by Lexy Timms
“Come on, let’s go.”
She looked at the clock. It was just after three in the morning. “Will they let us in this late?”
“I may or may not have booked a room online earlier.”
“Of course, you would have.” It was too late to protest. He knew exactly what he was doing—her energy was beyond depleted.
“We’ll come back in the morning,” he promised. “Come on. It will only be a few hours.”
“What do you think?” she asked Andrew, and leaned down to put her ear next to his mouth. “Yeah?”
“What’s he saying?” Cayden asked.
She looked at Cayden. “I think he said to screw it and go take a shower. You’re right—I stink.”
“I mean, you don’t stink, per se. It’s more like a musty, days’-old smell.” His face twisted. “I don’t mean that badly.”
“Let’s just leave already. My brain has never felt more like mush.” With a grunt, she stood up and weakly pulled her bag over her shoulder. “Frances said she gave the doctor my number as the primary contact.”
“How come?”
“Probably because she’s not very technical. She opens a flip phone with two hands. Bless her.”
“See ya, Drew,” Cayden called back to the sleeping body in the hospital bed.
“He hates it when people call him Drew—just an FYI.” Lillian blew a kiss back at him and they closed the door as they walked out. “Some dumb kids in school called him Drew when they were teasing him, and it made a really negative imprint on his mind.”
“If he hates it enough, he’ll wake up and tell me to shut the heck up.”
“Is it too cold in there? It feels so much warmer out here.”
“You know why, right?” Cayden winked.
“No,” Lillian grunted.
“Because you’re out here.”
Oh, boy. “That is such a middle-school-level joke.”
“I wasn’t joking.”
“Thanks, I guess.” She felt her body sag more and more with each step.
“Someone’s cranky.”
Lillian rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I’m cranky, Cayden. I’ve barely slept in two days. I haven’t left the room except to go get food from the cafeteria and to pick you up at the airport. I haven’t even had a shower.”
“You could have gone to Andrew’s parents’ house, you know. No one is tying you to this room.”
The words hit her like a ton of bricks. He had a point, and as much as she didn’t want to admit it he was right. “I know,” she muttered in a low voice, her eyes glued to the floor.
She knew he sensed her mood shifting. His body grew softer as he pulled her close when the cold night air bit their skin. “Hey, don’t worry about it. It’s literally almost morning. The hotel breakfast will be set up in a couple of hours. Think of it—a glorious continental breakfast. All the cereal and orange juice and waffles you could dream of.”
“I think you’re the most excited about it,” she said.
“Probably.” He nodded. “What can I say? I’m a sucker for free breakfast.”
“Remember when you brought me pancakes that morning?” A little smile touched her lips. It seemed like forever ago.
“Before we really knew each other, right?”
“Yeah. You brought me a little flower from your garden, too. I think.”
Cayden opened the car door for Lillian and crossed over to the driver’s side. “Lil, you’ve always held me captive.”
“What?”
“You’re magical. You’re enchanting. I can’t explain it. I’m talking a lot because I’m freakin’ tired and it’s cold. My body got used to Los Angeles’ mild weather.”
“There’s nothing magical about me, Cayden.”
“Yeah, there is, Lil.” The way he said it wasn’t argumentative. It was blunt but gentle at the same time, like he was stating a fact about something he was an expert on. “I was going to be lost there for a little while, without you.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I thought I was going to have to give you the talk.”
“What talk?” She wasn’t sure if it was her tired mind losing things in translation or if he really wasn’t making sense in his delirious state.
“The talk. You know, where I tell you the tough truth. You can keep breaking up with me, but there’s no way I could break up with you. It’s impossible.”
“Cayden...” she trailed off, unsure of where she was going with her reply.
“You’ll see it soon,” he interjected. “You’ll see how incredible you are.”
The drive to the hotel took less than ten minutes. They didn’t talk until they were safely in the room. It was a basic room with a king-size bed, but it couldn’t have been more appealing if it were the penthouse.
“Don’t let me sit on the bed,” Lillian commanded, shielding her eyes from the soft blankets and cushy pillows. “Don’t even let me touch it. I won’t get up.”
“Maybe you should crash.”
“I’m going to shower first. Apparently, I need it.” She stuck her tongue out at him and bee-lined for the bathroom, stripping her clothes off and throwing them on the floor in a messy trail. When the door shut, she heard him pick them up and start the hot water kettle.
What’s he doing? She started the water and pulled herself into the shower, almost melting in the warmth. An angel chorus sounded in her head as she scrubbed her body with a pouf provided by the hotel. The shampoo, which was entirely normal, smelled like heaven; she could feel the germs and stagnant air of the hospital being washed off her skin and down the drain with the soapsuds.
In reality, she was only in the shower long enough to wash her body and hair with as much care as she could muster in her worn-out shape, but it felt like long enough for her to feel her eyelids getting heavier and heavier. Finally, she turned the water off, upset that she wasn’t more awake to stay in longer.
When she opened the door, a huge mass of steam rushed into the room. “Whoa!” Cayden exclaimed. “Have a good time in there?”
“I can’t feel my body.” The words felt slurred.
“I have some tea for you.” He poured hot water from the kettle into a paper cup. “It’s just the tea bags that were already here, but I thought it might be nice to warm you up before sleeping.”
“Thank you,” she breathed, taking the cup and gingerly sitting on the bed. “Are you going to shower?”
“A quick rinse.” He nodded at the chair in the corner. “Your clothes are there.”
“Sorry I threw them everywhere.”
“Don’t apologize. It was hot.” He winked. Lillian felt her cheeks getting hot, but luckily Cayden disappeared into the bathroom. The room was quiet except for the sound of running water. She looked around. The typical mini fridge was there in the wall unit. The television was flat screen, far from the current model but not outdated.
Nice place, she thought, taking a sip and looking back at her clothes on the chair. Cayden had taken care to fold them like the clothing stores did, stacking them neatly on top of each other. He had put her bag on the little table by the door, and his backpack on the floor.
Why would he do this? She couldn’t fathom why he would take time off and join her here to watch after Andrew. He had no obligation to be there. Andrew was closer to being family to her than to him; in fact, he and Andrew hadn’t gotten along well at all when they met.
“You’ll see it soon,” she heard Cayden’s voice from earlier in the car. “You’ll see how amazing you are.”
Swallowing the last drops of her tea, she set the cup on the wall unit and rubbed the towel through her hair again. It was mostly dry; she was far too tired to blow-dry it. If she woke up with a stuffy nose, so be it.
The instant her head hit the pillow, she was out like a light. It was one of those brief periods of time when sleep is so deep that one-minute feels just as good as an hour. When Cayden climbed into bed and turned off the lamp, she was jolted awake.
“It’s okay,” he cooed, stroking her hair with his hand. She turned onto her side to look at him lying there. His hair was still a tiny bit damp, too, but the warmth radiating from his body felt incredible.
“Why are you here?” she murmured.
Cayden looked at her calmly. She wished that, in the faintness of the room’s automatic night light, she could see the blue of his eyes. All she could see were his silhouette and the shape of his eyes.
Keeping his hand on her hair, he scooted his body closer to her and put his lips on her forehead. She let out a happy little noise, surprising herself, and she could feel him smiling. He lowered his lips to her nose, her cheekbone, and finally her mouth. The kisses were so light, as if she was made of glass and he feared he might break her. She felt a tremor come over her body, rippling from her core down to the tips of her fingers and toes.
Then she put her hand on his head, pulling him closer. She had only slept for ten minutes, and he accommodated her frailty. His body practically wrapped around hers, and as soon as she put her leg over his, she felt that he had not put his boxers back on after the shower. His skin was so incredibly soft; she ran her hands down the whole length of his leg, as far as she could reach from this angle. His thighs were lined with ridges from the muscles that dwelled under her touch. Chill bumps raised on his flesh, following her fingers in a trail. She liked the reaction.
He shifted his body, scooting down a little so he could kiss along her chin and jaw line. The closer his lips got to her ears and neck, the more aware she became of goose bumps and tiny hairs rising on her own skin. He was there in no time; the tip of his tongue teasing the bottom of her earlobe, gently pulling it with his teeth until she couldn’t take it anymore. Nibbling his way down to the base of her neck, his warm breath touched her skin so lightly it aroused her in ways she had never experienced. A soft groan danced out of her throat.
He pulled her hips closer, returning his kisses to her mouth and touching her inner thigh. At the feel of his hand on the tender skin, her heart leapt. In wordless agreement, she gently tugged on his shoulder and he rolled on top of her. They kissed again; she felt that wonderful, safe feeling of being enveloped by his strong body as he slid inside her effortlessly. His pulse matched her own, and she felt every inch of her body tense and relax as if she were getting a massage. Her mind began to float away, until it was lost in the wavelike undulations of their bodies.
Their skin tightened, and arms curled around each other in ecstasy. They had become one shape so many times before, but nothing like this. All the pent-up longing for each other they had held inside, waiting for this moment, was finally released. The weight of all they had been through was released, and the desire hot in their souls made its way through every vein in their bodies.
“You’re amazing.” Lillian felt his every breath on the back of her neck as he held her from behind, both lying there limply. She wasn’t sure if it was really his voice or if it was simply his exhale as she remembered his words from the car.
Without saying anything, she smiled and held his arm tight against her chest. They tumbled into a blissful, exhausted slumber.
WHEN SHE OPENED HER eyes, she saw Cayden’s face beside hers.
He looked at her, eyelids heavy with sleep. “There are those blue eyes,” she heard herself say, and felt her lips pull upward.
“Breakfast ends in half an hour,” he said, his voice as rough as gravel.
“You’re really excited about it, aren’t you?”
He nodded. “I told you, I’m a sucker for a good continental hotel breakfast.”
“What time is it?” She felt infinitely better, but still like she could pass out for another ten hours easily.
“About eight-thirty. I just checked.”
“Has my phone rung?”
“I haven’t heard anything.”
She sighed and draped an arm over Cayden’s chest. He scratched her back and tried to tickle her ribs. Squealing, she curled up into a ball and did her best to shove him away, but he wasn’t going easy on her.
“Stop, stop!” she begged, and he did. She propped herself up on her elbow and beamed at him. It didn’t even cross her mind to be ashamed or embarrassed that they were both stark naked. His chiseled chest and abdomen were a perfect sight for first thing after waking up.
“Come on, let’s get ready. I want to make it down before all the waffles are gone.” He suddenly raised himself up to plant a kiss right on her mouth; she let out a surprised little shriek, falling back onto the bed. Cayden walked over to the chair and slowly pulled his boxers on, knowing full well her eyes were attached to his backside.
She whistled. “Good morning to you, too!”
“I don’t think I’ve seen you this chipper in...” He scratched his chin. “I can’t remember the last time.”
“Oh, shut up.” She grabbed a sock that had somehow ended up on the headboard last night, and flung it at him.
He ducked and grabbed her T-shirt from the chair. “Have mercy!”
Compared to his chest, her shirt was tiny. The sight made her laugh, and despite his asking twice what was so funny she could only make herself point at him. He didn’t understand and gave up.
Still tired, she peeled her body off the bed and snatched the shirt from him. “I don’t get a show?” He fake-pouted.
“Not this morning,” she winked. “Wait till later.”
As she pulled her arms through the sleeves, Cayden took her hands and placed them firmly on his chest. Before she could say anything, he kissed her and walked her backwards, so he could pin her on the bed. Chills ran over her body; her tongue was ready to meet with his again, but instead he went to her neck.
She gasped. “Don’t leave a mark!”
“Why?” he asked, voice muffled between kisses.
“I’m scared of people seeing!”
“Let them see,” he said, and she felt his teeth graze the tender skin as he pulled a bit into his mouth. He didn’t stay there long; moving her shirt out of the way, he kissed her chest and down the middle of her stomach.
Lillian fought for air. Breathing became a more and more laborious task the lower he went, and when he reached the fragile parts she couldn’t control herself. The tension rose in her body and she felt herself stiffen, clawing handfuls of his hair. He felt her body respond and, just like last night, he liked it.
Reaching a hand up, he held her waist with gentle hands and stroked her skin with his thumb. It was too much to bear; the tension exploded and her back arched from the overload of pleasure.
Satisfied, Cayden kissed her chest once and left her on the bed to recover as he continued getting ready. Lillian almost fell asleep again, and she would have stayed asleep if he hadn’t woken her up.
“We’re going to miss it,” he said softly, tapping her on the leg. “You okay?”
“More than okay,” she grunted, feeling high as a kite. “Help me up.” Cayden, laughing a little, pulled her to her feet and waited by the door while she pulled on her pants and jacket. “Do I look okay?”
“It’s just breakfast,” he pointed out.
“I know. But do I look okay?”
“Honestly, you look like you’ve just had a very sexually-fulfilling night.”
She wrinkled her nose, taking that as a yes, and followed him out the door. Right when it closed, she felt her back pocket.
“Wait a second,” she said, “I forgot my phone.”
He unlocked the door again and she ran inside, shoving the phone into her pocket. “I might miss a call,” she explained as they walked hand in hand down to the breakfast area.
“You haven’t gotten one today, have you?”
She looked at the screen. “Nope. Not even a text. I’m so popular.”
“Consider yourself lucky.” He held up his phone and scrolled through all the notifications on his lock screen. “I haven’t dared to unlock my phone this morning.”
“That’s a lot to handle,” Lillian frow
ned. “Are you always that busy?”
“Most of these are from the part-time clients I took to pass the time. Some of them are Janine’s friends, and a couple are Katharina’s friends. I’m trying to...” he trailed off.
Lillian waited for him to finish, but he didn’t. “Trying to what?”
He looked back at her. “I’m trying to handle them all as best I can. I just want to leave and come back home, you know? I don’t want things to be so complicated or have a jam-packed schedule all the time.”
“Isn’t it nice to have so many people wanting to work with you?”
He sighed. “In theory, yes. But I would rather be at home with you, working my simple job at Peter’s Gym and throwing kick-ass parties on the weekends.” Winking at her, he added, “Keeping the music down, of course, so as not to disturb the neighbors.”
The smell of breakfast caught their attention at the same time as they walked into the restaurant area. There was only one person in there, an older man who had scraps of sausage on his plate. He was reading a newspaper and sipping his black coffee, oblivious to Cayden and Lillian.
“Well, this is exciting,” she commented under her breath.
Chuckling, Cayden handed her a plate and they rounded up the last bits of whatever was available. Lillian sat down with her plate and orange juice, and suddenly realized she’d forgotten the most important thing.
Cayden brought it to her before she could get up: a mug of steaming coffee with a heavy dose of milk and a touch of cream. The stars in Lillian’s eyes glowed when she saw the mug, and immediately she wrapped both hands around it, pulling it close. She looked at Cayden sitting across from her and pretended like she was crying. “Thank you so much.”
“I know what you like,” he said, tearing into a waffle.
Lillian bit her lip. “I’m going to ignore that innuendo.”
“Good Lord, I walk into it every time.” He lost focus on her and devoured the plate of waffles and bacon in less than five minutes. Lillian obviously knew how big an appetite he had, but how he could pack down so much food in so short a period of time was still a mystery to her. What she had selected—some cereal, yogurt, and a piece of toast with peanut butter—looked so tiny and lame compared to the three plates on his side.
