I decided to give it one more try with him. If things didn't work out this time, I resolved to walk away on my own terms.

-

The day Caleb returned from his business trip, Zoe informed me right away.

Without delay, I sent Caleb a message on WhatsApp: [I haven't thanked you yet for taking me to the hospital to see my dad last time. Let me buy you dinner as a thank you].

Caleb: [Okay.]

I was about to send him the location of a restaurant when he sent another message: [How about coming to my house for a meal?]

[?] I can't cook!

Caleb: [I'm exhausted from the trip and need to catch up on some sleep. You go to the supermarket to get the ingredients, and when I wake up from my nap, I'll cook.]

I truly wanted to remind him that it seemed odd for me to treat him and thank him by going to his house and having him do the cooking.

But the lure of spending time with him was too strong, and despite the impropriety, I decided to play along.

Soon, I received a location from Caleb, different from the place I'd visited to pick up Zoe's clothes last time.

I forwarded it to Zoe and asked about the house.

Zoe: [It's the house Caleb lives in alone. How do you know that?]

It didn't matter how I knew. All that mattered was that I was eager to head to the grocery store, grab the ingredients, and rush over to his place!

While I was shopping, Caleb sent me a message with the code to his house.

He mentioned that he was afraid he would sleep like a log and not hear me ring the doorbell later.

What did that imply? It was as clear as day!

I made a hasty purchase and rushed over to his place.

True to his word, he was fast asleep, and my arrival didn't stir him in the slightest.

I put the groceries down quietly and tiptoed into his bedroom.

Inside, a wall sconce was on, casting a dim, moody light that made the atmosphere feel incredibly intimate.

Caleb was sound asleep in his bed, topless, with his strong arms exposed and a hint of his chest visible.

It was quite a tantalizing sight, and I had to swallow hard, admittedly captivated.

It seemed a bit unfair to take advantage of someone while they were asleep, didn't it?

Moreover, as a girl, my sense of propriety is quite strong.

After wavering for a few moments, I was about to retreat, but at that very moment, Caleb suddenly opened his eyes. His piercing gaze locked onto me, immobilizing me on the spot.