In Her Sleep

Yes

Layla stares back at the girl in the mirror. Its one place she gets to see how far she has come from the little orphaned girl that lost her mother many years ago. She is now a woman, a beautiful one at that. She has weathered many storms but she still looks shaken up from what just happened. Her heart is still racing from the moment she thought Caleb was about to say something that was definitely going to weigh heavily on her and her decision. His serious look was enough to make her panic inside. She already has enough struggles within herself and a confession would have just put more pressure on her no doubt.

She sighs and is grateful that he changed his mind even though he did well to let her know he didn't like it.

She wipes her face as she gets ready to get back out there. Being here was just to give herself some time to get her composure back.

She holds on to the sink while she looks down. She can't lie to herself or him. She wants to be here as much as he wants her to be and pretending to be thinking about it won't change that fact. But that is not all there is to it.

Her mind wonders to Simon. The picture of him looking so thirsty for another woman is like a knife being twisted in her heart. His words echoing in her head brings out all the rage that she hasn't been able to feel ever since she found out. Up until now she was too shocked and too hurt for anything else but thinking about it now makes her want to rip him apart. She never thought he would ever cheat on her let alone use her for whatever reason. She clenches her teeth in anger as she wonders if she is just too naive or just too trusting. There were no signs at all. Even when she thinks about it now its clear that without her walking in on them she would have never known.

Her eyes fall on her ring finger that has been bare since she got here. The stone that used to melt her heart suddenly was too heavy so she took it off. She hasn't figured out how she will handle that one but one thing is clear, she won't be going back to him. It still stings to know she was nothing to him and she wishes she had thought twice about moving in with him. Which is exactly what she should be doing even now.

She moves back from the mirror and leans on the wall.

"But they are not the same right?" She mumbles to herself.

She has tried to compare the two and as much as she sees the differences, it's herself that she doesn't trust. She remembers wanting to move in with Simon just as much as she does with Caleb if not even more and she can't trust herself to think clearly enough to make the right decision. She sighs loudly as she thinks about what to do. As much as her relationship with Simon didn't work out it was quite good while it lasted.

"Except you were just like his spare wheel." Her mind bites back and she grimaces.

"That's true but it wasn't all bad." She retorts.

"What wasn't all bad?"

Caleb's voice comes through to the bathroom and she bites her teeth.

"Am I that loud?"

"Loud and clear."

She thought she was talking low enough to herself but Caleb's answer tells her otherwise.

There is amusement in his voice and she decides to walk out to give him a piece of her mind.

"Weren't you ever told it's rude to eavesdrop on other people's conversations?" She stands by the door with arms folded but the grin on his face makes it hard for her to keep a straight face.

"I was, but then again I wasn't eavesdropping...."

He moves close and her smart comment dies in her mouth when all she can think about is his closeness that has a tendency to make her brain malfunction. Her breath hitches when he moves closer and his hand snakes past her waist to the door handle.

"The door was open and your conversation with Layla was kind of loud enough for me to hear from out here.."

He closes the door behind her and with the same hand he ends up pulling her close to himself.

"Am a gentleman and gentlemen never eavesdrop on a lady."

Layla's legs feel like jelly when the sound of his deep voice feel like a caress on her ear. She can't help but hang on to him with her legs that feel like they can't carry her anymore. She knows he is enjoying this but she also can't deny the rush she is getting from his games. And his breath taking smile is like the icing on top of the cake. She is in trouble and she knows it.

She tries to get out of his hold but his grip gets tighter and she finds herself not minding it that much.

"So what did Layla say?"

She looks up to him with a frown on her face when she doesn't understand his question.

"I am a patient man but with you....all my patience just kind of flies out of the window leaving me unable to wait too long."

His head resting on her forehead makes her warm all over as his confession makes her break out in a smile. It's now or never. No matter how much she thinks about it there is no fail safe and all she wants is everything that this man that has changed her world is giving her. She takes a deep breath before putting a stamp on the beginning of a new journey for Layla Jones.

"Yes..."

"Yes?

The sparkle in his eyes make her feel so special. She sees Caleb as a self made man and to be able to get him this excited with a simple yes is kind of surreal to her.

"Yes..."

She nods her head and a squeal escapes her when she finds herself no longer standing on her two feet. Caleb scooped her out of excitement before she could even protest.

"I have a few conditions though..." Layla chuckles when she looks at how excited he is.

"....anything.. you can have anything as long as you stay here with me."

She finds him looking at her intently after he puts her down and she can see he means every word he is saying. A tightness forms in her chest and before tears start dropping she moves to hug him. No one has ever looked at her like that before and no matter what tomorrow holds she has decided to live for today.

With his face in the crook of her neck they stay like that for a while and she finds herself liking how he is holding on to her figure as if he is afraid she will disappear if he were to let go. She hugs him tighter too hoping he too will know she has no intentions of letting go either. Not for anything.

She has no idea were they will go from here but if life has taught her anything it's to appreciate what she has right now. And the man in whose arms she is in at the moment makes her come alive in ways she has never been and she will enjoy it as much as she can and for as long as she can.