The Desire's Game | C.C

Chapter 14

"All that you ever wanted from me was sweet nothing."

Raven's POV

I wake up and feel my arms wrapped around me, the comforting weight of a body pressed against mine. The rhythm of a heartbeat thuds softly beneath my ear, blending seamlessly with the faint, steady breathing that accompanies it. The warmth radiating from the body next to mine seeps into me, and I feel a profound sense of peace.

Opening my eyes, I look up to see Caitlin's face, serene and beautiful in the soft morning light. Her hair is a tousled halo around her head, and her lips are slightly parted in sleep. Unable to resist, I lean forward and lightly kiss her cheek, a smile tugging at my lips as I do so.

She stirs slightly at my touch, and I take the opportunity to study her face more closely. There's a flush on her cheeks that seems a little too bright, a warmth that feels more intense than usual. Frowning, I place the back of my hand gently on her forehead. The heat is palpable through my hand, confirming my suspicion.

Caitlin begins to wake, her eyes fluttering open slowly. When they meet mine, they sparkle with a familiar affection.

"Good morning, princess," she murmurs, her voice thick with sleep, but her smile cheeky and bright.

"Good morning, Cait," I respond, my heart swelling with warmth at the sight of her.

Concern tugs at me, and I check her forehead again, the heat still there, unwavering. "Do you feel okay?" I ask, my worry evident in my voice.

She sighs, a little exasperated, but mostly just tired. "I feel a little hot, but I'm fine," she insists, trying to wave off my concern.

"Baby, I think you have a fever," I say gently, not wanting to alarm her but needing her to take it seriously.

She groans, her arm coming up to cover her eyes, clearly not ready to deal with the reality of feeling unwell. "I'll be fine," she mutters, her stubbornness peeking through even in her vulnerable state.

I untangled myself from her arms and the bedsheets as I padded to my medical bag in the corner of the room, rummaging through it until I found the thermometer. Caitlin's health was my top priority, especially given her demanding schedule as an athlete.

Walking back to the bed, I saw her eyes flutter open, sleepy but curious. I handed her the thermometer, my expression serious.

She raised her eyebrows at this, a playful smirk forming on her lips. "Seriously?"

I nodded, grinning despite my concern. She groaned but took the thermometer, placing it in her mouth with a resigned sigh.

A few moments later, she took it out and handed it to me with a triumphant look. "See, 98.4. I'm fine."

I shook my head, not convinced. "Open," I instructed, gently taking the thermometer and placing it back in her mouth. She rolled her eyes but complied, knowing better than to argue with me when it came to her health.

We waited in silence, the seconds ticking by. I could see her growing more impatient, but she stayed still until the thermometer beeped. I pulled it out and looked at the reading, my heart sinking. "102.4," I read aloud, my voice tinged with worry. "You're not fine."

Caitlin sighed heavily and leaned back into the bed, her face a mix of frustration and worry. "I can't have a fever. We fly out tonight for the game tomorrow," she said, her voice laced with anxiety.

"I know you want to play in the game, Cait, but your health comes first," I said, gently playing with her hair, hoping to soothe her.

"You sound like the other trainers," she scoffed, but there was no real bite to her words. Just exhaustion and worry.