“I’m tired,” she said suddenly. “I think I’ll take a shower and turn in.”
Caleb didn’t try to stop her when she climbed out of the water, wrapped herself in one of the towels and, grabbing her glasses, hurriedly disappeared through the doors into her room. They both needed time to come to terms with what they’d shared and the possible consequences of his carelessness.
He couldn’t believe he’d been so thoughtless. Where the hell had his mind been, anyway?
In the past, he’d never failed to use protection. Even before knowing who his irresponsible father was, Caleb had been determined not to be anything like the man who had impregnated Caleb’s mother, then left her to face things on her own. He’d always made it a point never to get so carried away that he lost sight of what an unexpected pregnancy could mean for him or his partner.
But he’d been so turned on, so mind-numbingly hot for Alyssa, the thought of protection hadn’t even crossed his mind. All he’d been able to think about was how perfectly she fit within his arms, how soft her body was and how her sweet kisses warmed him to the depths of his soul. His body hardened at the very thought of how amazing their lovemaking had been and had him wanting nothing more than to go inside and make love to her for the rest of the night.
Cursing a blue streak, he splashed out of the hot tub and made a beeline for the pool. When he dove into the much cooler water and started swimming laps, his muscles protested, but he didn’t care. He had to get himself under control.
When he reached the end of the pool on his tenth lap, he stopped to catch his breath and, glancing toward the French doors, shook his head. His body still throbbed with a need that left him dizzy and he had a feeling he could swim from now until his dying day and not even come close to easing the burning ache to make Alyssa his once again.
Climbing out of the pool, he wrapped a towel around his waist and, picking up his gym shorts and her swimsuit, headed for his room. He had a feeling one of two things was going to happen this weekend. Either they were going to make love again or, first thing Monday morning, he was going to be seeking medical attention for a perpetual erection.
Alyssa stared at the ceiling as she thought about what had happened in the hot tub. She still couldn’t believe what had taken place when Caleb had touched her, nor did she understand it. It was as if she’d been taken over by a shamelessly uninhibited wanton who not only lived for the moment, but threw caution to the wind and didn’t even consider the possibility of the consequences.
She’d never in all of her twenty-six years acted that way before. Not even when she and Wesley had been seeing each other and she’d thought she was in love had she experienced a total loss of control. And that scared her as little else could.
But all it took was one kiss, one touch of Caleb’s hands and she lost all sense of herself. It was as if she became part of something larger than either of them, emotionally as well as physically. If his reaction was any indication, he’d experienced it, too.
The best thing she could do for her own well-being and peace of mind would be to have him take her back to Albuquerque tonight. Then, first thing Monday morning, insist that he accept her resignation, effective immediately.
She knew their coworkers would question why their “engagement” was off and why she no longer worked at Skerritt and Crowe. But that couldn’t be helped. Caleb could tell them whatever he liked about the matter. She wouldn’t be there to hear their comments and speculation on what might have happened between them.
Tossing the sheet aside, she climbed out of bed and pulled on her robe. The sooner she got back to the safety of her apartment, the better. Not only could she finish updating her résumé, she needed to check her personal calendar. Until she did that, she really wasn’t certain whether she needed to worry about an unplanned pregnancy.
“Caleb?” She tapped on his bedroom door. “Are you still awake?”
When there was no response, she turned to go back to her room. She’d only gone a couple of steps when the door opened.
“Did you need something?”
The sight of him standing in the doorway in nothing but a pair of white cotton briefs rendered her temporarily speechless and all she could do was nod.
When they’d gotten into the hot tub there hadn’t been enough daylight left to see the details of his body, then, when he’d removed his gym shorts, they’d been in the water. But the light from his bedside lamp cast just enough light now to enhance the ridges and ripples of his well-defined muscles and drew attention to the fact that Caleb Walker was perfection and then some.
His heavily padded pectoral muscles, bulging biceps and sculpted shoulders were proof that he’d spent years doing a lot more on that farm than just going skinny-dipping. Her gaze drifted lower and her pulse sped up.
Caleb’s stomach had so many ripples it resembled a washboard. But it was everything below the waistband of his white briefs that had her gulping for air. The stretchy cotton hugged him like a second skin and outlined the size and heaviness of his sex. The lack of a tan line on his long, muscular legs was confirmation that he did, in fact, swim in the nude.
“You look a little shook up.”
Why wouldn’t she be? He was standing there practically naked and didn’t seem the least bit self-conscious about it.
Taking a step toward her, he placed his hand on her shoulder. “Are you all right?”
Nodding, she tried to remember why she’d knocked on his door, but the feel of his warm palm touching her through her thin robe made it extremely difficult to breathe, let alone think.
He stared at her for several long seconds before he smiled and lightly touched her cheek with his index finger. “We need to talk, sweetheart.”
Her insides fluttered wildly and she couldn’t seem to catch her breath. “I…agree. I have something I need to ask you.”
He stepped back and motioned toward his open door. “Let’s go into my room and sit down.”
She shook her head. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”
“I think it is.” Before she could stop him, he grabbed her hand and tugged her into his bedroom. “I have something I need to do.”
“Caleb—”
“It’s all right, Alyssa.” Leading her past the bed to the sitting area by the French doors, he sank into one of the armchairs, then pulled her onto his lap. “I want you to listen to me before you say anything. Will you do that?”