After having dinner, Ralph arranged for Adira's new flight home to Texas. He then confirmed the following flight details. The ice storm had hit Atlanta very hard but did not last long enough to cause any lasting damage to the Aviation Industry.
While returning, he stopped at one of the jewelry kiosks. Meantime, Adira had ample time to get Raven ready for bed.
The salesman at the shop asked him, "Anything particular are you looking for, Sir?"
Ralph had his eyes on the rows of bracelets, rings, necklaces, and earrings on display. He wanted to buy something for Adira. But he knew she would not accept it.
He asked the salesmen, "Do you have anything for newborns?"
The salesman nodded with a pleased smile on his face. He understood that the customer was in a mood to buy, not just window shopping.
The salesman replied, "Actually, we do have." He then showed Ralph, "These are Baltic amber bead necklaces. For when the baby is a bit older, a toddler, these necklaces help them in teething," he said. "Mothers swear by them."
Ralph decided he would buy one of them for Raven. He paid for them, shoved the small bag into his pocket, and headed back toward the U.S. Lounge.
He saw that the lounge was nearly full when he got there. He saw his friends in the gaming section, enjoying themselves. He then made his way to the room he would be sharing that night with Adira.
Ralph kept thinking on his way back that he had been practicing celibacy for the past eight to nine months. He thought, by the time he would be back from Kandahar, it would be fifteen months. He had recognized Adira was his mate, but he didn't want to rush things for her at this juncture. He thus pushed those thoughts behind his mind, swiped his key over the electronic lock, and knocked at the door.
Ralph informed, "It's me."
She replied, "Come in."
He entered the room after closing the door behind him. He found her sitting on the edge of the bed. She was wearing a red tank top and white bottoms. She appeared so small, sweet-looking, and vulnerable. Ralph felt a strong desire to protect her.
He informed her that tonight, he would sleep on the sofa.
But Adira said that she would not hear anything about it. She said she would sleep on the sofa as Raven usually got up only twice for feed during the night.
Ralph would not listen to that, he said. He wanted her to sleep in the bed.
Adira stubbornly did not listen to him and marched towards the sofa. He followed her and grabbed her wrist. He lifted her in his arms, put her back to bed, and jumped towards the couch in three strides. She sat laughing as he did that.
She told him, "I cannot keep letting you take care of me like this."
Ralph asked her, "Like what?" Though his mind was on a different wavelength. He had been thinking how damn soft she was when he touched and lifted her. Even her hair was so silky. Also, while putting her down on the bed, he had seen those brown flecks in her green eyes and thick eyebrows. He had also felt her chest rising and falling rapidly under the thin tank top. Everything about her was so beautiful, he thought.
She answered his question, "Like what?" by answering, "Like I mean something to you."
He thought to himself that she meant too much. Way too much. But he did not want to lose his self-control. He did not want to hurt her or break her trust. He had not yet informed her that he was a wolf shifter. It was with great effort that he did not take her there and then. He said, "I am going to see my friends and chalk out tomorrow's flight plan."
Adira asked him, "Right now?"
He nodded. With his hands on the doorknob, and before leaving, he told Adira, "Sleep in bed. I will be back soon."
"Are you leaving because of something I said?" she asked him.
He replied, "No. But do stay where you are. If I find you on the sofa, I will not think twice before lifting you in my arms and dropping you back on the bed."
She saluted Ralph and said, "Yes, Sir."
He laughed and said, "You sound more agreeable now."
She replied, "Despite what we see in romantic films, it does not feel great being thrown over a guy's shoulder like a sack full of potatoes."
He replied that he would remember to be gentle the next time.
She replied that there wouldn't be the next time.
"Good to know," Ralph replied.
Adira said she would not offer him the bed again while saying she tossed a pillow in Ralph's direction. It hit him on his chest, as he did not care to block it.
He told her, "Sleep tight." Before leaving, he said, "You are a piece of art, Adira. A real piece of art."
She replied, "Don't you forget it."
He momentarily thought of holding her in his arms and expressing his love for her. He wanted to keep her and never let her go. He left the room while he had some strength left with him.
Raven had been sleeping peacefully in her pack-and-play. Adira kept on thinking what was wrong? Had she done something, Ralph left. She thought, in a way, it was good. Because when he had lifted her in his arms to drop her on the bed, the only thing on her mind was to kiss him.
She kept on brooding, whether he was just a nice guy helping a woman down on her luck. Or was he a person who had helped to get something in return?
Adira, at that point, had the urge to kiss him. And wanted him to take her in his arms. She groaned and buried her face in the pillow. She cursed her stupid hormones at that point.
She then lay on her back and tried deep breathing and relaxation techniques. She then lay down, thinking and rehearsing about her arrival home. She dreamt of an ideal world, and her Uncle and Aunt were human enough, having emotions other than anger and disappointment. She dreamt of introducing Raven to them and showing them how perfect she was. She then dreamt that her Aunt fussed over Raven and kissed her lovingly. They then sat down for a family dinner. She then dreamt that they looked at Adira with love in their eyes and agreed with her that Raven was a unique child. She dreamed she told them how happy she was to be back home. They then hugged and comforted her.
It was a hug that Adira needed as a child, as a teenager, and now as an adult. Tears started flowing down her cheeks. She brushed them away. She waited for Ralph's arrival for a few more minutes and then fell asleep.
Later in the night, when Raven woke her with hunger, Adira found Ralph stretched on the sofa. She grabbed a blanket from the bed and tucked him in properly. She brushed his short, blonde hair away from his face and gently kissed his forehead.