Irresistible Bachelors: Books 1-5 by Landish, Lauren (bts books to read TXT) 📕

the way he invited me to run today instead of our normal Sunday, I’m excited. Although he did sound a little disappointed when I said I don’t like the high school track and prefer the park. Dunno why, but it doesn’t matter now.

I’ve been surprised at how well both sides of our relationship have been going. The house is still in that hollow stage, but Caleb gets what I’m trying to do and is working with me to create the design I see inside my head. All the demo and some of the repairs are done, and the house is starting to look like an actual house again, except for the bathrooms, which we still need to totally do.

And as for the sex . . . mind-blowing. If I’m honest, it’s the best I’ve ever had by far. It’s been the reason that I’ve been worried, too. Because sex with Caleb is absolutely addictive. I keep finding myself thinking about him, looking forward to the next time we get together, to the point I’ve even stopped by the house on weekdays if I know he’s going to be there just to try and have an excuse to see him. I don’t know, maybe that’s gotten me clingy, and I was starting to feel a tad worried. But his invitation to run reassures me. Just like old times.

I don’t want to think about the expiration date of our arrangement. I know it’ll be hard to ever top it, so I’m gonna enjoy the fuck out of it while I can. Caleb is a total commitment-phobe guy, but surely, he won’t stay that way forever. I get it, some girl in his past burned him badly. He mentioned her name in passing once, but I forget it now. But he’s too damn decent and sweet to be a casual guy forever. He’s going to get swept up in some woman’s web, and that’ll be the end of our fuck-buddy setup. I just hope that when that happens, we stay friends. I’d really hate to lose our friendship over some jealous bitch who can’t handle his having a friend with a vagina. Admittedly, the fact that he knows that vagina intimately might be a bit of a complicating factor, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.

As I jog to our meeting point in the park, I see Caleb from afar. He’s stretching, lunging deeply, sticking his ass out behind him, and I wish for a second that I were behind him to give a little smack.

As I stare, I see a gorgeous, lithe blonde bounce up to him. Her ponytail and tits bounce in time to her little jog in place, and I instantly hate her. She’s taller than me, with either the world’s best sports bra or gravity-defying tits that somehow aren’t flopping around even though she’s showing at least half of those cantaloupes off.

I can’t hear them, but see her lips move, saying something to Caleb, and his face lights up into a bright smile as he talks back. They’re flirting. He’s flirting. Oh, fuck this!

I start to speed up to claim my territory . . . back off, Blondie Bitch. I take about four steps before I stop with a thunk in my heart. Shit, I can’t do that. That’s not what we are. He’s not mine to get all territorial over. We said that we’d be just buddies, working off the sexual needs without the relationship bullshit. But there’s no denying to myself that I’m jealous as fuck.

As I struggle inside, I see her pull her phone out of her cleavage . . . really, bitch, that is just unsanitary! She types something, and Caleb looks down at his phone, holding it up to show he got her message. With a prissy little wave, she bounces off, and I want to swing her around by her ponytail so damn badly.

I squash the feeling down, jogging up to Caleb. He gives me the same smile, but a little side hug of greeting, which somehow hurts. Flirting with boobs in your face, but I get a side hug? Damn, that’s some cold shit, Caleb.

He doesn’t notice and steps back, giving me his normal casual smile. “What are you feeling today? Same path as usual?”

Usual? I’m going to need something a little more intense after seeing that. “Actually, maybe something a little different. I’ve got some pent-up energy I need to work out.”

“Mmm, pent-up energy, huh? I know just the thing,” Caleb says, making me feel even worse. He’s just trying to have fun, and that’s all I am, fun. He goes to grab my ponytail, my limp ass ponytail I messily gathered at the nape of my neck before heading out this morning. It feels flat compared to Blondie Bitch. I pull back, all of my swirling emotions turning into a snippy anger.

“Whatever, Old Man . . . just try to keep up.” I sprint away down the path, and Blondie had better hope she’s a fast runner. I might just put a foot up her ass the way I’m feeling. It’s only seconds before I hear Caleb’s footsteps fall in next to mine, but I keep my eyes forward.

We run in silence for a while, pacing each other easily. I have no plan other than to run my jealousy out before I talk to him. As we pass a playground, I gesture to turn off into the dirt path through the woods because I need another mile at least to get my game face on. As we dip behind the dense tree line, there’s a sudden wash of quiet and peace as the forest surrounds us. Slowing down to account for the rougher terrain, our breathing evens out.

“So, what’s with you this morning? Decide to train for a marathon you forgot to tell me about? I thought I was going to have to wave the white flag back there. You almost dropped me.”

I shrug, not daring to look