Playing for Keeps (Heartbreaker Bay #7)(82)

“I do,” Sienne said.

“Would you be willing to share the recipe with me?”

The sisters stared at one another and apparently came to some silent conclusion because Sienne had her phone out again. “I’ll text it to you.”



Sadie received Sienne’s recipe via text before she even got to her car. It was probably for the best if she didn’t obsess over how Caleb’s sister had her number. Because no doubt she’d learned it—and far more—when she’d been doing her research. But clearly, she hadn’t found out everything, or Caleb wouldn’t still be interested in her.

And by some miracle, he was still interested. More than. According to him, they were in a relationship, which meant he was her boyfriend. The word seemed so tame when compared to what she felt for him.

She made a quick stop at the store and then went home to make the mac and cheese. An hour later, she and Lollipop were back on the road, on their way to Caleb’s with a casserole dish and she had to laugh at herself. No one who knew her would even recognize her right now.

At Caleb’s place, she slid her hand into her pocket and fingered the key fob he’d given her last week.

“Use it,” he’d said.

At the time, she’d been uncomfortable with that, with him wanting her to make herself at home there. But then she’d fallen in love.

With his shower.

In spite of the key fob, she debated knocking, but in the end, let herself and Lollipop in.

The house was dark.

But not empty.

She could sense his presence in the way her body tingled. Specifically her nipples. She’d walked through the dark living room and was halfway to the kitchen when she paused and turned back.

Lollipop gave a yip of excitement and took off as Sadie realized Caleb was sitting in one of the two big chairs facing his wall-sized TV, which was off. He was in a pair of running pants and nothing else. No shirt, bare feet. Head back. Eyes closed.

Since nothing ever got by him, she knew that he was aware of their presence, and in fact he caught Lollipop in midair.

Sadie set her things down and watched as he stroked the happy dog, who gave him one last kiss before jumping down and racing into the kitchen to check her bowls.

Sadie moved closer, dropping to her knees between Caleb’s, her hands on his thighs. She studied his face, looking for clues to what he was feeling. He was exhausted. She could see that much in the tiny lines that always appeared around his eyes when he tired. He worked a lot of hours and was responsible for so many businesses and people, she couldn’t even imagine the stress he felt every day. “Hey,” she whispered.

He didn’t speak, but his hands came off the armrests and covered hers.

“How’s Naoki?”

This had his head coming up and his eyes met hers in question.

“Your sisters,” she said.

He sighed and let his head drop back again. “The Coven. They live to interfere.”

“They wanted to help. And so do I.”

His hands slid from hers, up her arms and into her hair. “Well, you are in another of my favorite positions . . .”

Leaning down, she bit the inside of his thigh through the material of his sweats, and he hissed out a breath. “Rough works.”

“Later,” she promised. “Tell me about Naoki, and then . . . ”

He met her gaze again, his haunted, hollow, and very dark. “And then?”

“Whatever you want,” she promised and meant it.

“Naoki’s in the hospital. He fell and hit his head.”

“Oh no,” she breathed. “How bad is it?”

“They found him right away, but think he had a mini stroke. It’s not his first. They’re happening more often now and they can’t seem to be stopped. He’s a ticking time bomb at this point.”

“Caleb . . .” She felt her heart pinch. “I’m so sorry. Did you get to see to him?”

“He was lucid for a few seconds. He was calm and said it was his time.” His voice was gruff. Thick. “That he’s ready to go.” He paused. “But I’m not ready. How selfish is that?”

Shaking her head, she wrapped her arms around him and laid her head on his chest. “You love him. Love is selfish.”

“Thought you didn’t know shit about love.”

Ignoring that for the moment, she lifted her head. “When was the last time you ate?”

He shrugged.

She went to the kitchen and brought him back a bowl of her mac and cheese. Lollipop had curled up in the dog bed next to his chair but lifted her head at the scent of the dish.

Caleb looked down at Sadie’s offering and gave a ghost of a smile. “So you really did talk to my sisters.”

She waited until he had a bite before admitting the truth. “I made it,” she said, knowing fully well that it couldn’t possibly be as good as what he was used to. “It’s Sienne’s recipe, and I followed it to the letter. Well, except for the part where you have to wait a few minutes for the cheese sauce to thicken. I didn’t have the patience for that part. And I might’ve used more butter than she does because hello, I get that our arteries are important, but so is butter.”

He held her gaze as he took another bite. And then another, and another, until it was all gone. Setting the bowl aside, he reached for her and pulled her down into his lap. “I thought you hated to cook.”