Caleb's Mate - Becca Jameson Page 0,20

she spoke again. “You can stay, on one condition.”

“Anything.”

“Please tell me you don’t actually intend to mark me. Ever.” If that was a thing, she was going to escort him to the door and shut it in his face.

He chuckled. “Can’t promise I won’t eventually suck on your skin hard enough to leave a hickey.”

God. The thought of his lips on her skin made her suck in a sharp breath. Her nipples stiffened as she pictured his head between her breasts, licking, sucking, making her moan.

When she met his heated stare, she knew her thoughts were not entirely her own. This was probably the worst idea ever. But chances were that Hunter had done a fine job of convincing Layla to let him stay. Layla wouldn’t believe a word of this mumbo jumbo, but she did want to get in Hunter’s bed, so she would go along with his fantasy of being her mate long enough to get a good taste of him.

If Elena kicked Caleb out the door, she would have a long boring stay in Canyon Springs listening to her sister giggle and flirt while Elena cleaned the house by herself. “Fine,” she eventually agreed.

“Fine, I can stay? Or fine, I can give you a hickey?”

Damn he was hard not to like.

Chapter 9

August 21, 1967

Dear Mabel,

I had the greatest time with Mom and Dad while they were here visiting. I’m so glad Dad was able to take a week off work, and they chose to spend it in Canyon Springs. I think they enjoyed themselves. They stayed in one of our guest rooms, and I took them all around town. It’s not very big, of course, so it didn’t take long.

We did a puzzle together, went hiking a few times, and I showed them my classroom. I’m almost ready for the new year to start.

I can’t believe it’s been three years since I last saw you. I hate it, but I’ve resigned myself to the fact that you’ll never forgive me.

I’ll always love you, and I’ll never stop writing.

Love, Marge

Caleb felt like the luckiest man on earth. The amazing feisty woman who would eventually share his bed for the rest of his life wasn’t kicking him out. She was going to give him a chance. He’d had his doubts that he would eventually convince her. She was tough.

He wanted to fist pump. He wanted to press her against the wall and kiss the sense out of her until she admitted she was his.

Time. Let her get used to you. Slow down, cowboy.

“So, where do we start?”

Elena took his breath away. She was wearing a tiny white tank top that hugged her breasts tight enough for him to see the shape of them. A perfect handful. Not large. Just right. Her jean shorts were…short. Sexy legs went on forever. Tanned as if she had been in the sun when he suspected she was simply that color. He couldn’t wait to prove that to himself.

Her bare feet made his cock jump to attention every time he glanced at them.

And when she moved, her high ponytail swayed behind her, the long blond curls bouncing.

She was perfection. Now all he had to do was convince her she belonged to him and talk her into staying. Or hell, if he couldn’t manage that, he would just have to go back to Chicago with her. Leaving Canyon Springs wasn’t really something he relished, but he would do it for her. He would also spend every day trying to convince her to return.

It wasn’t as if the town couldn’t survive without him. He and Hunter made a living as the town’s attorneys, but the truth was it wasn’t entirely necessary for Canyon Springs to have two.

Caleb and Hunter had been competitive from the time they were born, especially when they were in school. Eventually they enjoyed trying to see which of their mothers would gush about them more to the other. It was a tie, but they never stopped being over-achievers. So, they went to college and then law school together.

The entire town knew when they graduated they would return and set up shop. And that’s exactly what they did.

“I was going through the kitchen cabinets when you got here. Just trying to take inventory. Aunt Marge had a lot of stuff. It’s jammed in every single available spot.”

He smiled. “Yeah, she was sentimental.”

Elena tipped her head to one side, making her ponytail sway. He wanted to grab it. Hold it while he kissed her.