I nodded, looking up at him through my lashes.
“What room are you looking for? I’ll walk you there,” Caleb said.
My heart nearly leapt out of my chest. As I pulled out my schedule to show him, I reminded myself not to get too excited. He was probably just being nice.
“Art history. I’m in that class too,” Caleb said.
“Really?” I asked, incredulous. It seemed too good to be true.
“It’s just up this way. Come on,” Caleb said.
He started walking in that direction, and I jogged a few steps to catch up with him. The room was a large lecture hall with at least a hundred seats. Caleb took one near the middle of the room, and gestured for me to sit next to him. Again, I reminded myself that he was probably just being nice, though the way he looked at me told me otherwise. He’d study me with a focused gaze, like he didn’t want to turn away. When the professor arrived and started speaking, Caleb would sneak glances at me every now and then. I could barely focus on the lecture. All I could think about was the handsome man, who smelled delicious, by the way, sitting next to me.
When class was over, everyone began packing up to leave. I shouldered my backpack and cleared my throat.
“Thank you for your help,” I said. “I guess I’ll see you Wednesday.”
“Wait,” Caleb said.
Goosebumps stood up on the back of my neck. I turned around.
“Do you know much about this art history stuff?” he asked. “I’m studying criminal justice, so I’m kind of clueless.”
“Well,” I said, tapping my foot. “I like art, and I like history.”
Caleb rose from his seat and stood so close to me my breath caught in my chest. “That’s good enough for me. Do you want to be study partners?”
I wanted to jump up and down and squeal, but I restrained myself. “Sure,” I said, coolly. “That would be great.”
“All right,” Caleb said. He shook my hand. “It’s a deal. Let’s get together tonight.”
But we don’t have any assignments, I started to say, but luckily, stopped myself. I twirled a piece of my hair and nodded.
We planned to meet at Caleb’s apartment off campus. As I got ready in my dorm room, I remembered what I’d been warned about college boys, that they were only after one thing, and would stop at nothing to get what they wanted. I was a virgin, and wasn’t even close to ready to have sex. Though I wasn’t religious at the time, and wasn’t planning to wait until marriage, I did want my first time to be special, and with someone I was in a committed relationship with.
Caleb answered the door as soon as I knocked. He smiled broadly as he invited me in. With his hands in his pockets and the way he shuffled his feet, he seemed a bit nervous. I couldn’t believe that I’d have that kind of effect on someone so confident.
“That’s Issac,” Caleb said, pointing to a man in the living room.
“Hi, nice to meet you,” Isaac said, standing up and shaking my hand. He looked similar to Caleb, and I realized they were brothers. “So, you’re Kristen. Caleb’s told me a lot about you.” Isaac looked to Caleb and nodded as if giving his approval. Caleb grimaced at his brother, then took my hand.
“We can study over here,” he said, leading me to a table shoved in a small space next to the kitchen.
I was struck speechless by the fact that he’d grabbed my hand. It was an act so intimate, done so casually. I realized I’d have to be on my guard and not let him push me farther than I was willing to go. We sat down at the table with our textbooks in front of us.
“The first reading assignment is for chapter three,” I said, consulting the syllabus. I flipped open my book, then looked to Caleb, wondering why he wasn’t doing the same, and saw that he was staring at me.
“What do you want to be when you grow up, Kristen?” He smiled, showing his perfect, white teeth.
“A teacher,” I said. “I’m majoring in elementary education.”
Caleb leaned back in his chair, regarding me. “A teacher? I can see that.”
“What about you?”
“A lawyer,” he answered.
“Wow, I wish I could think of one of the thousands of sleazy lawyer jokes I’ve heard.”
Caleb laughed. “That’s the stereotype. But I want to help people, to do some good.” He smiled sheepishly. “Sometimes I get a little idealistic.”
I shook my head slowly. “No, I think that’s wonderful. I want to be a teacher to help people too.”
Caleb looked into my eyes. “I knew we’d have something in common.”
His eyes were a deep brown and stirred something deep inside of me. I worried that if he tried to make a move, I wouldn’t have the willpower to stop him. I stared back at him, lost in a trance, until he spoke.
“Faith without good works is dead,” he said.
I squinted at him, confused. “Excuse me?”
“It’s from the Book of James,” he said, but I still didn’t understand. “The Bible.”
“Oh, of course,” I said.
“I take it you’re not religious.”
“My family was quasi-religious,” I explained. “We went to church on Easter Sunday, and that’s about it. What about you? Do you read the Bible often?”
“I’ve read it more times than I can count,” Caleb said. “And not only that, I actually follow it. The ten commandments, the golden rule, turning the other cheek, no sex before marriage, the works.”
My eyes widened at the ‘no sex before marriage’ part. I was at once relieved, and disappointed. “That’s very admiral,” I said.
“Thanks, but I really think it’s the best way to live,” Caleb said. “I’m not trying to preach to you or anything.”
“No, this is very interesting,” I said. “Go on.”
Caleb took a deep breath. “Okay, so God created humanity, and he has very specific plans for us. The cornerstone of that plan is the family unit. And every law decreed is in protection of that unit.”
I chuckled. “I never thought I’d hear a college guy talk about wanting a family.”
Caleb softened his gaze. “Well, I do, and I’m not ashamed to admit it. Everything I do, studying, working hard, is for my future family.”
I looked at him, amazed. I’d never met such a noble man, someone with such integrity. I longed to know everything about him.
“If you’re interested in learning more about the Bible, we can do that together too,” Caleb said.
“I think I’d like that.”
“Me too,” he said. “Okay, then, let’s get back to art.”
We went through the chapter together, and managed to get very little work done. Caleb kept interrupting to ask me with questions about my life, where I was from, my interests, my childhood, which would turn into whole other conversation. Two hours slipped by quickly. When I checked my watch and realized what time it was, I jumped up.
“I have to get back,” I said. “I promised my roommate I’d help her run lines. She’s a drama major.”
Like the gentleman he was, Caleb stood and walked me to the door. When he opened it, Danielle was standing there. It was the first time I’d ever seen her. When I saw her friendly face, I felt an immediate connection to her.
“Hi,” we said at the same time.
Caleb looked between the of us. “Do you two know each other?”
I shook my head.
“This is Danielle,” Caleb said. “She’s dating Isaac.”
“You must be Kristen,” Danielle said before I could introduce myself. She gave Caleb the same approving nod Isaac had given him. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”
I smiled, shyly. “It’s nice to meet you,” I told Danielle, sincerely meaning it. I knew then that we were going to be good friends.
I caught the bus back to my dorm, and the entire way, I couldn’t get Caleb out of my mind. His handsome smile burned bright in my memory. I couldn’t stop imagining what it would feel like to kiss him. I was totally smitten, and I hoped he wouldn’t break my heart.
Caleb never did. Since that first day we met, I never had to doubt his interest in me. He invited me over to study, either the Bible or art history, almost every night. On the weekends, I hung out with him, Isaac, and Danielle. While our classmates were out experimenting with alcohol, drugs, and sex, the four of us were involved in raucous discussions of faith, politics, and philosophy. I’d always imagined myself in the former category, enjoying my newfound independence by going out and partying, and that that was how I’d find myself. But with Caleb and his friends, I discovered what I believed in, and shaped my own view of the world.
But I didn’t realize just how seriously the group took their religion, and how explicitly they applied the Bible to their lives. One night, we were at Caleb and Isaac’s apartment watching a movie. It was B-list horror movie I’d found that I thought would be good for a laugh. Caleb didn't seem enthusiastic about watching it, but I convinced it would be fun.
The movie was terrible, with low-budget special effects, and a plot that meandered all over the place. There were still some moments of unintentional humor, which for me made it worth it. The story dealt with supernatural themes, and made references to the occult. In one scene, the main character arranged salt in the form of a pentagram on the floor. Caleb slapped his thighs and stood up.
“That’s enough. Let’s watch something else,” he said, grabbing the remote.
“Caleb,” I whined. “Let’s just finish it.”
“No, Kristen,” he said, sternly. “This in unholy garbage, and I don’t want it in my house.”
I laughed, expecting everyone else to laugh with me. Isaac and Danielle sat silent on the couch with strained expressions on their faces.
“What about you guys? Don’t you want to keep watching it?” I asked them.
They looked at each other, not answering. Everyone was being so serious, and it was baffling to me. I reached out and grabbed the back of Caleb’s shirt.
“Sit down, baby,” I said. “The movie’s almost over.”
Caleb gave me a look I’d never seen before. His lips were pursed, his eyebrows scrunched, and his chest heaved with heavy breaths. For a moment, I was frightened. I poked out my bottom lip, letting it quiver a little. Caleb sighed, then sat back down beside me.
While we watched the rest of the movie, his body was rigid. He wouldn’t even put his arm around me.
“Are you mad at me?” I whispered to him.
Caleb looked up to the ceiling and exhaled. “No,” he said. He slid his arms around my shoulders, but somehow, he was still distant.
The next day, I invited Danielle to lunch. Something seemed off about the night before, and I wondered if Danielle knew something I didn’t.
“You should try the kale salad,” Danielle said as we sat down in the busy cafeteria. “It has a nice, lemony dressing.” She was studying nutrition, and was always encouraging everyone to eat more vegetables and drink more water.
I scrunched my nose. “Kale’s not really my thing.”
“But it’s so good for you.” Danielle took a big bite of green stuff. “All the vitamins make up for the taste.”
I took a sip of my soda. “I’ll stick with taste, thanks.”
Danielle pushed the salad around with her fork. “Your fries do look good, I have to admit.”
“Here, have one,” I said.
Danielle smiled coyly, then scooped a few fries from my plate. I took a deep breath, calming my nerves.
“I wanted to ask you about last night,” I said.
Danielle chewed thoughtfully on a fry. “Uh-huh.”
“Is it just me or did things get more serious than they should have?” I asked. “What was that about?”
Danielle looked off to the side, and I knew there was something she wasn’t telling me. I leaned forward and lowered my voice.
“What is it, Danielle? Tell me,” I implored.
Behind Danielle’s eyes, I could tell she was trying to decide what to do. This ignited my curiosity. I fidgeted with impatience.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
Danielle rolled her eyes up to the ceiling. “This is something you need to ask Caleb.”
I shook my head, confused. I trusted these people, had shown them my heart and soul. What could they be keeping from me? I couldn’t help but feel betrayed.
“What is, Danielle?” I asked, my voice serious.
“I want to tell you, I do,” Danielle said. “But it’s not my place. It’s Caleb’s.” She stood up, picking up her tray. “Thanks for the fries.”
“You’re leaving?” I asked.
“I don’t want to slip and say something I’m not supposed to,” Danielle said.
I watched as she walked away, stopping to throw her kale salad in the trash. My heart beat rapidly in my chest, and I was starting to feel sick. I wasn’t going to see Caleb until that evening, which was hours from now. How could I possibly sit through classes, my mind racing with scenarios? I had to talk to him. Now. I pulled out my phone and shot him a text.
Emergency. In the cafeteria.
Anxiety crept up my spine as soon as I hit ‘send.’ Caleb wouldn’t appreciate me scaring him like that, but this was an emergency, in a way.
Ten minutes later, he burst into the cafeteria looking frazzled. I gave him a timid wave, and he rushed over to me.
“Kristen,” he said, crouching down so he was eye level to me. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” I gripped his forearms. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to alarm you.”
Caleb backed away. Anger flashed over his face. “You didn’t mean to alarm me? Then why did you text ‘emergency.’”
“Could you just sit down? I want to talk to you.”
Caleb regarded me, skeptically. “Okay,” he said, sitting down. “What’s this about?”
“Last night,” I said, jumping right in. “I felt something different, like something was off. I asked Danielle about it, and she confirmed my suspicions.”
Caleb narrowed his eyes. “What did she say?”
“Nothing. That’s why I texted you.” I leaned forward. “There’s something you’re not telling me, and I want to know. Last night, I thought we were having a tiny disagreement over what movie to watch. But that’s not what it was, was it?”
Caleb sat up straight, rubbing his palms on the tops of his thighs. “No. You’re right. There is something else.”
I sat up straight, folding my hands in my lap, and prepared to listen.
“First off,” Caleb started. “I want you to know that I’m not dating you just for fun. I didn’t come to college to hookup with lots of girls, and get notches in my belt. Kristen, I have every intention of spending the rest of my life with you. I intend to marry you someday.”
I gulped, trying to stop the tears that were rising to my eyes. I’d daydreamed about marrying Caleb, and I hoped it would happen. I didn't realize that that was his intent all along.
Caleb took my hand and stroked his thumb over my palm. “I like to think that you’ve been opened up to faith.”
“I have,” I said in a small voice. After all of our discussions, the only logical conclusion I saw was that there was a higher power, and He was a loving God.
Caleb smiled, broadly. “That brings me such joy, such pride. It gives me confidence that I can lead you.”
“Lead me?” I pulled my hand away slightly, but Caleb held tight.
“Kristen, can I ask you a favor?” He looked directly into my eyes. “Please hear me out, listen to everything I have to say, and then you can ask questions. Is that okay?”
I nodded.
Caleb picked up my hand and kissed it. “The Bible is God’s laws, a gift to mankind. In it, we find the blueprint of how to live a peaceful and happy life. God created man, and then woman for a companion. The purpose of these two genders is to join in marriage, and produce offspring. Some people thing marriage is a partnership, where husband and wife are equal. But if you read the Bible, that’s not how G
od intended it. Marriage is a patriarchy, with the husband leading his wife, setting rules and limits for her. As the wife answers to her husband, the husband answers to God. It’s a perfect system, really, beautiful in its simplicity.”
Caleb softened his eyes and lowered his voice. “When we marry, my whole purpose in life will be protecting you, keeping you safe and happy. In return, I expect you to obey the rules I set.” The corners of his mouth twitched, and a shadow crossed his face. “If you disobey me, I will punish you. Corner time, spankings, washing your mouth out with soap, whatever I have to do to correct your behavior. Last night, when you spoke to me like that in front of our friends, if we were married, I would’ve taken you into the bathroom, pulled up your skirt and spanked you.”
I brought my hand to my mouth and gasped.
“But we’re not married,” Caleb continued. “So I don’t have that authority. Yet.” He sat back and ran his hand through his hair. “This must all sound strange, but I promise you, everything I do will be done out of love.” He looked to me, sheepishly. “So, that’s it. Do you have any questions?”
My breath was heavy in my chest. I’d done as he asked, listened to every word, and now he was asking me what I thought. What did I think?
Caleb laughed, then his expression turned serious. “You’re not freaked out, are you?”
I looked into his pleading eyes. The answer I was searching for came to me in a instant, like a lightbulb being turned on in a dark room. I took both of his hands in mine.
“You’ve shown me what kind of man you are,” I said. “And I have no reason not to trust you. I’ve come alive since I met you, since I found faith. I’ll follow you wherever you lead me. I love you, Caleb.”
Caleb leaned across the table and pressed his forehead against mine. “If we weren’t in public, I’d kiss you right now.”
I kissed him on his cheek and smiled. “That will have to do for now.”
*
I was in the final stages of being fitted for my wedding dress. Caleb met me at the atelier one sunny afternoon. We knew it wasn’t traditional for the groom to see his bride’s dress before the wedding, but Caleb wanted to make sure it was modest enough.
I stood in front of the three way mirror, admiring how the dress melded to my figure. It was made of luxurious white Italian silk, and was a form-fitting mermaid cut.
Alpha Husbands and Obedient Wives (Christian Domestic Discipline Romance): 3 Complete Series in 1 Page 14
