Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 46143 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 231(@200wpm)___ 185(@250wpm)___ 154(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46143 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 231(@200wpm)___ 185(@250wpm)___ 154(@300wpm)
No such luck.
Caleb walks in, his long, wavy blond hair hanging down. He looks like a Greek god. Just taking him in makes me ache. I want him. God, I’ve missed him every single minute of the day since I left him in the parking lot. That’s part of the reason I didn’t call dorm security when he first showed up. I admit, I didn’t think he’d go so far as to drug and kidnap me, but I didn’t call them because I wanted him to stay. I wanted to feel his arms around me again. I wanted him to make love to me and make the ache disappear that I’ve felt ever since we parted. Each day without him made it clear to me that I needed him in my life. It was just me being stubborn that kept me from reaching out to him. My first thought when I saw Caleb was that he came so he could talk me out of the myriad of reasons I had to stay away. I was ready for it. Until now, I don’t think I realized just how intense and perhaps off-balance the man I love is. I’m going to have to see if I can make him rein in his impulses in the future …
“Great, you’re awake,” Caleb announces, standing in front of me. I must have zoned out longer than I realized.
“Are you mentally deranged? Do you understand exactly what you’ve done?” I growl, not caving in easily—after the shit he’s pulled, he’s going to have to work for it. Plus, I’m going to make him grovel forever for drugging me.
“I only did what you forced me to do, Isolde. You wouldn’t let me see you and actually thought you could walk away from us. I’m showing you that isn’t going to work. You’re mine and I’m yours. There’s no ending what’s between us.”
“Caleb, you need professional help. You drugged me!”
“I know that. I also realized it would upset you—”
“Upset me?”
“Baby, I promise, I had a doctor help me and didn’t use anything that would harm you. I just needed to get you here so we could have this out.”
“If there was a chance for us, Caleb, you destroyed it. We don’t have anything to discuss now. We’re done,” I lie, irritated with his cocky attitude.
“Are you hungry? You always get grouchy when you’re hungry. Let’s see if we can get some food into you.”
“You asshole. I get grouchy when I’m kidnapped!”
Caleb has the balls to grin at me, like I said something cute. “I have a surprise for you, gorgeous,” he says, as if I didn’t bring up his possible felony charge. He goes over to a small sofa by the heating stove and puts a big, brown paper bag on the well-used coffee table. He reaches in and pulls out a to-go container. I instantly know where it’s from. I can also smell the bacon. That’s my favorite sandwich for breakfast from Winchell’s in Lexington. I frown as I continue to stare at it. “I know what you’re thinking.”
“That you’re certifiably insane?”
“No, you’re thinking that it’s almost two o’clock, and you’d rather have a sandwich from the Big Blue Deli. I did think about it, but you haven’t had breakfast yet. Isolde, you really shouldn’t skip it either. It’s the most important meal of the day,” he instructs casually, like we’re discussing the weather.
“Oh my God! Are you truly instructing me on being late to eat breakfast? Gee, Caleb, I slept all day because my psychotic boyfriend drugged me!”
“So, you admit I’m your boyfriend.”
My heart begins thundering in my chest as something else hits me. “Caleb? How do you know my favorite restaurants and what I eat there?” I ask softly.
He grins like this is the most normal thing in the world. “Like every good man, I pay attention to my woman.”
“You’ve been stalking me,” I whisper.
“I prefer calling it being proactive in our relationship until we get over this little issue.”
“Kidnapping and stalking are not little issues. You’re nuts. How did I not know that you belong in a looney bin?”
“Sweet, Isolde. You’ll grasp at anything to try to fight me, but right now, you’re just being silly.”
“No, I’m being mad as hell because you’ve stalked, drugged, and kidnapped me!”
He sits down at the end of the bed, still holding my food. He scratches his chin and sighs. “Okay, when you put it like that, I will admit it sounds bad.”
“It’s not bad, it’s criminal. It’s something they will lock you away in a mental facility for, Caleb.”
“Isolde, if I’ve gone crazy, you’re the one responsible. I love you. You can’t just end our relationship over something stupid. That’s not how adult relationships work.”
“I see. Do they, in the bizarre-o world of Caleb, work by kidnapping and committing multiple felonies?”