22. Caleb #2
This close to her, I can see how the slate grey of her irises has a spider web of white veins, and a ring of smoky blue.
I’m completely entranced. Captivated by how her eyes show her kindness, strength and vulnerability.
I can see the smattering of freckles that fall over the tops of her cheeks like stardust. A light layer of makeup has dulled them, making me want to wipe it away so I can see her real beauty.
While she’s made me breathless whenever I’ve been fortunate to lay my eyes upon her, I crave to see her in the early morning.
Fresh-faced, hair messed up from my fingers running through the red tresses.
A soft, sleepy smile and the hint of coconut left on my sheets from her skin.
Better yet, the scent lingering on my own skin from having her pressed against me all night.
Head on my chest, having slept to the sound of my beating heart.
“Hi,” Lex whispers sweetly.
“Hello, Siren.” I smile.
With careful steps, I carry her into the attached bathroom and set her on top of the counter.
The move causes her lilac dress to rise, exposing more of her golden thighs.
The pastel colour of the ruffled hemline clings to her shapely legs.
With a hand under her knee, I open her legs further so I can stand between them.
My thumb traces soft circles against her heated skin.
Her hands dangle over my shoulders, and the weight of her touch feels as though it’s grounding me.
For weeks, she’s had my head spinning, my untethered heart reaching for something to anchor onto, and it all settles with her touch.
Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath of the coconut cloud that surrounds me.
When my eyes flutter open again, I’m met with a wonky smile.
I press a kiss to the tip of her nose and reach over the bench to pick up a washcloth. Her hands stay resting on my shoulders as I wet the cloth and bring it up to her face. I wipe it over her cheeks, revealing those cute little freckles.
She closes her eyes and hums in delight, so I move the cloth up to her eyes, taking away the gold and chocolate brown eyeshadow.
I rinse the cloth out and finish cleaning her face before bringing it to her lips, painted in a cool red.
The way this woman wears red lipstick brings me to my knees.
The stain clings to her lips, making the skin look pinker than it normally would.
My stomach flutters, knowing how badly I want to press my mouth to hers.
“How’s your head?” My words are just above a whisper. I’m scared to speak too loudly and burst the bubble we’re in .
With her eyes still closed, she mutters, “Tired.”
“Do you have some ibuprofen in here?” I bring my hands up, running them along her arms, from her wrists to her shoulders and back again.
“In the purple container under the sink.” Reluctantly pulling her hands off my shoulders, I press a kiss against the anchor tattoo on her wrist before setting her hands in her lap and reaching down to look through her cupboards.
There’s a little basket of scrunchies, and organised containers of lipsticks and makeup, definitely not as much as I’ve seen my sister hoard.
There are various bottles of moisturiser and perfume, lined up neatly.
I pull out the purple container she mentioned and pop two pills into my hand, then snatch a little tub of pineapple night cream from the shelf.
An empty cup sits beside the sink. I rinse it out, then fill it with a little water and hand it to Lex.
“Take these. We don’t want that head of yours to hurt in the morning.”
She plucks the pills and glass out of my hand, then throws them back in one go.
“Good girl.” I take the cup from her and set it down before untwisting the lid of her cream and dipping my fingers in. Spreading it over my palms, I bring them to her face and coat her smooth skin.
“I never imagined the day a man would put my moisturiser on me.”
“I’m glad to be the first.” I smile.
“You’re the first for a lot of things.” My hands stop over her cheeks, cupping her face as I take in her words. First?
“You—You’ve had experience though, right?” She does look young, but she didn’t seem nervous enough to be completely new to what we did. Fuck, did I make it okay for her?
“Yes, I’ve had a few boyfriends.” May they rot in hell. “It was just different with you. ”
My heart blooms, and my breath comes easier. I rest my forehead against hers, feeling validated by her words. It feels as though the two of us walk around carrying a secret that no one else can know the meaning of.
The way she’s ensnared my attention doesn’t make sense with the little time we’ve had together.
It’s made me want things I’ve never made room for before her.
I want to learn every deep thought and hidden desire.
I want quiet and slow moments as well as loud and messy ones.
I want to show her off and be owned by her.
It’s foreign, but exciting. I can’t figure out what it is about Lex that has unlocked these feelings.
The excitement quickly gives way to worry.
Is something wrong with me? Do people crave a partner like this so quickly?
Is this what people mean when they say: when you know you know?
Is there really such a thing as love at first sight?
Feeling like you’ve taken an arrow to your heart.
One that cracks the shell of reason and lets obsession bleed out.
I give in for just a moment pressing my lips to the corner of hers. It’s quick, barely there, but it’s still enough to make butterflies crowd my stomach.
“Time for sleep.” With my words, she winds her arms around my neck and locks her legs behind my back.
“Am I to carry you?” I chuckle.
“Why not? It’s my dream.” I hoist her higher against my body, settling my arms under her arse to walk us back into her bedroom.
“You think this is a dream, Siren?” Having her in my arms certainly is.
“If you’re here, then yes.” I press my lips against her forehead before placing her down on the bed.
I unbuckle her black heels, smiling at another nautical tattoo, a seashell beside her ankle bone. My girl really is a siren .
“Where does this devotion to the sea come from?” Her eyes are closed when I look up at her, unbuckling the next shoe while I wait for her answer.
“From my dad.”
Her words are wistful, with a sad sort of admiration.
I recall the first time I spoke with her brother.
He mentioned taking over their tavern when their father passed away.
My mind flashes again when I think of the photo I caught in the background of Dylan Morgan’s office.
There was a redhead that had made my thoughts cast to Lex.
It was her all along. The trident tattoo on his arm reminded me of the one on Lex’s shoulder.
“Does your brother like it too?” I ask. “You both have a trident tattoo.”
Her lips pull into an easy smile. “Killara Bay is a beach town. You have to love the sea to live there, it’s in the bylaws.” I chuckle at her playful tone. “The Morgans are all early risers. Dylan loves to surf, Dad loved to swim.”
She trails off as if stuck on the last thought. Memories of her dad. I don’t want to see her upset. I don’t like it.
“Let’s get you into bed.” I tap my hand gently against her thigh, urging her to move up the bed.
I pull the sheets back so she can crawl in, which she does with the grace of a baby deer. She collapses against the mattress, then twists to her back, burying her face under the blankets. Her grey eyes peer over the top as she mumbles into the sheets.
“What was that?” I ask, running my fingers through her long hair, brushing the strands away from her face. There’s a scrunchie on her bedside table, so I reach over and pop it on my wrist.
I pull Lex back up so I can gather her hair, scooping the tresses up. I twist and wrap it around itself before pulling the scrunchie into place. Her face looks so different when her hair is pulled back.
“It doesn’t smell like you anymore.” Her grey eyes peer up at me, still a little unfocused. Unsteady. “My sheets,” she whispers .
The pride that swells in my chest is like a dopamine hit. Imagining her curled up in bed, searching for the way my presence lingered in her space, makes me want to leave more pieces of myself behind for her. Mark my scent like a claiming beast.
I pull at the deep crimson tie around my neck, looping it over my head, and start unbuttoning my shirt.
Lex watches my movements with slow blinking eyes as if the act is hypnotising.
It feels nice to be on the other side of that feeling.
Truth be told, I’m still just as enraptured by her even as she sits here, silent and calm.
I peel the shirt down my arms, then bring it around her back. Her dutiful gaze never leaves my face as I guide her arms into the sleeves one by one. Buttoning her into my shirt leaves me with a new and unexpected sense of possession.
With herculean strength, I manage to step back from her, encouraging her to snuggle back down into her bed. My lips stretch into a smile as I watch her burrow her face into the neck of my shirt.
“Better?”
She says nothing, just looks up at me with innocent eyes and a nod so small I would have missed it if I weren’t watching her so obsessively.
I tiptoe back into her bathroom and refill the glass with water.
Bringing it back to her, I place it on the bedside table.
Little silver rings are scattered on the surface in front of a photo frame.
In the picture, Lex’s cheeks are full and rosy from the giant grin on her face as she holds an equally happy Claire to her, their cheeks pressed against one another.
Her red hair looks long and wild. There’s a crowd of people behind them.
It looks as though they were at some sort of festival.
The frame tucked behind it shows an older man with dark blond hair and familiar grey eyes.
He’s sitting in a deck chair on the sand, squinting one eye with a crooked smile aimed at whoever was taking the photo.
I pick up the frame for a closer look. There’s a little girl sitting in the sand beside the older man.
She wears a frilly red bathing suit and looks with wonder into a bucket full of shells.
The same dark blonde hair as the man is fixed into two little buns on her head.
I’m not good at guessing kids’ ages, but she looks to be around seven or eight years old.
A tingling sensation echoes from my heart to the tips of my fingers as I study the photo of a young Lex.
It makes me think of moments with my own parents and siblings.
Of future moments I might have with my own children.
Will they be filled with chaotic, loud and loving family dinners and backyard games, just like my childhood?
Will they be full of trips to the beach, collecting shells and building sandcastles?
I smile and put the frame back in place.
When I look over to Lex again, her eyes are closed, face buried into the collar of my shirt.
I sit on the edge of the bed, careful not to jostle her as my weight sinks into the mattress, and I brush rogue strands of red off her forehead.
Her face shifts into my hand, and I can feel her lips as they rest against my palm, burning me like a brand.
Just like the first time I was in this room, I’m finding it hard to leave. My body is begging me to stay, fighting the distance we’ve both placed between us.
I know I want more from her. She’s not just a hookup or my client. My heart sneers at the insulting way those words try to box her in.
I can’t just walk away and forget about her, about the connection between us. But I think I need to be careful.
I need to learn Lex.
I need to figure out why the fuck she has me so flipped upside down and turned inside out.
And then, I’m going to find out what she needs from me.
And that’s exactly what I’m going to be.