Wicked Lovers 06.5 Wicked All The Way Read Online Free PDF

I’d try harder, but not the way she wanted me to…”
He raked a hand over his short hair. “I’ve matured and learned a lot since
then. I won’t say I’ll never make the same mistakes again, but I will say that
if I do, I’ll genuinely listen and try to adjust. Did that tell you what you
wanted to know?”
    She cocked her head. “It did. Thank you. I had wondered…”
    Yeah, he had, too, about her and Gordon, so he could
understand. “So you’re willing to try dating again?”
    Carlotta bit her lip. “What will Kata and Hunter think? I
would not wish to make them uncomfortable.”
    Caleb leaned across the table to her. “Our kids are grown,
and I don’t think we owe our futures to them. They’re happy. Why shouldn’t we
try to be as well?”
    “I see your point. Consider it a maybe,” she murmured. “I
will keep an open mind if you will try not to boss me around quite so much.”
    He’d try, but…no promises. His DNA just seemed wired to be
Dominant. “Deal.”
    After he paid the check, he hustled her out of the restaurant
and to the home improvement store. He grabbed a cart outside the door, noticing
that her stare lingered on a little shop down the strip mall.
    Caleb stood, stared at her, waited. Still, she only cast a
longing look toward the shop’s door, then averted her gaze with a fake, overly
bright smile. The place wasn’t familiar to him, but it seemed to be some sort
of home décor store. And he didn’t like her hiding her feelings from him.
    “Would you like to go over there, Lottie? Maybe something
there will be good for the kids.”
    She smiled faintly every time he called her that, and Caleb
enjoyed doing whatever he could to make her happy.
    “It is possible. I once enjoyed shopping there. Gordon
thought it was silly and never allowed me—”
    “Go.” It would give him time to repress the urge to kill her
ex-douche bag. “If you enjoy it and think it might help with our project, then
I definitely want you to browse the place.”
    “I would not wish to waste our time when it is so short.”
    He’d stay up renovating all night to give her some time to
visit the store if that was what she wanted.
    “It’s not a waste. Go.”
    “You do not mind?” She sent him a puzzled stare, clearly
surprised.
    “Of course not.”
    “You are not angry?”
    Angry? Caleb
didn’t have to ask what sort of fucker she’d been married to. He’d heard
plenty. He really wished he could meet Gordon in a dark alley and let the
goddamn asshole be on the receiving end of some pain. Yes, he knew that the
ex-douche bag hadn’t hit Carlotta, but he’d been abusive in virtually every
other way—stifling her, stripping her of her confidence and self-worth, making
her feel small.
    “Never. I asked you to decorate, so I’m not going to tell
you how to do it or where to shop. I might remind you about the budget now and
then, but this project is meant to make the kids feel more at home. If
something in that shop works in their house, then go for it.”
    “Thank you, Caleb.” Damn, her soft voice went straight to
his dick. “How long do I have?”
    They needed to get to work, and he knew it. But after years
of her voice being smothered, he didn’t have the heart to cut her too short.
“Text me in thirty minutes. I should have retrieved the flooring by then. If
you’re done there, you can look at it and pick out the paint. We’ll have to see
what cabinets they have in stock and discuss what else we might need. How’s
that?”
    Her smile could have lit up half his life. “Perfect.”

 
 
 

Chapter 3

 
    Thirty minutes later, Carlotta left the home décor store
with a bag in hand. She clutched the plastic handles and smiled. It wasn’t
much, just pale gray-on-white placemats, a set of elegant wine glasses, a trio
of white pillar candles with modern faceted crystal holders, and sepia-toned
wall art she felt sure would be lovely in the dining room.
    She sent Caleb a quick text that she was