From Ashes

by Amanda Perry

  His lips come to rest on the side of my neck, just under my ear, and I shiver. “Good night, baby. I love you.”

  “I love you, too.” When he pulls his mouth away from my skin, I silently pout at the loss. Still, a relaxed smile remains on my lips until I fall asleep.

  Chapter 13

  Another long day of making one random stone after another, and yet not a single diamond to show for the effort. I stomp my way up the stairs, then straight to Caleb’s bedroom. I desperately want a shower and some time to relax with Caleb.

  When I step inside his bathroom, I stumble to a stop at the sight in front of me. His tub is filled with steaming water and bubbles that smell of lavender and honey. I close my eyes and inhale deeply, enjoying the soothing scent.

  Arms wrap around my waist from behind, and suddenly, the scent of slow-burning firewood mingles with the lavender and honey. I rest my hands over Caleb’s on my waist and lay my head back on his shoulder. “Did you do this?”

  He makes a noncommittal sound. His head dips, and his lips come to rest on my shoulder, then slowly slide their way up my neck. My body hums with contented excitement until he suddenly pulls away from me.

  I spin on my heels and reach for him, but he isn’t there. I lean around the doorframe to seek him out. He stands beside his dresser with one of the drawers open. With my back to his front before, I don’t know if he had a shirt on or not, but he definitely doesn’t now. I silently enjoy the sight as he digs through his drawer.

  He senses me watching and looks over his bare shoulder with a knowing smirk. “Go take your bath, baby. You need to relax. I’ll have your pajamas ready when you’re done.”

  I don’t need to be told twice. The call of the hot bath has me moving quickly, the door clicking shut with a bit more force than necessary. On my way to the tub, I pause when I catch sight of myself in the mirror. My long, blond hair was curled to perfection by Cassie this morning, and it frames my rounded face perfectly. Not wanting to ruin the curls, I grab a clip from the counter and twist my hair up off my shoulders.

  Once satisfied my hair won’t be ruined, I strip out of my clothes and kick them to the corner of the bathroom to be put in the hamper later. After using my toes to test the water temperature, I slide into the tub and groan loudly as the hot water soothes my sore muscles.

  Sinking deeper into the tub, the bubbles and water envelop me up to my neck. My eyes close, and my head rests back on a towel Caleb must have set up for me. The man deserves an award for his thoughtfulness.

  My mind wanders to thoughts of Caleb and how I wish he would kiss me. I miss the feel of his lips on mine, the heat of his hands against my skin. It’s been too long, and I grow more impatient with every minute he makes me wait.

  “Baby.” My eyes pop open, and I gasp when I find Caleb standing over the bath. The bubbles completely cover my body, but the fact that I’m naked under them is my first thought.

  I’m torn between using my arms to cover myself or staying completely still to prevent the bubbles from moving out of the way. “What are you doing?”

  His lips twitch. “You’ve been in here for a while. I knocked, but you didn’t answer, so I came in to check on you.”

  I blink in surprise, but when I think about it for a second, I realize the hot water has cooled to room temperature. “I guess I fell asleep or something. It didn’t seem like that long, though.”

  His eyes rake over my face thoughtfully, and I want to ask him what he’s thinking. He doesn’t give me the chance. He spins around, pulls a towel off the counter, then holds it up at an angle that prevents him from seeing anything. “You’re going to freeze in there.”

  I hesitate, and Caleb patiently waits for me to make a decision. He won’t be able to see anything if I stand, but even if he does, would that be such a terrible thing? No one has ever seen me naked before, and until Caleb, I never wanted anyone to. What if he hates what he sees, though?

  I fully admit I’m curious as to how he looks without any clothes on.

  Without dwelling on it further, I stand from the lukewarm bath and hold my arms up as Caleb wraps the fluffy towel around my body. After the towel is secured, he adjusts his arms on my body and scoops me off my feet. I squeak in surprise and wrap my arms around his neck, afraid of being dropped.

  Caleb chuckles and pecks my forehead. “You should know by now I’ll never drop you, baby girl.”

  “I know.” My cheeks warm as I bury my head into his bare chest and enjoy his smoky scent. “You just surprised me.”

  Caleb’s chest vibrates with silent laughter. “I know. I love that little squeaking noise you make when I catch you off guard.”

  Before I can burst into flames from embarrassment, Caleb lays me down on his bed. He smirks when I don’t loosen my grip from around his neck right away. “I have your pajamas ready,” he tells me. “Let me grab them for you.”

  I take the hint and let my hands drop with a pout. Caleb raises a brow and regards me silently. He reluctantly pulls himself away to grab one of his shirts and hands it to me. My eyes stay fixed on his as I push myself up on the bed and take the shirt. With the towel still around me, I don’t bother waiting for him to turn around before I pull it over my head. Caleb watches me intently as I pull the shirt down.

  He swallows hard and tracks my every movement as I get onto my knees and pull the towel out from under his shirt. “I forgot to grab your panties.”

  Him talking about my panties makes my body flush, but I refuse to allow my discomfort to show. Instead, I focus on the pulse point in Caleb’s neck, and the way his heart rate increases when I simply shrug off the lack of panties. I watch as his lips part, and his tongue nervously darts out to wet them.

  “Baby,” he chokes and pulls in several deep breaths before continuing. “I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep next to you knowing you’re not wearing anything under my shirt. It’ll be hell trying to keep my hands to myself and pretend you’re not nearly naked.”

  I trap my bottom lip between my teeth and clasp my hands together to hide the nervous shaking. My body screams at me to tempt him, to get the kiss I’ve been silently begging for and maybe entice him for a little more.

  Caleb groans, his eyes lifting to the ceiling. “Baby, you can’t bite your lip like that.”

  “Why not?” I tilt my head to the side curiously.

  “Because it’s sexy as hell.” He sighs heavily and shakes his head. “Actually, everything you do is sexy as hell. Trying to restrain myself is probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done. No pun intended,” he whispers the last part to himself, but I catch it.

  “Then kiss me, Caleb.” I hadn’t meant to demand a kiss from him out loud, but the frustration has boiled over, and I can’t handle it anymore. I need Caleb’s lips on my lips, his hands on my skin, his body against mine.

  He takes a step closer, his legs resting against the side of the bed. “If I kiss you, I won’t be able to stop with just a kiss, baby. I don’t want to push you into something you’re not ready for.”

  “I’ll tell you if you go too far, I promise.” My words come out breathy and excited. My body shakes with need for him. If he doesn’t kiss me soon, I might lose my mind.

  Without further prompting, Caleb grabs my face in his hands as his lips crash against mine. The kiss doesn’t start out soft and slow—it’s intense and full of passion. I pour every ounce of my need for him into the kiss, and he matches my eagerness with his own.

  His teeth nip at my bottom lip until I open for him. He deepens the kiss greedily, and I love every second of it. One of my hands grasps his bare side while then other runs through his messy hair. When I grab hold of the hair on the back of his head, Caleb growls low in his throat. At first, I wonder if I hurt him, but the worry fades when he grabs my hip and pulls me forward.

  One of his hands lands on my back to prevent me from falling backward too fast, while the other takes the clip from my hair, allowing the curls to fall down my back. He grabs hold of my h
ip and uses his hold to lower me onto my back, never breaking the precious contact of our mouths.

  When his body lowers over mine, I let a breathy little noise of contentment escape. It gets a surprisingly ravenous reaction out of Caleb. His hand on my hip travels down to my thigh and grips the hem of my shirt tightly. He holds his hand in place for several long seconds before dragging the shirt higher on my hip. He goes at a snail’s pace, giving me the chance to stop him if I want, but I don’t. I want to feel his hands explore my body.

  The old flame his touch evoked with every kiss returns with a vengeance. It’s been too long since I’ve felt the fire ignite inside my belly. His fingers inch up my bare hip, leaving a trail of heat in their wake. The burn spreads until every nerve becomes a live wire.

  Caleb’s fingertips brush against the underside of my breast, and I break our kiss as I arch into him with a sharp inhale. He pauses and waits several heartbeats for me to protest. I lock eyes with him and run my hand through his hair again. He teasingly grazes his fingers up the side of my breast. I moan out his name, my hand tightening in his hair.

  “Baby.” Caleb kisses down my jaw until he reaches the spot between my shoulder and neck.

  He nips lightly several times until I’m panting. “Caleb, please.” I don’t know what I’m begging for, but I need more from him.

  “Baby girl,” Caleb breathes against my neck. “Wake up.”

  His words startle and confuse me. I pull away and frown up at him. He smiles softly at me and lays a soft kiss on my lips. “I need you to wake up.” His voice is pained, and I’m instantly on high-alert.

  “Wha—” I start to ask if he’s lost his mind, but a hand rests on my shoulder and slightly shakes me.

  My brow draws together, and I turn my head to the side in search of the hand that shook me. When I look back to Caleb, he’s gone. I sit up so fast my head spins, and my vision darkens.

  I open my eyes again, and I find Caleb sitting next to me in bed. His eyes are pained as he watches me. My already pounding heart drops into my stomach. “Caleb? What happened? What’s wrong?”

  He lets out a strangled laugh. “Uhm.” His hands shake as he pushes them through his hair. “You were dreaming, baby. I, uh, I’m not sure what it was about... But I think I can guess.”

  “Dreaming?” I pull a face at him. “No, I took a bath, then we—”

  His widening eyes give me pause. I take in my surroundings, hoping for some proof that I’m not crazy. The towel I took off and set on the end of the bed is gone. The early morning sunlight filters through the curtains, rather than the moonlight I know was there just moments ago. The biggest giveaway that Caleb’s correct about me dreaming, though, is the fact I now have panties on.

  I grimace and turn my attention back to Caleb. “I was dreaming about us.”

  He swallows loudly and watches me intently. “I could tell.”

  “How could you tell?” I wonder aloud.

  Caleb draws in a shaky breath and lets it out in a huff. “You were making noises,” he admits. “At first, I thought you were having a nightmare. Then you started squirming around and calling my name while moaning. I couldn’t handle it anymore, I had to wake you up.”

  “Oh, no.” I cover my face and drop back onto the bed. “This is mortifying.”

  Caleb shifts beside me and pulls on my wrists to get my hands off my face. “Don’t be embarrassed, baby. It’s not a bad thing to dream about your soulmate.”

  “It is when my soulmate hears it.” I scoot farther down the bed, wishing it would turn into quicksand and swallow me whole.

  Caleb smirks. “I happened to like what I heard. I just couldn’t handle more of it.”

  I peek up at him, a bit of curiosity filtering through the humiliation. “Y-You liked it?”

  Caleb throws his head back and laughs. I don’t find it funny at all, but I love to watch him laugh with such abandon. “I love your laugh.”

  He sobers slightly, though his smile remains. He kisses my forehead softly. “Yes, baby, I liked hearing you moan my name and watching you squirm around. I wish I was in the dream with you.”

  “You were,” I admit quietly. “You finally kissed me.”

  Caleb groans and drops back on his pillow. “I’d give almost anything to relive that dream with you.”

  I’m about to suggest a redo of my dream, but a soft knock on the door stops me. Thanks to Caleb’s obsession with locks, we have three on his door, and when the handle jiggles, the person on the other side isn’t able to open it.

  “What?” Caleb yells, clearly unhappy with the interruption.

  “Don’t what me!” Cassie shouts from the other side. “Riley has an appointment in an hour. She needs to hurry up and get ready, or she’ll be late.”

  “Appointment?” Caleb’s head whips around, and he pins me with a worried gaze. “What appointment? Are you sick?”

  I’d forgotten all about my therapy session. The first one was to meet with the doctor and find out if it would be a good fit. This time, she wants to talk about real issues and begin the daunting task of working through things with me. Leanne asked me when I wanted to see her again, and at the time, I didn’t care when my next appointment would be. She picked the first available and told me about it. It went to the back of my mind with everything else going on.

  My mind begins to race with doubt and fear. What if she can’t help me? What will Caleb think when he finds out I’m seeing a therapist? Will he assume I’m crazy? Will my therapist try to make me do things I don’t want to do? What if I’m beyond fixing?

  “Baby!” Caleb’s sharp voice brings me out of my internal panic. “Take some deep breaths for me. You’re going to hyperventilate.”

  Until he asks me to breathe, I hadn’t realized I was gasping for air. I do as he asks until I can take a normal breath.

  Caleb pushes my hair behind my ears. “It’s okay, baby. You don’t have to tell me anything. I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

  Telling a professional about my problems is completely out of my comfort zone, but it’s better than sitting around and allowing my fears to rule my life. “I’m seeing a therapist,” I finally admit to Caleb. “It was Leanne’s idea. She and Dad thought maybe it would help with the panic and fears I have. I figure it was worth a shot since I don’t know how to get past it.”

  Caleb rests his forehead softly against mine. “Why would you be afraid to tell me that?”

  I close my eyes, unable to look him in the eyes. “I don’t want you to think I’m crazy.”

  “You’re not crazy, baby girl.” Caleb chuckles quietly. “Cassie is crazy, and you’re far from it.”

  I giggle at his joke. Though, he’s not entirely kidding. Cassie can be crazy sometimes, but we all love her for it. “You don’t think it’s weird for me to see someone? I’m not sure how I feel about telling her all my problems.”

  He rocks his head back and forth against mine. “Not at all. I think it’s a great idea as long as you’re comfortable with it.”

  “I’m not,” I mutter. “I’m willing to give it a try, though. I met the therapist, and she seems nice enough. It’ll take me a while to get comfortable enough to tell someone about my problems, though.”

  “If you ever want someone to come with you, just say the word.” Caleb pecks my nose and grins when I wrinkle it. “I’ll come with you anytime.”

  “I’d like that.” I wrap my arms around his neck and hug him tightly. “I should probably get ready.”

  “Do you want me to come with you for this one? I can come in or wait in the waiting area. I could also stay home and let you do your thing. Just tell me what you want, and I’ll do it.” He pulls away and rolls out of bed.

  I reluctantly do the same. I’d rather curl up under the covers and go back to my dream, or better, make my dream come true. Sadly, it doesn’t appear to be in the cards for us this morning. It doesn’t take much thought for me to decide that Caleb’s presence would be helpful during my appointm
ent. I’m not sure I want him in the room because I don’t know what Dr. Paine might want to talk about. “Would you come with? I should probably meet her alone today, but having you in the next room would be a relief.”

  Caleb shoots me a huge smile and nods. “Anything for you.”

  I’m tempted to suggest we skip the appointment and go back to bed, but I don’t think it’s the best idea. With a silent pout, I go about readying myself for my appointment while Caleb does the same. It means a lot to me that he didn’t even think twice before offering to come with me, even if it means sitting in a waiting room alone for an hour.

  “Caleb,” I call to him before he heads to the bathroom. He pauses and peers over his shoulder at me. “I love you.”

  His lips lift at the corners. “I love you, baby.”

  Chapter 14

  “What’s your doctor’s name?” Caleb isn’t bothered by my hand in his as he flips through a magazine one-handed.

  “Erm...” I blink several times to clear my mind and allow his question to register. We only sat down five minutes ago, but I’ve spent the morning internally panicking. “Oh, it’s Dr. Paine.” My nerves are fried, and I’m relieved Caleb decided to come with me because I couldn’t do it alone.

  Caleb’s head swings around, and he pins me with a look of disbelief. “You’re seeing a doctor with the last name of Paine?”

  I smirk. “Leanne knows her from school.”

  “Ah.” He nods. “If Leanne recommended her, she’s likely the best out there.”

  Dr. Paine takes that moment to open the door and call out my name. “Riley Storm?” Her eyes scan the mostly empty waiting area, finally landing on Caleb and me in the corner. Her permanent smile widens. “Hello, Riley, it’s good to see you again.”

  I stutter out a quiet hello and stand to follow her inside. It isn’t until I’ve taken a few steps that I realize I never let Caleb’s hand go, and I’m essentially dragging him with me.