Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
JESSICA
I stir and blink awake. Caleb is sitting back against the headboard, his laptop casting a soft glow over his features, his brow furrowed as he looks over at Noah.
His eyes flick to mine, a smile curving his lips.
“Hey, you,” I say, my voice a little croaky.
“Hey,” he whispers back. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you,” he says, reaching down to stroke his thumb over my jaw.
“You didn’t.” At least, I don’t think he did.
The rest of the room is still casted in shadows, which means it’s likely still early.
“You look exhausted,” I say, concerned when I notice the dark circles under his eyes. “Have you even slept at all?”
He shakes his head. “Not really. My body might be tired, but my mind won’t shut off,” he replies, glancing back to Noah, who has his arm across my middle.
“I understand that, Caleb. I feel restless, too.” Even when I do sleep, my dreams are chaotic.
Caleb places his laptop on his bedside table before laying back down beside me. I reach out for his hand, and he immediately starts fiddling with my ring, the action bringing a smile to my face as he stares down at my hand.
“Thank you,” he whispers.
“For what?” I ask.
“For saying yes to marrying us, to starting a family,” he replies, his gaze moving from my engagement ring to my face.
He gives me butterflies. This beautiful man is thanking me.
“Caleb,” I say, releasing a soft sigh as I reach up to cup his jaw. “You don’t have to thank me. You and Noah are my everything. You’re my beginning, middle, and end.”
He leans into my touch. It’s not often I see Caleb this open and vulnerable, it’s like he shares pieces of his soul when we have these quiet moments of pillow talk. But I see it in how he stares back at me now, the unknown. That time really is fleeting.
And he proves my thoughts correct when he says, “I don’t want to wait to get married,” he admits. “I know it’s a lot, but if I can make it happen within the next few weeks, will you be up for that?” he asks.
I nod. “Yes, absolutely, I’d marry you both tomorrow if I could.”
“Me too, little one.”
I smile at the term of endearment as he leans in for a slow, deliberate kiss as Noah’s hand tightens over my waist.
Caleb releases me from the kiss as he whispers against my lips. “I just, I don’t want to waste time, and I want to make it happen before his surgery.”
I swallow. Noah’s surgery is scheduled for just under five weeks’ time. Caleb was pissed, and I get it. Five weeks feels like forever when you put everything into perspective.
“I’ll speak to the girls and ask them to come dress shopping.”
“Is there anywhere specific you want to get married?” he asks.
I shake my head. “Honestly, I don’t mind where we get married. As long as we’re together surrounded by the ones we love, that’s enough for me.”
He leans down again, his lips brushing mine softly, his six o’clock shadow tickling my skin.
“Same, but I also don’t want either of you missing out. I want it to be what dreams are made of.”
I sigh, my hand moving to the back of his neck.
“Caleb, if we got married here in our living room, wearing pyjamas, it would be enough. Together we’ll make it perfect.
Besides, I for one don’t want a big wedding.
I just want to marry the loves of my life, surrounded by our loved ones. I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
He smiles, and my response is one he approves of. I know as much as Caleb loves to spoil us, when all is said and done, it’s about our shared love for one another.
“Same, as long as you don’t feel under pressure that’s all that matters. We’ll talk to Noah in the morning. If he’d prefer to wait, then that’s what we’ll do. He gets the deciding vote.”
I shake my head, doubting he’ll want to wait any more than I do. “I know he’ll be in full agreement.”
Noah’s arm tightens around me. “And you would be correct,” he says, his voice still deep from sleep.
“How long have you been awake?” I ask, smiling as I look over to see him watching us.
“Long enough,” he replies with a smile.
Caleb glances at Noah. “So, no time like the present, and do you have a preference of where you’d like to marry?”
Noah moves to kiss my exposed shoulder, butterflies erupting in my belly.
“Actually, I was thinking Torquay would be perfect. It’s big enough for all our friends and loved ones and plenty of nearby places for people to stay.”
“Perfect,” I agree, and that way, we don’t have to worry about Aspen. She can come too.
“Sold,” Caleb says. “I’ll make some calls and arrange hiring a marquee and caterers.”
I laugh. “Is that what you were doing on your laptop?” I ask.
“Maybe,” he says, and I swear he blushes.
But as soon as Caleb’s finger brushes the same spot where Noah just kissed me, eliciting goosebumps over my body, I’m the one blushing.
“I can see about caterers,” I reply. “I have contacts that I’m sure will be able to fit us in on short notice.”
He kisses my exposed neck. “And while you and the girls go dress shopping, Noah and I will go suit shopping, and we’ll drag Mase along, too.”
I laugh at that. “He’ll love that. His least favourite thing is shopping.”
But Caleb just shrugs. “Well, as our best man and officiant he doesn’t really have a choice,” he replies.
My lips part with a small gasp. “Your best man?” I ask. Noah moves beside me, leans on his elbow, and smiles down at me.
“Of course, sweet girl, who else would we ask?”
I mean, yeah, it makes sense. “But wait, when did you discuss it?”
Caleb reaches for my chin to draw my gaze back to his. “We didn’t need to, little one. Some things go without saying, and Mase is our best friend.”
My heart squeezes in my chest. “Thank you,” I say, my emotions heightened. “That will mean everything to him.”
“We know, and we assumed you’d want him to give you away, too,” Noah says, brushing the hair away from his face.
“I do, yeah. It won’t matter that it’s not in a church or registry office. He can still give me away, right?”
Caleb’s thumb swipes over my bottom lip.
“No, it doesn’t matter. We can still keep traditions alive without conforming to society’s expectations.
This is about us. We make the rules, we could get married on the side of the road, and it wouldn’t take away from what we have. Our love for one another is absolute.”
“You’re right,” I reply, my eyes filling with unshed tears. “I can’t believe we’re doing this. We’re actually getting married, and we’re going to try for a baby,” I say in awe.
“Yes, yes we are,” Caleb says, his gaze flitting between me and Noah.
“I want to do something special when I ask Lily and Avery to be my bridesmaids. Do you think it will be too short notice?”
Noah pulls me into his body. “No, I reckon the ones who want to be there, will.”
“Do you know what? I agree, and it’s not like we’ll be inviting masses of people, just those closest to us.”
I nod, ideas already forming in my mind. I want to do something sweet when I ask the girls. I just don’t know what yet.
“Okay, so here’s a really important question. Wedding cake?”
“Wedding cake?” Caleb repeats as Noah tickles my hip, his thumb working small circles over my bare skin.
“Yes, what kind do you guys want?”
Caleb tilts his head to the side in thought. “I feel like there’s a wrong answer in here somewhere?”
Noah chuckles. “Because there is,” he says, his lips ghosting over my shoulder again. I love moments like these where we chat like this.
“Well, I can’t stand fruitcake,” Caleb replies, scrunching his nose in the most adorable fashion.
“Yeah, but others do, and isn’t it like a staple at a wedding?” Noah asks.
“Listen, how about we have three tiers? A fruitcake that we cut and offer to guests who want fruit cake. That way, tradition isn’t lost, and then we can have the top two tiers whatever we want.”
Caleb smirks. “Sounds like a plan to me.”
“So, red velvet?” I ask, licking my lips at the thought.
“And lemon,” Noah says over my shoulder.
Caleb looks between us. “Perfect.”
“Are you sure we can’t have four tiers?” I say. “That way, we can all choose one each. The fruit cake will be the heaviest, so that will be the base.”
“Honestly, I think they’ll be great, but if we did want to add another, how about chocolate?”
Noah reaches over. “It’s a deal, four tiers it is.”
“Well that wasn’t hard,” I say. “We haven’t even had a taste test yet.”
Caleb scoffs. “Well, firstly, we’re rarely ever not hard around you, and secondly, I think you’ll find we’ve tasted you plenty.”
And just like that, he has me blushing again.
“Anyway, now that’s cleared up, how about we try to sleep? We have a busy few weeks ahead of us,” Caleb says as his hand slips between the apex of my thighs, his fingers pushing inside me.
“Ahh,” I groan as he begins to slowly and torturously finger fuck me.
Noah’s hand moves to my breast, his fingers pinching my nipple, his mouth trailing kisses across my shoulder, then my neck to my ear. I moan as Caleb’s lips find mine. They play me perfectly, strumming every cord as if they’ve been practising their entire lives to bring me the ultimate pleasure.
I am so consumed by them, it’s exactly how I succumb to sleep with their hands and mouths all over my body.