赤裸裸的滑稽故事

Ashleigh dropped the wet towel into the hamper, pulled the robe from behind the door, and put it on. Glancing at the mirror, she caught sight of the scar on her jaw. She reached up and touched it gently. Her eyes lowered to her stomach, seeing what lay beneath the robe in her mind.

"Maybe it would be best to start here," she whispered with a sigh.

She took a deep breath and opened the bathroom door. As she stepped out into the room, she felt the shift in temperature. Her eyes widened as she turned to see the door open wide.

***

Caleb crept down the long hallway filled with doors. The numbers on the doors made it clear that they were in a hotel. He paused briefly between each set, checking for the tobacco and roasted barley scent. It lingered through the hallway and in some rooms, but Caleb knew the man was not behind any doors he passed.

He could hear voices and laughter. There was music playing on a lower floor.

Turning down another hallway, Caleb saw a couple walking arm in arm and smiling. He stopped and looked at the picture hanging on the wall as they passed him. He checked to make sure they kept walking before he continued.

But just as he was about to walk away from the picture, he recognized a face. So, Caleb stepped closer to get a better look.

The man was roughly the same height as Caleb. He was barrel-chested with broad shoulders. Red hair and a thick beard, wearing the same golfer's cap that Caleb had always seen him in.

Chewing tobacco and roasted barely. A scent he had recognized from a long time ago.

As if the scent was not enough to confirm it, the man in the picture wore a flannel button-up shirt. Black lines and dark blue with some green. The same shirt that Caleb wore now.

"Liam…" Caleb growled.

They had met years ago, shortly after Caleb returned from his time with the humans. Cain had sent him to Europe to check in with some of the international packs about setting up a trade for some of the equipment he was having trouble sourcing locally.

Liam had been one of the wolves that Caleb worked with. They got along well and developed a good friendship while working together. But Caleb was never a fan of the dark ales Liam enjoyed or his hobby of trying to lure women away from their significant others or mates.

At least twice that he could remember, Caleb found himself in the middle of a pub brawl as a result of Liam's hobby.

And now, Caleb was wearing one of Liam's shirts. One that had Ashleigh's scent mingled into it.

Caleb closed his eyes, trying to calm the rising anger and breathe through the fear. There must be some other explanation. He had held Ashleigh in his arms all night. She never once seemed conflicted or guilty.

She begged Leshy to bring him back only a few days ago!

He took a deep breath through his nose. There was some other reason that her scent was on this shirt. Ashleigh told him that he was still the one she loved.

"Caleb?"

Caleb clenched his jaw at Liam's voice and his scent that swirled through the hallway and invaded Caleb's nostrils.

"Jaysus… she said ye came back, but I thought she might've just been fluthered!" Liam laughed as he approached Caleb.

Caleb swallowed, still trying to calm his thoughts. Liam reached up and smoothed the fabric of his shoulder.

"Looks good. I thought it might be too big," Liam smiled. "Guess Ashleigh was right again. She said we were about the same size."

Caleb clenched his jaw.

"Got yerself a good one there," Liam said. "Smart, strong, and damn easy on the eyes."

Caleb growled as he threw his forearm against Liam's throat, shoving him hard to the wall.

"She is my wife!" Caleb snarled.

Liam's eyes widened, but he said nothing in response.

"Caleb!" Ashleigh shouted from down the hall. "Let him go!"

Before Caleb could react, he felt a cold sharpness at his throat, a soft burn of a blade's edge breaking the top layer of skin.

"Best to listen to her," a woman whispered beside him in a low growl. "I don't fancy blood on these carpets."

"Maeve," Liam said softly. "There's been a misunderstanding… but yer man's gonna sort it, so let's put the knife away, yea?"

Caleb's gaze moved to the corner of his eye. He could see the woman now. She was shorter than he expected, maybe only five and a half feet. She had dark brown hair, bright green eyes, and a look of anger and possessiveness. A look that he recognized immediately.

Caleb looked back at Liam. Though he was being held, and his focus should have been on the one threatening him, his attention was entirely on the woman.

With a disapproving huff, the woman pulled the knife away from Caleb's throat, and Caleb let go of Liam.

"See?" Liam said, smiling down at the woman. "All good."

"Caleb!" Ashleigh shouted as she got close. "I told you to stay in the room!"

"I know. I'm sorry," Caleb sighed. "I caught a scent I recognized, and I–"

Caleb's words fell away as he turned to face her and found her standing in the hallway in only a robe. A robe with a belt that was coming loose.

"Oh shite..." Liam whispered.

Caleb pulled Ashleigh into his arms, blocking anyone else's view of her body. He looked back at Liam with a growl.

"Maeve, we should… let's take a dander round the garden."

He put his arm around the woman's shoulder and hurried them away in the opposite direction.

Ashleigh pulled away from Caleb and secured the robe.

"Why did you come out here wearing only that?" he asked. "You're practically naked!"

"You left!" she shouted. "I had no idea where you went, Caleb!"

Caleb lowered his head and clenched his jaw. He knew he was the one that had made a mistake.

"I'm sorry," he said softly. "I shouldn't have–"

"How could you do that to me?!" she shouted angrily.

Caleb lifted his head to look at her. She was angry, really angry.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you," he said. "I just–"

"Upset me?!" she asked, moving toward him aggressively. "Upset me? Is that what you think you did, Caleb? You 'upset' me?"

Caleb furrowed his brows.

"Ashleigh, I was only gone a few minutes. I–"

"You were gone five years!" she exclaimed.

Caleb closed his eyes, lowering his head as he understood the truth of the situation.

"You let go of my hand, Caleb…" she whispered, tears falling down her cheeks. "And I didn't know if you were ever coming back."