headed toward Caleb’s house.
The evening air was crisp, and the sky was already darkening. The overcast sky made it look later than it was. The ride from Lexi’s to Caleb’s house only took about seven minutes. The scenery went from small town to wilderness. The trees were much thicker, and Lexi didn’t spot any close neighbors. Caleb announced they were pulling into his driveway, and the trees loomed with their vast height, surrounding the property.
Caleb’s house sat alone in a clearing, a well-lit shingle house with a style reminiscent of another time, but nothing about the exterior showed any signs or age. It was a classic New England beauty. The porch caught her attention with its wide steps and potted plants on each side of the walkway. Red and white geraniums peeked above terra-cotta planters. The siding looked like well-preserved driftwood, with crisp white trim. The three-story house was massive and would be too vast for only one person.
Lexi followed Caleb up the steps of the porch. “So you live here? Alone?” she asked skeptically.
“Yeah, I had it renovated when I bought it nearly three years ago. It was structurally sound, but everything else was a mess,” Caleb said.
As they walked into the foyer, a large meowing cat greeted them. Lexi was startled, not expecting to be welcomed by a hairy feline. The cat was massive with his long brown fur sticking off of him, which only made him appear that much larger. The cat purred and rubbed his oversized head against Lexi’s shins in greeting.
Caleb reached down and petted the cat. “This is Benjamin. Don’t worry—he’s very friendly.”
The cat meowed, as if reinforcing his honor by exhibiting obvious friendliness. Then without any warning, he padded off toward the darkened stairs and disappeared as quickly as he’d appeared.
“He likes to sleep on my bed. That’s where he probably went.”
“I bet he does,” Lexi said as she pulled off her hooded sweatshirt. She walked over by the fireplace that was gently burning and stood in front of it. Not that it was that cold outside, but it did curb the evening’s impending chill. The fireplace was gas operated, and Caleb had flipped it on when they first arrived.
Caleb put his car keys down on the entryway table, and pulled off his light jacket, and hung it on a rack by the door. The rack held his lab coat as well as a heavier jacket. He went over to Lexi as she watched the fire, and he wrapped his arms around her. Lexi jerked her body, but he held her despite her startle.
“Do I make you nervous, Ms. Lindsay?” Humor edged his voice.
She turned toward him while still in his arms. “I guess I should be nervous with you, but I just feel safe when I’m with you.” She spoke with her head against his shoulder. She breathed him in and absorbed his embrace. This all could be a mistake, but denying her feelings was unthinkable.
He cupped her chin and lifted her head to meet his gaze. “Look me in the eyes, Lexi.”
She shifted her eyes slightly down. “It’s almost too intense. I can’t explain it,” she said timidly. She still had a hard time believing that her virginity was no longer a secret.
He shifted his head to meet her eyes. “I feel it too. There’s no denying it anymore.” Caleb lightly stroked her cheek.
She looked up at him. His brown eyes seemed to know what she felt and thought, which was strangely intimate. She trusted him, but that didn’t mean she was comfortable with letting someone in after she’d put up some many barriers to protect herself.
He broke the connection and grabbed her hand as he led her toward the kitchen. “I kept your preferences in mind. I didn’t want to offend your taste buds with questionable food your first time here,” he said as he donned hot mitts and pulled out warmed food from the oven. “Have a seat.” He pointed to the rustic kitchen table, which was already set. He put a steak on each plate and laid out the rest of the food
The evening air was crisp, and the sky was already darkening. The overcast sky made it look later than it was. The ride from Lexi’s to Caleb’s house only took about seven minutes. The scenery went from small town to wilderness. The trees were much thicker, and Lexi didn’t spot any close neighbors. Caleb announced they were pulling into his driveway, and the trees loomed with their vast height, surrounding the property.
Caleb’s house sat alone in a clearing, a well-lit shingle house with a style reminiscent of another time, but nothing about the exterior showed any signs or age. It was a classic New England beauty. The porch caught her attention with its wide steps and potted plants on each side of the walkway. Red and white geraniums peeked above terra-cotta planters. The siding looked like well-preserved driftwood, with crisp white trim. The three-story house was massive and would be too vast for only one person.
Lexi followed Caleb up the steps of the porch. “So you live here? Alone?” she asked skeptically.
“Yeah, I had it renovated when I bought it nearly three years ago. It was structurally sound, but everything else was a mess,” Caleb said.
As they walked into the foyer, a large meowing cat greeted them. Lexi was startled, not expecting to be welcomed by a hairy feline. The cat was massive with his long brown fur sticking off of him, which only made him appear that much larger. The cat purred and rubbed his oversized head against Lexi’s shins in greeting.
Caleb reached down and petted the cat. “This is Benjamin. Don’t worry—he’s very friendly.”
The cat meowed, as if reinforcing his honor by exhibiting obvious friendliness. Then without any warning, he padded off toward the darkened stairs and disappeared as quickly as he’d appeared.
“He likes to sleep on my bed. That’s where he probably went.”
“I bet he does,” Lexi said as she pulled off her hooded sweatshirt. She walked over by the fireplace that was gently burning and stood in front of it. Not that it was that cold outside, but it did curb the evening’s impending chill. The fireplace was gas operated, and Caleb had flipped it on when they first arrived.
Caleb put his car keys down on the entryway table, and pulled off his light jacket, and hung it on a rack by the door. The rack held his lab coat as well as a heavier jacket. He went over to Lexi as she watched the fire, and he wrapped his arms around her. Lexi jerked her body, but he held her despite her startle.
“Do I make you nervous, Ms. Lindsay?” Humor edged his voice.
She turned toward him while still in his arms. “I guess I should be nervous with you, but I just feel safe when I’m with you.” She spoke with her head against his shoulder. She breathed him in and absorbed his embrace. This all could be a mistake, but denying her feelings was unthinkable.
He cupped her chin and lifted her head to meet his gaze. “Look me in the eyes, Lexi.”
She shifted her eyes slightly down. “It’s almost too intense. I can’t explain it,” she said timidly. She still had a hard time believing that her virginity was no longer a secret.
He shifted his head to meet her eyes. “I feel it too. There’s no denying it anymore.” Caleb lightly stroked her cheek.
She looked up at him. His brown eyes seemed to know what she felt and thought, which was strangely intimate. She trusted him, but that didn’t mean she was comfortable with letting someone in after she’d put up some many barriers to protect herself.
He broke the connection and grabbed her hand as he led her toward the kitchen. “I kept your preferences in mind. I didn’t want to offend your taste buds with questionable food your first time here,” he said as he donned hot mitts and pulled out warmed food from the oven. “Have a seat.” He pointed to the rustic kitchen table, which was already set. He put a steak on each plate and laid out the rest of the food
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