I’m not pressuring you. He smiled and ran a finger over the length of my jaw and chin. I’m just letting you know that if we get all entangled in each other’s minds, our bodies will go that direction. It’s instinct. It’s not sex, it’s all in the mind but it’s definitely sexual. And I was just joking about waiting until we get to the house. We’ll wait as long as you need to, no rushing.
He smiled reassuringly but I’d already seen in his mind how excited he was about it. It’s one of those things you have to wait until you’re ascended to do, like a lot of other things. He asked his dad about it since we had imprinted. He knew real sex was out of the question for a long while and I was grateful for that but he was very intrigued and interested in the other, the mutuality.
You don’t want to wait...to do that? I asked.
He smiled and rubbed the back of his neck. I could feel his embarrassment and caution. No. He didn’t need nor want to wait but he did and would if I wanted to.
Baby, listen. Even though the fasten seat belt sign came on he leaned over in his seat towards me and put his head to mine. I did used to think that all this was a sham, that everything my parents used to talk about was over exaggerated and more about personal perception than facts. Then it happened to me - you happened to me - and even though I used to act all aloof about it, I had waited for that day my entire life. When it happens to other Aces, they jump right in to being together and starting their lives. It’s instinct, I know you feel it, too. But...with us being so young, especially you - He continued quick when I mentally rolled my eyes - we need to keep it toned down and not just jump in all at once, like our bodies want us to. But. I have wanted all of you, all of us, since that first second. It’s drilled in my bones from the imprint to... I don’t want to scare you.He shook his head and started to move back, but I stopped him by grabbing his shirt sleeve.
“You’d never hurt me, I know that. I’m not scared of you or anything you have to say. Tell me,” I pleaded and he sighed, then continued.
It’s rooted in my blood to consume you and be consumed by you. To protect you. To please you, in every way. His fingers raked through my hair. To make you shiver when I touch you. And to his enjoyment, I shook with goose bumps. He smiled and skimmed his fingers down my arm. To cause your heart to beat faster. He tapped his finger over my heart as he’d done once before and it didn’t make me calm down any more than it had before. To make you happy, to do anything and everything with you, to date you, spoil you, love you...marry you. So yes, I want to make love to you. I want to mutualize with you. I want to live with you. I want to marry you and have kids with you. But not today. Not right this second. We have all the time in the world, Maggie. I told you in the very beginning that I’ll let you set the pace and that still stands. I’m ready for anything, whenever you are but I’m not pushing you, ok? I’ve waited this long for you and I’m happy. He kissed my stunned lips softly as I fought to keep my composure and breaths even. I’m happy, just like this, for now.
I had no idea what to say to him after that. My chest was too shallow and my eyes were brimmed with tears, but I wasn’t sure what they were for, happiness, gratefulness or fright. My vision was spotty and blurry and Caleb’s breath blowing in my face wasn’t helping anything. He smiled cockily and brushed my bottom lip with his thumb.
“Breathe, Maggie.”
I took a deep breath and felt more clear just as the captain came over the intercom and instructed us we were about to take off. I felt the floor and seat vibrate and shake beneath me. I gripped his hand on the armrest between us and gasped at the jolt as the engines fired.
“It’s ok, it’s normal,” he said as he turned his hand over under mine to lock our fingers.
I took deep breaths and scoffed at myself. I was not scared of a plane. I leaned back and tightened my seatbelt as tight as it would go. I felt Caleb’s eyes on me in concern.
“I’m fine.”
“Let me distract you,” he said and pulled my face to his. Our noses touched and he sighed his words. “I can’t wait for us to get there.”
He showed me a vision of us on the beach, walking and holding hands, him chasing me down the shore as we passed a campfire at nighttime. Him kissing me on a big porch swing as he pressed me down further into it’s big cushions and pillows. A huge white breakfast nook window sill where we’re sitting, reading a book together and eating orange slices. My legs wrapped around him as we float in the pool and he kisses me witless.
When he pulled his face away I was breathless, but the plane was long forgotten.
“Is that your plans for me?” I joked.
“Absolutely.” He smiled, his dimple driving me insane and tweaked my nose. “We’re ten thousand feet. How do you feel?”
“Perfect. Thank you.”
“Well, we can sleep. We’ve got a long flight but we’ll get there really late and it takes about an hour to drive to the house, so.”
“Ok. Hey,” I grabbed his arm, “thank you.”
“For what?”
“Everything. Dealing with my ex, my brother, my dad. My insecurities about all of this, coming to find me, taking me away from everything, explaining things to me a hundred times, keeping me calm on the plane, being patient with me. For always telling me the truth even if it embarrasses you or you think I won’t like it.”
“You never have to thank me for those things,” he said sweetly, but forcefully, and wrapped a hand around the back of my neck, his fingers curling and flexing as he spoke. “You’re mine now, Maggie. You’ll always come first and I’ll do anything for you. Anything.”
“I know. And I love you for it.”
“I love you, too, baby. I don’t see how I can love you anymore than I do right now.”
I smiled at his words, feeling the warmth and caress behind them. I leaned forward and kissed him. I opened my mouth and let my tongue touch his bottom lip, then pulled it gently between my teeth. His breath left in a rush. I smiled inside and pulled him closer with his shirt in my fist. I let my fingers trace his jaw and neck and move to his hair. I ran my fingers through it, tugging gently. I heard and felt his small groan so I decided to pull back from him. His eyes were bright and glimmering with something I didn’t want to think about on a plane. He licked his bottom lip and continued to breathe erratically.
Just so you know, it makes me insane when you call me baby.
“I’ll remember that,” he said breathlessly.
I giggled. “It’s good to know I’m still not the only one affected.”
“I told you, it’s so much worse for me.” He leaned forward, so close our faces were almost touching. “That wasn’t nice. I can’t exactly do anything about it on a plane, now can I?” He nipped my chin and then kissed the same spot. I gulped and he smiled. “Now we’re even.”
I laughed breathlessly and bit my lip. His smile was smug as he brought his hand to cup my cheek. Then his fingers coasted down my arm to my hip and I sucked in a breath as he found my thigh then my leg...as he pulled a pillow out from under my seat. Oh, boy. Caleb was going to play dirty. The plane’s air didn’t seem to be working properly.
He chuckled at my thoughts as he fixed the pillow for me under my head, leaning my seat back.
“Touché,” I muttered and he laughed harder.
“There will be plenty of time for that later,” he assured amusedly.
“So, what’s this tattoo on your wrist?” I rubbed it with my fingers. “I’ve seen them on your family, too.”
“It’s our Virtuoso crest for the Jacobson clan. Every family has their own crest. Ours is half moon, simple and classy. We’re born with them and only other Aces can see them. It’s one more way to show others who we are, what Clan we belong to.”
“But I’ve seen names on the other ones. Their significant’s names.”
“Yeah,” he murmured and sucked his lip in and out which I’d learned was a thinking tactic. “Well...it happens to us. See, we’re not sure on the exact details but supposedly, the first significant couple started it. The first time they practiced Mutuality on each other, the tattoos came along with the names of their significant appearing on the inside of their wrists. From then on, we were all born with their family tattoo. See, when two significants line up their wrists, their half of the tattoo added to the other one becomes a whole and the names create an outline or border. It’s really cool, actually.”“So what about us? I don’t have one,” I said, rubbing my wrist and felt extremely sad for some reason about that.
“You can get one, if you want to.”
“How did Gran get hers?”
“She got it done for Papa’s birthday one year.” He chuckled. “Ever seen a grown man cry?” He chuckled again.
I thought how incredibly sweet that was and I guess I could go get it done but for some reason, it didn’t seem the same. I felt left out. Caleb would never have a match for his tattoo unless I went and got the thing myself, which I just might do.
First Class was nice, though I had no idea what Coach was like. We ate our dinner they brought us and they started a movie but I took Caleb’s advice and curled up beside him as best I could with my blanket and pillow.