127 I'll Come For You
Ashleigh had tried to catch Bell, but it was too late. She didn’t know why she seemed so sad, but she knew that when Bell was ready, she would talk to her about it.
Wyatt had carried Corrine away. Ashleigh suspected he had taken her home.
Though a part of her wanted to follow them and ask what they were talking about, she didn’t want to leave Caleb alone for long.
She arrived at his room to find he wasn’t actually alone. The three medics he had brought with him were gathered there.
“Hi,” she smiled as she entered the room.
Caleb smiled back at her and then looked at one of the medics. They saluted him, and the others followed suit. Immediately leaving the room after.
“I didn’t mean to chase them away,” she said as she walked over to stand beside him.
“You didn’t,” he smiled, “we were all done.”
Ashleigh smiled back and took his hand in hers.
“Are you hungry? Is there anything you need?” she asked.
“Yes,” he replied, giving her a serious look.
“What is it?” she asked.
“You,” he whispered.
Ashleigh felt the blush creeping over her cheeks.
“Cheesy,” she mumbled as she lowered the bed rail.
Like before, she moved his arm and laid down beside him, pulling his arm back around her to rest on her hip. Ashleigh laid her head on his shoulder, put her hand on his chest, and looked up at him.
He turned his head to face her. His grey eyes were like storm clouds before a summer rain.
Ashleigh felt her heart pick up. He smiled.
“There it is,” he whispered.
“What?” she asked.
“Your honesty,” he smiled. “The slightly elevated thrum of your heart when you see me. The excitement you feel to be near me.”
Ashleigh took a deep breath and looked away from him. Trying to calm her heart.
He chuckled.
“Why hide it?” he asked. “Unless you plan to change your mind again.”
Ashleigh turned back immediately; alarm seeped into her eyes.
“No, I swear!” she shouted.
His storm clouds shifted. They swirled with darkness. Although it didn’t frighten her, this new look in his eye made her draw a shaky breath and lick her lips.
Ashleigh’s eyes were drawn down to his plump lips. She felt the flush in her cheeks.
His tempting mouth curved into a grin.
‘I want to taste his lips…’ she thought.
The dropping fluttering sense in her stomach made her take in a trembling breath. Ashleigh bit on her lower lip as the nerves threatened to overwhelm her.
She looked back into his eyes, filled with desire and more. She felt his chest moving up and down a little more than it was previously. Ashleigh closed her eyes and listened. It didn’t take long. His heart was beating for her. She smiled.
Feeling his heart beating along with hers, their rhythms close to each other. It was like an intimate dance that only they could witness.
It calmed her nerves while encouraging her desires.
She lifted herself onto her elbow, positioning her face just above his. He turned to look up at her.
Ashleigh opened her eyes and looked down at him. He saw their shared desire reflected at him and moistened his lips.
“I told you already,” he whispered.
Her brows furrowed, and he smiled.
“You’re going to have to be the one to kiss me.”
Ashleigh’s mouth tilted in a slight grin. She leaned forward slowly, feeling his heartbeat stronger and stronger as she approached.
He tilted his chin up towards her. She closed her eyes as their lips touched— a soft, warm touch. His warmth extended down along the sensitive skin of her throat, over her chest, and down her body until it reached her toes.
Ashleigh kissed him harder.
Caleb turned his head gently, pulling away from the kiss.
Ashleigh opened her eyes and looked at him.
“Gently,” he whispered. Then, placing a delicate kiss on her lips, brief yet still sent a shockwave of yearning through her nerves. “Slowly.”
His lips brushed against hers once more, only this time, she followed after him. Gently, slowly, she moved her mouth against his.
Ashleigh felt the slightest sense of victory when she heard the soft moan from him.
She smiled against his mouth, and she knew he felt it when he suddenly nibbled on her bottom lip. Summoning a moan from her own traitorous lips.
Now he was the one that smiled.
Ashleigh felt a surge of confidence building from their shared longing. She ran her tongue lightly along his lip.
“So I hear we need to prep you for– Oh Goddess! I’m so sorry!” Peter shouted.
Ashleigh jumped and tumbled off the bed, landing hard against the floor.
“Ashleigh!” Caleb shouted.
“I’m fine!” she replied, “I’m fine… just dying from the embarrassment, but fine.”
Ashleigh stayed on the floor for a minute as she tried to calm herself and gather the dignity she had dropped somewhere around here. ρꪖꪕᦔꪖꪕꪫꪣꫀꪶ
Peter cleared his throat.
“Sorry… again… But I really do need to get you prepped for transport–”
“Peter!” Caleb shouted.
But it was too late. Ashleigh had heard what he said. She got up off the ground and stared at Caleb with a confused and concerned expression.
“Transport?” she asked.
Caleb sighed and turned back to Peter.
“Can you please give us a minute?” he asked.
“It has to literally be a minute, I mean I need to– right yes, yes. I will go now.” Peter replied, quickly hurrying out the door when he saw the look of irritation from Caleb.
“What’s going on?” Ashleigh asked.
Caleb took a deep breath.
“I’m going home,” he answered.
“What?” she asked, shaking her head. “No, you can’t. Bell said you have to stay at least two days to let the swelling go down.”
“And my medics believe that I will be fine during transport as long as I am monitored properly strapped in.”
Ashleigh stared at him in disbelief.
“You don’t know that, though,” she said, tears rising. “What if you get in an accident? What if the monsters that attacked us here attack you on the road?”
“Ashleigh,” Caleb smiled at her. “I’m going to be fine.”
“Is this because of my father?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest. “Did he come in here and threaten you or something? Because I will keep him away, I will make sure that–”
“It’s not your dad, Ashleigh,” Caleb replied, shaking his head. “I need to go home.”
Ashleigh pursed her lips and clenched her jaw, trying desperately to keep the tears from falling.
“My wolves are worried. They need to know that I am ok,” Caleb answered.
A silence hung between them. Ashleigh stared at the floor, and Caleb stared at her.
“I’ll go with you,” she said quietly with a shrug.
She lifted her eyes slowly to see his reaction. He smiled gently.
“No,” he said.
“But I–” Ashleigh started.
“Not yet,” he interrupted.
Ashleigh stepped up beside him and took his hand.
“Look at me,” he whispered.
She did.
Their eyes met with shared sadness.
“You can’t leave yet,” he said. “Your brother needs you. Your parents need you. And there is still the fall out from the attack.”
“You don’t need me?” she asked with a tremble.
“No,” he said, “I want you.”
A tear escaped and ran down her cheek. She looked away from him.
“They need you here right now, and my wolves need me.”
Ashleigh sniffled and nodded.
“We both need time to prepare our packs for our bond,” Caleb said. “And I need time to recover.”
Ashleigh looked back up at him.
“Wait, you want me to stay away while you recover from surgery?” she asked.
He nodded.
She looked away from him with a feeling of deep sorrow.
“Ashleigh, I am not someone that enjoys being helpless or needing others,” he said.
“Neither am I, but–”
“Please,” he interrupted her, “let me finish.”
She nodded.
“It has taken us a lot to get here,” he said. “I don’t want the start of our life together to be you taking care of me like a patient. If you feed me, I want it to be because you want me to taste something you made. Or because you strategically placed something for me to taste on your body.”
Ashleigh couldn’t help the blush and the laugh. Caleb smiled.
“And the only time that I want you to wash me is when we are both naked and–”
“Ok! I get it….” Ashleigh said quietly as she felt her face burning from the embarrassment.
Caleb laughed.
Ashleigh looked up to meet his eyes once again. He smiled warmly.
“I will come back for you, Ashleigh.”
Caleb held her gaze, his own tears threatening to spill. He wasn’t happy about leaving her. In fact, part of him was terrified. What if Granger came back? What if there was another attack?
Ashleigh took a deep breath and reached a hand to his cheek.
“I know you will, or I’ll come for you.”
Ashleigh and Caleb spent the next three hours together. Though Peter joined them for most of it as he prepared Caleb for the trip.
But by the end of the evening, Caleb was on his way back to Summer.