A Kiss At Midnight (Delilah and Caelum) novel Chapter 121

A KISS AT Midnight

B

wasn’t

was so caught up with everything we shared, and the connection I thought we had, making me think there was a chance Buclearly, there wasn’t.

God, Delilah. You’re so stupid.

Forcing out a laugh. “Yeah, I’m good. Just surprised, that’s all. I’ve you thought of how you plan on asking herf

“Um…yeah. I do have a couple of plans but not sure how in case it might feel all cringy.”

Had he been thinking about it when he had taken me to the gallery? When we had gotten closer and I had open up about my family and Daisy, with him promising to always be there.

Had all of those moments still been about Olivia?

I gulp down the pain, blinking a bit before smiling. “You can run them with me and Kaia and then we tell you which is perfect. But judging from tonight’s dinner, I doubt she no.”

“Oh… that’s great, Caelum. Really great.” I struggled to keep the smile on my face. “You guys are going to have so much fun I know it.”

His expression changes and a slight frown replaces his smile. “Oh..um.. yeah, I think that can work. I mean..sure, I guess.” He rubs the back of his neck, his jaw clenching slightly as he looks away, and if he hadn’t told me seconds ago about taking Olivia as a date to the fall festival, I would have thought he was pissed.

Bitting at the wall of my mouth, I force myself to look at him, “I guess that settles it. We can talk about this on Monday. um..” I look around the garage, before taking a step back, realizing how close our bodies were. “I think I better get going. I told my dad I would be back by 8:30, so…”

That was a lie, but I couldn’t stand here much longer and pretend he words hadn’t gotten to me and that my façade of not giving a damn wasn’t about to break.

“Delilah..” I didn’t give him the chance to complete his words as I turn around making my way to the house.

Behind me, I heard his footsteps follow causing my pace quickened.

I could hear him getting closer, but I refused to look back. I tightened my grip around my bag and walked faster, practically rushing through the door before he could catch up with me.

I headed straight for the living room where Amelia and Matthew were, sitting comfortably on the couch. Amelia looks up the moment she saw me.

“Hey, sweetheart. I was wondering where you’d disappeared to.”

“I was at the garage,” I answered quickly, before she could say anything else as footsteps sounded behind me. Caelum walking into the room.

He didn’t say a word but I could feel his eyes on me while I kept mine firmly on his mother. I gulped, forcing down the ache tightening in my chest.

“Thank you for tonight,” I said, managing a small smile, “I really had a great time.”

Her expression softened. “Of course, sweetheart. We should do this more often, you’re always welcome here, you know that.”

Nodding, I force a smile. “Thank you,” before reaching for my bag from the couch, “I should probably get going. Good night.”

“Good night, Delilah,” Matthew said.

D

17:18 Tue, Sep 1 TOS

A KISS A Midnight

“Good night.” I turn toward the door not looking at Caelum, not once as I walk past him, keeping my gaze straight ahead, stepping outside.

Barely made it a few steps before I felt a hand close around mine from behind. “Hey, are you okay?” I take in a deep breath, before turning to look at it, spotting the concern written all over his face.

“For the hundredth time, Caelum, I’m fine.” I gave him a quick smile but he didn’t let go immediately, “Don’t worry I’ve got to go, good night” I smile again before gently pulling my hand free, walking away from him to my car.

Opening the door, I slip into the driver’s sea before closing the door behind me, finally letting the smile drop from my face My hands settle on the steering wheel, my fingers tightening around it as I stare straight ahead.

Taking a slow breath, I try to push down everything I was feeling before starting the car.

I didn’t look back, not at the house or at him as I pulled out of the driveway, driving away.

My eyes firmly on the road as I fought the urge to glance in the rearview mirror

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118 Tue, Sep 1 TTO.

A Kiss At Midnight

FIXING IT

Calum POV

B

I slam my fist into the punching bag, the impact jolting through my arm. Sweat trickles down my forehead and into my eyes, but I barely noticed. I kept going,throwing one punch after another until my breathing grew heavier and my museles starts to burn.

I’d done this enough times that I didn’t need to think about it. The rhythm came naturally..the hit, the recoil, the next hit.

usually, this helped clear my head. Usually

But my thoughts had been a complete fucking mess since yesterday, and I couldn’t even figure out why

I hit the bag again and again and no matter how hard I tried to focus on anything else, my mind kept circling back to Delilah.

To the way she had suddenly pulled away from me and to the look on her face before she walked off. I clench my jaw,throwing another punch.

Whatever had gotten into her yesterday, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had missed something

By the time I finally stop, my arms were aching and sweat had soak through my shirt. I grab the towel hanging nearby and wipe my face before exhaling slowly.

Apparently, punching a bag wasn’t going to be enough to figure out what the hell was going on with her.

“Looks like you needed that,” Ryder said from behind me and I glance over my shoulder.

My cousin stood near the entrance of the backside of the garage, his arms folded across his chest, a faintly amused look on his face, “Need a sparring partner?” he asked.

I toss the towel over my shoulder, “You volunteering?”

“That depends,” he steps farther into the room, “are you planning on taking my head off, or can I expect you to show some mercy?”

I snorted, “No promises.”

“Thought so.”

Ryder had known me long enough to recognize when something was off, he didn’t need me to explain it to know I had been taking my frustration out on the punching bag for a reason.

He nods toward the ring. “Come on, let’s see if you can actually hit something that hits back,” I stepped onto the ring, rolling my shoulders as he follows

“Just so you know,” I warned, “I’m not in the mood to go easy.”

He grinns. “Good, neither am I,” I came at him, barely giving melany time to settle into his stance. He blocked the first punch, but I followed with another, forcing him backward across the ring, “Jesus, Caelum.”

I didn’t answer, and was too focused

Every time he tried to get an opening, I shut it down. He managed to land a few hits, but I kept pressing forward, refusing to give him enough room to recover.

“You planning on killing me today?” he grunted.

118 Tue, Sep 1 TTO

A KISS At Midnight

“Keep talking.”

14

seoffs, “That’s encouraging.” I duck beneath his swing and moved around him, catching him off guard. Within seconds, 1 hathe upper hand again.

He tried to turn the momentum around, but I didn’t let him, till he finally throws his hands up. “Okay, okay. Call it.”

I stopped, breathing heavily while he bent forward, catching his breath before straightening and pointing at me, “Remind me to think twice before asking you to spar again.”

Wiping the sweat from my forehead with the back of my wrist, I says a little smugly, “Probably a good idea.”

“Especially when you’re in a mood like this.”

“I’m fine.”

“Sure you are,” he shakes his head, laughing under his breath as he stepped out of the ring.

“You’ve gotten damn good, though, I’ll give you that.”

I followed him off the ring as he reaches to grab two bottle of water from the beach, tossing one toward me and I caught it easily.

He twists open his own bottle before taking a long drink, then his eyes settles on me. “So,” he said casually, “what has you all frustrated?”

“I’m not frustrated.”

He gave me a look. “You could’ve fooled me.”

I twist the cap off my water bottle and took a drink, avoiding his eyes while he watches me for another second before his expression shifted. “Does this have anything to do with Delilah?”

My jaw clenches. “Why would you think it has anything to do with Delilah?”

“Because the last time I saw you this worked up was because of her,” he raises an eyebrow. “So…” I said nothing and then he sighs, “I thought things were going well with you two, so what happened?”

I took another drink, this time swallowing almost half the bottle before lowering it. I wipe the water that had gathered around my mouth with the back of my hand, a little harsher than necessary while he waited.

When I still didn’t say anything, he stepped closer. “Come on, Caelum. Talk to me,” I kept my gaze down, “Whatever it is, maybe I can help. At the very least, say it out loud instead of letting it build up inside your head.”

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