“Caleb,” she whispers.

“Shhh.” I blow on the wet buds, making them pucker more and then continue on my quest down her slightly rounded stomach, kissing along the waistline to each hip, up each side, counting her ribs with my tongue. She boosts her hips up as I snag the hem of the shorts in my fingers and drag them, along with her panties, over her hips, down her long legs, and toss them onto the floor.

“Do we have time for this?” she breathes and clenches the sheets in her fists.

“Oh, I think so,” I assure her and push her legs together and up, my hands pressed to the backs of her thighs, so her knees meet her chest. I lower my head and lick her, from her anus, through her sopping wet lips and to her already-swollen clit.

“God, you taste fucking amazing,” I growl and repeat the motion again. She slaps her hands over mine, gripping me and pulling her legs even closer to her chest as I lap at her pussy.

I feel her start to quiver, and her legs begin to tremble beneath my hands. I release her and spread her wide, gazing up at her as I wrap my lips around her clit and suck rhythmically. Two fingers plunge inside her and she begins to buck beneath me, pushing her pussy against my hand and face, shaking her head back and forth on the pillow, her dark hair a riot around her sweet face, coming apart.

Her muscles squeeze me beautifully, and I want nothing more than to sink inside her and ride her hard until I come, but we definitely don’t have time for that.

I continue to kiss her lips and clit gently, her thighs and pubis, as she pants and combs her fingers through my hair, scrubbing my scalp with her fingernails.

Before she can ask me to make love to her, I climb up her long body, kiss her deeply and then push away, sauntering to the bathroom with my shorts jutting out like a tent.

“Hey!” She exclaims.

“What?” I toss a smile over my shoulder.

“You’re not done.”

“I’m fine,” I respond, pausing by the doorway to look back at her. I love seeing her on my bed, all rosy cheeked and satisfied.

My girl.

“We have to get the girls up and leave soon.” I sober and watch her silently for a moment. She sighs and pushes herself from the bed and walks to me, wrapping herself around me in a big hug.

“They’ll be fine, Caleb. Just be honest with them.” She grabs my hand and pulls me into the bathroom behind her. “We’ll finish what you started in the shower. Conserve water, and all that.”

I grin down into her happy eyes, cringing inside. What will I say to Maddie and Josie?

How do I explain what I don’t understand myself?

“You go ahead, Legs. We’ll conserve water another time.”

She frowns up at me in confusion. Hell, I’m confused too. I just know that I’m not ready to make love to her again. Not yet.

“Another time,” I repeat and kiss her hair before making a hasty retreat; before I lose my resolve and pull her into that hot shower and lose myself in her.

***

“Girls, wake up,” I croon gently from the doorway, not wanting to startle them. Brynna is standing next to me, her hand on my low back. “You should wake them up,” I whisper to her.

“Stop worrying,” she whispers back with a small smile.

“Caleb!” Maddie jumps from the bed as soon as she opens her eyes and sees me. She runs over and wraps her arms around my waist, holding me tight.

I glance up at Josie and my heart stops. She’s sitting straight up in bed, her brown eyes – the same as her mom’s – wide and staring at me. She pulls her doll into her lap and hugs her tight.

She’s scared.

“Good morning, buttercup,” I murmur down to Maddie and squat down so I’m eye level with her. “How are you this morning?”

“I have to pee.”

“Well then you should go,” I chuckle at her and usher her through the door and turn to Josie. “Hey, jellybean.”

She turns her wide eyes to her mom and then back to me and stays silent. Brynna crosses to her and sits on the bed with her, running her hand down Josie’s long dark brown locks.

“Josie, it’s okay, sweetie.”

“You hurt my mom,” she whispers and clasps her lips tightly together when they start to quiver.

“I didn’t mean to, Josie, I swear.” I walk closer to the bed but she flinches and cowers into Brynna’s arms, so I stand where I am and shove my hands in my pockets, feeling like a complete asshole and out of my element.

Now what?

Maddie comes bouncing back in the room and climbs up on the bed, looking back and forth between Josie and me.

“Josie,” Brynna murmurs softly. “It’s okay, baby.”

She shakes her head, frowning, clinging to her mom. She won’t meet my eyes.

She’s punishing me.

And she should. Fuck, I wouldn’t trust me either.

“It’s okay, Bryn,” I mutter and smile reassuringly at the girls. “Let’s get going. You all need to get to school and work, and so do I.”

I turn and leave the room, my heart shattering into a million pieces.

***

“You don’t have to walk me in,” Brynna tells me with a roll of the eyes. “Isaac is right there.”

“I don’t care. I’m walking you to the door,” I inform her and hold the car door open for her as she climbs out of my car.

We dropped the kids off at school ten minutes ago. Josie still won’t speak to me, but Maddie made up for both of them, hardly stopping to take a breath all morning.