CAROLINE

My silly ringtone sounded from the nightstand, waking me early from the bluest of deep dreams. My arm fumbled over the nightstand a moment, hitting off my water bottle and decorative rose quartz chunk, before I finally grabbed the cellphone.

"Hello?" I rumbled into it.

"Caroline!" The man's voice yelled.

"Huh?" My head was still foggy from lack of sleep.

"Caroline! You are late for work!"

Oh! It was Rick! The cellphone time read 6:08. "Shoot! Sorry! I'll be right there!" I slid off the bed in a heap of blankets on the floor, scurrying to get free. Running to my dresser, I started pulling out my work clothes.

His voice was low and deadly. "You expect me to be lenient after how you acted yesterday? Think again Caroline. You are on probation!"

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'll be there in twenty minutes!" I promised, tying my scrub pants.

"You better be, or you'll be sorry," he threatened.

"I know! I'm coming..." I ran for the bathroom, but my movements halted when William was towering in my doorway blocking my exit. His face set and stoic. Immediately my mind cleared, and I remembered the last few days completely.

That's why I wasn't at work. A deep sigh of relief flooded my body.

My phone fell from my hands and I jumped at William and buried myself into his embrace. His hands held at my back and head, and a kiss topped my hair. I took a full long breath. "Sorry. I forgot where I was for a moment."

"I was worried," he admitted.

I squeezed him tighter, determined to not let him fret.

"Caroline. Caroline!" I heard the receiver from the phone.

It made me grin. "One moment," I spoke to William's lovely chest.

Then I pulled from his embrace and picked up the phone. "Hello Mr. Farce. This is Caroline Peters... or Kara Day, I'm not exactly sure which at the moment. But that's not important. I'm sorry you didn't get my secretary's message, but I have quit your practice effective immediately. Marie North is a wonderful help and I'm sure she'll be great to cover anything you would have needed of me until you can hire someone else. I apologize about leaving you shorthanded in the meantime."

Rick's voice growled. "You need me Caroline. Get back here now!"

I looked up to William with a pleasant smile. "I don't think I do. I don't need you or your job. Please don't contact me again. We are over and I quit."

He started a rant, but I ended the call and then turned the whole phone off.

William's face then turned into a gentle smile. Hope and relief flooded through me like a wave and I knew it wasn't just my own feelings. I threw myself at William, wrapping him in a hug and legs clear around his waist.

He chuckled and sat down on my bed, holding me across his lap.

After a minute of him rubbing my back I spoke softly. "Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up like that."

"He's quite manipulative."

I bit my bottom lip. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Please don't go back to him."

"I won't." I leaned back to show him I meant it. "The early phone call just caught me off guard after the late night. I probably would have realized before I got to the kitchen."

"Probably," he quoted with a soft grin and then tucked some hair from my face.

I pressed my hair back embarrassed. "Oh! I'm sorry. I bet it's all over the place."

He grabbed my wrists down and smiled at me. "You're beautiful in every way."

My lips met in a moistening line. I looked down to our hands bashfully. "Thanks."

He chuckled then pulled me back into his chest. I curled into his heat realizing that four hours away from him was already too much for Kara. His arms wrapped tight around me, caging me to his chest.

"I'm kind of pumped with adrenaline right now, so I don't think I can go back to sleep, but can we lay down for a minute until my heartrate returns to normal? Then we can have breakfast in a bit." But then I got nervous about the invitation and raced through my next words. "But if you're hungry now, then I can go start something! I'm sure I can get feeling better quick and then you don't have to..."

"Shhh," he laughed, trying to silence me. "Laying down sounds great."

"Oh. Right. Okay." I tried to breathe through my foggy nerves. I nodded and got off his lap, stretching out by my pillow.

He came down beside me and I leaned up on his chest, his arms around me in perfect tenderness.

I closed my eyes in pure relief. It was so warm and comforting like some radiant joy that I never would have thought possible a few days ago. Like my whole life was a lie before him.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked softly.

"I'm just happy," I sighed, my hand tightening into his shirt.

I could almost hear the grin on his face. "I can feel it through the bond. It's nice."

My heart then started pounding in a different way than the shocked adrenaline and I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to kiss him. But could I do it without the fake dream world surrounding me? I didn't know. I pressed my wanting lips together, trying to build courage.

Could I?

I tightened my muscles, ready to move.

I probably could.

...maybe.

I took a deep preparing breath...

And...

Aaaand...

Nope. I couldn't do it.

Do it you freaking chicken.

Do it do it do it.

I leaned up bracing myself using his chest and he smiled up at me. I felt his love through his eyes, and he swept my hair back behind my ears in an affectionate gesture. My smile brightened and ...

Okay I really am going to do it.

I leaned down to his lips, claiming them with mine.

Heaven.

He kissed me back, a hand threading into my hair pulling my body against his. Another warm hand flooded through the thin scrub shirt into my back, heating my desire. I bit softly on his lower lip, and as his mouth opened swept my tongue against his. My hands, one bracing me up, the other sliding into his hair, feeling the locks glide between my fingers like silk. His moaning growl then vibrated in his throat, bringing a smile to my lips. He smiled too, lips still against me and he flipped us over, so he was now hovering above me, taking the dominate role. His tongue danced against mine, a new fierceness brought forward, and I giggled as I wrapped my knees at his waist, bringing him closer against my hips.

"Caroline," he whispered, almost a caution against my cheek.

"William," I mimicked his tone.

He shuddered, "Oh Love, my name on your lips is divine."

"William," I moaned for fun and started setting soft kisses down his throat.

His voice was gentle as he gave me better access. "Maybe we should stop."

"I don't want to stop."

"I thought you didn't want to move too fast."

Oh.

Right.

My head and body then eased back into the bed with a sigh. He looked down to me, face carrying the lust he felt, then slid onto his side adjacent to me.

"I just don't want to pressure you into anything. I care about you Caroline. Your happiness means everything to me, mate bond or not. We can wait."

"I care about you too." I turned my head to look at him, and his certainty overflowed into me. I then spoke with a little smirk. "And really, I think I may have been the one to pressure you into something first." I leaned clear onto my side and pressed into him.

He chuckled lightly and then touched along my cheek. "You pressure me again. Whenever you're ready. I'd wait forever for you."

The burning I felt, forced a grin to my face. "Then I think... maybe I will pressure you again," I winked, "in two minutes."

"Two... Two minutes?" He raised a questioning brow.

I sat up on my arm, a teasing air consuming me, my voice now a seductive purr. "Yes. Two minutes. I've got to go brush my teeth first." I twisted off the bed, just standing up.

He laughed loudly, hands trapping around my hips and yanked me back against the bed with a bounce.

As he started laying kisses down my neck. I arched, a breathless quality to my words. "Thought... you didn't want to move to fast."

"I lied." He blew warmly against my neck. "I decided I can't wait two more minutes."

"Good," I snickered, lifting off the bed just enough to get a good hold on the bottom of my shirt, already starting to yank it off.