Chapter 7

Cal and I slept together that night - as in just sleep It was so intimate. I think Cal even sends his 'healing sparks' out when he sleeps, so I definitely knew it was him and felt safe and assured all night.

'That night' (a flashback)

"So, I'll take the sofa and you can have this bed," he said, after yawning. We had been cuddled together watching a movie, in that romantic way couples do. It was kick-ass action all the way through and it warmed my heart to know that Cal knew me that well. He did suggest watching 'The Notebook', just to 'create that atmosphere, but we barely made it past the opening scene without laughing.

I looked at him plainly.

"Unless you want the sofa?" he asked.

"Why don't we share the bed? That's what it's there for." I hoped to death I sounded casual. Coming to think of it, why didn't he just get two beds? That would have been way easier -and far less embarrassing- than having me practically beg him to sleep with me.

"I don't know, Soph," He just called me 'Soph'?I didn't hear what he said next,because I had to stop him.

"'Soph'?"

"It just slipped out." He looked away from me, and scratched the back of his neck. Was he blushing?

"Jenna calls me Soph. It's just weird to hear it from you." Internally, I was grinning a little too widely. CAL was calling me by a nickname.

"I will find something else to call you, then."

"What?"

"I'll know when I hear it, S." We both grimaced and shook our heads at that one.

"Anyway, stop changing the subject."

"You brought it up," he replied.

"Yeah, well you…" He had a point, "We can each stick to our own sides of the bed, if that makes you feel better."

"I just think we should wait." I sighed.

"What is it about sharing a bed with me that you don't like?!The other day you were practically forcing me into one in the middle of the day!" Cal couldn't meet my eyes and I immediately felt guilty. I knew that wasn't him- It was the crystal.

"I'm sorry - that was uncalled for."

"No, that's fair." He didn't add to that. He just looked sad and that made me sad. I couldn't even tell him about what happened to him that day. Maybe I can keep a secret, I mean, he didn't even tell me that he was my future husband.

"I have to tell you something."

He didn't reply and I took that to mean 'continue'.

"That day…" I paused. I didn't want to betray my dad like this and Cal might hate me for keeping this from him, then using it to guilt him. Telling him now would only worsen a bad situation. I quickly changed what I was going to say.

"That day...I thought you looked fantastic in that white shirt."

Cal stopped looking at his hands to frown at me. "I wasn't wearing a white shirt."

"Oh, weren't you?I hadn't noticed." I lied, desperately trying to hold back the smile that was forming.

"No, you definitely noticed. So much in fact, that I noticed a little drool on your chin." Cal smiled and put his hand on his chin to look as though he were trying to recall that memory.

"Yet you kissed me anyway? I don't think I was drooling…"

"A little Sophie drool is not going to scare me away."

"That's not true. We both know I look like a sloth when I drool," then I had an idea, "There's only one way to prove this."

"I don't need proof - I was there."

"But your memory is messed up."

"It is not!"

"Anyway, in order to prove this, you're going to have to take off your shirt."

Cal's lips twitched at the edges. I crossed my arms in determination. "I'm serious," I added, "If I drool now, then you win."

"Win what?"

"You get to sleep on the sofa and I won't argue."

"And if you win?" I got you to take off your shirt, so I could check you out - I already win.

"You sleep in the bed...with me."

"Okay. Let's shake hands on it." I gladly shook his hand,in order use it as an opportunity to remove his shirt.

"Isn't that cheating?" He raised an eyebrow.

"No. This way you can't do that slow, teasing shirt removal."

"The what?"

"You heard me." Cal grinned. I made the mistake of taking a moment to appreciate his smile and allow my vision to drift downwards. Merde. Those biceps and forearms with that perfect amount of hair - manly, but not verging on gorilla. Then that six pack; now, this wasn't just any six pack, it was nicely outlined and clearly visible without turning into an eight-pack. Further downwards, you get the 'v' lines, which I am just not looking at today. Nope. I'm not straying past the belly button. I just felt so much shame, that I didn't want to meet his eyes again, so I just looked at his throat and the way his adam's apple bobbed whenever he swallowed.

"Is that drool?" I touched the edge of my mouth, smiled. Nope - I was dry.

"So, I was right." I tried not to make it sound like a question. The success gave me confidence and I was now able to look a little further up and his lips, fully pink and moist. Never take that for granted-a guy with dry lips is just not worth kissing. Cal must have noticed me looking because he ran his tongue along his bottom lip. My eyes darted back down to his throat.

"You know, I did kiss you first too…"

"Mmmhmmm," I cleverly retorted.

Just to, you know, make it fair, I slid closer to him on the sofa and pulled his head towards mine. Naturally he obliged and pulled me onto his lap. His hands stayed firmly on my waist,then slowly slid up my back to just under my bra strap. Mine were in his hair, probably trying to recreate that bed-head he had the other day. I guess this would be our first make-out session. I smiled at the thought, temporarily breaking the kiss, then his lips were on mine once again. His hands moved up to my hair and the back of my neck. To make myself more comfortable, I shifted my legs until, I realised, I was straddling him. To steady myself, my hands moved down to his torso, sliding down his bare back. Cal jumped, well actually, it was more like a shiver, and I put his shirt back on using magic. I definitely didn't do it on purpose, more out of reflex. Hey, I panicked! Cal, feeling his lack of nudity, pulled back enough for me to slide off of his lap. He looked at me, swollen wet lips, messy hair and dilated pupils.

"Wasn't that supposed to happen the other way around?" he asked.

"Well, if you had been wearing a shirt in the first place…"

"You did say you liked me in this." We both laughed. Just like that, things went from serious to jovial, with no remaining tension. Sort of.

"...I'm going to change for bed, " he said, after the laughter died down. He turned to get up, then sat back down. I frowned at him, and then realised he could just change here.

"I didn't actually bring a change of clothes with me." He smiled, sheepishly. I touched his arm and put him in a pair of stripy pyjamas with a button-up top and everything. Then I changed mine to my usual vest top and shorts.

"I won. You're coming to bed."

I took his hand and led him to the bedroom.