in her eyes. They were wide and she was
trembling. “We can wait.”
“No.” Her voice was stronger than she intended and she giggled. “I don’t want to wait. I want you
right now. I’m just nervous.”
He ran his hand down her chest to her stomach. Noticing the way her breathing increased, he smiled.
Spreading her legs open, he ran his finger through her folds. She was drenched and he hissed. “I love
that I do this to you.” He spread her moisture onto her clit. “This is mine. No one else touches this.”
She bit her lip and nodded. He was right. She was his, body and soul. She reached out to touch him,
he was hard as stone. Her fingers brushed against his piercing and she smiled. “I can’t wait to know
what this feels like inside me. I have dreamed about it. Please don’t make me wait.”
Caleb leaned his forehead against Jena’s and entered her slowly. She was so tight that he almost
came immediately. He groaned. “Don’t move. Holy shit. Don’t move.”
Her hands shook. He stretched her wider than she had expected. It was a combination of pleasure
and pain. She wanted more. She wanted him to pound into her, make her forget, make her scream. A
drop of sweat fell onto her forehead and she locked eyes with Caleb. “Are you ok?”
He laughed. “I just needed a minute. Had to think about something else. You feel amazing, J.”
“Please move. This is torture. Please.” She rocked against him and he hissed.
His pace was slow, stretching her, memorizing her. With each stroke, the apa rubbed against her in
just the right way. She threw her head back, losing herself in the sensations. He pulled all the way
out and shoved into her once more. She almost came. Panting, she grabbed for his hips but instead of

doing it again, he rolled underneath and pulled her on top of him. “Love me, Jena.”
She rolled against his hips and whimpered. She had never been on top and the feeling of control was
mesmerizing. He closed his eyes and bit his bottom lip. She picked up the pace, rocking against him,
her clit brushing against his pubic bone, his apa hitting her so deep she wanted to yell. She leaned
down and bit his shoulder. “You feel so good I want to scream.”
“Scream for me baby. Show me how good it feels. Show me what you like.”
Her strokes were frantic. She wanted to go slow and savor every moment. But it was as if his body
was made to please her. Her nerve endings tingled, her head fell back and as her orgasm ripped
through her body, she screamed his name. She rode him hard as her first orgasm gave way to her
second. She couldn’t breathe. He felt so good inside of her.
His legs tensed under hers. He moaned her name. “Jena, I can’t hold on any longer. I’m going to
come baby.” He reached up and grabbed her nipples and she exploded around him, his name ripping
from her throat once more. He sat up and held her against him and he pumped three more times before
he exploded. The strength of his orgasm more powerful that anything he had ever felt. His head
bobbed forward landing on her shoulder, his eyes closed and he smiled. “That was amazing, Jena.”
They both fell boneless onto the bed. He held her against his chest and stroked her hair. Her
breathing evened out and she smiled and she kissed his nipple. “How soon can we do that again?”
She wiggled against him.
Caleb chuckled as he pulled her to his mouth. “Soon. And a lot. We have nothing but time.”

Chapter 9

“So, where is your harem?” Andi sipped at her beer and looked at Kevin over her sunglasses.
“I got my rocks off earlier. I might be ok for a few hours.” Kevin never looked her way. He knew
how to win this battle with her. She was sassy but easily angered.
“Have you ever actually been with just one woman?”
“Why would that be fun?” Kevin turned his head and smiled when she huffed. “The best part is when
I get tired of one, I just move to the other.”
“A regular Casanova. You make me swoon.” Andi slid her glasses back in place.
“Oh honey, it wouldn’t be swooning I’d be making you do.”
“Oh my God.” Andi stood to walk away.
“Keep practicing that phrase. You’ll be using it.” He laughed as she stomped away.
“Smooth.” Ryan laughed as he took Andi’s seat. “I need to ask you a very serious question.”
“Shoot.” Kevin sat up straighter at the intense tone of his voice.
Just as Ryan was about to tell him, the doors opened and a blushing Jena and exhausted Caleb stepped
from the house. Mark clapped as they joined the rest of the group, earning a deeper blush from the
doctor that had saved his life. Caleb pulled her in for a hug.
“Can you guys have a seat?” Ryan stood and looked at his friends. Every one of them froze.
Memories of the last announcement he made at the Moretti house ran through their veins like ice
water. Ryan and Layla’s decision to stop fighting the cancer with chemotherapy had brought all of
them to their knees. It had been six months since Ryan had been given his life back with a bone
marrow transplant from Kevin. He seemed healthy and more alive than they had ever seen him. But
as they stared at his face, wrinkled in worry, their hearts sank.
Caleb pulled Jena into his lap. His hands shook and Jena kissed them to soothe him. “Whatever it is,
it will be ok.” She whispered as he nuzzled his neck.
Ryan cleared his throat and reached for Layla. He pulled her next to him and she sighed. “I’m sorry
to interrupt another party. I need to ask Kevin a very serious question and I don’t know how else to
do this.” He ran his hands through his hair slowly and looked up at Kevin with a smirk on his face.
“We were just wondering if you would be willing to be the godfather to this 12 week old baby Layla
is carrying.”
Kevin jumped up and punched him in the arm before pulling him into a hug. Sophie screamed and ran
toward Layla. Stunned, Caleb just looked at them. A tear rolled down his face and he smiled. Mark
leaned down and whispered in his ear. “That will be you someday bud.”
Caleb turned to look at Mark. A father someday? His friends were all married, getting married,
having babies. It seemed so farfetched. But as he looked at Jena, laughing and hugging Layla, he
realized that she could be the real thing. His heart thundered in his chest. He knew he loved her the
minute he saw her. He had been doing exactly what he feared she would do. He had been running
from the truth for months. He put his head into his hands and Mark patted him on the back. “It hurts
when you finally figure it out, doesn’t it? It’s actually painful.” Mark laughed and walked away.

~~~

Jena leaned into Caleb and shivered. The moon had been up for a few hours and a blanket of stars
twinkled above them. She cuddled closer into Caleb’s side and sniffed. He always smelled so clean,
a mixture of mint, dryer sheets and light cologne. It was a smell that drove her wild.
“You cold honey?” Caleb pulled her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her. She leaned her
head against his chest. She sighed and nuzzled closer to his neck, placing a light kiss behind his ear.

It was his turn to shiver.
“I’m better now.” She smiled as he rubbed her back. “Thank you for today. It’s been nice.”
“Thank you back. I really like you, J.” Caleb lifted her chin to meet his eyes. “You take my breath
away.”
His lips pressed gently on hers, stealing her breath. Her heart pounded in her chest. His mouth fit
perfectly on hers. She had never felt more complete. She had spent the entire day by his side,
hugging him, loving him, being a part of the amazing group of friends he called family. It had been so
many years since she had felt a part of something. And here, surrounded by the Moretti family, sitting
in Caleb’s arms under a chilly LA sky, she knew this was where she belonged.
“I like you too, Caleb. I’m not sure like is even the right word.”
Caleb smiled. “Dr. Turner, do you have a thing for me?”
She giggled as he pressed his lips against hers once more. He was suddenly her everything.

~~~

Sophie stepped out into the backyard and looked around. Life was falling into place. Her sister was
pregnant, Ryan and Mark were both healthy and Caleb had found a woman that made him smile bigger
than she had ever seen.
“Penny for your thoughts.” Mark wrapped his arms around his fiancé and kissed her neck.
“Just dreaming about the day I get to finally become your wife.”
“Are you ready to tell them or do you want to wait a little longer?”
“I think we should tell them. Everything is so last minute already. Guess we need to.” Sophie smiled
at her beautiful man. He still took her breath away as much as he had the day they met. Being Sophie
Moretti was everything she dreamed of.
Mark whistled to get everyone’s attention. He sat down next to Caleb and Jena and winked. “Sophie
and I have an announcement as well.”
“Oh shit. You too?” Andi giggled when Mark flipped her the bird.
“We have set a wedding date. And I know it’s going to be fast but I can’t imagine waiting any longer
to make this gorgeous woman my wife. We’re getting married eight weeks from today and we want
you all to be a part of it.”
Layla clapped. “It’s about time. I’m going to have to wear a tent by then but I couldn’t be happier it’s
finally happening.”
“There’s more.” Sophie sat on his lap. “We want to get married on the beach. Would you all be
willing to travel?”
“Of course we would.” Rich pulled Sophie from Mark’s lap and hugged her. “I can help arrange
anything you two need. Let Molls and I buy the airline tickets.”
“Thank you, Dickerman. But Soph and I have this covered. You all deserve to just kick back and
relax.”
Molly giggled. “This is so exciting. Come on girls, let’s go talk wedding.”
The women walked into the house all talking at once. Noticing Jena had not gotten up, Sophie turned
around and smiled. “On your feet Dr. Turner. If you think you aren’t a huge part of this, you have lost
your mind. You saved Mark. You’re family now.”
Jena’s eyes filled with tears. “Are you sure?”
“Of course I’m sure.” Sophie gave her a hug.
“I’ve never been a part of anything before.” Jena smiled as Sophie wiped a tear from her cheek.
“Welcome to mass chaos.” Sophie held her hand and led her to the couch inside. “We are a family.
And the day you stepped into our lives, you became one of us. You will never be alone again. And

trust me, sometimes that isn’t a good thing.”
“Sit!” Layla laughed. “Wedding party. Go!”
Sophie shook her head and looked at Jena. “See? Well, we were thinking Rich, Ryan, Caleb, Steve
and Kevin. Rich as best man. Then on my side, Layla, Molls, Jena, Andi, Amber. Don’t groan. I
know you guys can’t stand Amber. But she’s close to the guys and I can’t expect Steve to travel
without her. Besides, I don’t know a whole lot of women other than you guys.”
“She slept with Mark. Come on. Really?” Molly rolled her eyes. “She’s a disaster. Rich told me
Steve called him and said he had heard she was screwing around.”
“Well, I don’t want an uneven number either.”
“Don’t you still talk to Lily from college?” Layla had pen and paper in hand and was frantically
writing out ideas for the wedding.
“Yes. We talk all the time. But it’s such an expensive trip for her. Time off work and travel across
country. She just started teaching.”
“Babes, let us fly her out. If you won’t let us pay for all the tickets, let me get her here as your shower
gift or something.” Molly held out her phone. “Make the call.”
Sophie smiled at her best friends. She was blessed and since the accident that almost changed their
lives forever, she never took one second for granted.
“Honey,” Caleb’s voice broke into the commotion. “Are you ready to go home?” When she nodded,
he turned his attention to Andi. “Can you get my car home?

Chapter 10

Caleb left his hand on Jena’s thigh the whole ride back to his house. She tried to concentrate on the
road but with each bump they hit, his hand inched higher. Her body was on high alert. His thumb
rubbed circles on the outside of her leg, slowly driving her crazy. She could think of nothing else but
pulling over and climbing into his lap on the side of the highway, passersby be damned. Her face
flushed with desire.
“Caleb?”
“Yes, baby.” He looked at her but her eyes remained fixed on the road.
“Can you move your hand?” Jena’s hands shook.
“Why?”
“You are driving me wild. I’m not sure I’m going to make it all the way to your house.”
Caleb chuckled and inched his hand up even further. He rested it about an inch away from where she
needed him most. “Is this turning you on, Dr. Tuner?”
Her breathing was shallow. “More than you know.”
Slipping his hand under the hem of her dress, he rubbed his fingers along her lace panties. She
whimpered at his touch. “What if I do this?” He pulled the panties aside and ran his hands through
her folds. She was soaked and hot. “Holy shit. I vote for pull over.” His pants became impossibly
tight and he had to readjust himself.
She bit her bottom lip as his fingers grazed her clit. Her body was ready to explode with a single
touch. He eased two fingers into her wet core and massaged her clit with his thumb. She was close.
Her breath came in shallow spurts as Caleb leaned over and tugged her earlobe into his mouth. His
whisper was gravelly and full of sex. “Don’t come.”
“Caleb, I have to. I’m so close.”
“Hold it.” He stroked her clit hard several more times and she cried out in frustration. Sweat formed
on her forehead. When she was about to shatter, he withdrew his fingers and put them in her mouth.
“Now you know why I can’t get enough of you. You taste sinful. Tonight, you can come when I say.”
Pulling into the marina, she slammed the car into park and crawled into his lap. She rubbed against
his erection, surprised the layers of clothing between them didn’t combust. “I need you.”
“Tell me what you need, J.” Caleb guided her hips against him, biting at her neck and having a hard
time not coming in his shorts. This woman was hot and he was impossibly hard. “Do you need me to
make love to you? Or do you need me to fuck you? I need you to say it.”
Jena blushed but looked him right in the eye. “I need you to fuck me.”
Caleb bolted from the car, Jena’s legs wrapped around his waist. He jogged to his front porch. He
wouldn’t make it past the foyer. Once inside, he slammed Jena against the door. He unzipped his
shorts and his large erection sprang free. He yanked her panties aside and shoved into her. She
screamed as her body stretched to accommodate him. He pounded into her, his strokes faster than she
ever imagined possible. With each thrust, she was shoved a little higher up the door, her whole body
slamming into the wood. She grabbed his shoulders and tightened her legs around his waist. The
sound of their bodies joining echoed through the house. He pulled out of her, her moisture dripping
from his apa. He looked down at her core. “My God, Jena. You’re soaked.”
“Quit stopping.” She cried out in frustration as her orgasm subsided once more. “I was so close.”
“I plan on fucking you all night. And I’m going to fuck you right. Follow me.” Caleb grabbed her
hand and yanked her down the hallway to his bedroom. “Get on the bed, arms above your head.”
Jena didn’t hesitate. She needed to come more than she needed her next breath.

Caleb pulled a pair of handcuffs and some scarves from his nightstand. Holding them up, he watched
her eyes. They widened at the site of the handcuffs so he threw those back into the drawer. He
crawled over her, securing both hands to the headboard with the scarves. The knots were tight. She
would not get loose. He pulled her legs apart, and tied her ankles to the footboard. He moved with
speed. He needed to be inside her.
“In this bedroom, I own you. I promise you pleasure and I promise you safety. I will stop only if you
tell me to.” He rubbed his apa against her slick clit and she threw her head back. “I mean it, Jena. If
you get scared, you have to tell me. Do you understand me?”
“Yes,” She tugged on her restraints. “You own every part of me. Do whatever you want. I just need
to come.”
Caleb growled. Jena had never been this open. He slapped her clit, causing her to scream out in a
mixture of pleasure and pain. Diving between her legs, he took her clit into his teeth. She screamed
again. His tongue was magic, fast and precise, and she thrashed her head back and forth as the
pleasure built to unimaginable heights. Just when she didn’t think she could take anymore, he
whispered “come” as he slapped her clit one more time and she shattered apart screaming his name,
light bursts flashing in her eyes, before her world went dark.
Within seconds, he tore her thong completely off and buried himself in her core. He pounded, sweat
pouring from his forehead. She was completely helpless, tied so tight she could do nothing but take
it. A sliver of fear crept up her spine but she shoved it aside. With every thrust, he buried himself
deeper and deeper, hitting her G spot, making her pant and moan.
He moaned and grit his teeth. “Come for me baby.”
“I’m there. Oh my God.” Jena’s second orgasm ripped through her body. Her toes curled, her head
flew back against the pillow. She screamed as wave after wave shot through her core, milking Caleb,
pulling him over the edge with her.
Spent, he fell on top of her, breathing heavily and sweating. She bit his neck, his shoulder, his ear.
Her body was on fire, every nerve ending raw, the smell of sex permeated the room. Looking up at
her hooded eyes, he knew it wouldn’t be long until they did this again. “That was amazing.”
Reaching up, he untied her hands and rubbed them to get her circulation flowing. “Stay the night with
me. Please don’t leave me after that.”
“On one condition.” Jena smiled and looked at him through her lashes. When he cocked his head to
the side, she continued. “We do that again.”
He tickled her, her legs still tied to the footboard. She screamed as he tortured her with his fingers.
Tears fell from her eyes and her laughter echoed through the room. She punched him in the arms but
he simply chuckled. “You bet your sweet ass we are doing that again. Give me ten minutes.”

~~~

Andi shoved her key in the door and groaned. “Why are you following me, Deuce?”
Kevin laughed. “It’s not following you if we’re going to the same place, Brandi.”
“It’s Andi,” she fumed.
“Whatever.” Kevin pushed past her, leaving her on the front porch. He smiled to himself. She was
so easy to anger. Her smart mouth was such a turn on. Turn on? He shook his head.
“Ugh,” Andi screamed. “You frustrate the shit out of me. Go home. Why are you here?”
“Sorry, doll. My townhouse is being painted this weekend. You’re stuck with me.” Kevin pulled a
beer from the fridge, removed the cap and handed it to her. “Look on the bright side. If you’re up
early enough, you’ll see me walking through the kitchen in my underwear. You won’t want to miss
that.”

“Sleeping in it is.” She took a long pull from her beer and made eye contact with him for the first
time. His eyes smiled, even when he was grating her last nerve. “After all, it wouldn’t be fair to ruin
it for all other men. Seeing as you’re God’s gift and all.” She gagged as she started to walk away.
“Just for that, it’s a thong for you, baby. See you bright and early.” He chuckled as she slammed her
door.

~

The sunrise came early and Caleb stretched in the bed. It had been a night of unforgettable sex. His
heart raced as he looked at her. Life made sense when she was near him. And when they were apart,
a part of his brain stayed with her.
He rolled on top of her and kissed her senseless. She opened her mouth, allowing his tongue to make
love to hers. Her eyes opened one at a time and she smiled against his lips.
“Can I take you somewhere today?” Caleb kissed her neck and she moaned.
“You can take me anywhere.” She smiled as he licked her ear.
He pulled her from the bed and into the bathroom. “I want to take you home to meet my dad.”
Jena froze, causing Caleb to lose his grip. “Wait. What?”
He laughed as he wrapped his arms around her. “Humor me beautiful. I don’t want to spend one
second of today without being able to touch you.”

Chapter 11

“My baby.” Caleb’s mom pulled him in for a hug. Her eyes widened when she noticed Jena standing
next to him. “I’m Natalia. I’m Caleb’s mama.”
Jena smiled and held her hand out to her. “I’m Jena Turner. It is a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Allen.”
“Jena Turner? The doctor that saved my Marky?” She pulled her into a bear hug, kissing her on each
cheek. She ran her hands down Jena’s arms. “Let me look at you. What a beautiful woman. So
young and so thin. Come in. Please, call me Mom.” She pulled her through the door. “Baby, come
meet Caleb’s Amor.”
“Mom,” Caleb tried to interrupt but Jena was already being pulled through the house to meet his
father.
Andi snorted, Her laughter echoing through the foyer. “Guess this will be the test to see if she runs.”
Caleb shot her the bird. “Mom. No hacer su carrera.” He jogged after them. “no me avergüences.”
His mom squeezed Jena’s cheeks. “Ella es Hermosa. My silly son. Forgive him. He is worried I
will embarrass him. I would never do such a thing. I am your mother, Caleb. No one loves you more
than I.”
“Of course you wouldn’t Mom.” Andi stepped up and wrapped her arms around her waist. “She is
his amor.” She kissed the air and sighed.
Jena blushed and Caleb’s eyes sparkled. “Mom, Andi has also brought someone with her. She has
been too shy to tell you about him but I’ll be happy to. This is Kevin.”
Natalia squealed with excitement when she saw Kevin leaning against the front door. “Welcome to
our home. I so am happy. Both my children are here with the ones they love. Sinetense. Sit.”
Kevin grabbed Andi around the waist. “Yes, my love. Let’s sit. I can’t wait to get to know your
parents.”
Andi looked at Caleb with a scowl on her face. “I hate you.” She whispered as Kevin led her to the
couch.

~~~

After a very filling, and very fattening, Sunday dinner, Jena stood in Caleb’s old room, looking at the
awards on his walls and running her finger along photos from his past. She giggled seeing a buff
teenage Caleb standing next to the equally young and charming Ryan, Mark and Steve. Being in his
childhood room was peaceful and she smiled picturing him spending time here.
“My boy is very taken with you.” Jena jumped when she heard his mother’s voice from the doorway.
“You have made him very happy. I see it on his face. You look happy too sweetheart.”
Jena smiled. Caleb’s mother was beautiful. Her dark skin and eyes were set off by a cascade of
silken jet black hair. Andi looked so much like her mother. And after seeing Caleb with his father,
she knew what he would look like in the years to come. “He makes me very happy.”
Natalia held Jena’s hand as she spoke. “Beautiful Jena. I am so happy to know you. Thank you for
saving our Mark. But most importantly, thank you for loving my boy. Please sit and tell me
everything. You know these boys. So quiet about what is important. How long have you been with
my boy?”
“Not long. We have known each other a little over half a year. But we have just started seeing each
other. I suppose he is my boyfriend. I hate to define things so early.” She laughed nervously.
“My girl. He spoke of you the first day he saw you. I believe you had his heart even then. Men are
silly creatures. They don’t always say what they are feeling. But he will. Caleb is passionate in his
words and his actions. He is a good boy. I know this will be something very special for you.”

Natalia smiled and smoothed Jena’s hair from her face. “And we are very lucky to have you in our
home tonight.”
“I’m so happy to be here. It’s been a wonderful evening. There’s so much love here. I am honored to
witness it.” Jena smiled as Caleb’s mother rubbed her hand. She hadn’t had a mother in so long and
her heart twisted in her chest remembering what her childhood had been like.
“Are your parent’s here?”
Jena choked back her tears. “No. They sent me to live with my aunt and uncle when I was in high
school. They were good to me and helped me with college. My cousin was like a brother to me.
They all loved me like their own. But I still miss my mom very much.”
Natalia pulled her into her arms. “You can always come to me if you need something, my gorgeous
girl. You are part of this family now. It is easy to see why my Caleb loves you so. I may not be your
mother but I will love you like a daughter if you let me.”
A sob broke from Jena’s throat and she buried her face in Gabriella’s shoulder. “Thank you. I would
like that very much.”
“Is everything ok?” Caleb watched as Jena sat crying in his mother’s arms. Confusion written all
over his face, he stepped into the room and knelt in front of Jena. “Baby, are you alright?”
Natalia smiled. “It is as I said it was. I will leave you to talk.”
“J, look at me.” Caleb brushed the tears from her cheeks and kissed her gently on the lips. “What
happened?”
“Your mom is amazing.” Jena cried.
Caleb chuckled. “That’s a good thing. Isn’t it?”
She laughed and cried at the same time. “It’s a great thing. Thank you for bringing me here today.”
“Come on baby. Let’s go home.” Caleb led her out of his room, and after hugs from his mom and
dad, they were on their way.

~~~

“Remind me to kill my brother. Did you see my mom’s face when he introduced you? He’s dead.”
Andi rolled her eyes as Kevin switched her radio station.
“It was only a matter of time before we announced we were in love anyway.” Kevin poked her in the
side.
“I like women.”
“Give me a break. I heard about your fling with Moretti.” Kevin laughed. If looks could kill, the one
Andi gave him would have landed him six feet under. “And I heard you and Ryan had a thing for
awhile. Hell, the only one I haven’t heard about is Steve. Want to come clean on that one?”
“If you think for one second that I would be caught dead with one of the Moretti misfits, you don’t
know me at all.” She growled as he changed the radio station for the fourth time. “Kevin! My car,
my music.”
He purposely changed the station again.

~~~

“Thanks for today.” Jena cuddled into Caleb’s chest. The room was dark and cool and smelled like
him. She took a deep breath, memorizing everything about the moment. Six months. Such a tiny
amount of time. Especially knowing several of those months were spent apart, never laying eyes on
each other.
Something was different about Caleb. Despite the grim news that surrounded their first meeting, he
had caught her eye. And it hadn’t taken long before her heart stood up and took notice. The first
touch, in the quiet hallway of the ICU in the middle of the night, had sent her brain into overdrive and

it hadn’t calmed since. His laugh made her smile, his deep voice made her shiver and that crooked
smile, with the mouth full of straight, white teeth, made her weak in the knees. She grinned.
“Thank you for going with me. My mom loved you. And my dad said if he was ever single again, you
were in trouble.” He chuckled. “I’ve never introduced anyone to my parents. Does that scare you?”
“A little bit.” She laughed as Caleb flipped her onto her back and tickled her senseless. His hands
stilled and she smiled. His big, green eyes taking in every angle of her face.
“You’re beautiful.” He rested his forehead against hers. Shutting his eyes, he took a deep breath to
calm his nerves. His heart pounded against his ribcage. In an instant, it was all so clear. “I love
you.”
Jena sucked in a breath. “Caleb.”
“Shhh. You don’t have to say anything. I just needed to tell you.”
His lips met hers. The kiss was soft and there was no doubt in her mind that she felt it too. She
wanted to tell him but fear kept her silent. He held her cheeks in his hands, tilting her head to deepen
the kiss. She smiled against his mouth and he smiled back.
The front door slammed and they both jumped. Muffled voices became louder in the living room.
“She’s pissed.” They both laughed. “Pay back is going to be a bitch but it was worth it.”
As Jena started to speak, there was a crash in the living room and Andi yelled. The hairs on the back
of his neck stood up as he strained to hear what they were saying. He placed his hand over Jena’s
mouth to silence her.
Pouring rain. Darkness. Something wasn’t right. Footsteps echoed. Too many. She picked up her
pace. She shouldn’t have walked home. It was too late. She should have called for a ride. She
began to run. The footsteps pounded behind her. Her breathing echoed in her ears. No No No No
No. Her heart beat out of her chest as her stomach churned. She tried to scream but her breath
left her. His body was solid, attacking her, tackling her to the ground. His hand was big and
dirty. He reeked of alcohol. No no no no. This couldn’t be real. He covered her mouth to silence
her. She couldn’t breathe. There was a puddle. Her clothes were soaked. So much darkness. Her
pants were torn. She screamed. No no no no. He shoved into her, hand over her mouth. She
couldn’t breathe. Pain. So much pain. She couldn’t breathe. The hand over her mouth. She
couldn’t breathe. She gagged. Screams. Raindrops.
Jena gasped for air and screamed. Caleb’s eyes widened. She punched at his chest, fists flying in a fit
of rage. “Get off me.” She kicked and thrashed under him. “Get off me.” She screamed.
Caleb jumped from the bed and reached for her arms. “Jena, What’s wrong?”
“Don’t touch me.” Tears fell from her face, her whole body shook. She ran for the door, Caleb right
behind her. Her face went pale. “Don’t touch me.” She screamed.
She burst through Caleb’s bedroom door and ran into Kevin in the hallway. She shoved him as he
reached for her. She was frantic. Her eyes were terrified.
“Jena. What’s happening? Stop. Where are you going?” Kevin reached out and held Caleb back as
Jena ran down the hall. “Merck, let go of me. Something’s wrong.” Panicked, he watched her run
out the front door.
Andi stepped from the living room holding a broken wine bottle. “What the hell is going on?”
Tears fell from Caleb’s eyes. “Andi, stop her. Don’t let her drive like that.” He shoved at Kevin,
attempting to break free. “Please. I can’t lose her.”
“Stay here, Allen. I’m fucking serious. Don’t move.” Kevin ran down the hall and out the front door.
Jena frantically tried to get the key in the car door. When she dropped them, she pounded on the top
of her car, sobbing and trembling. She needed to get away. It was all back. Every gory detail. For

years it had stayed hidden, allowing her to forget.
“Jena?” Kevin’s voice made her scream. Caleb burst through the door but stopped when he saw
Jena’s face. She was scared of him. Kevin held his hand out to her. His own face mimicking the
torture on hers. “I’m not going to ask you any questions. You don’t have to say a word. Just let me
drive you home.”
She nodded and took his hand as he led her to the passenger side of the car. He helped her in and
squatted down beside the car. “I’m not going to hurt you. You’re safe. I’m going to take you right
home. Andi will follow us so she can drive me back. I will lock us in the car if you want. I promise
you that you’re safe. Do you understand me?”
“Kevin?” Caleb stood on the front steps, his arms in front of him in surrender. Tears streamed down
his chiseled cheeks. He was completely confused and totally defeated. “I don’t understand.”
“Caleb, go back inside. I’ll be back in a few minutes. Andi, grab my wallet and follow us.”
Jena made eye contact. Her tortured eyes told a story he would never understand. Kevin’s face
mirrored hers as he started the car. “I’m going with you Andi. I can’t lose her. She can’t run.”

Chapter 12

It was after nine when Andi returned home from work. Three twelve hour shifts at the hospital had
taken its toll after the sleepless night on Sunday. She had spent the entire night tossing and turning,
worrying about her brother. The trip to Jena’s apartment had been pure torture. Tears had flowed
freely down his cheeks, his suffering obvious by his silence. Their cold greeting once they arrived
had been worse. Jena had jumped from her car and buried her face in Kevin’s chest as they entered
her building. There was nothing she could have done for Caleb. His world had been turned upside
down in a matter of seconds and no matter how much she had tried, she couldn’t find the words to
comfort him.
The house was dark. She had seen his car parked at the marina but the house felt eerily silent. She
hadn’t seen him in three nights. He had been home, but locked in his room and she wasn’t going to
push it. The light from the refrigerator illuminated the kitchen just enough to show her she wasn’t
alone. “Holy shit. You nearly gave me a stroke. What are you doing?” Andi flipped the kitchen light
on and glared at her brother. “Caleb?”
He lifted his eyes, the green that usually sparkled with life was hollow and dim. His face was
unshaven, his hair unwashed. He scrubbed his hand down his face and leaned back in the chair. He
was wearing the same thing she had seen him in on Monday morning.
“Have you been here all week? You haven’t gone to work?” Andi rushed over to the table and sat
down next to him. His eyes filled with tears. “Caleb, you’re scaring me.” The smell of alcohol
permeated the kitchen.
He rubbed his chest, his face in agony. “I’ve called her every hour. I’ve sent texts. I’ve paged her at
the hospital.” His voice was slurred. He pushed the empty bottle of whiskey away and tried to get
up. When he failed, he groaned and rubbed his chest again. “I feel like I’m having a heart attack.”
“She hasn’t been at work. She called in sick.” Andi rubbed his arm. “What can I do? How can I
make this better?”
Caleb pushed himself up from the table, his tall frame knocking the chair over as he left. It had been
three days and he was already a shell of the man he had been before. She had never seen him drink
more than one drink. When his bedroom door slammed, Andi grabbed her phone and waited patiently
as it rang.
“Moretti.”
“Do you always answer your phone with your name? Is it some sort of rich thing? Because I have
never answered my phone that way.”
Mark chuckled. The woman was a certified pain in his ass. “Andi, you called my work phone. What
can I do for you at this late hour?”
“I’m really worried about Caleb. He and Jena had a fight and it was pretty serious.”
“Sophie says he hasn’t been at work all week.” Mark cleared his throat. “What was the fight about?”
Andi picked at her scrub pants. Mark always made her nervous. “I don’t know what happened. She
freaked. She was screaming and ran out of here. Kevin drove her home and we haven’t seen or heard
from either one of them since.”
“Where’s Caleb now?”
“Mark, he sat at the kitchen table for hours drinking vodka and whiskey. He is hammered. He hasn’t
eaten or showered and he has now locked himself in his room.” Andi’s voice became a whisper.
“I’m worried. He is larger than life to me. But today, he’s completely empty.”
A loud crash and a moan echoed from his bedroom. Andi launched herself from the table and ran

down the hallway. She pounded on his door but there was no answer. “Caleb? Open the door! Are
you ok?” He moaned again but didn’t answer. “Mark, I’m scared.”
“Go unlock the front door. I texted Ryan. He’s about five minutes away. Take a deep breath, Andi.
Everything is going to be fine.”
After pounding on the bedroom door a few more times, Andi paced the hallway. She wasn’t strong
enough to get in his door. She couldn’t shake the feeling that he needed her. She jumped as the front
door slammed shut.
“This better be an emergency, Allen. Damnit. I left my wife in bed for this.” Ryan yelled the whole
way down the hall. “Open the damn door.” He pounded. When there was no answer, he continued
yelling. “I will break this thing down. Answer the fucking door.”
Andi shook her head. “Honestly? You’re knocking on the door?” Ryan growled. “That’s genius. I
never would have thought to just try knocking.” She smirked. “Are you growling at me?”
“Andi, back off. It’s late. I’m exhausted. Between Kevin pulling a disappearing act on me this week
and now this shit, I’m not in the mood.” Ryan took a few steps back and launched his body, shoulder
first, at the door. The wood splintered as the door opened. “God Damnit.”
Caleb lay face down on the carpet, a broken glass in his hand, blood dripping from the cut across his
palm. His breathing was shallow, a half empty bottle of vodka on the nightstand. “Wake up, Caleb.”
Ryan lightly slapped his cheek, earning a moan from his drunk friend who in desperate need of a
shower. “Andi, come in here. He’s got glass lodged in his hand.”
“She left me.” Caleb slurred as he pressed his hands into the carpet. The shards of glass dug deeper
into the wound. “She ran.”
“I know. But right now I need to get you up. How much did you drink?” Ryan rolled Caleb onto his
back and let out a breath. “Shit you stink.”
“She left me.” Caleb flinched as Andi plucked a piece of glass from his hand. His words were
incoherent as she continued to remove the glass.
Ryan sighed. “Will you go start the shower?” When Andi nodded, Ryan returned his attention to
Caleb. “It wasn’t that long ago that you had to give me a shower when I was sick. I guess Karma’s
about to bite me in the ass. Let’s go.”
Andi laughed. “You’re used to showering together then? If it wasn’t my brother, this could be a huge
turn on.”
“You are sick, Andi Allen. No wonder I love you so much.” Ryan hefted Caleb over his shoulder
like he weighed nothing and carried him into the bathroom. “No peeking though, kid. I’d hate to be
responsible for getting you all hot and bothered.”
“I am honestly living in hell.” Andi mumbled to herself as she walked back to her room.

~~~

Caleb woke to the bright sunlight streaming in his window. He didn’t remember coming to bed. He
certainly didn’t remember changing into his sweatpants. And why did his hand hurt so badly? He
glanced down at the angry cut that spanned half the distance of his palm. His head pounded.
“Good morning sunshine.” Andi walked into his bedroom carrying a bottle of aspirin and some
water. “Sleep well?”
Caleb groaned. “What the hell happened to my door?” He turned his head trying to focus on the
wood. “Did I do that?”
Andi laughed. “As if. That’s Ryan’s handiwork. The man is a Neanderthal.”
“Why did Ryan break my door?” He hissed as Andi took his hand and started cleaning it. “What the
hell happened?”

“Well, my darling brother, you got shit drunk, took a header on the floor, broke some glass trying to
drink yet another full bottle of liquor, and your door was locked. We didn’t want to miss the party so
Ryan came over and we broke it down. It really was impressive. He got it on the first try. I didn’t
see the appeal before, but I guess your friends aren’t so bad. They really do care about your stupid
ass.”
“Has she called?” His voice was quiet and pained.
Andi shook her head. “She called into work again today. They called all of us to change our rotation
to tonight with Dr. Laub.” She finished bandaging his hand and sighed. “I don’t know what
happened. I tried to get Kevin to talk to me last night but he completely shut down. Just give her
some time.”
“I can’t.” His voice broke. “I can’t breathe.”
“I don’t do sappy shit, you know that.” Andi gave him a weak smile. “But she was just as happy as
you were. There is no doubt in my mind that you will end up together. Just keep believing that. And
for the love of God, if you drink like that again, I will kill you.” Andi threatened as she got up to
leave. “I called into work for you. You can thank me by taking a damn shower and leaving the
house.”

~~~

The shower had done nothing to clear his head. And after three bites of toast, Caleb had given up on
food entirely. When was the last time he had eaten? He didn’t care. He needed to get to Jena. He
needed to make this right. He needed his heart to start beating again. She had called into work for the
fourth day in a row. His stomach clenched thinking the worst.
The apartment complex was quiet. He took the elevator to the fifth floor and stepped into the silent
hallway. He was taking a chance being here. But he couldn’t imagine one more second without her.
He knocked lightly on her door and waited. Nothing. He listened for movement. He knocked
louder. “Please, Jena. Open the door. I need to talk to you.” His voice cracked. He pounded once
more and rested his forehead on the door. He couldn’t breathe.
“She isn’t home.” A tall and muscled neighbor set a bag of trash outside his door and leaned against
the wall. “She’s not there.”
Caleb’s head stayed firmly planted on the door. “Where is she?” Total defeat.
“I would guess that you’re Caleb?”
That got his attention. He stepped back from the door and looked at the stranger. “And you are?”
He extended his hand. “Luke. Sorry to have to meet you like this.” His southern drawl echoed
through the hall.
Caleb shook his hand, his brow wrinkling in confusion. “I’m sorry. Who are you?”
“Come on in. I was fixin’ to check on her place when I heard you knocking.” Luke stepped aside and
let Caleb into his apartment.
Once inside, Caleb glanced around the small living room. Alarm made him shiver as he looked at the
pictures on his walls. Pictures of his Jena. Pictures of his Jena with this Luke. He was suddenly on
high alert. “What the fuck is this?” Caleb pointed at the photos as his temper flared.

“Hold on there. Have a seat.” Luke pointed to the couch and sat across

from him in the old, tattered recliner. “I’m disappointed you don’t know who I am.” He
chuckled and looked right at Caleb. “The name’s

Luke Turner.”

Caleb put his head in his hands and leaned forward. The southern accent, the photos, the dark hair.
“Her cousin. I’m sorry man. She told me you lived in LA. I just didn’t realize it was right here.” He
looked at Luke’s sad face and had to know. “Where is she?”
“She flew to Seattle. She’ll be back on Friday.” He shifted uncomfortably and sighed. “I can’t tell
you much. It’s her story to tell. Let her breathe for a minute, man. When she gets back, fight for her.
Do whatever you need to do. Just give her these few days.”
“Why is she is Seattle?” Caleb’s heart sunk. She really had run.
“There’s a job there.”
Caleb jumped from the couch and started pacing. “This can’t be happening. Shit. I don’t even know
what the hell actually happened. Is she going to take it?”
Luke swallowed hard. “I don’t know. I’m going to do everything in my power to keep her here.”

~~~

“Dr. Turner, we are certainly impressed. I appreciate you coming out here to talk to us.”
Jena felt dead inside. The last few days were a blur. What was she doing? Could she leave LA?
“Thank you for bringing me here. It is a beautiful city.”
“We have interviewed several candidates this week. We feel you are the only one that meets our
needs at this time and we would like to make you an offer.” The chief of staff looked her body up and
down and smiled. “We will send the offer to you by tomorrow evening. We hope that you will join
us here. Seattle is the number three research hospital in the country and with you on board, I see us
climbing even higher.”
Jena stood and collected her things. “Thank you for your time, Dr. Wade. I look forward to receiving
the offer.”
Walking outside, Jena was hit with the wall of rain that had been falling on the city for the few days
she had been here. It felt perfect. Despite being cold, she stood for a few more minutes, letting the
water soothe her soul. She remembered seeing Caleb all wet, water dripping down his face, onto his
muscled chest and chiseled abs. He was pure beauty. She shivered but not from the cold. Her past
controlled her again.
He scared her. He was aggressive in the bedroom. And despite the fact that she had been successful
in shutting out her past, one wrong move and it was all back. He had been trying to hear what was
happening in the living room. She knew that. His simple desire to protect his sister had made him
silence her in the worst way possible. One hand over the mouth and she was running. And looking
around this strange new city, she realized she was still running.
He didn’t know about her past. Very few people did. And there was no way he would ever know. It
had been ten years. Ten agonizing, nightmare filled years. And no amount of counseling had erased
it. Little by little, her brain had learned to cope. But standing here in the freezing rain of a city she
was about to make home, it was all back. A fresh wound, open and festering. It was time for a new
start, away from everyone and everything. And Seattle was just the place to do that. She couldn’t
take the chance of letting him in. She was damaged goods, too far gone to be fixed. He would never
love her if he knew the truth. She was dirty, unpure, unloved. Opening up to him would only lead to
rejection. She couldn’t handle any more of that.

~~~

Caleb slammed the door and Andi jumped from the couch. She watched him throw his coat on the
floor and slide down to the doorframe. “Caleb?” Andi approached him slowly.
He looked up, his eyes haunted. “She’s gone.”
“What?” Andi kneeled next to him on the tile floor in the foyer.

“Gone, Andi. Gone. She’s interviewing in Seattle. She’s gone.” Andi pulled him into an embrace.
Her heart broke for him. Her beautiful brother was broken.

Chapter 13

I don’t know what happened. But I need you. Please come back to me.
Caleb sat in his car outside the bridal salon. His hands shook as he sent the text. It was Saturday and
she had been home for twenty four hours. He had hardly slept and certainly hadn’t eaten. Mark had
cursed him when he scheduled the tux fittings the same time as the dress fittings. His heart leaped
when his phone beeped back.
Please give me time.
He shoved his phone into his back pocket and pushed the car door open, nearly having it ripped off by
a passing car. “Shit!” He yelled.
Mark stepped out of the store and looked at him.
“Shit is right, Allen. What the hell?” He held the door open.
“Don’t ask.” He snapped.
Mark grabbed his arm. “Stop. I know you’re hurting. I know it feels like shit. It was a lesson I
learned because of you. I’m not trying to act like an asshole but this is Sophie’s day and I will be
damned if you screw with it. So nut up and let’s go.”
Caleb took a deep breath and smiled a fake smile. “Greatest day of my life.”
Ryan threw his arm around him. “When you get her back, I’m gonna rub this shit in so hard. A taste
of your own medicine will do you good.”
“I’ll take full responsibility for Mark and Soph. But I will be damned if I cop to playing some roll in
the destruction of your paradise, bro. You and Layla did that all on your own.”
“Ah, but if we hadn’t, and Moretti hadn’t decided to go all evil keneval on our asses, you wouldn’t
have met…” Ryan noticed Jena walk in the door and snapped his mouth shut.
The silence was deafening. Her face blushed and Mark reached out to hold Caleb’s forearm. “Deep
breath man. Remember Soph.”
Caleb turned his back to the door. It was the single hardest thing he had ever done in his life. He
swore his heart stopped beating. The sound of his blood rushing through his ears was all he could
hear as the men greeted the women that had arrived. His hands shook. Sweat beaded on his forehead
and for one moment, he thought he would be sick.
“Let’s go get fitted.” Ryan threw his arm over his shoulder once more and led him to the men’s
section. “She loves you, man. She told me. You can’t give up.”
“She told you?” Caleb stopped walking, his face pale and his hands clammy. “When did she tell
you?”
Ryan shrugged. “A couple times in the last few weeks. I don’t know what happened, man. I swear I
don’t. But if I can settle down, she can.”
He looked over his shoulder for the first time. Jena was watching him, a mix of fear and desire in her
eyes. As soon as he made eye contact, she looked away. “I hope you’re right.”
Sophie’s scream got everyone’s attention. Sophie and Molly were jumping up and down hugging
Jena. Mark was shaking his head and smiling and Andi was wide eyed looking at Caleb. “What?” He
mouthed at his sister.
Andi looked down and pulled out her cell phone.
She got the job in Seattle.

~~~

Jena stepped out of the dressing room in her Vera Wang chiffon bridesmaids gown. She stood in the
mirror with a lump in her throat. Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears. Seeing Caleb had been her

undoing. She slid her brave mask back in place as Sophie stepped into the mirror.

She gasped. “Jena, you look amazing. Red is your color. It’s gorgeous.”

“Thank you.” Jena turned to get a glimpse of her back in the dress. “I live in light blue scrubs. I have
to admit, it’s a little shocking.”

Sophie giggled. As Jena turned around, Sophie pulled her hair back from her face. Standing behind
her, she smiled. “Someday, we will be here picking out your dress. I can’t wait.”

Jena’s eyes widened and she stepped out of Sophie’s grasp. Tears flooded her face. “I can’t be
here. I’m so sorry.”

As she stepped away from the mirror, Sophie grabbed for her hand. “Wait. Please, J. What’s the
matter?”

Jena kept walking. “I just need a minute. I’m sorry.” She shut the dressing room door and crumpled
to the ground. Her sobs echoed through the fitting room. When Sophie wouldn’t leave the room, Jena
sighed. “Is Kevin here? Can you get him?”

Sophie jogged to the tuxedo section, quickly spotting Ryan and Kevin standing in the mirror admiring
the fit of their suits. When she approached, they looked at her with concern. “I’m sorry.” Her heart
sped as she saw Caleb walk toward them. She took a deep breath and attempted a smile. “I don’t
mean to interrupt your male bonding. Something is wrong with Jena. I can’t get her out of the
dressing room. She is asking for you.”

Without saying a word, Kevin left the other men standing there stunned. Caleb turned and punched the
wall. His anger and sadness out of control. “This is bullshit.” He stormed off toward the front door,
Ryan on his heels.

“Allen, stop.” Ryan’s voice was stern. “Get your shit together. Now. I mean it. You of all people
should know better than to jump to conclusions. You fuck this up for Mark and Sophie, I will fuck
you up. We clear?”

“Crystal.” Caleb walked toward the bridal side of the salon and turned to glare at his best friend.
“Commence the fuck up, West, because I will be damned if that woman is walking out of my life.
Certainly not with him. Are we clear?”

Within seconds, Caleb noticed Kevin standing in the doorway of the dressing room, whispering to
Jena who sat with her head in her hands. Caleb’s heart raced. Perhaps it was innocent. He knew that
it was easy to make a mistake. But he loved her. And there was no mistaking that she had asked for
Kevin. His anger swelled as Kevin knelt down and took her hands. His voice was quiet but he could
make out the words. “You need to calm down. Did you call Dr. McCall?” When she shook her
head, he continued. “You need to. You’ve got to find a way to deal with this.”

Just as Caleb was about to interrupt, her small voice pierced the silence. “I love him. My heart
reminds me of that every second. But I can’t let go. I know it is ridiculous. It was years ago, Kevin.
But the fear cripples me. I can’t take the chance on us.”

“He’ll wait. Take care of you. Call Dr. McCall.” They both froze when the floor creaked. Their
eyes widened as they saw Caleb standing there. Knowing he had heard their conversation, Jena’s
hands began to shake. Kevin stood and brushed the last tear from her cheeks. “Make the call, J.”

Caleb closed the dressing room door and knelt in front of her. “Did I break us?” His voice cracked.
“Can we be fixed?”

She put her head back in her hands and took a deep breath. “I know you don’t understand, Caleb. I’m
not ready to talk about it. I can’t. I don’t want to. I can’t handle a relationship right now. I’m so
sorry.”

Caleb reached out and took her hand. The familiar electric charge ran up his arm and when she
jumped, he smiled. She felt it too. He had hope for the first time in a week. “I don’t understand. But I
won’t push you. You’re under my skin, Jena. I will give you as much space as you need, for as long
as you need it. I’m not going anywhere. I’ve completely fallen in love with you and I will wait, as
long as it takes.”

Jena’s heart rate doubled. “I don’t deserve you.”

“You’re right, honey. You deserve so much better.” Caleb straightened and smiled down at her.
“And you look hot in red. You should never take that dress off. Well, I mean, Ok, I’m leaving.”

She giggled for the first time in days. She would call Dr. McCall today. She needed to find a way to
make Caleb understand. She needed to find a way to feel free to love him. She needed to find a way
to feel whole.

~~~

Mark gathered the group outside the bridal salon. “Thank you for coming. I know we have been
vague about plans. But everything is in place. You’ll be getting clues throughout the next few weeks.
You will figure it out in a matter of days. We aren’t that creative.”

Sophie giggled. “I have my first clue in the car for the girls. I know you said no extras but I couldn’t
resist. Come on.” Sophie led the girls to the trunk, where she pulled out rhinestone encrusted flip
flops that matched their dresses. “Shh. I know it isn’t a clue. But these were so damn cute and since
you know it will be on the beach, I found these appropriate.”

The girls hugged their goodbyes and Andi met Caleb at his car. “What’s wrong with Kevin?”
“Nothing? I don’t know.” Caleb snapped at her as he watched Jena get into her car and drive away.
“The last couple times I’ve seen him, he’s seemed withdrawn. Not that we are close.” Andi blushed
and looked out the window. “But he’s constantly giving me shit. So unless his brain has become
constipated, something is very wrong.”

Chapter 14

Caleb wiped down the kitchen counter. It had been a week since he had seen or spoken to Jena. He
was determined to give her the space she needed. But time was not his friend and he struggled to
keep busy. He had read three manuscripts from new authors, been to the gym everyday and his house
had never been so clean. Andi had been consumed with work and the house had seemed empty.
“Maybe I should get a dog. Great. Now I’m talking to myself.”
The knock on the front door startled him. Opening it, his eyes went wide. Kevin could hardly stand,
his weight being supported by a burly man in his late sixties.
“I assume this belongs to you?” The man shoved Kevin at him.
“I lost my wallet.” Kevin’s slurred voice echoed through the foyer.
Looking past the older man, Caleb noticed a taxi idling in his driveway. “How much do I owe you,
man?”
“You were on my way. No charge. Take care of him. He did a number on the jazz club downtown.
The owner is a friend of mine. I owed him one.” Caleb shook his hand and smiled. “You have a
good night.”
Caleb pulled Kevin into the living room. His eyes were glassy and he reeked of alcohol and
cigarettes. He stumbled into furniture, speaking in a voice so jumbled, Caleb struggled to understand
him. He pushed him onto the couch and Kevin immediately shut his eyes. Grabbing the blanket off
the ottoman, he covered his inebriated friend and chuckled. “That’s going to suck in the morning.
Sweet dreams, Merck.”
Caleb turned the lights off in the living room and grabbed a novel off the bookshelf. He yanked his
shirt off and settled into bed in his boxers. It had been a long week, every second feeling like an
eternity. Sleep was his respite.
A loud crash pulled him from his slumber. He woke with a start, looking at the time on his clock.
Two AM. The house was too silent. Something felt off. He reached over and turned on the bedside
lamp. A small gurgling noise had him racing from this bedroom. Flipping on the living room light,
Caleb gasped. “What the fuck, Merck?” The glass table in the hallway was turned on its side and
Kevin lay motionless next to it, bleeding all over the marble tile. “Shit.”
Caleb backtracked to his room and grabbed his phone. She picked up on the first ring. “Andi, where
are you?” He was out of breath as he ran to the kitchen to pull the hand towel from the stove. He
didn’t do blood. And the amount that had already pooled on the floor was alarming.
“Our shift just ended. A few of us are heading out to get breakfast.” Andi whispered to someone.
“I need you. Oh God.” Caleb gagged.
“What’s wrong?” He could hear her start to run. He could always count on her. No questions asked.
“Kevin is lying in our hallway. He’s got a huge gash on his head and there is blood everywhere.
Fucking hurry up.”
“Caleb, don’t panic. Put pressure on the wound. Is he responsive?”
“He’s breathing but he sure as shit isn’t awake. I’m going to be sick.”
“Man up. We are five minutes out. Keep pressure on the wound. And for the love of God, if you are
passed out when we get there, I will never let you forget it.” Andi hung up.
Caleb groaned as he looked down at the blood. When Andi was younger, she had fallen off her bike.
She had been ungraceful even at an early age. Her collarbone had snapped, a sound Caleb had never
forgotten. She had bled all over her sweatshirt and it had taken him exactly two minutes to knock
himself out on the pavement, passing out from the site of her blood. Their mother had been panicked,

both children in the back of the ambulance speeding off to the hospital. In the end, it had been Andi
that had held him, bone sticking out through the skin, and he had never lived it down.
Moretti had a field day. Word had spread like wildfire and it seemed like every day, another joke
involving fake blood had been dealt at the hands of Mark, Rich and Ryan. He chuckled at the
memory, trying to push the image of what was happening out of his head.
Kevin stirred, a groan escaping his lips. “Dead.”
Caleb looked down. “Merck?”
Kevin tried to sit up. He grabbed his head, confusion written all over his face as he looked at his
blood covered hands. “Allen?” He struggled to free himself from Caleb’s grasp.
“Hold still you son of a bitch.” Caleb closed his eyes and took a deep breath as Kevin calmed. “You
fell. Just hold still.”
Kevin let out one long sob, the sound echoing through the house. His face was pure agony. “She’s
dead.” He whispered before he passed out.
Andi and Jena rushed through the front door. Caleb looked up as a wave of relief washed over his
whole body. “Thank fuck.”
Andi stopped cold. Taking in the site of the blood, her jaw dropped. “What the hell happened?” Her
brother was covered in it and Kevin’s face was pale.
Jena didn’t hesitate. Securing a pair of gloves on her hands, She knelt down at his side, removing the
hand towel Caleb was holding. She inspected the gash with the pen light she had in her jacket
pocket. She handed Caleb a package of sterile gauze and looked at Andi. “Grab my bag. There is a
suture kit in there and I need the lidocaine. Caleb, are you ok?”
He nodded, his entire focus on what she was doing. “It’s like a crime scene in here.” He breathing
was shallow and sweat poured down his face.
“Kevin, can you hear me? I need you to hold still. Hold his shoulders, Caleb. Andi, hold this light.”
Jena numbed his forehead and began to sew the wound closed. Kevin groaned but never moved. It
took twenty-two stitches to stop the bleeding and Caleb had gagged every time the needle had
punctured his skin. When she was finished and looked up, she began to laugh. Andi and Caleb both
looked at her, brows drawn in confusion. “Andi, help your brother to the couch. He’s green.”
“Jena?” Kevin’s eyes fluttered open. His voice was slurred and hoarse.
She rubbed his arm. “Just lie there sweetie. I’m going to start an IV and get you hydrated. I know
this isn’t comfortable but I don’t want to move you yet. If you don’t start looking better, I’m calling
the ambulance.”
“Ok.” His eyes were red and glassy. “Thank you, J.”

~~~

Caleb leaned against the wall, staring down at Jena. She had been amazing, jumping into action and
still giving him hell for being such a pussy. She had even cleaned up the hallway and managed to get
Kevin out of his shirt and comfortable with a blanket and pillow. She sat with her knees tucked into
her chest, staring at him while he slept.
“Thank you.” She startled at the sound of his voice.
She smiled at Caleb, taking in the sight of him, fresh out of the shower in a pair of pajama pants. He
was sex, wrapped in lust, with a side of guaranteed pleasure. His green eyes were hooded, his hair
styled in chaos, like he had just gotten out of bed. She struggled to swallow as her throat constricted.
“Hi.”
“Hi.” He smiled as he sat down next to her. “You were amazing, Dr. Turner.”
She blushed. “Thank you, Mr. Allen.” Her hands longed to touch him so she tightened her grip on her

legs. “I was proud of you too. Andi told me the bike story.”
He groaned. “She lied.”
Jena laughed but stopped when she saw Kevin start to sit up. “Easy, Kevin. Are you ok?”
He reached for his head and hissed as he touched the suture line. He glanced at the IV in his arm, his
bare chest, the blood on his jeans. “I’m sorry.” His body sagged and his eyes filled with tears. “I’m
so sorry.”
“It’s ok. You are alright. That’s all that matters.” Jena moved across the marble floor and pulled
him into a hug. “You took a major fall. Head wounds bleed a lot, but more so after you have had
your weight in alcohol.”
“I’m so sorry.” Kevin slurred pulling Jena into a tighter embrace.
Caleb sat up straighter, jealousy running like ice water through his veins. When Kevin looked at him,
his eyes were haunted. “What’s going on, Merck? What happened?”
“She’s gone.” His words hardly recognizable. Tears ran down Kevin’s cheeks as his body began to
shake. “Help me up. I’m gonna be sick.”

Chapter 15

Kevin shivered as he looked at Caleb. His brain sloshed with his alcohol fog. His voice garbled.
“Her name was Kelly.” He wiped his eyes and looked at Jena. “I’m sorry, J. I love you. I do.
You’ve been good to me.” Each sentence was a little more slurred than the last.
Jena rubbed his leg. “There’s nothing to be sorry about.”
“It’s been five years.” Kevin took a deep breath. “She was a dancer. She was walking into the
apartment and she was jumped. Three men.”
Jena shivered. Her mind clouded with thoughts of rain and footsteps. “No,” she whispered.
Kevin grabbed her hand. “You are stronger. So much stronger.” His red eyes stung with tears. “She
was beaten, left by the dumpster. I found her the next morning when I was taking the trash out.”
“Kevin.” Caleb’s eyes were wide. He had known Kevin for more than a year now. He had spent
countless nights at the bars and even more days at the gym with him. He suddenly realized he didn’t
know him at all.
“She was pregnant. Those bastards left something permanent to remind her. I tried to help her. She
wouldn’t let me. Jena, let me help you.”
Jena shot to her feet. Her face paled and her eyes filled with tears. “Stop.”
“Jena.” Kevin held his hands out to her. “I couldn’t save her. She killed herself in my apartment.
Five years ago today. My sister. She was my only family.”
“Holy shit.” Andi stood in the doorway stunned. “What’s going on?”
“I can’t.” She paced the room, her body trembling, her breathing shallow. Her heart pounded in her
chest. This couldn’t be happening. Not here. She glanced at the doorway. She felt trapped.
“Don’t run.” Caleb stood and she flinched. “Whatever is happening, it’s ok.”
“Let me save you.” Kevin stumbled to his feet as Jena moved for the door. “You have to tell him.
Tell him so I can save you.”
“Kevin.” She yelled. “Don’t do this to me.”
Caleb moved in front of the doorway and she froze. Her breathing became erratic. “You have to
move.”
“Did someone hurt you?” His voice cracked. “Did I hurt you?” He stood his ground when she tried
to move past him.
Jena crumbled to the floor. Sobbing, she covered her face with her hands. Caleb knelt beside her,
pulling her into his arms. “I can’t.”
“Baby, look at me.” She shook her head, continuing to soak his chest with tears. “Please. Let me in.”
“It wasn’t you.” Kevin stumbled as he approached them. “It wasn’t you, Allen. It was a man
who….”
“Make it stop.” Jena buried her face in Caleb’s neck.
“Andi, get him out of here.” Caleb pleaded. When the door finally shut, he sighed. “You’re safe. I
promise you that. Please talk to me.”
“I don’t know how to tell you.”
“Jena, there is absolutely nothing you could say to me that would change how I feel about you.”
Caleb tucked her hair behind her ear. “I love you so fiercely that when you walk into a room, I forget
to breathe. When you walk out, my heart stops. Whatever it is, you can tell me.”
“Oh God.” Her voice trembled. Silence took over the room for several minutes before she took a
deep breath. “When I was in high school, I was walking home alone. It was pouring rain. I heard his
footsteps but I couldn’t run fast enough.” She made eye contact for the first time. Silent tears ran

down his face as he rocked her in his lap. “He was drunk and dirty.”
Caleb continued to rock her as her breathing steadied. “I’m so sorry, Jena.”
“I’ve spent years trying to forget. My parents were so ashamed. I was only a child. They sent me to
live with my Aunt and Uncle because it made the news. I hated them so much for abandoning me. He
stole my innocence and took years of my life away from me. And they just threw me away like I was
nothing.” Her anger grew as she continued. “And now he is stealing my future.”
Caleb leaned back and looked at her. “How is stealing your future? Is he back?”
“Yes. But not like you think. It was all buried…” Her voice trailed off.
“Oh my God.” Caleb interrupted. “I did something. What was it?”
Jena shook her head. It hurt to tell him. It was the most painful thing she had ever done. But when the
look of agony crossed Caleb’s face as he realized he had triggered the memory, she died inside. “It’s
not your fault. It’s mine for never learning to handle it.”
“I put my hand over your mouth. Oh, Jena. Oh God I’m so sorry.” Caleb whispered. His heart
shattered.
“You didn’t know.”
He pulled her back into his lap, his arms wrapping around her shoulders, pulling her as close to him
as he could. “Where is this son of a bitch?”
“I don’t know. They never caught him. I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you.” Jena looked into his beautiful
emerald eyes.
He kissed her gently and she melted into him. “Am I your first since?”
“Yes.” She whispered.
“Your innocence was brutally taken from you. And you pick me, the guy with the piercing that likes to
tie you up and control you. I’m such a fucking asshole.” He kissed her forehead and loosened his
grip on her shoulders. “And I don’t know how to be anything else. I don’t know how to give up
control.”
“Caleb, you have been more than I ever expected. So much more. You are this kind hearted, caring
person to everyone you know. And then your bedroom door shuts and you are this dominant and
fearless man that makes me weak at the knees. I wouldn’t change anything.”
“I scared you. I reminded you of the son of a bitch that hurt you. I would have killed him. If I had
known you then, I would have killed him for touching you. For stealing something so precious. For
making you have one second of doubt or torment in your life.”
“I know. That’s why you are so amazing.” She kissed the corner of his mouth and he closed his
eyes. “I got scared. It wasn’t your fault. I’m working with a new doctor. Kevin introduced me to
him. And in a tiny amount of time, he has helped me so much. I want to feel whole. I want to be able
to let go and live my life.”
“And you need time.” Caleb hugged her. “I can give you time.”
“And space.” She nodded. “I’m so sorry. I am leaving for Seattle on Wednesday. I would never ask
you to wait for me. That wouldn’t be fair to you. I have loved every minute of us. I will never
forgive myself for hurting you. But I have to start living my life without looking over my shoulder.”
“And you can’t do that here?” Tears threatened to fall from his eyes but he blinked them away.
“I’m so sorry.”

Chapter 16

“Mr. Allen, I have a delivery for you.” Caleb’s assistant buzzed his office, drawing Caleb’s attention
from his daydream. She giggled. “Should I bring it in?”
Caleb smiled. “Your laugh has me intrigued. Yes, bring it in Kathy.”
His office door opened and Kathy walked in with a grin on her face. She held up the pineapple with
the large red bow. “Floral occasions drove up in their huge delivery van, shuffled around in the back
and then walked up with this. I’m sorry. I don’t mean to laugh but I’ve never seen a pineapple get
delivered with such flare.”
Caleb chuckled. “It’s from Moretti. Another clue to their wedding. They’ve been torturing us with
not knowing where we’re going.” It felt like the first time he had smiled in weeks.
“It made my day.” Kathy went to leave the room but turned at the last minute. “Off the record, it is
really nice to see you laugh again.”
“Thank you.” Caleb smiled at the woman who had been his assistant since he had been promoted.
“Moretti is coming by in a bit. Just show him in when he gets here.”
As Kathy shut the door, Caleb dialed the number that had been permanently etched in his brain. When
her voicemail picked up, he took a deep breath. “Jena, I wish you would call me back. It’s been four
weeks. I can’t do this anymore.” He slammed his phone onto his desk.
Four weeks. He had watched her walk out of his life after the mother of all confessions. He had
begged her not to go, dignity be damned. He had called and sent texts and flowers. And from her
corner of the map, there had been silence. Four weeks of torturous, agonizing, mind numbing silence.
His heart was destroyed, his brain scrambled, his soul completely broken. His love for her had
grown, not lessened. He had hoped that once the dust settled, she would realize how much he cared
for her. He had prayed that she would call, telling him she loved him, and he would have jumped on
the next plane, leaving every bit of his life behind. But her silence had spoken volumes and he knew
it was time to let go.
He had cried more in the few months he had known her than he had in all of his thirty years. And
when he typed the words that would haunt him for the remainder of his life, tears fell freely once
again. It was his goodbye. But it wasn’t just goodbye to the beautiful surgeon that had stolen his
heart. It was goodbye to the possibility of forever. It was goodbye to the hopes and dreams he had
believed would come true. It was goodbye to the man he became the second she had walked into his
life.

~~~

“There’s the lazy sack of shit Sophie calls her boss.” Mark smiled as he entered his office. “How
are you, stranger?”
Caleb smiled. It was nice to see him. He had to admit, he had been a hermit for the last few weeks.
“Marco, It’s good to see you bro.” He pulled Mark into a hug, noticing they were not alone.
“Allen, this is Lily. She’s Sophie’s college roommate. Lily, this is Caleb.” Mark smiled as Caleb’s
eyes roamed Lily.
“Lily.” He tried her name on for size. She was pretty. A pang of guilt ripped through his stomach.
“It’s nice to meet you.”
She smiled. Her blue eyes lit up her face. Long blond hair hung loose down her back. “Nice to meet
you too. I’ve heard quite a bit about you.”
“I’m pretty important.” Caleb smiled his crooked smile but couldn’t hold back the laughter.
“I hadn’t heard that.” She giggled.

“Can I hug you?” Caleb didn’t wait for an answer. “How tall are you?”
She giggled again. “Well, not all of us can be seven feet tall.”
Caleb picked her up. Mark crossed his arms as Sophie walked into the room and gasped. “Caleb
Allen, put her down! What is wrong with you? And why the hell are you so smug, Mark?”
Lily continued to laugh as she tried to wiggle free of his grasp. Caleb winked at Sophie and put her
down. “You are the elementary school teacher. Are you the same height as the kids you teach?” He
flashed her the dimple.
“Funny. He’s funny.” She smiled at Sophie.
“She isn’t a toy, Allen.” Mark couldn’t help but laugh at Sophie’s mortified expression.
“But she could be.” Caleb winked at Lily.
“Caleb!” Sophie pulled Lily from the office. “I’m so sorry. They’re cavemen. Honestly.”
“I think this is going to be the greatest wedding ever. First Ryan, then Caleb. Who else is hiding in
the wings?” Lily laughed as she turned around to see Caleb watching her. “Single?” She asked
Sophie.
“Technically, I suppose. But you’re nobody’s rebound. Not if I can help it.”
“I wouldn’t mind rebounding that.” Lily smiled as they walked out of the office.

~~~

“Dr. Turner to the nurses’ station, please. Dr. Turner to the nurses’ station.” The intercom
interrupted Jena’s thoughts.
She walked down the well lit hallway toward the faces that had quickly become friends. She smiled
when she saw the long box sitting atop the counter. “Another clue?” The nurses laughed,
remembering the look on Jena’s face when she had received the pineapple. The card made her giggle
so she read it aloud. “ J Dog, I would tell you to wear this and nothing else, but I suppose the
wedding might not happen then. See you soon, Mark .”
Jena pulled the top off the box and smiled. A lei made of yellow hibiscus was cushioned in orange
tissue paper. It smelled amazing. “It’s beautiful.”
“I would guess it is no longer much of a surprise.” Dr. Wade smiled as he studied a patient’s chart.
“Dr. Turner.” He nodded and winked as he walked away.
“What the hell was that?” Rebecca, an intern that had become her best friend in Seattle, rolled her
eyes.
Jena shuffled through the papers on the fax machine. “Nothing. He’s asked me out a few times.
Wanted me to go to dinner tonight.”
“Are you going?” She raised her eyebrow.
“No. I’m heading to Los Angeles tonight. I was going to meet them at the wedding. But I need to
go.” Jena froze waiting for the reply.
“What?” Rebecca grabbed her arms. “Are you going back to get the stud? Was it the email?”
“Becs, this distance has been so good for me. I have healed more in these past few weeks than I had
in years. I think losing him was a huge eye opener. He’s what I want. I’m ready to fight for him.”
“It’s about damn time. I’ll help you pack.” Rebecca hugged her. “I will miss the shit out of you.”

~~~

“What’s up stretch?” Caleb sat next to Lily on the couch. Game night at Moretti’s was less torture
when it was on television and not a board game. He laughed when she shoved his arm. She had been
in town just a few days but Caleb adored her. She and Andi had become close and she was staying in
their guest room so the girls could stay up late and do whatever it was girls did. She had become like
a second little sister.

“How’s your head, slick?” Lily smiled as he groaned. Last night had been full of alcohol and not
only had Caleb spent the night enjoying beer pong with his crazy group of friends, he had spent the
morning lying in bed regretting every second of it. Dry heaves were seriously bullshit.
“Thank you for reminding me. You ready to hit the beach running tomorrow? Can’t wait to see your
sweet ass in a bikini.” Caleb smacked her ass as she got up to grab the remote.
She laughed as she wiggled her way to the TV. “The feeling is mutual.”
Kevin cleared his throat. “It’s a nice ass. And it woke up next to me this morning. I will piss on it to
mark my territory if I need to.”
Caleb laughed and grabbed his chest. “You wound me, stretch.”
“We asked your sister to join us but she turned us down.” Kevin chuckled when Caleb’s smile
dropped.
“If there is a hell on earth, I am in it. I really don’t know what I did to deserve this. I really don’t.”
Andi shook her head without looking up from her magazine.
“Stop denying it, doll. It won’t be long until you are screaming for more.” Kevin dodged Caleb’s
sucker punch, laughing harder than before. In his best female voice, he acted out the scene. “Oh God
Kevin. Harder. Harder. Oh yes! Right there.”
“I’d make you my bitch.” Andi rolled her eyes and kept reading.
“Maybe. But we won’t know that until you finally give it up.”
“Jesus, Merck. That’s my baby sister. Off limits. I mean it.”
Lily pulled Caleb back onto the couch. “Time to face the music, slick. She’s not a baby anymore.”
When Andi finally laughed, Caleb groaned. “I hate every single one of you.”

Chapter 17

“Dr. Turner, this is a surprise.” Dr. McCall looked up from his desk as Jena walked in his office.
“Thank you for seeing me tonight.” Jena settled in the chair across from him and smiled. “I needed to
share a few things with you.”
He smiled back. “Anytime you need me, I’m here. You know that. How is Seattle?”
“Rainy. But I have enjoyed myself. The hospital is fantastic. There are so many amazing things
happening there.” She shifted in her seat, nerves making their way into her stomach. “I have really
enjoyed our phone sessions. I just felt I needed a face to face encounter before I leave for Hawaii
tomorrow.”
Dr. McCall folded his hands in his lap. “I’m all ears.”
Jena pulled the folded paper from her purse. She had read it so many times, she had it memorized. “I
received this last week. It’s a goodbye.” She took a deep breath when she noticed her hands were
shaking. “I have spent the last five weeks working on me. I feel very strongly that I have done some
significant healing. I have been able to talk about things not only with you, but with a few friends in
Seattle. Breaking my silence has been the gateway to my future. I understand now that Kevin was
only trying to help me.”
“And how do you feel now?”
“I feel like I am worthy of love. I haven’t been fair to Caleb and I am aware that the damage could be
irreversible. But if I had denied my past and not worked through it, we would not have had a future.”
She held the letter up. “I wanted to share this with you. Do you mind if I read it?”
Dr. McCall smiled. “Not at all. I would be honored if you read it.”
My Dearest Jena,
I have been lost without you the last four weeks. I have prayed this time apart was simply a bad
dream. But every morning I wake up, I am faced with the bitter reality that you are gone. You haven’t
answered my calls, my emails or my texts. Writing a Dear John letter is not what I envision when I
think about saying a proper goodbye to the only woman I have ever truly loved, heart and soul. But
what choice do I have?
I have cried over my decision more than I care to admit. I promised myself that if you didn’t answer
my call today, I would have no other option but to let you go. My heart is shattered even though I
understand the reasons you left. What you fail to understand is what an amazing woman you are. You
bring joy to every person you come in contact with. You have greatly enriched the lives of my family
and my friends and what you have done for me will be something I can never repay you for. I was a
broken man before you, quite literally, stepped through the door to my heart. I had faced a future of
uncertainty, unaware that there was someone out there who completed every part of me.
You gave me the gift of love. And although our time together was limited, the emotions you awakened
in me were nothing short of a miracle. I love you with everything that I am. You accepted my life
with no questions asked. You stole the hearts of my friends and mentored my sister. If one day I am
lucky enough to love someone half the woman you are, I will be lucky indeed.
Goodbyes are never easy. I will love you until my dying breath. I hope at some point you can let
someone into your life. Your past will never define you. I hope someday you find you believe that.
Today, I am closing the book of us. It was the best book I ever read. If I could rewrite any page, it
would never be the one that made you leave me that night with fear in your eyes. It would be the one
that I wrote myself, when I let you board that plane and didn’t come after you.
I loved you the first second I saw you. And I have loved you every second since.

Fondly,
Caleb
Jena folded the letter and tucked it back into her purse. She wiped the tears from her eyes and looked
at Dr. McCall. “You have been an amazing therapist. I plan on keeping you on speed dial.” She
smiled at the keys to her rental car. “I am ready to fight for me. He is part of me. It’s time.”

~~~

Music blared from the Moretti house. Jena smiled hearing the familiar laughter. No one had heard
her knock so she let herself in. Her hand covered her mouth and happy tears fell from her eyes when
she saw all the people she loved gathered in the living room. Steve noticed her first, tipping his beer
in her direction and smiling. Mark and Sophie were hugging in the corner, Ryan was rubbing Layla’s
belly as they watched the rest of their friends on the dance floor. Andi was slapping at Kevin’s hands
as he reached for her hips, attempting to pull her closer. Her heart skidded to a halt when she saw
Caleb, dipping a tiny blond and laughing. He was still everything she remembered, but now even
more handsome.
Mark interrupted Kevin’s advances, taking Andi by the hand and spinning her. Kevin looked up. His
eyes widened as he walked to Jena. He had not talked to her since he had forced the truth from her.
He extended his hand and waited. Jena jumped into him, wrapping her arms and legs around him in a
tight embrace. He laughed as he spun her. “You are a site for sore eyes, J. I’m so sorry. Do you
forgive me?” When she nodded, he spun her onto the makeshift dance floor in the living room.
“J Dog!” Mark yelled over the music. “Welcome home.”
Caleb froze. He knew he would see her on the trip but he hadn’t prepared himself to see her tonight.
She was gorgeous. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, her eyes more clear than he had ever seen
them, and her smile was relaxed and genuine. Lily nudged him and he looked down.
“Is that her?” Lily locked eyes with Jena and smiled. “She’s gorgeous.” She shoved Caleb toward
her. “Don’t just stand here. Go say hi.”
“I don’t know if I can.” He shook his head at Lily. “I just convinced myself to say goodbye.”
Jena made eye contact with Caleb and smiled. His heart melted. She walked toward him with sure
steps, her eyes never leaving his. “Mr. Allen.”
“Dr. Turner.” His voice unsure.
“Is it ok if I hug you?” Jena blushed as she waited for the answer. He simply nodded. His heart
lodged in his throat. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him. His response was
instant. He sighed as she squeezed him tighter. “Thank you.”
“For?” He cocked one brow and looked at her. Before she could answer, the girls had pulled her
away, all talking at once as they left the living room. In a single moment, the walls he had worked so
hard to build over the past weeks came tumbling down.

~~~

“Here we are again, although the circumstances have changed slightly.” Caleb winked as Sophie sat
next to him on the plane. “No book this trip?”
Sophie laughed. “I won’t torture you this time.”
“I’m not complaining, but why aren’t you sitting by Mark?”
“I have the rest of my life to sit by him. I miss my friend. Are you ok?” She put her head on his
shoulder, breathing in the familiar scent.
“I will be. I hope.” Caleb glanced over his seat at Jena, who had been seated next to Andi. “She
looks good.”
“She does look good.” Sophie smiled at him. “Mark said she seems different. Lighter I think he

said. Whatever that means.”
“She seems happy.” Caleb’s eyes widened as Jena looked down at them.
“Sophie, thank you for keeping my seat warm.” Caleb looked between Jena and Sophie. They both
smiled at him. As Sophie got up to head to her seat, Jena squeezed her hand and mouthed the words
“thank you.”
“Hi.”
Caleb smiled his crooked smile, his dimple deepening in his cheek and sending her heart into a tail
spin. “Hi.” His voice was quiet, timid.
Pointing at the manuscript in his lap, Jena continued. “I know you have work to do. I will leave you
to it. I’m exhausted. I think a nap may be in order. I just needed to be near you.”
Caleb patted his shoulder. “Feel free to use me as your pillow.”
As the plane reached its cruising altitude, Caleb tried to concentrate on the work he needed to
complete before enjoying the vacation. Jena’s light breathing affected him even when she was
asleep. He was so turned on and uncomfortable by the time the seat belt sign went off, he wanted to
pull her into the bathroom and join the mile high club. But their relationship was over and despite
wanting to rip her clothes off, he needed to control himself.
The first class cabin was full of the wedding party. There was laughter and joy all around him but he
could only concentrate on the woman next to him. He pulled his eyes from her body and focused on
her face. Her eyes were open and watching him. “You should be reading.”
“You should be sleeping.” He couldn’t help but smile.
She moved the arm rest and unbuckled her seat belt. “I can’t get comfortable.” She shifted a few
times in her seat and looked at him. “Can I lie in your lap?”
“Probably not the best idea right this second.” He turned his focus to his editing.
She pulled the blanket over her and laid down over him. Her face rested on his thigh. She moaned
when she felt his erection. “Then again,” her voice was breathy, “maybe it’s the best idea right this
second.” Her hand ran up his thigh and cupped him. His eyes snapped shut. She rubbed his length
through his shorts and he hissed.
“J, what are you doing?” He whispered as he looked at the row next to them. Layla was sound
asleep in Ryan’s arms. His eyes were shut as he rubbed his wife’s belly. Sensing the stare, Ryan
looked. Caleb’s eyes went wide and Ryan glanced at Jena. He chuckled and shook his head before
closing his eyes and resuming the belly rub. “Jena, I think you should stop.”
Jena unbuttoned his shorts, pulling his shirt out to hide what she was doing. Her fingers brushed the
top of his erection, spreading the bead of moisture around the head of his penis. She tugged on his
Apa and he pushed his head back against the headrest, biting his lip and furrowing his brow. She
stroked him quietly and his breath hitched. “Relax. No one is looking.”
Caleb looked down and watched as she stroked him with her hand. “Who are you and what have you
done with Dr. Turner?” He shivered with pleasure as she kept up the torture.
She smiled at him through her lashes. “Maybe this is the real Dr. Turner. She’s learned a lot. She
wants to try out the wild side. I’ll stop if you really want me to.” She licked his shaft before
returning her head to his thigh and her hand to his erection.
“Jesus, no.” Caleb glanced around the cabin once more. No one was paying any attention. He
tangled his hands in her hair. “Suck me.”
She pulled the blanket over her head and shifted just enough to take him into her mouth. She nibbled
at his piercing, making him even harder. She rubbed her legs together searching for relief. Jena
sucked hard, drawing him into the back of her throat. His hand tightened in her hair. She knew it

wouldn’t take long. She drew him in two more times and squeezed his balls. That was it. He
exploded in her mouth and she took everything he gave. She swallowed every drop before his hand
released her. Before he could get his breathing back under control, she tucked him back into his
shorts and zipped him up.
Pulling the blanket from her head, Caleb stared down at her. Sweat covered his forehead and his
hands shook. She smiled at him innocently and closed her eyes. He couldn’t help but notice her smile
as she brushed against him several more times over the next few hours and when he stiffened again,
she repeated the slow torture with her hand. He could care less if the world knew what she was
doing. It felt so good to be touched. He vowed to make her squirm in the least private place he could
think of. As his head tipped back giving into slumber, he dreamed of making her scream in pleasure
over and over again.

Chapter 18

Kevin stretched out on the raft, sighing as he took in the Hawaiian sun. The rays soaked into his toned
body, turning his skin golden. He watched Andi lying in the lounge chair, her bikini top untied to
avoid tan lines. The woman drove him nuts. She was crazy and mouthy and more of a challenge than
he was willing to take. But somehow, his brain and his body weren’t quite on the same page.
“Dude, I know you said your sister was off limits, but she is fucking hot.” He laid his head back
down on the raft.
“Stop looking at her. I was serious. Off limits.” Caleb flipped the raft, sending Kevin sputtering into
the water.
Kevin emerged from the water laughing. There was something calming about torturing Caleb.
“Speaking of looking. Check out Jena in that purple bikini. I see a cold shower in my future.”
Caleb smacked him in the chest. Jena was getting in the pool, her barely there bikini covering about
three inches of her body. Caleb huffed out a breath. “Shit.”
“I’ll be up sitting with your sister.” Kevin laughed when Caleb didn’t respond. “Talking her out of
her bikini.” Still nothing. He grabbed Jena and laughed as Caleb growled. “You look great, J. Go
easy on him.”
“Dr. Turner.” Caleb gave her his crooked smile.
“Mr. Allen.” Jena touched his chest. “Heard you were a little tired after the plane ride yesterday.
Are you feeling better?”
“I’m not sure. I may need a checkup. You wouldn’t happen to know someone in the medical field that
could do that for me, do you?” Caleb put his hand on top of hers, pinning it to his chest. He waited
for a response but she didn’t flinch.
She wrapped her other arm around his waist and hugged him. He sighed and put his chin on the top of
her head. “I miss you.” She whispered as he let go of her hand.
His body was slick with water. His muscled chest rippled as he pulled her closer. She wanted to
wrap her legs around his waist and show him just how much she had missed him. But she would
wait. Anticipation was half the fun. She dipped her hand under the waistband of his swim trunks and
tugged on his Apa. He bit her shoulder. “Jesus, Jena. You’re killing me.”
“I have to go. The girls have pedicures. Painted toes are an essential part of the wedding.” She
blew him a kiss over her shoulder. “I’ll see you at dinner tonight. Save me a seat.”
Caleb lunged at her, grabbing her around the waist and pulling her back into his hard chest. She
moaned when she felt his erection. “Do you feel what you do to me? Go get your toes painted. But
your ass is mine tonight.”

~~~

“You’re blocking my sun, triple threat.” Andi didn’t have to look up to know Kevin was standing
beside her. Her body tingled every time he was close to her. She had decided it was disgust. And
that is what she would keep telling herself.
Kevin straddled her and picked up the suntan lotion. “I’ll show you a triple threat. Just give me a
half hour of your time, doll.”
“Are you seriously rubbing lotion on my back right now?” Andi looked over her shoulder at him.
“Would you like it on your front instead?”
“If you get hard, I’ll scream.” Andi moaned as his hands massaged her back, getting dangerously
close to her breasts as he rubbed down her side.
“I’ll let you in on a secret.” He leaned over and whispered in her ear. “I’ve been hard since the

second you showed up in that scrap of fabric you call a bathing suit.”
“Oh my God. Get off me.” Andi laughed as he wiggled against her.
“I’ll get you off. That’s a guarantee.” Kevin rubbed the rest of the sunscreen on her towel and
slapped her ass. “Right now, it’s time for a cold shower. Want to know what I’ll be doing in there?”
“Merck! Get off my sister.”
Kevin flipped Caleb the bird and laughed. “Funny, we were just talking about that.”

~~~

Dinner was in the lounge where dancing had been started by several sorority sisters on vacation. One
by one, the other guests joined in and now it was a full blown dance party. Caleb unbuttoned the first
three buttons on his shirt. It was too warm. He had plans for Jena tonight. She may not know it, but
payback was a bitch. He had come down early to stake out their tables. He had picked several
booths in the corner, away from the bar.
Kevin stepped into the lounge with Andi and Jena. They were both watching as Kevin’s jaw
dropped, taking in the large array of beautiful and young college students. “It’s like a buffet. A babe
buffet. Which ones should I scoop up first?” Kevin looked right at Andi.
Andi shook her head. “I don’t know, Deuce. Maybe start with two who look easy and work your way
up?”
“At least make it a challenge.” He smirked.
“Oh. Well, if you want a challenge, try asking one of the hot ones out. Stop going for the trampy,
horny girls. Oh hell, never mind, they’re sorority girls.”
“I was a sorority girl.” Jena laughed at Andi’s scrunched up nose.
“Since I haven’t been able to get your clothes off, I have a bunch of pent up joy to get out. I think I’ll
start with the four right there. See you.” Kevin laughed when Andi groaned.
Jena turned and saw Caleb for the first time. He was in khaki pants and a light blue oxford, partly
unbuttoned and casual. His sandy blond hair was tussled as if he had just gotten out of bed. Stubble
lined his face and his green eyes sparkled. Her heart raced. He leaned back on the bar with his hands
in his pockets, his gaze burning through her. His crooked smile setting off that dimple, his freshly
tanned face beaming at her. Without a word to anyone, she walked toward him. Her breathing sped
with each step. In this one moment, she knew where she belonged.
“Hi.” She whispered, her voice shaky.
“You look gorgeous.” He leaned in and kissed her cheek. She smelled amazing. “Do you want to go
sit down?”
She nodded her head and let him take her hand. He led her to the corner booth, motioning for her to
sit first. When she did, he slid in next to her. She couldn’t tear her eyes from his face. She wanted
him in a way she never had before. She wanted forever. She wanted what Layla and Ryan had. She
wanted what Mark and Sophie had found. And for the first time ever, it didn’t scare her to death. Her
heart pounded and her cheeks flushed. She loved him. Without a doubt, one hundred percent, in it for
the long haul, can’t breathe, can’t think, love.
“Are you ok?” Caleb squeezed her knee. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
She smiled. “You are very handsome, Mr. Allen.”
Caleb laughed. “Are you flirting with me Dr. Turner?” He winked and her body instantly melted into
him.
Sitting in the darkened booth, Caleb looked around at his friends and noticed they were all having
fun. Smiling, he slipped his hand further up her skirt. Her body tensed. It was payback time and he
was going to enjoy every second of it. His foot brushed behind her leg, pulling them open to his

invasion.
“What are you doing?” Jena’s voice was panicked as she looked around the crowded lounge.
“I’m not sure what you’re talking about.” His finger dipped under the edge of her panties. Running
through her folds, his hand was instantly wet. He whispered in her ear. “I love the way your body
responds to my touch.”
She bit her lip as he pushed his middle finger into her. The tempo was slow, each plunge causing the
heel of his hand to brush against her hardened nub. She tried to push her legs together but his foot
held her open. His pace increased as she whimpered. In and out, his finger pounded her. Her legs
began to tense. The wet sound of her excitement echoed in her ears.
“Caleb, my man. What’s up?” Ryan sat down across from them. “Dr. J, how are you?”
“Fine,” Jena croaked. She let her breath out in a huff of air as Caleb continued his torture.
Ryan’s brow furrowed. “You ok?” His stare pierced her to the seat.
She nodded her head frantically and Caleb chuckled. “She had a few drinks. She’ll be fine.”
Ryan tipped his beer in her direction and got up from the table.
“Oh thank God.” Jena’s head fell back as her vision clouded. It was the sweetest torture and it had
been far too long since one of Caleb’s earth shattering orgasms. Her panties were soaked. She was
only a few seconds away from pure bliss.
“Do you hear that, Jena?” Caleb’s finger slowed. “That sound proves to me that we aren’t over.
That’s the sound of your desire for me. Look what I’m doing to you, baby.” His eyes fell into her lap
and hers followed.
The site of his hand disappearing under the hem of her dress and moving at a frantic pace was more of
a turn on than she ever imagined. Pleasure built low in her belly, becoming intense as it ran up her
spine and as she shattered apart on his hand, she threw her head into her hands on the table and bit
back her cry of pleasure. Her legs shook, her breathing was labored and Caleb just smiled.
He pulled his hand from her skirt, his slick fingers glistened. He licked them one by one, closing his
eyes and enjoying every last drop. “I missed this.”
Jena’s flushed face met his. “Take me upstairs. Blindfold me, tie me up, pull my hair. I don’t care. I
need you inside me. And I need all of you.”
Caleb yanked her from the booth and whispered in her ear, making her shiver. “I’m going to fuck you
so good, you will never want to walk away from me again. And when I’m done, I will make love to
you so gently that you never can.”

Chapter 19

Caleb slammed his fist against the elevator stop button. It was taking an eternity to reach their floor
and he could not wait any longer. His lips crashed against hers, a frantic dance of tongues, teeth, lips
and heavy breathing. She moaned into his mouth and he hardened even more. The sound was music
to his ears. He pushed her up against the wall of the elevator, lifting her to wrap her legs around his
waist. He pinned her hands above her head. She whispered his name against his lips.
“Don’t move your hands. I need to own you.” Caleb pushed her skirt around her waist and sighed
when he saw the light yellow lace panties that were soaked from their time at dinner. He quickly
unbuttoned his khakis and his impossibly hard length sprang free. He took himself in one hand,
yanking her panties aside with the other. The barbell ran across her clit and she moaned. Gathering
more wetness from her core, he ran the head of his penis around her most sensitive part, spreading
moisture and circling her until she swelled.
“I’m coming.” Jena screamed as he continued his circles. Her breathing was shallow and her eyes
wide.
“Yes you are. And you will again. And again. And again. Hold on tight baby.” Caleb shoved
inside her, his pace relentless, hammering her toward another explosion. He pulled the lace over her
clit and tightened the fabric so each stroke of his penis dragged her panties over the sensitized nub. In
and out, he pounded, every stroke powerful and hitting her exactly where she needed him.
“Fuck me, Caleb.” Jena bit his ear and he growled.
He pulled her hair, anchoring her against the wall. His frantic strokes becoming deeper and she
screamed. Her legs tightened around him and he knew she was close. Pulling out, her desire poured
off of his cock. The site almost pushed him over the edge. The elevators walls were mirrored and he
had to watch them come apart together. He grabbed her, turning her around and bent her forward.
“Eyes on the mirror, Jena. You are so beautiful when you come.”
He buried himself inside her, getting as deep as he could. She was impossibly tight and seeing
himself slide in and out of her in the mirror was more than he could take. He slapped her ass, hard.
She bit her lip and cried out. “More.” He slapped her again, massaging the area when she threw her
head back. She shattered, her eyes snapping back to the mirror and meeting his. She moaned his
name and her legs shook. The rush of liquid overwhelmed him and he came hard, filling her with
everything he had.
“I love you, Jena.” He collapsed onto her back. His hands traveling to her core, twirling the mixture
of their fluids across her clit once more. “Kevin’s out for the night. My room. Now.”
Caleb restarted the elevator, straightened his pants and smiled at her in the mirror. Her hooded eyes
were exhausted. When she bit her lip, his cock stirred. Neither of them would be sleeping tonight.

~~~

Andi rubbed her eyes and looked at the clock. Two AM. She had just fallen asleep. The knock came
again. She shuffled to the door, her dark hair thrown into a lopsided knot on the top of her head.
She groaned when she opened the door. “What do you want?”
“You.” Kevin grinned as he stepped into her room. She was wearing a barely there silk camisole
with a thong and had not thought to cover up when she answered the door. His cock stood up and took
notice instantly. He shook his head. His body was a traitor.
Andi slapped his arm and laughed as she fell back onto her bed. “Why are you here? I’m exhausted.”
Kevin sat down next to her. “Your brother is getting lucky. Really lucky. Like screams coming from
inside the room lucky. The bastard.”

“So you conveniently don’t have a place to go.” Andi pulled the covers over her and laughed when
Kevin pulled them back off.
“Don’t cover up. I’m gonna use this visual later.” Kevin rubbed his hands over his shorts. “Jesus,
Andi. Is this what you wear to bed every night?”
“No. Usually I’m completely naked.” Andi stretched and the camisole rode up, revealing the sexiest
three inches of skin he had ever seen.
“You’re killing me.” He pointed at his pants. “Do you see this? Shit. What’s happening to me?”
“Well,” Andi leaned in toward his shorts, squinting her eyes. “It’s must be too small for the human
eye. I don’t see anything.”
Kevin laughed and tackled her onto her back. He tickled her waist, making her squirm. She kicked
her legs but he was too strong. He ground against her once and she stilled. “Feel that, Andi Allen?
You are an absolute pain in the ass. Your sassy mouth pisses me off. Your attitude sucks. And God
damnit, you are the sexiest fucking woman I’ve ever seen.” He leaned down and whispered in her
ear. “I get hard every time you look at me.”
“Kevin.” His name was like silk coming from those sensual lips.
He rolled off her and covered his face with his arm. “I haven’t fucked anyone in weeks. I have no
idea what the fuck is wrong with me. I need to take care of this.”
Andi watched him walked toward her bathroom. Her head spun with possibilities but she forced her
eyes shut.

~~~

Jena smiled as she woke up under a tangle of arms and legs pinning her to the bed. Last night had
been a marathon of rough sex and gentle kisses and she hurt in all the right places. He had tied her to
the bed, he had spanked her, he had been dominant. And he had told her he loved her over and over
again. She sighed. There was no doubt in her mind that she was in love with him. She needed to tell
him. Last night had been amazing. She had allowed herself to open up completely and lose herself in
him. It was the first time she had been completely free.
“Good morning, gorgeous.” Caleb rolled onto her and kissed her neck. “Are you alright this
morning?”
She smiled at him, her eyes locking with his sparkling greens. “I am better than alright. I feel
amazing.” She stretched underneath him and giggled when he groaned.
“Do you want to feel more amazing?” He ran his fingers through her folds and smiled when she
raised her hips to him.
She rolled him onto his back and pinned him down. “I can’t get enough of you, Mr. Allen.” She sunk
down onto his erection and began to move. His apa hit her G spot with each thrust and she moaned.
“That piercing is my favorite thing in the world. It rubs in just the right spot.” She began to whimper
and bit her lip. “Oh God.”
Caleb took control, thrusting into her, watching her body rise and fall on his. “Feel that baby? Your
pussy is so tight and you’re soaking wet.” Her eyes rolled back and let out a staggered breath just
before she came. As she shattered around him, he held her hips, grinding her over him, not allowing
her to stop. Her whole body shuddered. “You are the most beautiful woman in the world. So sexy.
So fucking wet. You are mine.”
She put her hands on his chiseled abs and ran them up to his chest. “You make me feel beautiful.” He
thrust hard and she moaned. “More.”
“You want to come again, baby?” Caleb smiled his crooked smile.

“Yes, God yes.” She panted.

“Then I’m in charge. Turn around. Ride me backwards.” She did as he said and as she lowered
herself onto his erection, he moaned. He sat up on his elbows and she leaned back on him, turning her
head to kiss him. “Hold on tight.”
He slammed into her, again and again. She screamed his name as he grabbed her nipples. His hungry
lips never left hers as he drove into her relentlessly. “I’m close. I’m so close.”
“You will hold it. Do you hear me? You come when I say.” Caleb growled as he continued
pleasuring the woman he was head over heels for. She bit his lip and pulled. Her whole body
shook. He felt the pressure building in his spine and just before he let go, he whispered. “Come,
Jena. Come hard.”
The low moan she let go echoed through the room. It was the single, most beautiful noise Caleb had
ever heard. Moisture rushed from her body, soaking his legs, the sheets. Her body collapsed on his
chest, boneless and sated. She struggled to catch her breath. Spasm after spasm ripped through her
core, milking him, pulling every drop from him. His own orgasm so intense, he thought he would pass
out.
When their breathing was under control, he brushed the wet strands of hair from her forehead and
kissed her hard. “You are my world, Jena. I’m not going to be able to let you go.”

Chapter 20

“I told you so.” Mark tossed his towel on the sand next to Caleb and chuckled. “Remember how you
felt? Couldn’t breathe? Couldn’t sleep? You nearly cut your hand off.”
Caleb lowered his sunglasses. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“Once upon a time…”
“Oh give us a break, Moretti. Once upon a time? You’ve lost your balls.” Ryan yelled as he snapped
his towel at Caleb’s legs. “Has anyone seen Moretti’s balls?”
“What the hell?” Caleb jumped out of his seat.
“As I was saying.” Mark cleared his throat. “Once upon a time there was this asshole that wanted to
steal my woman. He tried everything short of killing me in my sleep. One day, this stupid son of a
bitch actually came to my house and punched me in the face. He made my life absolute hell. I didn’t
think I would ever forgive the prick. I eventually did because I’m generous. Can’t help it. Then the
asshole went and fell in love with this beautiful doctor. For the record, I take credit for that
introduction.”
Ryan laughed. “You can’t take credit for something that happened while you were in a fucking coma,
hot rod.”
“I can and I do. Anyway, Asshole’s woman decided to take a hike one day. No one really knows
why. Our money is on the fact that he’s a freak with a pierced dick.”
“Is there a point to this stupid fairy tale, Moretti?” Caleb crossed his arms over his chest and waited.
“We’re so glad you asked.” Mark and Ryan stood on each side of him. “The point is, it felt damn
good to watch you get a taste of your own medicine. But now that it’s all over and you have a smile
on your ugly face this morning, it’s only fair that we rub a little salt in the wound.”
Ryan grabbed Caleb’s arms and pinned them behind his back as he struggled. “I thought it was only
fair that Moretti give you a black eye for his wedding. But he’s too much of a pussy.”
Mark grabbed his legs as they ran for the ocean. “You were a cock blocking son of a bitch. A real
asshole, Allen.” They launched Caleb into the surf and then walked out to meet him. Mark extended
his hand. “I forgive you for falling in love with Sophie and losing your mind like a damn idiot.
Forgive me for going off the deep end when I saw you with Layla?”
Caleb took his hand and pulled him into a hug. “There is nothing to forgive, brother. I love you. And
I’m sorry.”
When Mark backed away, Ryan shook Caleb’s hand. “I’m glad you got her back, man. That was
painful to watch.”

~~~

Jena leaned back in her chair, peering over the top of her magazine. Caleb and Kevin had Lily and
Sophie on their shoulders out in the water, wrestling and splashing in the early afternoon waves. She
smiled. Caleb was taller than his friends, the only blond and as far as she was concerned, the hottest
man on the planet. His laugh was contagious. And that damn crooked smile. His green bathing suit
clung to his muscular thighs as his bare chest made her shiver. His muscles rippled as he ran through
the water holding Lily.
She took a deep breath. He was loyal and faithful and for the first time in her life, Jena felt hopeful
and assured. She giggled and covered her mouth.
“What was that?” Andi put her book down and smiled at her.
“I love him.”
Andi cocked her head to the side as she watched her brother. “Did you tell him?”

“No. But I need to. He’s amazing.”
“What about Seattle?” Andi stared at her, causing Jena to shift uncomfortably in the chair.
“I have to go back. There’s a month left in the clinical trial I’m running. I can’t leave before then.”
Jena sighed. “Maybe I can come home on the weekends? Or maybe he can come up for a week. I
don’t know. If he is willing to try, I will do whatever I need to do.”
“Jena, He loves you. He’ll go crazy if you leave. Please take him with you.” Andi laughed as she
began to read her book once more. “But honestly, talk to him. He was destroyed when you left. I
can’t watch that again.”
Jena sighed as she looked back at Caleb. He had healed her past and added joy to her present. She
had no doubt he was her future. “I’m off to run to pick up the rings before it gets too late. I’ll see you
at the wedding.”

~~~

Caleb walked into the jewelry store to pick up the wedding rings. Mark had insisted he didn’t have
time with greeting arriving guests and taking a nap. Hell, he owed him. It was the least he could do.
It had been a long road for those two and he took responsibility for quite a bit of their turbulence.
Granted, Mark’s idea of a surprise for Sophie was a dumb one. Bringing her sister to LA
unannounced and parading her around in public while he ran errands had been part of the downfall.
Anyone could have gotten the wrong idea. But Caleb knew he had meant well. And tonight, when
Mark finally slipped the ring on her finger, Caleb would breathe easier knowing that despite his big
mouth, two of his best friends were getting their happily ever after.
Greeting the salesman, Caleb smiled. “I’m here to pick up the rings for the Moretti wedding.”
Nodding, the salesman walked to the back. He couldn’t but glance at the rings. He knew it would be
awhile. There were so many things to work out with Jena. They didn’t even live in the same state.
But looking down at the engagement section, he smiled, imagining what it would be like to slide
something so meaningful onto her finger. Muffled voices pulled him from his daydream.
“Ms. Turner. I understand. But the instructions weren’t clear. If you could just slide this on your
finger and tell me which way you prefer the band. I can have it fixed in just a few moments.”
Jena shifted her weight back and forth. “Sir, the ring isn’t mine. Let me just call Mr. Moretti and ask
him what he wants.” As the clerk started speaking again, Jena huffed. She pulled out her phone and
her shoulders dropped when Mark’s voicemail picked up. “I don’t know what to do.”
“Is there a problem, Dr. Turner?” Caleb whispered into her neck and she jumped.
Her smile lit up her whole face. “Hi. What are you doing here?”
“Mark asked me to pick up the rings.”
“Mark asked me to pick up the rings.” Jena scrunched up her nose and Caleb laughed.
“You are so damn cute.” He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. “Everything ok?”
Jena hugged him. “I’m so glad to see you. Sophie’s rings were supposed to be soldered together.
They didn’t do it. And I don’t know what to tell him.”
“Sir, forgive me for the interruption. We can do this, no problem. I just need your wife to tell me
which way she prefers the band. It can go either direction.” The Samoan salesman smiled and
winked at Caleb. “Please put it on.”
Without thinking, Caleb picked up Sophie’s rings and slid them onto Jena’s finger. They were the
perfect fit. He froze. His eyes met hers. Instead of panic, he saw joy. She bit her lip and her eyes
watered. “They look really beautiful on your finger, J.”
She blushed crimson and sucked in a breath. “They’re gorgeous.” Her hands shook.
“You prefer white gold.” Caleb ran his finger over the diamond band and she nodded. He pulled her

along the cases of rings, searching for just what he pictured on her finger. “Something simpler you
could wear at work. More of a vintage look. Something unique. And a quiet wedding with just a few
friends in the middle of the week so there isn’t a fuss.” He stopped and pointed at a two carat art
deco inspired ring. It sparkled under the lights of the jewelry store. Her breath hitched.
“The day Ryan and Layla announced they were engaged, you sat on the couch with her looking at
rings. I loved you even then.” Caleb brushed his thumb over her bottom lip. “Everything you said
was magic. Even if you weren’t talking to me. Your voice is home for me, J. You are my home.”
“Caleb,” she breathed.
“I love you.” He lowered his lips to hers, reminding her of how much.

Chapter 21

“Wow, you are breathtaking. Mark is a very lucky man.”
Sophie’s eyes filled with tears. “No. I am the lucky one.”
Caleb gently pulled her into a hug. A year ago, he would have thrown himself at her feet and begged
her not to get married. He had spent months pining for her, hoping she would see him as something
other than her friend. And when Mark had caught her eye, he had jeopardized her happiness in his
jealous attempt to break them up. But standing with her today, he felt nothing but joy. Looking back,
he didn’t doubt that he had loved her. It had been a quiet, reserved love that had taught him what he
was truly looking for.
He smiled. When he had met Jena, she moved into his heart so quickly, he hadn’t seen it coming. She
had torn down his defenses, shattered the walls he had built, and taken up residence in his brain. His
every thought had been of her. He needed her like he needed to breathe. He held his breath until he
saw her every day, basked in the joy of what she made him feel, and dreamed of her every night. As
cliché as it sounded, he had known right away that she belonged with him. Jena was his forever. He
would help her cope with her past, he would love her fiercely in the present, and he would spend his
entire future proving to her that she was the most important person in the world.
“I almost bought Jena an engagement ring today.” The words were out of his mouth so quickly, he
wasn’t sure if he had said them aloud.
Sophie’s jaw dropped. “Are you serious?” She giggled at the look on his face.
“Completely. There was an issue at the jeweler and I slipped your ring on her finger. I wanted it to
be real. Soph, she was so completely gorgeous in that moment, I almost fell to my knees.”
Sophie stepped forward and fixed his tie. She smiled as he looked down at her. “I love you, Caleb.
Jena is amazing and you deserve to be happy. We are here in paradise, for a wedding, with all of our
family and friends. Maybe you should ask her.”
“It’s way too soon.” He shook his head.
“C, if Mark had asked me the first day I met him, I would have said yes. I knew the second I saw him
that he was it for me. It’s never too soon.”
He took her hand and kissed her cheek. “It’s time, kiddo. You ready to become Mrs. Moretti?”
Sophie wiped her eyes and nodded. “More than anything in the world.”

~~~

The evening was warm, a light breeze blowing off the ocean. With the sunset in the background, the
music started and the guests all turned. Sophie’s hands shook. Layla handed her the bouquet and
grinned. “You look gorgeous, baby girl.”
Sophie wore a custom made Pnina Tornae gown. After giving her original gown to Layla so she
could marry her prince, she had made the trip to NYC and fallen head over heels with the first dress
she tried on. The lightly beaded bodice was fitted with a delicate halter that gave way to a
completely open back. The material hugged her body and flowed to the ground. Lace covered the
skirt, making it feminine and beautiful. Her hair was pulled into a twist with wisps hanging loose
around her face. Her chocolate brown eyes sparkled in the candlelight.
As the music got louder, Mark stepped into the flower covered archway placed only feet from the
ocean. With wide eyes, he watched the bridesmaids make their way to the end of the makeshift aisle.
When Sophie stepped into view, he beamed with pride and love. The music changed as his future
walked toward him.

~~~

Caleb had to remind himself to breathe. When Jena had stepped into view in her fitted red gown, his
heart started to pound out of his chest. He couldn’t concentrate on anything other than her grace as she
walked forward and the smile on her face as she looked at his mother sitting in the second row. His
world tilted on its axis. The joy on his mother’s face as she looked at the woman he loved was
something he had never seen before. Catching him staring, his mom winked and blew him a kiss. He
blushed. He never blushed.
Seeing the guests stand as Sophie walked down the aisle, he forced himself to tear his eyes away from
Jena. The minute he did, he missed her. He chuckled to himself. He had turned into a teenager again
with the sweaty palms and the adrenaline rush and the constant desire to lose himself in her body. He
was staring again.
As if sensing him, Jena’s eyes met his. Time stood still. Her smile was his undoing. He smiled at
her and she blushed. “I love you.” He mouthed.
“I love you too.” She mouthed back.
She had said it. For months he had imagined what the moment would feel like. And as his best friend
started his vows, pledging his life to the woman he loved, Caleb could think of nothing more than
making Jena his.

~~~

The groomsmen all sat at a long table watching the bridesmaids dancing around Sophie. It was a
beautiful site. The joy and love that was shared in this group was almost overwhelming. Caleb took
a steadying breath as he watched Jena sway back and forth. His mind replayed the night before, his
body responding remembering the way Jena had let him take control. He had lost himself inside her
so many times but it would never be enough.
“I know that look.” Caleb’s head snapped up to see his mother standing above him.
“You look beautiful, mom.” He pulled a chair out for her and she sat. “I’m so happy you and dad
could be here to share this.”
“I remember when you would come home with Sophie. You both smiled and laughed so. I wondered
if she would be the one to steal my son’s heart.” She took his hand. “But I see how you look at
beautiful Jena. And I see how she looks at my baby. I am a very proud mama.”
Caleb sighed as he looked back at Jena. “She’s the one.” Jena looked over and caught their stares.
She smiled. “She stops my heart with that smile.”
“Your father asked me to marry him the first night we met.”
Caleb was shocked. “What?”
“Time stands still when there is love, my son. I knew he had lost your mother and I would never take
her place. But from the moment I met him, I loved him. Then I met you and I knew I was made to be
your mother. I took the leap of faith. Seattle might be your leap. Your father and I love you with all
our hearts. We would miss you very much but we will help you pack.”
Caleb laughed. “I am not sure if I should say thank you or be insulted.” He kissed her on the cheek
and stood. “For now, I need to go make something right.”
He walked toward the stage where Steve was waiting for him. It had been a lifetime since he had
done anything like this in public. He had ruined a very important moment for his two friends and he
couldn’t think of a gift more perfect that this. Steve nodded as he spoke to the DJ. Caleb took a deep
breath.
“Can I get everyone’s attention, please?” The crowd quieted and looked to the stage. Steve handed
Caleb the guitar and he laughed. “You are leaving me alone up here then?”
Steve chuckled as he stepped from the stage. “This is your moment, Allen.”

He caught Jena’s eye and smiled at her confusion. Mark and Sophie walked toward the stage. “What
are you doing?” Sophie whispered.
Caleb adjusted the guitar and leaned into the microphone. “A little over a year ago, our happy couple
here wasn’t so happy. I really don’t remember why. I am sure it had nothing to do with me.” The
group laughed. “Rich and Molly were getting married that weekend and Marco here had a really
amazing proposal planned. Of course, none of us knew anything about it and someone started these
rumors that Mark was running around town with another woman. Turns out, it was the beautiful Layla
West who just so happens to be Sophie’s sister. You see, Mark had flown her sister out to surprise
her. It was a ridiculous plan but when you are in love, do you ever really know what you’re doing?”
Mark shook his head and the friends gathered in front of the stage. Jena’s eyes hadn’t left his.
“So I began thinking about what I could get the man who has everything and the woman who has his
heart.” He strummed the guitar, tightening a string and taking a deep breath. “Then it came to me.
Please raise your glasses for Mark and Sophie Moretti. You are a beautiful couple and we have been
lucky to be a part of your journey. Please consider this my apology for everything, but especially for
taking that moment at Rich and Molly’s wedding away from you.”
The crowd was silent. With tears in his eyes, Caleb began to sing.

“Forever can never be long enough for me

To feel like I've had long enough with you

Forget the world now, we won't let them see

But there's one thing left to do

Now that the weight has lifted

Love has surely shifted my way

Marry me

Today and every day

Marry me

If I ever get the nerve to say "Hello" in this cafe

Say you will

Mm-hmm

Say you will

Mm-hmm”

Jena’s jaw dropped. His voice was smooth and haunting. She hadn’t known he could play or sing
and in that moment, she feel even deeper. Tears filled her eyes as she watched Mark and Sophie hold
each other. The moment could not have been more perfect.
“This is the song that Mark sang at our wedding. He was going to propose after it but he didn’t get the
chance.” Molly took Jena’s hand. “He has a beautiful heart, J. Please don’t break it.”
“I won’t.” She wiped her tears. “I promise you that I won’t.”

Chapter 22

“Will you walk with me?” Caleb took Jena’s hand and led her out of the ballroom. His pace was
quick and she jogged to keep up.
“Are you alright?”
“I will be.” Caleb pulled her into him. His arms wrapped tightly around her shoulders and he
inhaled her scent. He kissed the top of her head. “I just needed a minute.”
Her hands slid inside his jacket and hugged him back. “Ok.”
His whole body shook. “I’m sorry.”
Jena pulled away from him. Tears fell down his cheeks. “Baby, what’s wrong?”
He brushed the hair from her face, his stare intense. “The last few weeks killed me. I can’t lose you
again. Jena, I need you.”
“Hey,” She held his face in her hands. “I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere. I love you so much,
Caleb Allen. We will figure all this out. Together. Do you understand me?”
He pulled her into his arms again. “I have waited a lifetime to hear you say that.” His lips found
hers, his tongue begging for entrance. As the kiss deepened, she moaned into his mouth. “Want to get
out of here?”
She nodded and giggled as he tossed her over his shoulder. He ran out the back door and laughed as
she struggled to get free. She hit his back making him laugh harder. “Put me down.”
He loosened his grip and she slid down his body, feeling every muscled ridge of his chest and
powerful stomach. She smiled as she looked into his eyes. “I know we have a lot to talk about, J.
Tonight I just want to lose myself in you.”
“Yes.” Her whisper was all he needed.
Caleb pulled her down on top of him in the sand. The waves crashed in the background and the stars
blanketed the sky. “Make love to me. You own me, Jena. I’m yours.”
With her dark hair cascading down her shoulders and her eyes sparking at him, Jena leaned in to kiss
him. “No. I’m yours.”
Caleb reached between them, pulling up her dress and moaned as he felt her wetness. She was the
most responsive woman he had ever known and he felt powerful knowing he did that to her. She
stirred reactions in him that no one else had. “I love you.”
Jena eased down his length, shuddering as she took him in all the way. “I love you, too.” She began
to ride him slowly, memorizing every inch of him. The way his piercing hit her in just the right spot,
the way he fit inside her, filling every inch of her, the way his face relaxed every time their bodies
joined. The pressure always built right away. Their bodies were made for each other.
Caleb dug his hands into the sand. Giving her his power proved everything to him. He wanted to
spend the rest of his life making love to this woman. “Promise me, when we are old and gray, that we
will still be this much in love.” His voice was low, his eyes hooded, sweat covering his brow. He
wanted to let go, explode inside her, fill her with everything he had.
Her pace increased and she whimpered trying to answer him. “I will love you even more then.” She
threw her head back and her body contracted around him, pulling and squeezing, demanding his
release.
Caleb grabbed her hips and began pounding into her. Her back arched, her hands gripped for purpose
and the wave of pleasure hit her again. “Jena,” he yelled as his orgasm hit him with such force that
his toes curled. His body shattered. “Oh God, Jena. Don’t move.”
She stilled on top of him, his length still jerking inside her. His thumb rubbed her clit. She sucked in

a breath. “Wh.. What are you doing?”
“Reminding you who makes you feel this way. When you go back to Seattle, I want you to remember
this. Remember us. Remember how good we feel.”
She bit her lip as he continued to knead her. Her legs began to shake and her body tensed around
him. He hardened inside her and her eyes widened as her orgasm ripped down her spine and
exploded around him.
He flipped her onto her back, pinning her hands above her head. “Who do you belong to, Jena?” He
slammed into her.
“You,” She cried. Another slam.
“Who makes you feel this way?” Slam.
“You.” Slam. “Oh God.”
“Who makes that beautiful pussy come so hard you forget your own name?” Slam.
She tossed her head back and forth, the intensity of the strokes pushing her toward the edge. “You.”
“I’d kill for you, J. I’d lay down my life for you. You are everything to me. Don’t you dare forget
that.”
And with a yell from both of them, they crashed together, pleasure pouring from their bodies, sand
covered limbs tangled, breathing labored.

~~~

“Whoa.” Kevin grabbed Andi’s hand as she stepped off the deck. “Hold up, doll.”
“Hands off, tandem. I need some air.”
Kevin couldn’t help but laugh. The woman drove him insane. She had yet to figure out how beautiful
she was. Or how turned on she made him. He would gladly give up any three-some for one night
with the smart mouthed Andrea Allen. “Your brother is down there beating cakes.”
Andi stopped. “Doing what?”
“You know. Pounding the duck. Taking ole one eye to the optometrist. Getting his tip wet.” Kevin
couldn’t help but smile when her face fell.
“Holy shit. Enough. I get it.” Andi pulled her hand away from his and turned back to the hotel.
“Storming the cotton gin, A little horizontal refreshment. Taking the skin boat to tuna town.” He
followed her.
“Kevin!” Andi walked faster.
“Wait. I have more. I know how much you enjoy these.” His laugh echoed through the hall and she
slammed the door to the ballroom.

~~~

Caleb and Jena walked hand and hand back to the hotel. Even with sand in places it should never be,
Caleb couldn’t help but smile.
“So what happens now?” Jena whispered.
“One of us packs.” He stopped and pulled her into a hug.
She sighed. “I can’t leave Seattle for another four weeks. We are wrapping up a big clinical trial
and I have to be there for that.”
“So I pack.” He shrugged.
“I can’t ask you to do that. I’ll come home as soon as it’s finished.” Jena grabbed his hand and started
walking again. “We can survive four weeks. We have overcome worse.”
“I’ve waited thirty years for you. I don’t know if I can wait any longer.”
Jena smiled. “I love you, Mr. Allen.”
“I love you too, Dr. Turner.”

Chapter 23

“All first class passengers on Flight 2740 to Los Angeles are now welcome to board at gate 11.”
Caleb grabbed Jena’s carry on and smiled. He knew that it would only be a few hours before he had
to say goodbye to her again. He had thought long and hard about her decision to come back to LA
after the completion of her clinical trial. After tossing and turning for hours, he woke her up and
offered once more to move to Seattle. After declining again, she wrapped herself around him and
they fell into restful slumber. “If it’s alright with you, I’d like to come to Seattle next weekend.”
Jena winked. “I would love that.” She took his hand and he sighed. “Caleb, please don’t be so
worried about us. I promise we will make it through the next few weeks.”
He lowered his voice. “We haven’t talked much about what happened to make you run. I’ve been
hesitant to bring it up because I didn’t want to ruin what we had started again. I am here for you every
second of every day. If you need to talk, please call me. I will be on the next plane out.”
She smiled at him with tears in her eyes. “Kevin introduced me to an amazing therapist. We talked
every night for the weeks I was gone. I would like you to come to an appointment with me. Maybe it
will help you realize that we are ok.”
“I would be honored to, Jena.” He leaned in and kissed her gently on the lips. “Someday I want to
understand it all. I want to hear everything you are willing to share. But I won’t push you. As long
as you are by my side, I will make sure you are safe.”
Jena tucked her body into his side, breathing in his minty smell. As he leaned his head back and
closed his eyes, she watched his face. His dark lashes fanned across his cheeks. She knew that just
underneath those lashes were the most beautiful emerald eyes that sparkled when he smiled. A hint of
sunburn lined his cheeks, making his freckles stand out even more. His full lips held the promise of a
million passionate kisses. His large hands wrapped around her and she never wanted to let go.
“You are staring at me.” Caleb’s eyes didn’t open. He smiled his crooked smile, with his amazing
straight teeth and glorious dimple, and she melted.
“I would give anything to have you getting lost in me just one more time before I head home. You
always tell me about how wet I am. Truth is, I’m soaked everything I think of you. Know what turns
me on the most?”
Caleb took a deep breath. “Yes.”
“I love the sound we make when our bodies are joined. The way your skin slaps against mine, the
sound of my excitement when you slide into me. You make the most amazing sound when you come.”
He groaned. “You’re trying to kill me, aren’t you?”
“Is it working?” She laughed when his body stirred.
“Making love to you is my favorite thing in the world. Nothing has ever felt so good, J. I could do it a
thousand times a day and never get enough.”
She blushed and purred in his ear. “It feels better than good.”
He whispered. “If we were alone right now, I would have you tied to my bed, legs spread, tasting
your sweetness. I want to cover you in whipped cream and lick every ounce of it off your body while
you squirm all over the mattress. You would be begging me to make you come. I love how you
contract around my fingers, my cock, my mouth. You are always so ready for me. So wet.” She
shifted in her seat and he continued. “I love sliding into you, hitting that sweet spot. Watching you
throw your head back as your whole body tightens up before you explode around me.”
She moaned. “I’m so turned on right now.”
Caleb grabbed the blanket from the overhead compartment and spread it out over her. “Lean back,
angel. Let me ease some of that ache.”

~~~

Layla glanced back at Caleb, Jena, Andi and Kevin. She smiled when she noticed the smile from her
husband. Ryan kissed her hand and closed his eyes. “It’s nice to see everyone so happy. I think
Caleb and Jena are going to make it this time. Caleb deserves a happy ending.” Ryan chuckled and
she hit his arm. “Not like that.”
“I think they will, baby. Jena loves him and whatever happened between them, it’s obviously over.
They make a good couple.” Ryan rubbed his hands over Layla’s swollen belly.
“What about Kevin and Andi? Is it just me or do you think something is going on there too?”
“Caleb would kill him. I don’t think our boy is ready to settle down yet. And Andi would give him a
run for his money in the asshole department.” Ryan laughed when Layla rolled her eyes.
“He’s the godfather to our little one here. Any way he will ever settle down?” Layla’s concerned
eyes had Ryan smiling.
“He saved my life. And he would do it again so there is no doubt in my mind he would lay down his
life for our baby. But settling down with one woman? Doubtful. And one that is off limits already?
Never.” Ryan shook his head. “But he looks at her the way I look at you. And that scares all of us.”
“How does he look at her?”
Ryan took Layla’s hand. “Like everything in the world makes sense when she’s around. Caleb
noticed. Trust me.”
Layla leaned her head back against the headrest and sighed. “Boy or girl?”
“It’s a girl. Guaranteed.” Ryan smiled.
“You’re that sure?”
“I had a dream about her. She’s going to be beautiful and strong like her mommy. I am already the
luckiest man on earth. I can’t imagine anything better than this.”

~~~

Several hours later, Caleb stood at the gate awaiting the announcement that Jena’s flight to Seattle
was boarding. He held her close to his body, breathing her in, basking in her warmth. “I love you.”
“I love you.” Jena pulled him tighter. “It’s only a few days. We’ll be together next weekend.” Her
voice cracked.
“Are you trying to convince me or you?”
Jena’s cry broke free and she buried her face in his chest. “I’m sorry.”
“Oh baby. Don’t apologize. This trip was amazing. I will never be able to thank you enough for this
second chance at us.”
Jena’s body shook and he held her close. “Thank you for not giving up on me. I know it won’t always
be perfect but thank you for the chance to try. You have healed a lifetime of pain. I will never be
able to thank you enough.”
A tear rolled down his cheek. “Jena, if I beg, will you stay?”
She laughed and cried at once. “Yes. I don’t want to go.”
Caleb pulled away and brushed the tears from her face. “Four weeks from today, I will be standing in
this airport, picking you up to start the rest of our lives together. Four weeks. I know you have to go.
But when you come back, we have a lot to make up for.”
“Four weeks. If we get a lifetime together, four weeks is nothing. Right?”
Caleb nodded his head as the stewardess announced the flight.
“Flight 232 with service to Seattle, now boarding all zones, gate 21A.”
Jena squeezed her eyes shut, tears streaming down her face. “I will call you the second I land.”
“Wait.” Caleb pulled something from his pocket. “I have something for you.”

Jena gasped when she saw it. Hanging from a dainty white gold chain was a diamond heart pendant
and a silver bar with the word “courage” engraved on it. “Caleb.”
“This is my heart. I’m giving it to you to remind you that you are my everything. When you’re sad,
hold it and remember at that very minute, I am thinking of you and missing you like crazy.” He took a
deep breath to keep his voice from shaking. “I won’t say goodbye. I will only say see you soon. I
am counting the days, my love.”
Jena threw herself into his arms one last time and without looking back, boarded the plane to Seattle.
Kevin pulled Andi out of the chairs where they had been waiting. Seeing Caleb’s shoulders slump in
defeat, he threw his arm around him. “You alright?”
Caleb shook his head. “My heart just stopped beating.”

Chapter 24

Caleb tossed and turned most of the night. Giving up on sleep as the sun took its first peek over the
horizon; he threw on his jogging shoes and went for a run. His heart thundered in his chest. It was the
only sound he had heard for the last two days. How anything could feel completely broken and still
make so much noise was beyond him. It hurt to breathe. The thought of food turned his stomach.
He had spoken to Jena for two hours the night before. She had sent him photos of her apartment and
friends in Seattle. She had told him all about her coworkers and the amazing work they were doing at
the hospital. He had listened with a smile on his face. Her voice calmed him and her joy brought him
back to life. She had talked about her sessions with Dr. McCall and spoke openly about the rape.
She had sent her parents a letter at her therapist’s request and they had responded with open arms.
She had finally come to terms with the fact that she was not at fault. She wanted to take a trip home to
see her parents, asking if he would go with her when she took the leap. Caleb had never felt so
complete.
But when the time came to hang up, his heart had shattered all over again. His house was too dark
and quiet. He was lonely. And when he took a deep breath, it was as if he was being stabbed in the
chest. He reminded himself over and over that in a few weeks, she would be sleeping next to him
every night. He couldn’t help the doubt that crept into his mind as he finally drifted off to sleep.
Several nightmares later, he gave up.
Work had kept him busy this week as a deadline loomed. One of the books that he had edited was
being made into a movie and he had been asked to help with the screenplay. It is what he had
dreamed of doing for so many years. He smiled for the first time since he had said his goodbye to the
woman he loved. She would be by his side during this adventure and he couldn’t wait.
Taking a deep breath, he stepped into the road and began his five mile run. His feet pounded the
pavement in rhythm with his music. He watched as the sun took its place in the morning sky. He
waved at his neighbors out walking their dogs and getting coffee. And when he was completely
exhausted, he headed down to the marina to visit the boat he had purchased as a surprise for Jena
almost two months ago, before his world had been turned upside down. They had talked about the
beauty of the marina and how she had always wanted to own a boat. The first time he had taken her
out on the water, she had been transformed. She had been so full of life. When he noticed the for sale
sign in the beautiful Sea Ray he had been eyeing, he bought it on the spot.
“Lleno De Vida.” He jumped when he heard Andi’s voice. “Full of life. I had a feeling this was your
boat. I’ve seen you looking at it.”
“Hey.” Caleb looked up and smiled at his sister. She was dressed for work, hair in a messy bun and
no makeup. “You alright?”
“I was worried about you. You were gone. Somehow I knew I would find you here. She’s a beauty,
Caleb.”
“Thank you.” He hugged his sister. “Want to take her out after work?”
Andi looked around nervously. “Sure. Yes. That would be great.”
“Andi, what’s up?” Caleb smiled.
“I just need to be in bed early. Long day tomorrow.” She looked down at her feet. The ‘tell’ that she
was lying but Caleb let it go. “I will be home around five. I’ll be ready then, Captain.”
“It’s a date, kiddo.” Caleb watched as his sister made her way to the parking lot and got into her car
to leave for work. Fate had blessed him with some amazing women in his life.

~~~

Caleb’s mind had returned to Jena all day. Everything about her turned him on and being apart from
her was pure torture. He had spent half the day with a hard on and it was time to do something about
it. He grabbed his phone and sent her a message. It was the middle of the day and he had no idea
what she would be doing. But he needed her and he needed her now.
‘I miss you. Are you alone?’
‘I’m just out of surgery. I miss you bunches.’
‘I need to be buried inside you right now.’
Jena blushed as she looked at her phone. She loved this man with all her heart. This crazy man who
held doors, organized bone marrow drives, spent thousands of dollars on a boat for the look it put on
her face. The same man that locked his bedroom door and took control, owning every inch of her body
and making her feel things that she never imagined she could. She glanced at his text again and had no
idea what to say. ‘ What are you wearing?’
‘A huge hard on. I’m so turned on right now, J. I started thinking about that gorgeous pussy and those
amazing nipples. I need to come.’
Her blush deepened. She looked around the nurses’ station. Everyone was busy with their work.
‘ What do you want to do with me? ’
‘ I want to grab those perky nipples and suck them into my mouth. I want to feel how wet you are
right now, reading this. I want to suck every drop of moisture off that beautiful clit. I want you to
grab my hair and ride my face as you come so hard you scream my name. ’
Jena jumped as her phone rang. Caleb’s face glowed on the screen and she answered it so quickly
that the nurses looked up and smiled. “Hi.” Her voice was barely a whisper.
“Fuck, Jena. I need you home.” Caleb was out of breath. “I need to hear your voice.”
She stepped into her office and sat down with a sigh. She could hear that he was touching himself and
her panties were instantly soaked. “Mr. Allen, are you horny?”
Heavy breathing on the other end of the line. “Touch yourself, Jena.”
She slipped her fingers under the waist band of her scrubs and hissed when she touched her clit. Just
his voice could bring her to her knees. “I can hear you. That’s such a turn on.”
“If you were here, I would handcuff you to the bed and fuck you senseless. I want to pound into the
tight pussy. I need to feel you come around me. I need to see that desire pour from your body. That’s
the sexiest thing in the world, J. You’re always soaked.” He panted for air. “Are you touching that
beautiful clit?”
“Yes.” She whimpered.
“Are you going to come, Jena?” More deep breaths and a moan. “I need you to hurry, baby.”
She couldn’t speak. Her body tightened around her fingers and she gasped. The sound of wet strokes
on the other end of the line increased and pushed her over the edge. She shattered, sitting at her desk
in the hospital in Seattle. A long moan escaped her lips.
“Jena.” His voice shook as he breathed her name. “Fuucckkkk.”
“Wow.” Jena’s eyes went wide as she looked around her office. “That was a surprise in the middle
of the day.”
“Next time you come, baby. It will be on my face. Do you understand me?”
“I can’t wait.” Jena smiled as she ended the call. The time would be sooner than he knew.

~~~

“Asshole? You bought a boat?” Caleb jumped.
Ryan stood with his hands on his hips. A large smile spread across his face and Caleb laughed.
“Why, yes, Mr. West. I did buy a boat.”

“She’s one hell of a boat. Have you christened her yet? Women get horny when they’re pregnant.
I’m sure Layla would be willing to take a ride, if you know what I mean.”
“Rub it in.” Caleb chuckled at the satisfaction written all over Ryan’s face.
“What made you buy a boat?”
“Jena had never been on one. I took her out on one and she couldn’t stop talking about it. It was the
only time I had seen her look so free. I got it for her.” Caleb held out his hand to pull Ryan on board.
“Permission to come aboard, Captain?” Layla’s voice sent Ryan into a huge grin.
Kevin, Steve and Andi stood behind her waiting to join them on the boat. “What’s going on?” Caleb
backed up to let his friends on.
Ryan popped the top on the beer can and handed it to him. “We heard you were sulking around like a
pussy. Jena called and asked us to take you out. Imagine our surprise when Andi said you were going
out on the boat tonight. I can’t let J Dog down. So, here we are.”
“I brought some wings and beer.” Kevin helped Andi onto the boat. She smiled at him. “You look
gorgeous.”
“Hands off my sister, Merck.” Caleb started the boat as Kevin untied the ropes. “Not sure how I can
be more clear.”
“Dude, your sister is hot. I hate to tell you this, but we all want to hit that.” Steve settled in to his
seat and took a long pull of his beer.
“I will throw you both over the side? You’ll freeze in that water.” Caleb’s face was red.
“Grow a pair, Allen. She’s a big girl.” Kevin mocked him as he sat next to Andi. Caleb growled as
he ran his finger down her thigh. “What’s your hotspot?”
Two could play at this game. Without looking at him, Andi whispered. “My nipples.”
“Noted.” Kevin smiled. She refused to let him win this round.
“I can come just by touching them.” Andi watched him squirm. When he was clearly becoming
uncomfortable, she leaned across him and brushed his arm with her hand. “The slightest touch and
I’m on fire. Want to know a little secret?”
“Yes,” his voice was husky.
Taking his hand in hers, she pulled it under her sweatshirt. She ran his fingers over her right nipple
and sucked in a gasp of breath. “If you pulled on that, I’d come right here.” When his eyes went
wide, she couldn’t help but laugh. “Too bad you get bored with just one woman. I’m feeling a little
frisky.”
“Holy fucking shit. It’s pierced.”
She pulled her legs under her and wrapped her arms around them to stay warm. “I am an Allen, you
know. We have a piercing fetish.” Kevin couldn’t stop staring. “And Deuce, you’re drooling.”
“You’re a wet dream waiting to happen, doll.”
“Good.” Andi chuckled. “That’s as close as you’re going to get.” She stood to walk away.
“Where are you going?” Kevin grabbed her hand. “I want to know more.”
She bent down to whisper. “I think Steve is pretty hot. Now that I know he feels the same way, I’m
going to sit with him. It’s been a long time for me.”
Kevin groaned as she brushed past him. Andi 1, Kevin 0.

Chapter 25

“I had the best dream at lunch today.” Jena smiled remembering their phone call earlier.
Caleb smiled when he heard her voice. “I thought about you all day.”
“I turned in my resignation today. In a little over three weeks, I will officially be jobless.” Jena
covered the phone as the intercom system blared.
“What’s all the noise? Where are you?”
Jena giggled nervously. “I stopped by the grocery store on the way home. They keep announcing all
these specials. I’m sorry.”
“It’s late, baby. You should be sleeping. With me. I haven’t slept since we left Hawaii.”
“Have you gotten your ticket for this weekend?” Jena covered the phone again and whispered to
someone.
“I am going to fly standby. Saturday’s flights were booked so I hope to get there Friday night.”
Jena took a deep breath. “You can’t come this weekend. I’m so sorry. Something came up and you
wouldn’t see me. It would be crazy to come up.”
“J, I don’t give a shit if I get five minutes with you. I’m coming.” Caleb’s stomach began to clench.
“Don’t run. Don’t you dare run.”
“The only place I am running is toward you. Stop worrying. I love you.”
“I love you too.” Caleb smiled. “And I will see you this weekend.”
“Fine.” She laughed. “I’m in the car. I need to go.”
Caleb looked at his watch. It was almost ten. “Call me the minute you get home so I know you’re
safe.”
After he hung up, he headed for the shower. The warm water pounded at his back, easing the stress
from his shoulders. He played the day over in his head. Working from home today was just what he
had needed. And the boat ride with his friends had been a perfect ending to a peaceful day.
Kevin had seemed quite cozy with his sister. He laughed when he thought about them. It was
destined to happen. His sister was clueless about how beautiful she was and her attitude was only
turning Kevin on more. The look in Kevin’s eyes was something he had only seen twice before. It
was the same look Ryan had given Layla and it mirrored how Mark had looked at Sophie. Hell, it was
probably the same look he had on his face when he saw Jena. The poor guy was screwed.
His mind wandered to Jena. Before her, sex was just about control. There were no feelings and no
emotion. His partners had been willing participants in his game of dominance. Jena had been willing
to play but not as hard as he had before. She had shied away from handcuffs, never let him catch her
completely off guard, and now that he knew why, it was ok. He still struggled with knowing he was
giving up some control. But with years of patience and a hell of a lot of practice, he had no doubt she
would venture down that road with him. They had come such a long way in the months they had
known each other. From butterflies, to anguish, to joy, they were finally on the road to forever.
Stepping out of the shower, he wrapped his towel around his waist. Glancing at his phone, he noticed
her missed call. He smiled and dialed her number.
In the distance, a phone rang. He stopped and listened. Jena’s phone went to voice mail. He hit end
and listened. Silence. He shook his head. Wishful thinking. He dialed her number a second time.
The ringing started again.
“What the hell?” He tightened the towel around his waist and yanked the bedroom door open. He
dialed again, jogging toward the ring. The house was dark. “Andi, I will kill you if you’re messing
with me.”

“She’s not here.” The voice was quiet and stopped him in his tracks.
“Jena?” He froze when he saw her standing in the middle of the living room with her suitcase.
“Jena!” He threw his arms around her, lifting her into his arms and kissing her with every ounce of
love he felt for her. “What are you doing here?”
“I turned in my resignation. Asked if I could go without notice. I couldn’t spend another day without
you, Caleb.”
“Am I dreaming?” He kissed her again and she pulled away.
“Wait. I have something I need to give to you.” She rummaged through her bag. Pulling a small
square box from the front pocket, she shivered. Her smile brightened her face and she dropped to her
knees. When Caleb reached for her, she stopped him. “I have lived my whole adult life in fear. I
was just a child when my world crashed. I spent my life holding my breath, looking over my
shoulder, shutting out everyone that was important to me. I cried myself to sleep every night. And if I
did actually sleep, I woke up to nightmares that wouldn’t let me forget. I felt completely alone. I was
a stranger in my own home. I chose surgery because my patients couldn’t mean anything to me if they
were asleep. I protected my heart because I was terrified. Ten months ago, I was on call and had to
rush this amazing man into surgery because he was driving a motorcycle with a death wish and no
helmet. My soul cried for this group of people that were losing a friend. I have never believed in
fate. But sitting outside the ICU that night was this incredibly tall, incredibly handsome, incredibly
loving man and my heart started beating again. Maybe even for the first time. My whole life had been
about love breaking my heart. It had been about mourning the loss of anyone I ever cared about. And
this man with this beautiful spirit took my hand and showed me what it meant to truly live.”
She wiped her eyes and smiled at him. “Caleb, you took a chance on me. Even knowing I was
incredibly broken and maybe beyond repair, you stood by me and waited and loved me with
everything you had. I believe in fate now. I think I was meant to be on call that night. I think you
were brought to me when I needed someone the most. You have changed my life. I want to spend the
rest of my life loving you, kissing you, holding you. I give you my heart, my body and my soul. All of
me.”
Her trembling hands held the box out to Caleb. He wiped his cheeks and took the package from her.
With his heart lodged in his throat, he tore open the wrapping. When he saw what was inside,
confusion lined his forehead. He looked at her face and narrowed his eyes. “Jena?”
“I am yours. I am ready for everything that means. I am ready for our future. I am ready to trust and
to be yours completely, in every way.”
Still in shock from her unexpected arrival and her gift, Caleb pulled the handcuffs from the box and
stared at them. His mind raced. Jena was offering him everything she had feared, everything she had
lost and the promise of a future filled with love and excitement.

Before Jena could get up, Caleb dropped to his knees and secured the cuffs around his own wrists.
“Jena, I am yours. Heart, body and soul. You own me. I will spend the rest of my life guarding your
heart and being the man you deserve. Our future is in your hands. Anything you want, baby. It’s
yours. I love you.”

With his hands cuffed and tears in his eyes, Caleb kissed her with the promise of forever. Jena
moaned into his mouth and melted against his body. “Take me to bed, Mr. Allen. I can’t wait another
minute to start our future.”

Epilogue - Christmas morning

“J Dog.” Mark Whispered. “Wake up angel.”

Jena stretched but didn’t open her eyes. She snuggled further under the covers and sighed. Not sure
what had woken her, she squeezed her eyes shut to fall back to sleep.
“J Dog.”
Hearing it again, her eyes snapped open. Mark was leaning over her on the bed. She jumped.
“Mark?” She whispered back, her voice full of sleep.
“Merry Christmas, J Dog. Can you come with me?” Mark smiled but his voice stayed quiet.
Jena looked at the clock. “It’s five in the morning. What’s wrong?” She sat up and rubbed her eyes.
“I need you to get dressed and take a little walk with me, beautiful. Can you wake up for me?” Mark
handed her a sweatshirt and smiled. “Everything is alright. I just need you to come with me. Get
dressed.”
She stood and headed to the bathroom to brush her teeth and hair. The room was dark and Caleb was
nowhere to be found. Her heart raced with different possible reasons. Once she was dressed in her
sweats, no makeup and her hair thrown up into an old UCLA hat, she stepped out into the bedroom.
Mark had turned on the bedside lamp and was waiting for her. “I’m awake. What’s going on?”
He stood and extended his hand to her. He walked her down the hall slowly. When she saw Steve
standing in the living room, she started to panic. Mark interrupted her thoughts. “You saved me. I
would have nothing without you. More than that, J Dog, you are my family. I love you very much.”
Steve walked up beside her and took her other arm. He smiled at her as she wrinkled her forehead.
Mark kissed her on the cheek as Steve led her into the back hallway. Ryan stood at the back door and
Jena’s eyes watered. “What’s happening?”
Steve kissed her on the cheek. “Merry Christmas, Jena. Thank you for the friendship, the dances, the
horrible off key singing in the car, for accepting my choice in marrying Amber. You have been the
glue of this group for a long time now. I love you.”
Ryan took her arm. “What the hell is going on?” Jena locked her legs and Ryan laughed. “I’m not
going any further until someone tells me something.” After attempting to pull her again, it was no use.
Ryan tossed her over his shoulder and walked her out onto the deck where Kevin was waiting.
Noticing Ryan carrying her, Kevin threw his head back and belly laughed.
“Merry Christmas, J. You were there for me in a time that could have been so much worse. I won’t
ever forget what you did for me when I was sick or what you did for Moretti when he was hurt. You
are one of us now. Ready or not. Thank you for being you. I love you, Jena.” Ryan leaned in and
kissed her cheek.
Kevin reached out to throw his arm around her. She tensed but Kevin’s smile relaxed her. Clearing
his throat, he began. “Merry Christmas, hot doc. I don’t agree with your taste. I mean, picking Allen
over me seems a little extreme. I would have chased you harder if I’d thought I had a chance. But it
was always that dickhead. Thanks for sharing a dark time with me and helping me see the light. I
love you.” Instead of a kiss on the cheek, he dipped her and gave her a full kiss on the lips.
Jena laughed and hit his shoulders. When he straightened her, she made eye contact with her cousin,
Luke. “LT?” She ran down the deck steps and threw her arms around him. “Tell me what’s
happening.”
“Merry Christmas, sis. Hold on to me. I want to walk you toward your future.” Luke nodded down
to the dock.
Jena’s jaw dropped. Tears flooded her eyes. She gasped when she saw Caleb, Andi and Mr. and
Mrs. Allen standing at the end of the slip where his boat was docked. Caleb, dressed in a tuxedo,
held a bouquet of white roses. He was gorgeous and everything she had dreamed of.
She walked with sure steps, clutching Luke in a tight grasp. A smile spread across her face as she

noticed his mother crying. Arriving in front of him, a sob broke free from her throat. “I love you.”
She whispered.
Caleb wiped her cheek before kneeling. “Angel, I love you with all my heart. You are my light. You
are my soul. I have dreamed of you my whole life. Apart we were broken, but together we can
conquer anything. I want to be the one that picks up the broken pieces. I want to be the one that
makes you laugh and smile, the one that you come home to every night and wake up with every
morning. Please join our family. Be my better half. Jena Alexandra Turner, will you do me the
extraordinary honor of becoming my wife?”
Caleb held up the beautiful ring that had made her eyes shine in Hawaii. She covered her mouth when
she saw it. “Yes!”
He stood and wrapped his arms around her, picking her up off the ground and crashing his lips to
hers. His mother and father joined the hug, and after a minute of wiping the tears from her face, Andi
joined them. All the Moretti men, the men that had stood by his side since childhood, clapped and
cheered as Jena cried into Caleb’s arms.
“I can’t wait to be your wife. I love you so much, Mr. Allen.”
With a smile on his face and joy in his heart, Caleb laughed. “I love you too, Dr. Turner. Forever.”

The End

THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!

First, and most importantly, thank YOU, the amazing readers that have taken a chance on me and other indie writers. We love what we
do and having you show interest and excitement in our work means everything to us. I LOVE our Facebook page.
(

www.facebook.com/mjcarnalauthor

). Hearing from you makes my day. And the flash giveaways are always so much fun. Thank you

for being a part of our FB community, for supporting indie authors and for believing in me. There is absolutely nothing better in the world
than the connections I have made with you. I love you to infinity.

To our gorgeous Caleb Allen Cover model, Paul Hagen. You have gifted me with an amazing friendship. I love our chats. You make
me laugh every single day. You are gorgeous, inside and out, and I am honored that you are my friend. Thank you for taking the book
journey with me. Thanks for letting me send you little snip-its to make sure you were ready for this. HA! I cannot wait for NYC, Utah
and NC in 2014. Traveling with you is going to be so much fun. Having you as part of the Moretti Minions has been amazing. You give
those crazy women a run for their money. And you would win every single V contest, every single time. Find out more about our
gorgeous cover model at

www.facebook.com/phagen17

To Ashley, AS ALWAYS, thanks for being the best beta reader ever. You keep track of everything and when I get lost, I know exactly
how to be found. I love with so much. Being your best friend has been an amazing journey for me. I love you to the moon and back!

To my author best friends Nickie Seidler, S K Hartley, Liz King, Allie Juliette Mousseau, A J Warner and Kirsty-Anne Still, I love you
guys. Being a part of the indie community has been the most amazing gift and you have all rocked my socks off. I have LOVED being
a part of this journey with you. Your writing is amazeballs and I will never be able to tell you enough how much you mean to me. Sofie,
thank you for the most amazing pictures for swag and all the FB pictures. You are one talented woman.

To Rachel Van Dyken, author extraordinaire. Thank you for awakening my passion for writing. “The Bet” made me howl laughing and
I got so attached that I knew I needed to add more depth to my characters. You are who I want to be, girlie. My hero. HA HA. Keep
writing. (And hurry up, no one likes to wait for your books!)

To My Fictional Boyfriend and Book Whore blog.

www.facebook.com/myfictionalboyfriend

. You guys posted my teasers before

anyone and any time I ever need you, you are there, without questions and with open arms. Thanks for giving me a chance to take over
your site for the day. Best day ever. To Z at Eye Candy.

www.facebook.com/sexyeyecandies

. Thanks for all the late night chats, the

eye candy, the book picture ideas, the cover shares, and the list goes on and on. To Enticing Journey Book Promotions blog on FB.

www.facebook.com/enticingjourneybookpromotions

. Thanks for the amazing blog tour. I am stunned by the interest in Taming the Boy

Next Door. THANK YOU for everything you have done for me. And to all the other amazing blogs on Facebook that have fallen in
love with the Moretti men and promoted and supported, etc etc. The life of a blogger is HARD and I can’t thank you enough for loving
books so fiercely.

To Alex Michael Turner. You, sir, helped me start this whole journey. You and that red couch that made everyone in the world weak
kneed. And you became my Mark Moretti the second I saw it. I wrote him for you, and when I couldn’t let go, you became Ryan West

too. Who, by the way, I have been told by MANY people is their favorite book boyfriend of all time!!! You helped create this and I will
never be able to say thank you and mean it enough. Thanks for the gorgeous images, the hours of laughs about mullets and band camp
trumpets, and moving carpets. The wall master! Find out more about Alex (and prepare yourself for GORGEOUS!) at

www.facebook.com/alexmichaelturner

.

To Eric Wainwright, my favorite photog on earth! Thank you for the amazing cover photos. I can’t believe we are three books down
and two to go. Time flies!!! Thank you for being my friend and standing by me during some pretty tough stuff this year. I love seeing
how much your business has grown and having a front row seat has been so fun. Thanks for being you. Can’t wait to see you in
Portland again SOON!!! Find out more about Eric at

www.facebook.com/wainwrightimages

.

A huge thank you to my family. My mom has always been my inspiration in all things and still is. My dad has overcome his own
obstacles, kicked ass and is a superhero. To my brother, Chris, I love you so much and I miss you like mad! Can’t wait to get our girls
together again. I am proud of everything you do, from triathlons, to business success, to the people you surround yourself with, and for
being an AMAZING dad!!!

Thank God that Bruno Mars came out with the song “Gorilla” during this book. I was in such a writing slump. One time through the
chorus of that song and Caleb and Jena were wild once more. Yes, for those of you that know me, I love that man. Sigh!

Jill, I love you my Melin. You are my lifelong friend. We have had some amazing times and I have cried and laughed with you more
than anyone. 23 years of friendship and still kicking ass.

To my girlfriends that spend almost every day by my side. Steph, thanks for always telling me you hope that I get to write full time. I
promise someday we will both know what we want to be when we grow up. Denise, not even a reader and you read it. I’m proud of
you. HA! Thanks for always asking questions and being so interested in what I am doing. And for reminding me all the time that I am a
“real author”. Shannon, I love sharing this with you. I am constantly surprised by you. I have had a blast being your friend and I love
that we can always laugh together. Finally, to Amanda, my twerking partner that dances like she has a rod in her back! I love you to the
moon and back. You have picked up my pieces so many times and without you, my world would be dark.

Finally, to my reasons for being. CC, thank you for being a princess. Thank you for saying you wish you had my face, because you do,
kiddo. Having you was my whole reason for being on the earth. No one will ever love you more than your mommy. I promise you that.
And I will be here for you through everything. I am your biggest cheerleader. You can do ANYTHING you want in life. And I know
you will. I love you to the moon and back, a million trips kiddo. Ewwwwwwwwwwww. And Rick, thanks for the horrible pick up lines
and disgusting description of the beach sex, that I used here in this book just for you. HA HA HA. Thanks for letting me retreat to my
dark writing cave and giving more baths and fixing more dinners than I am sure you wanted to. Thanks for giving me the freedom to live
my dream. I love you.

About the Author

MJ Carnal lives in Lexington, South Carolina with her husband, gorgeous daughter and two loving
and super furry dogs. She spends her days in the world of neurosurgery but her nights in a world she
creates on paper. When she isn’t writing, you can find her watching episodes of The Walking Dead
with her hubby, having tea parties with Princess Caroline, Singing karaoke for anyone that will listen
and reading just about anything she can get her hands on. The Moretti Novels are her first published
works.
She loves to hear from fans, fellow writers and book lovers. Find her online at

www.facebook.com/mjcarnalauthor

or on Twitter @mjcarnalauthor.

Can’t get enough of the Moretti Men?

Taming the Bachelor, the story of Mark Moretti, June 2013

Taming the Playboy, the story of Ryan West, August 2013

Taming the Boy Next Door, the story of Caleb Allen, November 2013

Taming Casanova, the story of Kevin Merck, February 2014

Untamed, the story of Steven Wainwright, May 2014

The Moretti Men

Fitness Model Paul Hagen as Caleb Allen,

Taming the Boy Next Door by MJ Carnal

Find Paul at

www.facebook.com/phagen17

Fitness Model Alex Michael Turner as

Mark Moretti/Ryan West

Taming the Bachelor/ Taming the Playboy by MJ Carnal

Find Alex online at

www.facebook.com/alexmichaelturner

Taming Casanova, Coming late February 2014

‘Ladies and Gentleman, it is now safe to use all portable electronic devices. Please keep your seatbelt fastened until we arrive at our
gate. Take extra care in opening the overhead bins as items may have shifted during flight. Thank you for flying with us today.’
Kevin stretched his legs into the aisle and groaned. The cross country flight had been torture on his six foot two frame. His muscles
screamed for him to move. Looking up, he noticed the flight attendant staring at him. He smiled and she bit her lip. Yep, he still had it.
He may not have used it lately, but he still had it. Damn Andi Allen for torturing his body and mind and making him completely
unavailable to other women. The torture stopped today. He reached into his wallet and pulled out his business card. He would be flying
the friendly skies by night fall. Hopefully she had a willing friend to join them.
His heart constricted and he shook his head. Andi Allen had been a thorn in his side for months. The sister of one of his best friends,
and totally off limits, he couldn’t help but wonder what it would feel like to slide into her tight body, to watch her face when she was
overcome with ecstasy, to brush her sweaty, dark hair off her forehead while she was under him or to hold her perfectly rounded ass
while he… Enough!
Kevin Jr. stood up and made his desire known. He shifted in his seat and took a deep breath. There was no question that he wasn’t
relationship material. His preference was two women, wrapped around him at once, testing his stamina, proving his manhood when both
screamed his name. He was kidding himself if he thought Andi fit into that category. And her sassy mouth only proved that he wouldn’t
call the shots in bed. Not an option. Not in this lifetime.
She cleared her throat. “Hi.” Her English accent was a surprise.
Kevin smirked and took her hand. “Kevin Merck. Remember it. You’ll be using it later.”
The flight attendant smiled. “I have no doubt about that, love.” When he stood, her eyes roamed his toned body, pausing a few extra
seconds on the area of him that was still hard from his delusional daydream of Andi. “I’m Felicity. Omni hotel, room 930. Care to join
me?”
He threw his arm over her shoulder as they headed down the concourse toward the baggage claim. “I will be there at nine. Keep on the
heels. Lose the rest of the clothes.”
Her grin was wicked. “My coworker, Janelle, will be with me. Will that be a problem?”
“That will be a solution, doll.” He ran his hands down her arms and pulled her against him. When his erection rubbed against her
stomach, she purred.
“Can you seriously not even keep that thing in your pants at the airport?” Andi didn’t look up from her cell phone. “I assume you won’t
need a ride home then?”
His shoulders slumped. “Shit.” He let go of Felicity’s arms. “Why are you here?”
“Caleb sent me. He and Jena have the flu and despite my better judgment, I thought you might need a ride home since you don’t have
your car. But, I see you already have something to ride.” Andi gestured to Kevin’s new play toy and pocketed her cell phone. “See ya,
Casanova.”
Kevin grabbed for her. “Wait.” He turned to Felicity and whispered in her ear. She smiled and waved as she headed out the door. “I
would love to ride you home, Andi.”
“Fat chance of that, double trouble.” She threw her silky brunette hair over her shoulder and smiled at him. “I’ve seen where you’ve put
that thing. Not interested.”
“Bullshit.” Kevin pulled her against him. “I seem to remember a little incident in Hawaii not too long ago when you were a little worked
up after my late night visit and you...”
“Past indiscretions.” Andi cleared her throat. “Keyword, past. And I was thinking of Steve the whole time.”
Kevin laughed as he pulled his suitcase from the baggage carousel. “How is ole Steve anyway?”
“Ole Steve is engaged to Amber. A concept completely foreign to you, I know. But some men like it when there is just one woman.
Some men even think falling in love and having a future with one person is exciting.”
“There’s a word for those people, Andi. Insane.” Kevin followed her to the parking lot. “Spending your life with one person? Spending
every night playing hide the pickle in the same jar? Hide and seek isn’t much fun when you hide in the same place every time. Where’s
the mystery in that?”
She laughed. “Listen Deuce, not everyone shares your inclination for polygamy.”
“Please. You mean to tell me that you would stay on the log ride, and ride it over and over, when there’s a shiny, new roller coaster right
next door that offers more thrills and definitely more satisfaction?”
“I happen to like the log ride, thank you very much.” Andi slammed the trunk shut and headed to the driver’s side of Audi Caleb had
given her the first weekend she was working at the hospital. She jumped when Kevin stepped into her path but she continued. “And for
the record, Ms. Mile high club didn’t look like a shiny, new roller coaster.”
He opened the door for her and leaned down to whisper in her ear. “No, doll. I’m the roller coaster. Anytime you’re ready to ride, you
just let me know.”