How Deep is Your Love

Chapter Eight: Heading Back to the Ranch

Aliona slowly awoke as light streamed into the cave, it had been an entire day since she had found Iker and the weather had only just started to improve; the Spaniard lay behind her with his arm wrapped around her waist.

The two of them had spent their time in the cave making love to one another; however Aliona knew that they would have to head back to the ranch soon before the weather got worse again.

“Buenos Días,” Iker murmured as he pressed his lips to her bare shoulder, Aliona closed her eyes in contentment; she wondered what would happen when they returned to the ranch, she doubted that they would see a lot of each other or spend a lot of time together.

“Mañana,” Aliona said making the Spaniard sigh as he closed his eyes, he pressed another kiss to her shoulder before the blonde pulled away from him slightly and started to get dressed; Iker watched her as she avoided looking at him.

“It’s safe enough for us to head back now,” Aliona said as Iker stood and stopped her from getting dressed; he gently tilted her head making her look at him.

“Do you regret what we did?” Iker asked softly, his brown eyes bore into her green eyes; Aliona shook her head as the Spaniard wrapped his arms around her.

“I don’t regret what we did but Iker, we have to go back,” Aliona said shaking her head as she pulled away from him and continued to get ready to leave.

Iker watched her as she dressed before he started to get dressed himself; the last twenty-four hours with Aliona had been unlike any of the many hours that he had spent with Sara.

Looking over at the blonde, Iker frowned for a moment as he watched her while she prepared the horse to return back to the ranch; he didn't have any intention of letting her go now that he had her.

***

The ride back to the ranch didn't take long and before Aliona knew it, the two of them were being crowded by her father and some of Iker’s friends; the blonde flashed her father a smile before she led Black Beauty back into the stable.

Iker watched her leave as he was questioned repeatedly about what had happened; he answered them as best he could but it was clear that there was something else on his mind.

Alexandria approached her husband with a smile as she figured out why the Spaniard had looked disappointed that Aliona hadn’t stayed.

Nathaniel looked at his wife, who had a know it all look about her as she crossed her arms, Iker’s eyes trained on Aliona as she exited the stable and was greeted by her two children.

“He likes her,” Alexandria mused making Nathaniel and Jose look at her, the blonde smiled as she sauntered off towards her daughter; the two men stared after her before looking at Iker, who was still watching Aliona with her children.

“What where you saying the other day about setting the two of them up?” Nathaniel asked making Jose grin at him, the two men watched as the Real Madrid medic checked Iker over to check that Aliona had been right about his injury.

“I don’t think we need to,” Jose said making Nathaniel chuckle as Jose was signalled back to the medic, who had finished checking him over; Iker watched as Aliona headed inside with the twins.

“Are you sure that you are alright Iker?” Xabi asked concerned as he eyed the older Spaniard warily, he could see that there was something different about his friend. He had been so miserable before he had gone missing in the mountains and now, he looked like he was actually happy.

“I am fine Gracias,” Iker said with a smile as he removed his eyes from Aliona as she disappeared inside; Sergio and Xabi looked at Iker wondering what had happened.

***

Aliona was grateful that her parents had called the hospital for her, so that she didn't have to worry about explaining her whereabouts while she had been rescuing Iker.

The blonde smiled as she tucked her sleeping children into their beds, she didn't know what she would ever do without them; she didn't think that she would be where she was today without them.

Aliona had showered and dressed in cream drape cami top and black skinny jeans paired with cowboy black western boots after she had returned from the rescue.

“Buenas noches,” Aliona murmured softly as she looked at the sleeping faces of her children, getting to her feet; the blonde smiled as she turned off the bedroom light and headed out of the room and closed the door behind her.

Aliona paused as she spotted her father waiting for her outside the room with a smile on his face.

“Mr. Casillas wants to thank you personally for rescuing him,” Nathaniel said as he looked at his daughter.

Aliona nodded as she brushed some hair from her face, she didn't miss the look on her father’s face as she moved passed him and started to head down stairs so that she could leave the house to go and see Iker.

“Aliona… I’m happy for you,” Nathaniel said making his daughter stop walking and turned back to look at him, the blonde looked at him puzzled as he smirked before disappearing towards his own bedroom for the night.

The blonde didn't waste any time before she headed to Iker’s room, Aliona knocked on the door; it was getting late and she didn't want people getting suspicious about her visit to see Iker.

The Spaniard opened the door for her, Iker smiled as he allowed her inside before closing the door after her; Aliona watched him curiously but she didn't miss the sound of the door being locked.

“Iker,” the blonde said shaking her head as she looked at him, she didn't know what he expected now that they were here alone; Aliona didn't know what to expect either. The Spaniard moved towards her and wrapped his arms around her.

“I don’t want to let this go,” Iker said making Aliona look at him; she had a feeling that this wasn’t something that either of them could walk away from easily.

“Then what do you suggest?” Aliona said as she slowly wrapped her arms around Iker’s neck, her lips just inches away from his; the Spaniard brushed his lips against hers.

The blonde swallowed hard as he gently kissed her, Aliona closed her eyes as he kissed her; Iker making it perfectly clear what he wanted as he slowly started to help her out of her top.

Iker smirked as he backed Aliona towards the bed; the blonde broke a kiss as her green eyes looked up into Iker’s as he trailed his hands down her body.

“Iker, if we do this there is no turning back,” Aliona warned making him nod in understanding, she had to be careful about getting involved with Iker if he was just going to hurt her in the long run; she had the twins to think about plus she had been hurt enough by Daniel in the past.

“I don’t plan on turning back any time soon… I want to be fixed,” Iker said before he claimed her lips, he wanted to feel whole again and Aliona was the only thing that filled the hole that Sara had ripped into him.