The Wolf’s Contract Marriage by Layla Silver

Chapter 9 – Caelum

The hot water of the shower pounded unforgivingly down onto my back. I found I had to use every fiber of my being to resist going back into the bedroom and screwing Teagan within an inch of her life.

I'd realized quickly after waking up that what we'd done the night before and were undoubtedly going to do again in the future might be construed as me taking advantage of her. To that end, I'd decided to ask her out.

Admittedly, I hadn't planned on doing it while my fingers were pumping in and out of her, but life had a funny way of working things out.

I forcibly shook myself from my thoughts.

There was a day of work ahead of me, and while Teagan was a welcome and pleasurable distraction, thoughts of her wouldn't pay the bills or win the custody battle I was fighting tooth and nail to win for my daughter, either.

I reached forward and simultaneously turned the hot and cold faucets off. Then I stepped out of the tiny cubicle full of steam and wrapped a towel around my waist.

When I padded back into the bedroom, I was relieved to see that Teagan wasn't in my bed anymore. If she had been, who knew what I would've ended up doing. But, instead, the smell of our sex was still thick and heady in the air, causing me to throw the curtains and windows wide open once I was dressed.

"So, I tried to make breakfast, but..." Teagan looked around the room helplessly once I arrived in the kitchen, my hair still damp from my shower.

"... there's nothing in the cupboards?" I finished for her.

"Exactly."

"Sorry about that. I've been a bachelor for quite a while. So I tend to just go out and get what I feel like in the mornings. It's easy when you're just feeding one person."

"Understandable." She ducked her head in a nod. "Well, I made coffee at least." She pushed a mug of the steaming beverage over the kitchen counter.

"That is most welcome. Thank you, Teagan."

"My pleasure. It's the least I could do after... after..." She gestured vaguely and tried to cover her blush by taking a sip of coffee.

"After last night?"

Teagan made a soft humming noise, and the look in her eyes told me that she wouldn't protest if I bent her over the kitchen counter and had my wicked way with her like I'd wanted to the morning before.

"The shower is free." I took a sip of coffee before putting the mug down and tapping my watch. "Don't want to be late."

"Oh, shit, sorry," Teagan apologized, taking the hint. She rushed past me as if she'd forgotten that she was coming to work with me again.

I found myself eyeing her appreciatively as she hurried back down the hall. She was wearing my shirt from yesterday, with two buttons done up and not much else. It was definitely a sight I wasn't going to forget anytime soon.

In less than five minutes, Teagan was ready. Her hair was brushed, and her clothes were neat and professional. All evidence of our tryst the night before had disappeared, but if I looked closely, I could see the edge of a purple hickey on her collarbone.

"Ready to get this show on the road?" I gulped the last of my coffee down and grabbed my car keys from where I'd dumped them on the kitchen counter the night before.

Teagan walked over to the couch and picked up her laptop bag. She'd abandoned it there the night before in her haste to continue what we'd been doing.

"Ready when you are."

I nodded. Yet again, almost effortlessly, my hand found its way to the small of her back. I guided her out to my car gently but firmly, as we really were running late. I couldn't keep my hands off of her, though, and judging by the tiny smirk on her face after I touched her, she knew it.

We spent the trip to the construction site getting to know each other better. I wasn't usually one for small talk, but it was effortless to keep a conversation going with Teagan. I learned about how she'd left her sister and extended family back home with a boyfriend to seek her fortune and find herself. From what I could gather, the relationship she had with her family was strained and full of uncertainty. But, "...while my relationship with Ben didn't work out, I'm still incredibly grateful to him for giving me my escape," she finished, and every word she'd spoken had rung with the truth.

"Thank you for telling me all that," I murmured as I pulled into the parking lot of the construction site. She ducked her head and smiled shyly at me. "Have you ever thought of contacting your family again, maybe reuniting?" It wasn't any of my business, but I was genuinely curious. I'd always been something of a family man—my parents had been together until they died, and I'd never have had the strength to leave them to find myself. We were way too close, and the worry would have sent my mother into a premature grave.

"I don't know," Teagan said after a few long moments of silence where she watched members of the construction crew mill around the parking lot. "Some days I long to know what's going on with Ainsley and Grayson. It's like an ache in my soul that never goes away. But then there are other days where I remember all the bad things that happened and vow never to go back." She sighed and dragged her fingers through her hair. "It's tiring and confusing, and most of the time, I hate it."

"I can understand that," I murmured while I pulled the car key from the ignition. "If you ever want to go back, though, just let me know, and I will pull heaven and earth to get you there."

"That's really nice of you to say, Caelum, but... why? Why would you move heaven and earth to get me back there?"

"Well... like I said last night... I like you. And you're under my protection. So anything you want from me, you can have. You only need to ask."

A dry chuckle forced its way from between Teagan's lips. "Do you hear yourself right now? We barely know each other, and now you're protecting me and offering to take me to my hometown? We literally met two days ago."

"I know, but..." I blew out a puff of breath as I tried to think of the best thing to say next, "...I feel like I know you, Teagan. I feel like you won't screw me over like Camilla has. Instead, I feel like you'll help me to the best of your ability. With you, I feel like we'll be a partnership. I really, really want to explore what a relationship with you could be like. I'm not saying there will be a ring at the end of it... all I want is a date for now. Can you do that for me?"

Teagan turned the full brunt of her beautiful golden gaze on me. She hesitated for a few seconds before taking a deep breath and opening her mouth.

A tap on the driver's side window of my Kia made us both jump what felt like a foot in the air. "Caelum. Get your ass moving. You're already late." Barry's voice was muffled through the glass, but I got the gist of what he was saying.

"One second, Barry." I held up a finger in his general direction and turned back towards Teagan.

"Enough flirting with your girlfriend. Let's go."

"Just a second, Barry, please."

The older man blew out a frustrated breath as he checked his watch. "Two minutes is all you're getting before I come in there and drag your ass out myself."

"Thanks, Barry." Why my usually almost annoyingly cheerful colleague was riding me was something I'd have to work out in two minutes. Still, for the time being, my undivided attention was on Teagan. "Can you do that for me? Just a date?" I prompted gently, hoping Barry hadn't ruined the moment.

"Yes, Caelum, I can do that."

"That's... honestly the best news I've heard in a long time." I grinned and leaned over to peck Teagan on the lips. She made an adorable squeaking noise before pushing me playfully away.

"You'd better get going before Barry has some kind of aneurysm out there."

I looked over to where she was pointing to find that Barry was tapping his foot impatiently while clutching a clipboard to his chest.

"Wish me luck," I muttered as I opened the car door.

"Luck," Teagan replied in a small, soft voice, but the fact she said it in the first place meant the world to me.

I took a deep breath and stepped out of the vehicle.

It was time to face the day whether I wanted to or not.