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Ididn’t say a word as I slid a heaping plate of bacon, eggs, toast, and fried sausage toward Caleb. Yesterday morning was awful after I finally got the courage to walk downstairs and face him. I was embarrassed and confused, and without talking, I had no explanation for why…
I mean, he kissed me! He’d gone down on me until I’d seen stars, and now he was acting as if nothing happened? Blowing out a breath, I grabbed my own plate and took a seat further down the table, powering through the food. For once, I didn’t enjoy it or relish the luxury of it. I just wanted to get through it and start working so I could go home.
Avoiding his gaze, I rose with my empty plate and shoved it in the dishwasher, telling myself I needed to stop this. I had no right to be upset. So what if we…it happened. It was nothing. Just a man and a woman…
“You busy today?” Caleb asked softly, startling me out of my attempts to pep up and move on.
Flushing, because why wouldn’t I blush and embarrass myself more, I turned to meet his gaze and nodded.
“It’s linen day, and I found that fancy carpet shampooer in the basement closet. Figured I’d do a deep clean on the guestrooms.”
“Oh, yeah. Sounds good. I uh…I could help.”
“Uh, no. Really, these things just go faster if I do them my way.”
I shrugged, hot-footing it out of there before I did or said something that would humiliate me even more. I didn’t need that, and I kept reminding myself of that as I spent the day cleaning like a demon to work off my mad.
Go down on me and then look at me like I have the plague. Well, guess what, buddy, I don’t need your shit, I hissed as I cleaned and raged inside.
All while avoiding Caleb, who had suddenly developed a need to follow me around constantly. I was so tense at one point I contemplated ‘accidentally’ bumping his ass down the stairs. And watching him roll down every step.
“Can’t you just…go work on your paintings?” I huffed near four, my patience on its last thread as I walked into the kitchen and started to prepare his dinner.
“You could stay for dinner?”
“Uh, no. I have stuff.” I huffed, unable to meet his eyes, before turning away
Caleb hung around for another minute, a silent presence, and then I heard him sigh before he left. The relief of his absence was a heavy ache within me as I turned back to prep and told myself that I didn’t care about his dinner invite. Okay, so I sort of did, but today had been so terrible I’d happily find something to do at home if it meant I could escape and go lick my wounds. Alone.
By the time five hit, I was so…scattered and sad and just angry at myself I didn’t bother to say goodbye.
“You leaving? I can give you a lift.” I heard as I stepped out onto the front porch and nearly fell down the steps when I found Caleb waiting in a rocker.
“No, thanks. I like the walk.”
“Ren—”
“You have a good night.” I cut in, unwilling to talk.
He had all damn day to talk, and now he wanted to…what? I didn’t know, and I didn’t care as I waved over my shoulder and took off, power-walking my way home in a fit of anger. Reaching my trailer, I felt a little better.
Now that’s a lie.
“Yeah, well, lying to myself is sort of a thing,” I grumbled, slamming the door behind me and kicking off my shoes.
After eating one of the Ramen bowls I'd bought with the coupons from Ted Asherby, I spent the rest of the night tidying to keep busy. See. I had stuff to do, and it meant I definitely wasn't obsessing about Caleb and his tongue. Stupid man. What an asshole. Was I not…good, I wondered, old worries, hurts and hang-ups plaguing me.
Hissing and cursing soundly, I took a quick shower and then fell into bed. I was still so mad I was surprised when I dropped off to sleep almost immediately.
“…hooooooo!”
Shooting up from a dead sleep, I panted and looked around the dark room, confused by what had woken me. Bewildered and still half asleep, I listened, shaking my head to clear my fuzzy thoughts. When something hit the side of my trailer, and a loud howl followed, I scrambled back against the headboard and whimpered. Someone was out there, I thought, as fear skittered down my spine when I heard another thump.
“Oh, God,” I whispered, my heart pounding harder when thump after thump quaked around me, the banging coming so loud and fast it became a cacophony of chaos.
It’s okay. Just crawl under the bed!
Hell no. Shift. We can take ‘em!
