Stone Cold Notes: A Rock Star Romance (The Seasons Change)

I SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON MY WAY TO GROCERY SHOP. It was what I did on Sundays. Instead, I was stepping inside Callum’s Krav Maga studio to watch some murder-fighting.

At once, I was hit by the smell of bodies and sweat and an underlying hint of lemon cleaning product. A class was taking place on the mat closest to the window, but Callum wasn’t among that group this time. He’d texted he would be on the mats in the back of the studio, which was far larger than I had thought from peering inside the window.

I hung my coat on a rack in the small lobby by the door and made my way on the path skating around the mats to the rear of the studio. A swarm of neurotic butterflies filled my stomach. I was more nervous now that Callum knew who I was than I was before. That could have had something to do with the way he’d declared me to be his last night. Crazy as it was, I had liked hearing that. But holy granola, I had not been prepared for that reaction out of him.

This thing between us needed to be slow and thought out. If it had just been me to consider, I might have dove headfirst. But I had Ezra, and he was my top priority. I couldn’t be a normal twenty-two-year-old running into the arms of my rock star fantasy. Especially since my rock star fantasy didn’t even know my boy existed. I promised myself that would be rectified soon.

A small group was circled around a mat in the back, watching with rapt attention as two men sparred. Callum was dressed in black like he’d been last week, but now, he had padded gloves on his hands and shin guards. His opponent wore Adidas athletic gear instead of a uniform and was a few inches shorter, but he made up for it in being broad and powerful.

I stood behind a row of men in black uniforms, a knot in my throat as I watched. Callum’s expression was vicious, and so was his attack. He followed Adidas around the mat relentlessly, kicking and jabbing. His opponent fought back just as hard, landing blows on Callum’s torso and face.

I winced every time Callum was hit, but when his jabs landed true, I had to hold myself back from cheering. Violence wasn’t the answer, but Callum might have been able to convince me otherwise.

The fighters grappled until Callum flipped Adidas over and they both went down to the mat. Callum rolled to his back, wrapping his long legs around the other man’s waist and throwing punches at his stomach and shoulders.

Someone called out for them to reset. Callum and Adidas hopped up from the mat and started over. Punching, kicking, going for the throat, rolling on the ground, unrelenting in their determination to kill each other.

It was so freaking sexy, I almost couldn’t stand to watch another minute.

Then, Adidas and Callum went down again, both on their backs. Adidas had his arms locked around Callum’s throat and his legs were holding his waist. Callum braced his feet flat on the floor, bucking upward and breaking free of Adidas’s legs, then he twisted his body around and rolled, sliding out of the choke hold. He laid on top of Adidas’s prone form, fully pinning him to the mat.

My pulse fluttered wildly when time was called and they walked off the mat, letting a new pair take the center. Callum stooped to grab a towel from the floor and wiped his sweaty forehead. No one spoke to him, though more than a few people were looking at him.

I stayed half hidden, twisting my cardigan with my fingers. After everything, I shouldn’t have been nervous. He had stated in no uncertain terms he wanted me, and he’d been more than pleased when I’d suggested for me to come here. But waiting for him to see me felt like the first time all over again. The horror show that was my mind kept running images of him walking right past me again.

He didn’t let me wonder for long. One last wipe of his face on the towel and his eyes were on me as he skirted around the mat to get to me. As soon as I was within his reach, one long arm shot out, snagging me around the waist and pulling me into his sweaty chest.

“Why are you hidin’ over here, Wren?”

Rin. Holy granola, how had I gone all my life without hearing him say my name like that?

“I was worried about blood splatter. It’s so hard to get out of wool.” I reached for his face, skimming my fingertips over a red spot on his cheek. “Aren’t you supposed to be pulling punches?”

He leaned into my hand until I was cupping his rough jaw. “That’s the idea, but I’ve never been the kind to be afraid of a little pain. That’s why I like to spar with Gregor. He doesn’t know the meaning of takin’ it easy.”

“So, you’re telling me he beat you? Maybe I should go find him.” With a grin, I moved a fraction of an inch before I was tugged back firmly against Callum.

“You really want me to kill him?”

I shook my head. “No, I don’t. I’m teasing. I never thought I’d be into watching a fight, but that was…” I sighed, and Callum’s lips tipped.

“Are you a bloodthirsty little bird?”

“Maybe I am.”

He dipped his head to nuzzle his nose in my hair and inhaled. The pained groan that came from him landed directly between my thighs. “You smell delicious. Wait for me to get cleaned up?”

“All right. I have to go grocery shopping, so I can’t really stay for long.”

“Just wait, Wren.” He took another whiff of my hair and backed away. “Wait.”

I nodded and pointed to the floor. His brow furrowed, and he lingered, almost glaring at me, then he nodded back and disappeared into the locker room.

I did stay in that spot for a minute or two, but then I felt too conspicuous waiting in the middle of all the action, so I returned to the lobby and grabbed my coat from the rack. I had just buttoned the second to the last button when rough hands grabbed my shoulder and turned me around.

“You were gone. I told you to stay.” Callum slipped the final button in place and tucked my hair behind my ear. “I thought you left.”

“I promised I’d stay.” His cheeks were red and scrubbed clean, his hair freshly pulled back. He’d thrown a black hoodie over his uniform, and a duffel bag was clutched in his tight fist. “I came to see you, you know. Why would I leave?”

Exhaling, he shook his head. His hand dragged down my arm to thread our fingers together, then he pushed out the door into the cold. Callum was lost in his head, pulling me along in the direction of the grocery store.

His strides were long, eating up a block in no time. I took four steps for each of his, basically jogging to keep up with him. It wasn’t fun. My chest ached from sucking in the icy air, and Callum had no awareness of my struggle.

“Hey, slow down. My legs are half the length of yours.” I tapped his arm at the same time I stumbled over my own feet. He caught me in an instant, dropping his duffel to wrap me in his hold. He buried his face in my hair as he embraced me.

“I’m sorry, Wren. I wasn’t thinkin’.”

“Hey.” I cupped his cheeks with both of my hands, bringing his face closer to mine. “I’m fine, I’m just short. I know I should’ve stayed where I said I would, but I wasn’t leaving. I promise.”

Blue eyes burned into mine, old sorrow and new desire blending so thoroughly, it was hard to tell one from the other.

“Wren,” he murmured a moment before his mouth was on mine. There was nothing slow or tentative about the way Callum Rose kissed me. He took my head in his hands, tilting it to the side, and speared his tongue into my mouth. I whimpered, not because he was forceful, but from his desperation leaking into me. I felt his frustration with me and his fear I’d walk away again.

“You taste as delicious as you smell.” His lips skimmed mine, nipping and sucking like we were in the privacy of his home, not on a sidewalk in Queens on a Sunday afternoon. “I’m not letting you go now.”

On instinct, I bit his bottom lip, and he growled, holding me even tighter against him.

“I’m not going anywhere,” I breathed.

“Come to my place.” His hands skimmed down my back. If I were any taller, he’d probably be palming my butt. “Come, Wren.”

Someone honked and yelled something in Spanish. I had an idea of what they were saying, and my cheeks burned, but Callum didn’t even flinch.

“I can’t.”

“Why?” he demanded.

“It’s too fast, Callum.” I pushed up on my toes and kissed the corner of his downturned mouth. “Can’t we just take a walk?”

He kissed me again, this time slower, his tongue dancing with mine instead of dominating it. I’d kissed exactly three people in my life, and I barely remembered the second one. I would never forget this kiss. Not only because it was with Callum, but also because I felt it all the way to my toes. He took over not just my mouth, but my entire being. That was why it was hard to pull away, but I did.

Slowly.

Reluctantly.

“We’re going to end up on your fan websites. All your groupies are going to want to claw my eyes out.”

He pecked my nose before pulling back. “Good. I want everyone to know you’re mine.” He took my hand in his and picked up his duffel. “Let’s go for a walk. I’ve been waitin’ for this for a long, long time.”

This time, he tempered his pace to match mine, and since I was a foot and a half shorter than him, he had to go really slow.

“How long have you been practicing Krav Maga?” I asked.

“Three years, officially. I had an uncle who was in the army in Israel and was trained in it. He and I sparred a lot growin’ up. He beat the shit out of me until I got bigger, then I beat the shit out of him.”

“Your family’s Israeli?”

“No.” His small smile seemed indulgent. “He wasn’t blood related. I had a lot of aunts and uncles. I can’t even tell you who was a real relative.”

“On your commune?”

He chuckled. “No, I didn’t live on a commune. We were travelers, remember? Caravaners who followed fairs and carnivals, performing and thievin’.”

Callum had told me a little about how he’d grown up, and some I’d learned through Googling The Traveling Roses. They were a group of ten or fifteen adults and an unknown number of kids who sang folk songs and lived off the grid. The adults took care of each other’s kids like family. The article had made them seem like they were living a whimsical, alternative lifestyle, but Callum’s depiction had hinted at something much darker.

“Do you know if they’re still traveling and thieving?”

His hand tightened around mine, and he pulled me deeper into his side. “Don’t know the details. I cut ties with them when I left at eighteen. My brother and sister came around a couple years ago lookin’ for money.”

I wrinkled my nose. “Were you close to them growing up?”

“I was, until I left. I would’ve given them money if they’d only asked. They didn’t just ask, though. They tried to blackmail me, threatening to tell the press how I grew up.”

He peered down at me, and I grinned back at him. “Did you tell them to go fuck themselves?”

He stopped walking entirely and stared at me without blinking for several hammering beats of my heart. “It’s fuckin’ adorable when you cuss. It doesn’t even make sense comin’ out of your sweet little mouth, but damn is it cute.”

He dipped down and touched his lips to mine. This time, he kissed me slowly, licking my cussin’ tongue and sucking on my adorable lips. When he let go, I chased him with my mouth until he was kissing me again, sighing in pure bliss.

“Yeah, Little Bird. I told them to go fuck themselves. I don’t care what anyone thinks of me.” He pecked my nose like he did before. “Except you.”

“Did they sell your story?”

“Nope. No way they wanted to call attention to themselves.”

The grocery store was in front of us, and my stomach dipped. I didn’t really want to say goodbye, but I needed to get going and shop for my kid.

“Well, I think you’re a good kisser and I like you.” I tugged on the strings of his hoodie. “You could dress warmer, though. I think that’s your biggest flaw.”

“I like you worryin’ about me.” He started for the door of the store, and I had no choice but to follow since he still had my hand tucked in his.

“You’re coming in?” I asked.

“Yeah. I’m takin’ my time with you where I can get it.”

Callum walked beside me while I pushed the cart, throwing in my usual produce and essentials. I hadn’t brought my own cart to get my bags back home, so this would have to be a lighter trip, which was just as well, since there was no way Callum actually wanted to be here. Although, he seemed pretty content to be with me, just as he’d said. Fortunately, he didn’t question me tossing in Ez’s favorite snacks and cereal. I would tell him soon, but not now. Not when I’d already told him so much and was just getting him back.

When I headed toward the register, Callum frowned. “This is all you’re buyin’?”

“Yeah. I didn’t want to bring my cart to the studio. But that’s fine, this will get us through a few days. Jenny can go during the week since her schedule’s more flexible.”

When I checked out, Callum tossed reusable shopping bags on the scanner without saying a word. They were the nice kind, canvas with thick handles. Out of my budget, but I didn’t protest. When the total came up at the end, he nudged me aside and shoved his credit card in the machine.

“Thank you.” I knocked my forehead on his arm. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“You’re welcome.” He tucked his card in his wallet, then pressed a kiss to my crown. “I did it because I wanted to. That’s all.”

“I know. It was very sweet of you.” I also had a feeling he’d hate it if I’d fought him on it, so I didn’t. It didn’t feel like he was giving me charity in that moment. I felt taken care of, and my chest was warm and fuzzy.

He took three of the bags, and I carried one. The lightest one, containing eggs and bread. We walked just as leisurely back to my house, holding hands and chatting a little, but mostly quietly being together. It was everything I’d wanted with him. The perfect dream dragged from my imagination to reality.

At my door, I turned to him and pushed up on my toes to kiss his chin since that was all I could reach. He placed the bags on my welcome mat and dropped down a step so we were more level.

“Is that better?” he asked.

“Yes.” I put my bag down beside his and looped my arms around his neck. “I still can’t believe I’m standing here with you.”

“I hope you know I’m not goin’ anywhere.”

“I hope you know I don’t want you to. I missed talking to you even more than I realized it. But honestly, this is better. I like seeing your face when I’m talking to you.”

His warm breath ghosted across my lips, then he gave me a light kiss. “I missed everything about you, Wren.”

“I need to go inside.”

He kissed me again, just as light. “Go.”

I was surprised he didn’t press me to come into the house with me. He didn’t even try to carry my grocery bags. He watched me, though. He stood on my steps, cataloging my every move until the very last moment when I finally closed the door between us and leaned my back against it.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I squealed with giddiness.

“That good, huh?”

Jenny was walking toward me with a smirk. She took two of the bags from my hand while I got myself together and kicked off my sneakers.

“Better than good,” I answered.

“I’m happy for you, Birdie. When do I get to meet him?”

“Soon. Maybe.” As soon as I tell him about Ezra.

Callum didn’t strike me as a kid person, but maybe he’d be a my kid person. Fingers freaking crossed.

Monday night, I was curled up in bed, reading on my phone, close to falling asleep, when I received a text from Callum. I smiled before I even read it. He’d sent his car for me in the morning and when I left work in the evening, but I hadn’t seen him.

Callum: Are you asleep, Little Bird?

Me: Almost. I was reading. Thank you for the ride today.

Callum: You’re welcome. Did the driver tell you to expect him every day now?

Me: He did, which seems like too much, but I won’t argue, because I have a feeling I won’t win.

Callum: It isn’t too much. I have a lot of years to make up for with you. And even if I didn’t, I don’t like you being vulnerable on public transportation. I want you safe.

Me: I know. What are you doing?

Callum: I was thinking about your sweet lips and the noises you made when I fucked your mouth with my tongue. I’d like to know what noises you make when I put my mouth on your pussy.

I threw my phone across the bed with a yelp. Holy granola. This man was intense, and he made me blush so hard. But…oh, I thought I liked being talked to like that. It made me feel desired in a way I never had.

Callum: Has anyone had their mouth there, Wren?

Me: No. No one.

Callum: Good. I’m going to eat your pussy to make up for all the years you were hiding from me. You know what you could have had for the last three years? I would have been licking you every morning and kissing you good night with your taste on my lips.

Me: I regret everything I’ve missed with you, Callum.

Me: I want to put my mouth on you too. You like to watch, so you can watch me suck you. You can tell me exactly how you like it, then I’ll kiss you good night with your taste on my tongue.

Callum: Fuck.

Me: Yeah.

Callum: You make me want to sneak in your window and make good on this.

Me: Would you tie me up and gag me?

Callum: I’m so fucking hard right now for you. This wasn’t why I texted you, Little Bird.

Me: But I like knowing I do that to you.

Callum: You make me crazy. I want to do all kinds of crazy things. Tell me when I can see you.

Me: Saturday night. Are you going to make good on your teases?

Callum: This isn’t teasing. This is planning.

Me: I can’t wait. Not just for the sexy stuff, but to spend more time with you.

Callum: God, Wren. You’re too fucking sweet for your own good. There’s no way I’m giving you up. No way.

Me: I don’t want you to.

Callum: Go to sleep like the good girl you are. You have to wake up early.

Me: K. Good night, Callum Rose. Miss you. Xoxo

Callum: Good night, Little Bird. x