Free Against Me (Cedar Tree Book 3) by Freya Barker Page A

judgement," he says with such a serious face, it makes me chuckle.
    "Pretty sure that was never my concern, Caleb. More my own messy hang-ups, but I'm working on it."
    "Good enough."
    The sweet kiss he gives me is spoiled by a gigantic yawn I've been fighting to suppress for a while.
    "Tired?"
    "Mmm. It's late and this has been a day of so many emotional twists and turns, I'm surprised my head’s still attached to my body," I say as I stretch my arms over my head. A pained groan from Caleb has me look his way. "What?"
    "You keep doing shit like that and it'll be impossible for me not to want to strip you naked and lose myself in you, but today is not the day, and I really want to sleep with you in my arms tonight."
    With an almost angry scowl he stands up, adjusts himself and lifts me up in his arms, heading for the bedroom. 
    After a quick wash and rinse in the bathroom, and warmly tucked under the covers, I feel Caleb slide into the bed behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist and tucking his face in my neck. 
    "Best feeling, Yázhí ," he mumbles, giving me tingles all over.
    "What are you calling me? Yázhí ?" I whisper.
    "Little one, you've always been my little one. Now go to sleep."
    "Night."
    I pull up one of his big hands, kiss his palm and hold it pressed against my heart as I quickly drift off to sleep.

CHAPTER NINE
    I never had a chance last night to take in all the renovations that have taken place here over the last months, but now with the warm sun brightening up the morning, I let my eyes wander over the substantial changes made to what was once Emma's little one bedroom bungalow. You can't really tell from the front, it still looks like the same quaint porch-fronted, one-level house, but it was opened up and widened in the back with a larger kitchen and dining area, boasting large sliding glass doors that showcase the great view of the mountains. Off to one side it extends into a large office space with a separate entrance for GFI, a separate office for Gus, and a sizeable conference room.  Then there’s the guesthouse, set back from the main house, completely self-sufficient and bordering on luxurious, at least the shower is.
    "I'm gonna want a shower like that," I tell Caleb as we take the interlock pathway to the back entrance of the main house.
    "That so?" he chuckles.
    "God, yes. It has showerheads frigging everywhere. Even down low, aiming up and reaching all those spots that never get any attention ‘cause they're hard to get to? That felt so good." I stretch my arms up, letting the sun warm my body when I feel him bending over me from behind, his mouth by my ear.
    "Word of caution, little one. I was being a gentleman this morning, giving you some space and letting you have a shower alone, but now I'm done with that. We're about twenty steps away from meeting up with the boss and I have a hard-on the size of the Washington Monument. Already know my control is worth shit around you, but unless you want me to turn you straight back around to fix that, with Gus already watching through the windows, I suggest you stop teasing me."
    My eyes snap up and sure enough, Gus is visible behind the glass doors of the kitchen, a mug of coffee in hand.
    "But I wasn't..." I try before Caleb's deep growl from behind me cuts me off. Better not.
    It'd been pretty clear this morning that he was trying to keep some distance.  I was disappointed to find the bed empty when I woke up. He walked in a few minutes later with coffee and suggested I have a shower so we could have some breakfast and a powwow at the house. The only reminder of the events of the night before was a gentle kiss on my lips.
    "Morning. Better sit yourselves down, 'cause Emma's cooked for an orphanage," Gus says as he holds the door open for us.
    "Shut your mouth, Gus, or you're not gonna get any." Emma pipes up from the kitchen, "And when I say 'any', I mean any! "
    The faux-shocked expression on Gus' face inadvertently makes me chuckle,