Chapter 42 | Caleb
Caleb
“Hey, Babe. I got you one of my hoodies...” I heard the door open as I exited our room with her clothes and one of my hoodies in hand.
“Rae?” My heart sank. Ethan was too close now.
What if he found out where I lived and came to get her?
I threw the clothes on the couch I'd left her by and rushed to the still open front door.
I let out a sigh of relief as I looked out the front door and saw she was okay physically, being watched by Duke, who sat on the dry porch.
My heart hurt, though, when I saw she was anything but okay mentally.
She was standing in the mud out front, arms wrapped around herself, sobbing and breathing hard.
Dang it, I shouldn’t have left her alone.
I rushed to throw my boots back on and then ran to her. “Rae, baby, what are you doing out here?” The storm was so loud, I had to raise my voice so she could hear me.
“I couldn't... breathe.” She choked back a sob, still not looking at me. I put my hand on her arm, and she was freezing.
“You were probably having a panic attack, Rae. I'm sorry, I shouldn’t have left you alone. I should have encouraged you to go with me to get your clothes.”
She finally looked at me. Her hair was soaked, her tears mixed with raindrops on her cheeks, and her lips had a tinge of purple because of how cold the rain was. I wrapped my arms around her and held her close. She clung to my shirt, and the tension in her shoulders eased a little.
“I'm so sorry—” she cried. “Sorry I ruined today. Sorry I brought this mess into your life.”
I had to tell her. I didn’t care if this was the wrong timing. I just knew I had to tell her how I felt.
“No, Rae. Don't you dare apologize to me, for anything. Please.” I spoke more intensely than I meant to. “You coming back into my life has been the single greatest thing to ever happen to me.” I kept my voice as sweet as possible but needed her to know how serious I was.
“Rae, baby, I have loved you since I met you all those years ago, in high school.
I was an idiot for not telling you back then, but I was a teen and I was scared.
Scared I'd lose my best friend if I told her how I felt.” My voice cracked.
“So, I let you go to college, hoping things wouldn't change for us. Again, I was an idiot.”
Rae looked up at me, and I shielded her eyes from the rain.
“When we lost connection and then I lost my parents, all I wanted was to talk to you, to get some Sunshine in my life. Then we bumped into each other at the store, it was like the light had returned in my life.” Her eyes grew wider and her tears continued to flow, but her body had stopped shaking.
“That bastard kept you from everything and everyone—from me. He's the one that will be apologizing when we catch up to him, not you. Never you, baby. I love you, Rae. Until my dying breath, I will love you.” My voice broke with those last words, and I realized I'd started crying.
Rae’s lip was quivering, “You...love me?”
I nodded, lowering my head until our foreheads touched. “Yeah, Sunshine. With everything I am. I’ve loved you for years, and I will love you until my dying breath.”
She wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me so fast it took my breath away. “I love you, too, Ranger.”
I walked to the bathroom door with arms full of items I thought would help my girl relax.
I had started a warm bath for her, but told her to rinse off before getting in the tub, so she wasn’t sitting in all the mud that was on her.
She said she was okay, so I left Duke guarding the door while I found what I needed.
I went through the checklist in my head as I looked at the items in my arms: wine, wine glass, plastic cup, candle, lighter and bath bomb. Got it all.
I knocked on the bathroom door. “Hey, Sunshine. Can I come in?”
“Yeah, you can come in.” Her voice sounded a little brighter and that put a smile on my face.
I told Duke to stay, and he positioned himself so he could watch out for us.
When I opened the bathroom door, I was relieved to see the outline of her perfect body still behind the frosted glass.
I turned off the water that filled the tub, seeing that it was at the perfect height, and then stole a peek in her direction.
I was getting distracted and needed to focus, but all I wanted to do was join her in the shower.
I couldn’t help but glance at the outline of her body behind the glass as I set everything up. I lit the candle, poured the wine for her, and put the bath bomb in the water just in time for the shower water to shut off.
Rae opened the door and looked out at me.
I couldn't control my smile when I saw she wasn't hiding her body from me.
Steam curled around her, the light catching every little droplet of water that slid down her skin.
My gaze traced the curve of her thighs and her hips, up to the rise of her chest. Every inch of her pulled me in until I forgot to breathe.
She was strong, beautiful, and completely mine to love.
“What? Do I still have mud on me?” She let out a tiny laugh, pulling me out of my thoughts.
“No.” I ran my hand over my head, embarrassed that I was caught staring.
“You are just amazing. That's all. The most beautiful woman I've ever seen,” I admitted, which caused a blush that started at her cheeks and gave a pink tinge to other parts of her ivory skin.
I was struggling to keep my composure and make this moment about her.
I reached for her hand as the blush only deepened. I walked her to the tub and she stopped and stared at the tub at first, and then at me.
The bath bomb I had used made the bathroom smell like flowers and peaches, her favorite scent. “Did you...use a bath bomb?”
“When we were packing your things to bring here, I grabbed a few from your bathroom. I hope this scent is okay.”
“It's...perfect. Thank you.” Her voice cracked as she spoke.
“There's more, but get in and get warm first.” I held her hand as she stepped into the tub. As soon as she was settled, I put the candle on the windowsill next to the tub and brought her the wine.
“Wait, all this? Really? For me?”
I knelt down and kissed her gently. “Anything for you, Sunshine.” She returned my kiss as a thank you.
I grabbed the shampoo and conditioner bottles from the shower, and the cup I brought with me. “Can you scoot forward real quick?”
“What are you—”
“Taking care of my girl.” I kept my voice soft, leaving no room for doubt in her mind about whether I loved her. As she opened her mouth to protest, I held up my hand. “Nope. None of that. Lean forward please,” I said with a teasing tone.
She leaned forward and I filled up the cup with warm water from the spout, then gently tilted her head back as I poured the warm water over her hair slowly, so it didn't splash too much.
Rae let out a soft sigh, her shoulders relaxing under the stream. I ran my fingers through her hair, spreading the warmth through each strand before reaching for the shampoo.
I worked the shampoo into a lather between my palms, then gently massaged it into her scalp. My fingertips moved in little circles, not rushing a thing, wanting her to know I would take all the time in the world to care for her.
Rae’s lips parted slightly, her eyes still closed. “Mmm...that actually feels amazing.”
I smiled, more to myself than anything. “Good. That’s the goal.”
I took my time rinsing the soap out, pouring cup after cup of water, shielding her face with one hand and letting the other smooth the water down the back of her head.
When I added conditioner, my fingers moved, working it through to the ends.
I gently untangled her soft waves and then rinsed out the conditioner.
I saw her wipe her cheek. “Did some of the shampoo get in your eye?” She shook her head and let out a shaky breath.
“Hey, what's wrong?”
“I'm so sorry. Nothing is wrong. It's stupid.” She laughed as she cried.
“What's stupid?” I continued to gently rinse the conditioner out of her hair.
“Don't worry. These aren't tears from fear or me being sad.” She let out a choked laugh. “You're just so sweet, taking care of me like you've been doing since I got here. I've never had someone care for me the way you do.” She looked at me, tears making her eyes glisten.
“Well, get used to it.” I kissed her temple as I grabbed her hair wrap and wrapped her hair up in it. Then I placed a rolled up towel behind her neck and encouraged her to lean back on it. “Cause I plan on taking care of you, if you'll let me, for the rest of my days, Sunshine.”
Rae smiled and thanked me as I stood. I passed her the glass of wine, and she took a sip.
“If you need anything, I'll be right out there in the living room. You just lie here and relax.”
“Wait, you're leaving? Can you stay?” She paused and a blush appeared on her cheeks. “There's room in here for two,” she said quietly, like she was afraid I may say no.
“You want me to join you?”
“You deserve to relax, too. We could relax together if you want.” She gave me the sweetest smile.
I nodded and turned to the counter. I'd been holding it together decently, from her stepping out of the shower without hiding from me to her trusting me as I washed her hair.
Just being around her drove me wild. That smile, though, added onto everything else, did me in.
I was trying to control my mind before I went back over to her.
Every muscle in my body tightened, desire stirring low and sharp.
The ache was impossible to hide, and when I stripped down to my boxers, there was no hiding what she did to me.
I heard her start to refill the tub with warm water as I turned towards the shower, needing to rinse off before getting in the tub. She giggled. “You struggling, Ranger?”
“Only every time I think about you. So, constantly.”
Her cheeks flushed again as I stepped into the shower.
I washed off the remaining dirt, making sure I didn’t take it and sweat into the tub. I had still not been able to calm the fire that she’d started in me.
I walked over and settled into the warm water, pulling her into my arms, leaning her back against my chest. “I wanted you to relax,” I murmured.
“I relax better when I'm in your arms.” She leaned her head back onto my shoulder, and I kissed her jaw.
My arms were wrapped around her, and I gave her a gentle squeeze. Just as she said, she immediately relaxed.
“I love you, Rae,” I whispered to her as her breathing changed.
She didn’t say the words back, but the way she melted into my arms, feeling safe enough to fall asleep against my chest, said everything for her.