Haunted Read Online Free PDF

was babbling and telling him more than
he needed to know, but she couldn’t help herself.
    “Did I say anything about a one-night
stand?”
    She felt like crawling under the seat. He
hadn’t said anything about sleeping with her, period. Her over-active
imagination and desperation had led her to that conclusion. “Can we just forget
this conversation ever happened?”
    “Now why would we wanna do that?”
    “Because I’ve embarrassed myself and made
you uncomfortable.” Tears of shame burned her eyelids, and she was grateful it
was too dark for him to see the evidence of her humiliation.
    “I’m not uncomfortable,” he said, squeezing
her hand. “And you have no reason to be embarrassed. I love that we can talk
like this. Hell, we just met tonight, and I think we communicate better than my
ex and I ever did.”
    “Really?” She peeked up at him from beneath
her lashes. “You’re not just saying that to make me feel better?”
    “I can promise you one thing, Elle. I’ll
always be honest with you, even when it’s not what you want to hear.”
    She believed him, which spoke volumes given
how hard it was for her to trust people.
    When they pulled up in front of her house,
Caleb got out of the car and opened her door. Reaching for her hand, he helped
her out before pulling her in close. “I’m really glad I let Drake talk me into
this. I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed myself this much.”
    She smiled. “All that pushing and shoving
appealed to you, huh?”
    “You appeal to me.” He glided his hand
through her hair, gently massaging her head. “A lot.”
    “The feeling’s mutual.” She looked up at
the imposing doors. The last thing she wanted was to be alone. “Would you like
to come in for a drink?”
    He followed her gaze to the door before
slipping her hand into his and leading her to the entrance. “I wouldn’t say no
to a cup of coffee. I’ve got to finish up some paperwork when I go home
tonight.”
    “This assignment is keeping you from your
work, isn’t it?” She couldn’t deny she loved spending time with him, but she
felt guilty that she was taking up so much of it. He had a company to run, and
his off time was likely rare and precious. “I’m sorry. If you need to back out,
I totally understand.”
    He chuckled as he reached for her keys and
unlocked the door. “If you think spending time with you is a hardship, you’re
dead wrong.”
    Elle punched in her security code while
Caleb looked the other way. “About that coffee…” She led him into the kitchen.
She bent over to retrieve a wicker basket from the bottom shelf and pulled out
one flavored pod after another. “What kind would you like? There are lots to
choose from, though I can’t say I’ve tried them all.”
    He reached for a Columbian and tossed it to
her. “This suits me just fine.”
    She popped the pod into the dispenser and
reached for a mug from the overhead cabinet, cognizant of his eyes tracking her
every movement.
    “Aren’t you going to join me?” he asked.
    “I think I’ll have an herbal tea.” She
reached for another pod from the basket. “I’ve been having a little trouble
sleeping lately. This seems to help.”
    “Why’s that?”
    She closed her eyes as his mug filled with
coffee. Taking in the strong scent, she wondered if she had the courage to open
up. “I’ve got a lot going on. Between working on new material and the upcoming
tour, I guess I just can’t shut it off when my head hits the pillow.”
    He looked disappointed, as though he’d
expected her to say more. “I know how that is. Sometimes your mind keeps
working long after your body’s reached its breaking point.”
    Elle piled cream, sugar, milk, and the two
mugs on a wooden tray. “Why don’t we take this into the family room? That way
we can get comfortable.”
    “Sounds good.” He reached for the tray.
“Here, let me carry that.”
    “Thank you.” He was a gentleman, something
he’d proven over and over