33. Halle
CHAPTER 33
HALLE
“ C ould you carry him?” I beg Caleb as a crutch slips out from beneath Casen and he barely catches himself from falling. We haven’t even made it into the house, and already, I’ve sprouted gray hairs. “I think I’m going to be sick.”
It hurts, knowing he’s in so much pain, and I can’t help but worry that if he takes a tumble now, he’ll end up with another injury.
“I’m not letting your boyfriend carry me into the house.” Case, whose leg is now in a cast, pauses at the bottom of the porch steps and frowns in concentration. After a moment, he shoves one crutch at Quinn, and when that hand is free, he clutches the railing and hops up the first step. His twin stays by his side, braced to catch him if he loses his balance.
“I don’t know how I’m going to survive this,” I grumble as Caleb drapes an arm over my shoulders.
A gust of wind whips my hair around my face, making me curl in on myself. The sky is an ominous gray, and according to the forecast, it’s going to snow this afternoon.
So, along with the other items on my long list of worries, I’m stressed about Casen having to navigate snow and ice with a broken leg. Whether he likes it or not, I plan to drive them to and from school until the cast comes off and he can put weight on his foot. If he’ll let me, I’ll even walk him to the door of the school to ensure he doesn’t slip and fall. But something tells me he’ll fight me on that.
“One day at a time. I think that’s how most people survive things.”
“It’s going to be at least six weeks.” It’ll be well into December by that time.
“Again,” he says with a soft laugh, holding me tighter. “One day at a time.”
“You probably think I’m insane.”
Case finally makes it to the porch, his free arm lifted in triumph.
I let out a breath of relief, my lungs deflating.
“No, I think you’re a concerned sister and guardian. I’d be more worried if you weren’t acting this way.”
“Daddy!” Seda darts across the lawn, straight into Caleb’s arms. “How’s Casen? ”
“He’s doing okay, sweetie.”
She throws her arms around me next and squeezes with a surprising amount of strength.
I take a small breath. It’s all I can manage when she’s holding me so tightly. “You can go in and see him if you want.”
She doesn’t have to be told twice. A heartbeat later, her feet are thundering up the stairs, and she disappears into the house.
I hate that she hasn’t seen much of her dad since he insisted on staying with us at the hospital, but I can’t deny his presence was a huge comfort.
How on earth do people do it? The stress alone is enough to have me questioning if I even want children.
“I’m going to order pizzas, if that’s okay with you,” Caleb says, guiding me to the porch.
It’s nearly five already, and after sleeping in Casen’s hospital room for two nights, I’m far too tired to think about cooking. More than anything, I want a hot shower. While Casen’s room was equipped with all the facilities, the water pressure was pathetic.
“Pizza sounds perfect.”
“Seda? Boys?” Caleb slides his phone out of his pocket and sidles over to where the kids have gathered on the couch. “Pizza?”
“Yes, please,” Casen groans, his head resting on the back of the couch. “Pizza.”
“I’m down.” This comes from Quinn.
“Pizza?” Seda sits up straight, face alight. “I love pizza. ”
With a nod, he taps at his phone’s screen. “I’ll put in an order.”
“Case, are you all good for now?” I ask, hands clasped in front of me. “Do you need a drink or?—”
“I’m fine.” He chuckles. “Stop acting like a mother hen.”
Lips pressed together, I lower my head a little, blinking back tears. It’s hard not to act this way. It’s my job to keep him safe, and though I realize it was an accident, I still feel like I failed him.
“I’m going to shower,” I say, and without waiting for a response, I pad through the house.
Upstairs, I grab a clean set of clothes and shut myself in the bathroom. While the water warms up, I wash my face and brush my teeth. I’ve done both already today, but they go a long way to perking me up.
I drop my dirty clothes into the hamper, eager to be rid of the chemical smell clinging to me. If I never see another hospital, it will be too soon.
The frosted glass is fogged by the time I slide the door open and step inside, the hot water an immediate balm to my skin. In seconds, my stiff muscles begin to relax. For a moment, I stand in place, eyes closed, and relish the sensation. Despite the fight he put up, I insisted Quinn sleep on the couch in Casen’s hospital room. Caleb and I roughed it in uncomfortable chairs. I told him he could go home, but he insisted on staying.
At the sound of a creaking door, I freeze beneath the spray, holding my arms in front of me like that will protect me.
“Hello?” I carefully raise my hand and swipe at the fog on the shower door. I nearly scream when a figure near the sink comes into view. Luckily, Caleb’s form registers quickly, and I choke back the instinct.
Eyes on me, he tears his shirt off and shoves down his pants. Then he slides the shower door open and steps inside.
“What are you?—”
He buries a hand in my hair and yanks me forward so my mouth collides with his.
Oh, fuck.
Just as quickly, he spins, and my back hits the tile, the cold of it jarring against my skin. The combination of that sensation and the instant desire sparking to life inside me causes my nipples to pebble against his bare chest.
He kisses his way down my neck to my right breast and swirls his tongue around my nipple, dragging a moan from my throat. He gives the other breast the same attention. That alone is enough to ignite a fire in my core.
“Need to fuck you so bad.” He drags his tongue back up my neck and cups my jaw. “My cock is aching to be inside this pussy, baby,” he murmurs against my lips. “You have no fucking idea.”
I whimper. It’s the only sound I’m capable of making at the moment.
“Do you need me too, baby?”
Though he still holds my face firmly, I manage to nod.
“Good.” He slides his fingers down my shower-slicked body until he finds my pussy and spreads me open. “Jesus Christ, Halle. You’re soaked already. This sweet cunt was aching for me too, wasn’t it? ”
Head pressed back against the tile, I give a small cry in agreement.
“I’m going to fill you up so good,” he croons. “Don’t you worry, baby. I’m going to take care of you.”
My heart races, my breaths coming quick. God, yes. Please.
He lifts me up, holding me with ease in one arm, and guides his cock inside me.
I close my eyes, relishing the sensation. He feels so fucking good. “Caleb,” I whimper as he fills me.
He’s so big and I’m so full. My pussy quivers, adjusting to his intrusion.
He buries his face in my neck, cursing. “This isn’t going to last long.”
I grasp his wet shoulders, searching for purchase. “Don’t care.”
Blue eyes lit with need, he keeps his focus fixed on me as he pumps into me, hard and fast. His intense gaze bores into me, straight to my soul, seeing everything. It’s too much. I have to close my eyes, or I’ll lose all control.
“Uh-uh.” He grips my chin. “Look at me, Halle,” he demands. “Look at me when I fuck you.”
I bite down on my lip, my whole body shuddering. What does it say about me that his bossiness is such a turn-on? Is it wrong? If so, then I don’t want to be right.
“Do you like that?” He punctuates the question by grinding his hips into mine. The stimulation against my clit has my nails digging into his back. “You like it, don’t you? When I tell you what to do?”
“Y-Yes— ohmygod .” I shudder, my release looming .
Before the wave can crest, though, the bastard pulls out and roughly sets me on my feet.
“Suck my cock,” he demands.
Without hesitation, I drop to my knees in front of him, the shower spraying against my back, and take him into my mouth, one hand on his shaft. His skin is hot as I pump him and suck, finding my rhythm. I maintain eye contact as I take him deep, knowing it makes him lose his mind.
Chin tucked, he pushes my wet hair out of my face, gathering the strands. Hand fisted, he tugs. Not enough to hurt, but enough to silently convey that in this moment, I’m his to do with as he pleases, and fuck, it’s hot.
“Look at you,” he croons. The sweet tone and the way he gently strokes my face with his other hand are in complete juxtaposition to the demands of a moment ago. “So fucking pretty.” He pushes his hips forward, his grip tightening in my hair so I’m forced to take him to the back of my throat. “You can take more than that, baby. I know you can.”
I whimper, my eyes watering, and relax my jaw to take him deep. I hold him there until I gag. In response to the sound, he releases me and drags me up to his body, holding my limp frame against his. When I’ve found my balance, he switches places with me so his back is now to the showerhead.
“Hands on the wall and spread those legs, baby.”
I do as he says, legs shaking in anticipation.
With a bruising grip, he spreads my cheeks and fills me with his cock .
A scream works its way up my throat, but before it can leave me, he clamps a hand to my mouth, silencing me.
“Yes, yes, fuck yes,” he chants in my ear. “So fucking good, baby.”
He finds my clit, and it only takes a few strokes of his fingers over the sensitive bud to set me off. It’s embarrassing how easily he controls my body.
Moaning, he pulls out of me, and an instant later, warm spurts of cum land on my ass.
“Look at that.” He rubs the globe of my right ass cheek, then gives it a sharp smack. “You’re like my own little piece of artwork.”
Boneless, all I can do is press myself to the tile and suck in gulps of air.
He turns me around easily and kisses me, then drags me back to the shower head.
“Let me wash you up, baby?”
I nod. I barely have the strength to stay standing, let alone scrub myself clean.
Caleb takes his time lathering my hair with shampoo. He scrubs my scalp, massaging as he goes, each step more intimate than the previous. While the conditioner sits in my hair, he squirts a dollop of body wash onto my purple loofah, then gently swipes it over my neck and shoulders, working his way down and around.
When he’s finished and he’s rinsed the conditioner out of my hair, I grasp his arms and urge him to shift.
“My turn,” I tell him, switching places.
He has to crouch so I can lather his scalp with shampoo. While he rinses it out, I use my loofah on his body. He’s seriously gorgeous. Muscular, but not overly so. Toned in all the right places. The dusting of hair on his arms and legs is darker than the blond on his head.
When I reach the back of his knee with the loofah, he startles.
I look up at him, fighting a smile. “Ticklish?”
“Yes.” Eyes blazing and cock half hard already, he pins me with a look.
No longer holding back a grin, I rub the loofah there again, and he curses.
I choose not to torture him further, moving on from that spot. Once he’s rinsed off, he steps out and passes me a towel. While I dry my body, I watch him do the same, only pouting a little when he wraps the towel around his waist, cutting off my view of his lower half. Swooping in for a kiss, he renders me speechless. With a wink, he backs out of the bathroom, leaving me alone with the memory of the way he touched me.
I exhale a shaky breath.
This man makes me a wild, crazy mess.
I make quick work of combing my hair and dressing in a pair of black leggings, an oversized crewneck, and socks. I swipe Chapstick on my lips and twist my damp hair into a bun at my nape.
Downstairs, my brothers and Seda are still lounging on the couch. They’ve turned on Lord of the Rings , and the chatter from earlier has vanished. In the kitchen, Caleb is filling a glass with water. As if he can sense me, he turns and smirks as I shuffle close to the island.
The man seriously just railed me in the shower, yet here he is, looking so domesticated, sipping a glass of water like it was no big deal.
Suddenly parched myself, I pass him, headed for the cabinet. His fingers brush my wrist as he reaches past me and plucks a glass from the shelf. Lips grazing my ear, he murmurs, “You smell good.”
I’m breathless again when he hands me the glass, but I find the wherewithal to fill it with ice and water from the dispenser in the fridge.
“Pizza should be here soon,” he says, loud enough for the kids to hear.
“Sweet.” Casen tips his head back, eyeing us. “I’m starving .”
It’s so, so wrong, but as I look at Caleb, all I can think about is being on my knees, taking him into my mouth.
“Can we have brownies for dessert?” Quinn asks.
Seda hops up, abandoning the movie. “We have brownie mix in the pantry.”
“Sweet. I’ll help.” Quinn hauls himself up and follows her.
“You guys are seriously abandoning me here? I can barely walk.”
“Good,” Quinn teases. “It means you can’t get in the way.”
Taking pity on Casen, Caleb and I settle in the living room, leaving Quinn and Seda to work on the brownies without our interference.
It’s hard to miss the way she smiles at him and blushes. Girl has it bad for my brothers. Crushes at her age are so intense and not always logical .
When the doorbell rings a few minutes later, Caleb hops off the couch to greet the delivery person, and my stomach rumbles, reminding me that the granola bar I scarfed down this morning was hardly sufficient for a snack, let alone a replacement for multiple meals. But I kept thinking we’d be discharged at any moment, and I wanted real food rather than chips or another protein bar. But it was well into the afternoon before we were finally given the go-ahead to break out of the place.
Caleb and I divvy up the pizza, and I take Casen a plate first.
“Thanks, Hal.” He gives me a soft smile. His normally bright eyes are dull and ringed with dark circles. He’s exhausted, and it’s almost time for more pain medicine, so I can imagine he’s hurting. We’re being strict with his dosage because of our mother’s addiction issues. Case was just as concerned as I was, and even suggested going without, but after a discussion with his surgeon, we created a plan to keep him out of pain.
“Thanks for dinner,” Case says to Caleb as the two of us return with our own plates. Seda and Quinn are still working on brownies, so they elected to eat in the kitchen.
“No problem.” Caleb nods, a slice held aloft. “How are you feeling?”
“Sore,” he answers without hesitation. “Tired.”
“You should go on to bed soon.” I tap my phone screen to check the time. “Maybe after you eat?”
“I might.” He stifles a yawn.
None of us have had much sleep. Not between all the beeping machines and alarms and nurses checking in throughout the night. I’m just grateful they let us stay with Casen.
I’ve never watched the Lord of the Rings movies, but I find myself being sucked into the story. Once he’s finished his pizza, Case sets his plate on the coffee table and slides the blanket off the back of the couch. He’s asleep, head resting on my shoulder, before the brownies come out of the oven.
Caleb peers around me. “Poor kid’s exhausted.”
“I should stop by the school tomorrow and pick up his work so he doesn’t fall behind.”
“I can do it.” Caleb flashes a grin. “The office ladies love me.”
“You know how to work your charm, don’t you?” I joke.
He peers into the kitchen, where Quinn and Seda are washing dishes. “Of course.”
I follow his line of sight. “I like it when she’s over.”
With a smile, Caleb sets his empty plate on top of Casen’s. “I do too.”
“I don’t know how I’m going to get this one upstairs for bed.” I frown at my sleeping brother. There’s no way I want him to hobble his way up the stairs.
“I can carry him up,” Caleb volunteers.
“While I don’t doubt your prowess, I’d rather not put you at risk of breaking your neck or injuring him more.”
“Baby,” he laughs. “That’s definitely doubting my prowess.”
“Whatever,” I mumble.
“I have an inflatable mattress. We could set it up down here. It’s not as comfortable as a real bed, but it would keep him from having to deal with the stairs for now.”
I hate for Casen to be displaced longer, but it’s probably the best option. The doctor said this wouldn’t be an easy process, but until now, I didn’t understand just how hard it’ll be. Even after the cast comes off, he’ll probably be required to wear a boot, and he’ll need physical therapy.
“I’ll go get it now.” Caleb eases off the couch so as not to wake Case and takes our dirty plates with him.
He’s just returned with the air mattress—still in the box, like it’s never been used—and a set of sheets, when the oven timer goes off.
Casen startles, shooting up straight beside me. “What’s that?” he looks around, eyes bleary. “Alarm?”
I can’t help but smile at his confusion. “Timer for brownies.”
“Ooh, brownies.” He drops his head back, his face slack with exhaustion. “I want one.”
“Once they cool down, you can have one. Caleb’s going to inflate a mattress so you can sleep down here rather than tackle the stairs tonight. Is that okay?”
Casen agrees without hesitation, which can only mean he’s really hurting. “That’s fine. I need to pee.”
Standing, I help him find his balance and get the crutches under his arms. Then, hands clasped, I force myself to remain where I am rather than help him while he makes his way slowly to the bathroom.
Once the door clicks shut behind him, I help Caleb move the coffee table to one side of the room and spread out the deflated air mattress. And when Casen returns, he bypasses us, heading straight for his brother and Seda in the kitchen.
Seda smiles up at him with hearts in her eyes as he approaches.
Caleb turns on the mattress’s built-in air pump and follows my line of sight, huffing. “I really thought I had a few more years before the crushes started.”
With a laugh, I take the fitted sheet from him, and we work together to put it on the mattress. It keeps popping off the bottom corner on my side. Caleb gently nudges me over and fixes it with annoying ease.
“Show-off,” I tease.
He shakes out a soft blanket and lays it across the bed. “I’ll grab his pillow.”
While he jogs up the stairs, I join the kids in the kitchen so I can rinse the plates and put them in the dishwasher. I’ve gotten used to the damned appliance and I’m going to miss it when we move back into our house.
That thought has my stomach sinking, though I’m quickly distracted by Quinn.
“I’m going to sleep on the couch so I can be close to Case.”
“I can sleep on the couch too,” Seda volunteers.
I have to bite my lip to hide my smile. “Your dad would probably prefer it if you slept in your bed,” I warn her.
Lips pursed, she shrugs. “It can be like a sleepover.”
I arch a brow at Quinn in silent question.
He shrugs, mouthing, “I don’t care.”
“If it’s okay with your dad, you can sleep on the couch.” I’m not her parent, so it’s not up to me to make that decision, and I have no interest in stepping on toes. Though I can’t imagine Caleb being upset if I did make the call.
The dishes in the dishwasher rattle as I close it and press start. And as it begins its cycle, it makes a whirring sound so quiet, I can’t always tell whether it’s actually going. So like I always do, I lean down and double check.
Okay, I may be getting used to it, but clearly, I’m still skeptical.
As Caleb descends the stairs with Case’s pillow tucked under one arm, Seda strides his way, already going in for the kill.
“Daddy?” she says, her tone extra sweet. “Can I sleep down here on the couch with Quinn and Casen?”
Caleb’s eyes widen as they dart to his daughter.
I have to turn away, otherwise his frightened expression will send me into hysterics. He looks like a wild animal caught in a cage.
“No,” he answers without hesitation.
She pouts, hands shooting to her hips. “Why not? I have sleepovers all the time.”
“With girls,” he mutters, dropping the pillow on the mattress.
“Are you going to marry Halle one day?” she counters.
I blanch. How the hell did I get dragged into this?
Caleb meets my eyes, wearing a tiny, devilish grin. “Yes,” he replies without hesitation.
“Then Casen and Quinn will be my stepbrothers, right?” She lifts her chin, waiting for him to respond. When he nods, she says, “So what’s wrong with a sleepover on the couch? ”
Caleb lets out a beleaguered sigh. Clearly, he doesn’t want to agree, but she’s backed him into a corner.
“Fine,” he says, his face a mask of defeat. “If they’re okay with it.”
Ah. My chest tightens in anticipation of how this is going to play out.
He figures they won’t want her to hang around. What Caleb has forgotten is that my brothers rarely do what’s expected of them.
“I don’t care,” Casen says, stifling a yawn. “I’m crashing as soon as I get one of those brownies any way.”
Quinn shrugs. “Seda can hang out. I don’t care.”
Caleb turns away to hide his frustration.
“If that’s settled,” I say, “I know it’s early, but I’m exhausted, and I have to work in the morning.” I kiss Casen on the top of his head, hit with a memory of when they were little and I’d do the same thing. I kiss Quinn on the head next. They’re much closer to being grown men now than to those tiny versions of themselves. “Sleep tight.” I hug Seda, then shuffle for the stairs.
It's only a little after seven, but I’ve barely slept in days, and I’m close to delirium.
On autopilot, I change into pajamas, brush my teeth, and climb into bed.
I’ve barely dozed off when my bedroom door eases open and Caleb is hovering over me, his lips on my ear.
“You’re sleeping in my bed.”
I groan in protest. “I’m so comfy.”
“You’ll be comfier in my bed.”
“Fine.” I fling the covers off .
Before I can even sit up, he scoops me into his arms.
I push against his chest weakly. “I can walk.”
He chuckles, the sound vibrating through me. “I know, baby. But I have to prove to you that I’m strong enough to carry you, since you doubted my capabilities.”
“Show-off,” I mutter as he steps out into the hall.
He toes his door open and then pushes it shut gently with his elbow. Once he’s laid me on the bed, he pulls the covers over top of me.
As tired as I am, I manage to keep my eyes open so I can watch him ditch his shirt and sweatpants before climbing in beside me.
“I know I’m hard to resist”—he loops an arm around me and pulls me in tight—“but no funny business. Just sleep.”
I don’t bother replying, because sleep is already pulling me under.