Her reaction to it all, to me missing from the bed, to me standing outside in my underwear, it had kind of freaked me out. I’d felt guilty about it all week, knowing that deep down there was probably a part of her that didn’t fully believe what I said I’d seen or what I’d been doing out there. And I’ve been trying to make it up to her, convince her I’m not entirely crazy ever since.
“Maybe we should celebrate tonight?” I suggest.
She pauses, her hand frozen over her bag as she glances over at me. I can’t resist smiling at her, my hand still tucked behind my head and my other hand now pushing the sheet down a little, as though to tease her with exactly what I mean by celebrating. I watch as her eyes follow its path from my bare and now exposed chest, until I pause with it low on my hips, just below my belly button. She swallows hard before glancing back at me.
“You do not play fair, Caleb Parker,” she says, her voice low.
My grin widens as I beckon her closer with my finger. She walks over, coming to a stop beside the bed. Reaching my hand out, I grab her wrist, pulling her down so she falls on top of me. She lets out a huff and I wrap my arms around her, holding her close.
“Good luck today,” I whisper, my lips brushing against hers. “Although you won’t need it.”
“Ugh,” she groans, deepening the kiss. “I really kinda hate that you aren’t in school and suffering through finals with the rest of us right now.”
I chuckle, sliding my hand to her ass as I gently squeeze it. “I promise I’ll make it up to you tonight,” I whisper against her ear before pressing a kiss to her neck.
Ruby sighs, her head tilting to the side as if to give me more access. I can’t resist kissing and sucking her skin, loving the feel of her body lying against mine. “I really need to go,” she whispers, even as she continues to lie against me.
I grin, nibbling against her neck before I gently slide my hand up her back and ease her off me. “Go, I’ll see you when you’re done tonight.”
Ruby pulls herself up, standing beside the bed again, her hand still in mine. “Are you working tonight?”
I nod. “Yeah, but I won’t be late. We gotta celebrate, remember?” I add, winking.
Ruby smiles down at me, letting go of my hand as she brushes hers against my cheek. “You seem…I don’t know…”
I sit up, slipping my arm around her waist as I pull her closer and rest my chin against her stomach. “I’m happy,” I tell her, meaning it. Because despite what I saw the other night, and despite all the thoughts that have been running through my head ever since, I really am happy. Especially when I’m with her.
She leans down as she brushes her lips against mine. “So am I.”
I smile against her mouth. “Good, but now you have to go. Go and kick this final’s ass and then we can celebrate.”
She laughs, pulling back as she grabs her bag and walks toward her door. “Have a good day,” she says, pausing in the doorway.
I smile at her. “You too.”
After Ruby leaves, I drag myself from bed and head to the gym for a quick workout. It’s already nearly midday and I’ll be at work by the time Ruby gets done with her exams. I’d been tempted to tell her to come in and see me after she’s done, but I know she’ll be exhausted. So my plan is to finish up early, bring her some of the tacos she loves so much and spend the night at home with her.
After I’ve run home and taken a quick shower, I head over to the bar for my shift. Taking on the manager’s role definitely has its perks. It’s not just the pay raise, but being able to organize my own shifts and time off is a huge bonus. It also means I’m able to get the time off over Christmas and New Year’s. I’m looking forward to going away with Ruby, my sister and Reid, even if the thought of meeting her parents still has me a little nervous.
“Hey,” Adam says as I walk in.
“Hey yourself.”
“What’s happening?”
I shrug as I make my way back toward the small office out back. “Not much. You?”
Adam follows me back there, stopping to lean against the door jam. “Mentally and physically preparing myself for the onslaught tonight,” he says, grinning.
“The what?”
Adam raises a brow. “The onslaught, the end of finals, the celebrating and huge amounts of p—”
“Yep, okay, got it,” I say, holding up a hand to cut him off.
Adam laughs. “Please, don’t try and pretend you aren’t hanging out for tonight so you can have your girl back.”
Now it’s me raising a brow at him. “Whatever.”
“You are,” he says, laughing.
I wave a hand at him. “Go work,” I say, jokingly dismissing him.
Adam gives me a mock salute before saying, “Yes, boss,” and walking out.
After I work through some of the paperwork, I head back out to the bar to help out for a while. It’s not as busy as expected and I chalk it up to everyone being exhausted at the end of semester and finals. Doesn’t stop Adam from trying his hardest with what few people do come in and by the time I wander over to let him know I’m leaving, he’s flirting hard with a brunette who’s leaning against the bar, her cleavage on display.
“I’m outta here,” I say, as I stop beside him. “Try and behave yourself.” I tilt my head in the brunette’s direction, but Adam only laughs.
“And you try not to,” he says, waving me off.
I shake my head and then make my way to the kitchen to grab Ruby’s tacos before I head home.
Outside, the air is cool and refreshing and I draw in a deep breath as I start to walk home. Once again, I find myself enjoying the walk, a calmness settling over me as I think about what’s waiting for me at home.
When I get home though, that calmness quickly disappears when I once again discover the trash cans disturbed and rubbish littering the ground.
“Fucking hell,” I say, bending to clean it up, wondering if it’s maybe time I mentioned this to the others. They clearly haven’t noticed and it’s obvious that it’s happening late at night, when they are all inside and I’m at work.
Once I’m done, I make my way toward the back door, but just as I reach it, I hear something that makes me stop and freeze, my ears pricking up as I listen for the sound again.
But there’s nothing, the only sound is the silence of the night that makes me wonder if maybe I imagined it.
“Ugh.”
There it is again, a weird grunt that sounds strange, and I can’t tell if it’s a person or an animal that’s made it. Putting the tacos down on the back step, I hold my breath as I slowly walk to the corner so I can peer around the side of the house where I can tell it’s coming from.
It’s dark down this side, the only light coming from what I know is Ruby’s bedroom. At first I can’t see anything, my eyes scanning the darkness that’s only magnified by the hedge that runs along this side of the house and casts it in shadow.
But then the noise comes again and this time, I know it’s not an animal.
I feel my body tense, the blood in my veins turn to ice as I blink rapidly, desperate to focus on the darkness and what I think is hiding there.