As Caleb watched, Evie screamed her guts out into her palms. The emotional release was incomprehensible to him, and he worried he had hurt her.
He tried to pull her hand away. It was impressively rigid, but he managed. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?” he asked, still panting from the heat.
Her hands shook as if telling him to go away, but that wasn’t what she was signaling. “I’m sorry!” she cried again.
With his arms gathering her up, Caleb pulled her over on her side with him. The loving embrace warmed her and protected her. Within those strong arms and hot, dominating chest, he cradled her. Magically, she took a deep breath and calmed down, finding solace in nuzzling her face against his hot and damp skin. “I’m sorry. You don’t know what you did for me.”
He brushed her back and kissed her forehead. “I know exactly what I did for you. That’s why I did it. If only you knew what you just did for me.”
She giggled softly, for he revisited something he had told her already when they first tried to make love. Back then, it was merely sheer lust. Now, she knew it had grown into love. She couldn’t have her insecure mind play tricks on her thinking that when he told her he loved her it was all a lie. But her mind was so stricken with nirvana that never occurred to her.
And it wasn’t true. As Caleb kissed her, and she tried to lazily meet his kisses, he did in fact grow to love Evelyn Morgan.
Without a care in the world, Caleb Wright was allowed to sulk in his fully drained body. The mattress was old, and the bed was rickety, but Evie made it feel like home.
She made everything feel like home.
Home.
Caleb fell sound asleep with her locked in his arms. And for once in many years, he had the deepest sleep of his life.
Chapter Thirteen
Caleb’s heart rate shot through the roof, and his head felt like it was splitting apart. She wasn’t sure what had come over him, but he looked lost, confused, or something different. It was as if he stared right through her but neverather. The light coming in was like milk and honey. Dawn had come. She tried to softly get him to talk to her by touching his face. The pricks of his stubble were rough along his jawline, but still Caleb didn’t move. He had blanked out completely.
She didn’t care. Instead of pushing or prying, Evie lifted her head, tenderly kissed his cheek, and whispered with a breathy voice, “I love you.” And then, she simply nuzzled against his face. The jagged roughness of his skin didn’t phase her at all. Sure, it burned, but she wanted to feel that fire. She wanted to be closer to him. She wanted tobethere with him, wherever he went off to. During a recent blizzard when she felt afraid and alone, Hunt had stopped by and chatted with her over coffee. It was then and there she learned what certain signs of PTSD could look like. She was by no means an expert, but she could try.
Caleb’s eyes glazed over, and she waited patiently, still stroking his face with one hand and his shoulder with the other. She kept her eyes deadlocked on him at all times. After about five minutes, she lifted his chin and kissed his lips. He didn’t respond.
It’s alright.I’m here. What is it?she thought.
Ten minutes.
She needed water but refrained. She was hungry, but it didn’t matter. Evie stayed faithfully with him while he sat up in bed. “Caleb? Are you okay?”
As if by magic, there he was. His head twitched and he looked in her eyes. “Yeah, I’m okay. Why? What’s wrong?”
She smiled affectionately. “Nothing darling, absolutely nothing. Would it be alright if I got out of bed? I need to go to the bathroom, get some water, and have a snack.” He was dazed and bewildered. After she got out of the bathroom, she dressed herself and asked, “Hungry? I can get you something.”
“What happened?” he asked in a far-off voice.
“You blanked out.”
With saddened eyes, he looked at her. “Did I hit you?”
It took Evie by surprise, and she sharply turned to face him. Had he ever hit Ashley? She remembered the rumors that Ashley had spread, but surely they were just rumors. She sat next to him and patted his leg and assured with an angelic voice, “Not at all. You needed a moment.”
“Ugh,” he rubbed his face. “I’m sorry.”
She shook her head. “Don’t be. Are you alright?”
The silence lingered for a thread inside eternity. “Yeah, thanks.”
“Of course!” she said sweetly. “I’ll get you something to eat and maybe a Diet Coke. I know that’s your favorite.”
Evie left and Caleb was alone.
Please come back,he thought.
