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 bruta lly 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 dou bt 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
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 bruta lly 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 dou bt 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
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