Caleb

Chapter Thirty Two

Caleb ~

The next day flew by with dozens of people coming and going from the Flores house. The election was one day away and the family was set to attend an event in Ricardo's honor that evening, signifying the end to a hopefully successful campaign trail.

Lainey bounced back and forth between projects, helping anyway she could. Caleb looked on lovingly, basking in the sight of Lainey taking charge and handling things for her father. His Lainey was strong and independent - a force to be reckoned with and he found himself staring at her while she worked, admiring the incredible woman that she was and wondering what on earth he had done to deserve her.

The one thing that had been bothering him all day, was the fact that she seemed to be struggling with her potassium levels. There were several times during the day where he'd seen her rub at her calf muscles or fight against fatigue as she worked, but she seemed to be staying on top of it. Every so often she'd reach into her purse and take some extra medication, obviously keeping tabs on her symptoms, feeling that her levels seemed off that day.

It was probably stress induced after all that had happened the previous night and all of the election excitement. Either way, no matter what the cause, Caleb disliked the fact that she was battling her body like that and he was keeping a close eye on her as the day progressed.

"She may not like it, but I think alcohol is out of the question tonight. She can't seem to get her levels under control." Caleb said to James in the kitchen that evening as the rest of the group finished getting ready.

James let out a low laugh as he poured himself a drink and swirled it around in the glass.

"Well if anyone will be able to hold her to that, it's you." James said, taking a sip of his drink.

"She adores you man." James said in a hushed voice before his father entered the kitchen.

Each member of the family made their way into the kitchen one by one until finally Lainey came into view. The whole damn world stopped spinning when Lainey walked in and Caleb felt his heart stutter beneath the lapels of his tux.

Holy shit. Would you look at that fucking dress.

Lainey was wearing a black form fitting, floor length gown that came off her shoulders and had him practically salivating as she walked into the kitchen. One of her perfectly toned legs peeked through a slit that ran so high up her thigh, Caleb thought he might swallow his own tongue.

She locked eyes with him and subtly took her bottom lip between her teeth, teasing and taunting him from across the room. Giving him a slight tilt of her chin, she motioned toward her bedroom over the conversation that buzzed around the kitchen, prompting Caleb to meet her there.

It was all Caleb could do not to take off in a dead sprint toward Lainey's room, with his hands itching with need to touch her.

Once he rounded the corner of her bedroom, he shut the door behind him and let his eyes feast on the stunning woman in front of him. The whole world could have come to an end around them and he wouldn't have blinked - wouldn't have moved - wouldn't have even noticed. He couldn't tear his eyes away from her and didn't try to, giving her every ounce of attention that she deserved, but that he wouldn't be able to give her once they stepped into the public eye.

"Goddamn Lainey. You look incredible." Caleb hummed next to her ear as he ran his hands down the front of her dress, stopping at her hips and giving them a squeeze.

"You don't look half bad yourself." Lainey said, tilting her head up toward him as she straightened his tie.

James' voice echoed through the door, making Lainey jump in his arms at the sound.