a table. And don’t you hate it when there aren’t enough trash cans, and you don’t know where to put your hors d’oeuvres napkin? So I want to make sure there are plenty of trash receptacles.”
“Jenna.” His tone was firmer now.
“And I gave them the recipe for a signature drink, but I swear they’ll mess it up, so I want to taste it first—oooh!”
She was pushed up against a brick wall, and a hot body was pressing her into it. Cal’s hands rested on her face, and she thought about telling him he was messing up her makeup, but she was too lost in those slate eyes. “Sunshine, you’re gonna stroke out if you don’t take a breath.”
She struggled weakly, “Cal, I can’t—”
“Breathe.”
She scowled at him.
His lips quirked. “Take a deep breath. In and out. There, that’s it.”
While following his mandated breathing exercises, she glanced around to see where they were. He’d managed to shuffle them into an alcove along the side of the building not visible from the parking lot or entrance. There were rows of tall hedges blocking them in. So no one would see them.
The tight band around her chest loosened. This event was going to give her a heart attack. She wanted the employees to be happy and impressed and have a good time. Her dad had been skeptical about its being effective, and everything about her wanted to prove to him how much this could improve company morale.
But she admitted she’d been acting a little nutty. If she went in there with all cylinders engaged, she might make enemies.
Attract more bees with honey and all that.
She raised her arms and gripped Cal’s waist as his hands slipped down to grasp either side of her neck. Cal looked, well, pretty damn amazing. His straight-leg navy pants made him look taller, while accentuating his strong thighs and absolutely amazing ass. His white button-down shirt was open at the collar and set off his tan skin. The color also made his eyes blaze. His hair was a little on the longer side, and he hadn’t done much with it, so the messy hair with his crisp clothes gave him just about the sexiest look she’d ever seen. Clean-cut with an edge. She’d take Cal in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt—or nothing at all—any day, but she didn’t mind this look on him either.
Her hand drifted down and squeezed his ass. He grunted softly and leaned in, teasing her lips with slight brushes of his before she squeezed his ass again. They hadn’t had sex again, not since that weekend they’d spent together before Asher arrived. She ached for Cal like crazy, but what they had now was fragile, so fragile they didn’t even talk about it. And with the way they were in bed, she knew it would make everything come crashing down on their heads.
They’d have to face it soon, though. Their families were talking and asking questions. And most of all, Jenna was falling for Cal the man way harder than she’d ever fallen for Cal the teenager. So she had to know if he was falling too, because if not, she was in for a rough landing.
Cal broke out of the kiss. “You look beautiful.” His lips traveled down the column of her throat. She should push on his chest and tell him to step back, that they had to get to the party, but damn, it had been so long, and his lips felt so good. And his words . . . his words were even better. His strong fingers gripped her hip, his mouth brushing the shell of her ear. “Everyone’ll take a little piece of sunshine tonight, but I know you save the best for me.”
She smiled, loving the heat of his body seeping into hers. The tension left her muscles, and she swore she could have melted into him right there.
“So you need to relax,” he said. His mouth sucked lightly on her collarbone. “No one will notice the little things. You’ve been working your ass off on this, and it will show, okay?”
She nodded.
He stepped back and slowly righted her clothes, putting her back together. Then he raised an eyebrow. “You feeling better now?”
She felt like liquid. “Yes, thank you.”
He pointed at her with an expression of mock severity. “We’ll finish this later.”
She hoped so.
THE TORY COUNTRY Club was eye-roll-worthy, in Cal’s opinion. Over-the-top and flowery, and man, all he wanted to do was put his feet up