by Claire Raye
“I see you’ve discovered my secret addiction,” she says as I hear the soft click of the door closing.
Turning, I have to bite the inside of my cheek just to stifle the groan that almost falls from my mouth at the sight of her. Fuck me. She’s dressed in these tiny little boxer shorts that barely cover her ass and a tight tank with a Captain America logo on the front.
How the fuck am I supposed to sleep next to this?
“Star Wars and The Avengers, huh?” I ask, smiling as I gesture toward her with Yoda.
Ruby bites her bottom lip, even as she fights the smile. “Yeah,” says, almost shyly.
I chuckle. “It’s cute.”
She rolls her eyes at me, but she’s smiling. “Which side do you want?” she asks, her eyes scanning over to the bed.
I replace the little Yoda before turning back to her, my hands up. “Your bed, Ruby, your choice.”
She pulls the duvet back as she stands by the side of the bed that’s closest to the door. “Do you want to be closer to the door?”
“This is good,” I say, shaking my head as I walk toward the bed.
She nods. “The window is open, but it’s got a security screen. We can close it if—"
“It’s okay, Ruby,” I say gently, pulling my side of the duvet back. “Seriously.”
She gives me a smile, not saying anything as she climbs into bed, lying on her back as she watches me. Normally I’d pull off the t-shirt I’m wearing, but that somehow feels like too much given the circumstances, so I don’t. Instead, I slide into the bed beside her, still dressed in my sweats and t-shirt, a couple of feet between us.
“You okay if I get the light?” she asks.
“I’m good,” I murmur, my eyes on the ceiling which plunges into darkness as she switches it off. But before my eyes have a chance to adjust though, a soft glow comes from her desk. Glancing over, I let out a chuckle at the night light in the shape of the Death Star.
“Wow, your obsession knows no bounds.”
I feel the bed shift a little and when I look over, Ruby is lying on her side, her head on the pillow beside me. She smiles as she whispers, “You have no idea.”
I roll over to face her, my body mirroring hers, that foot or so of space still between us. It does nothing to stop the scent of her though, wafting toward me, embracing me and consuming me. I feel a flicker of lust deep in my belly, my dick twitching on instinct and I have to slide my hands under the pillow just to stop myself from reaching for her.
“Where are you from originally?” I ask, needing to get my mind off thoughts of pulling Ruby closer, of rolling her beneath me. Of doing so many other things.
Her smile widens. “Lake Tahoe,” she says. “Have you ever been there?”
I shake my head. “Until coming here,” I tell her, “I’d never left Rhode Island.”
Ruby nods once, no sign of pity or sympathy on her face though as she says, “I’ll have to take you there one day, you’ll love it.”
“Mmmm, sounds good. Do you have brothers or sisters, a big family?” I ask, wondering why in all the weeks I’ve been here, we haven’t talked about this stuff. It always felt easier just to talk about random shit, like movies and TV shows we were watching.
That or the big elephant in the room of what was going on with me.
Ruby smiles, “Yeah, younger sister, Mila,” she says. “And of course our parents.”
“Do you and your sister get along?”
“We do,” she says. “We’re close like you and Sienna are.”
I smile. “Sie and I only ever had each other growing up,” I say, exhaling. “Well, and Reid. Still do, I guess.”
“You guys are so close,” she says, her hand moving on the sheet, fingers splayed open. “It’s actually amazingly sweet how close you are. Even when Reid and Sienna were fighting, you could see it.”
“We’re the only family each other has,” I tell her. “It’s why I was glad Reid came out to school here with Sie.”
Ruby laughs a little. “And fell in love with her.”
I chuckle. “He was always in love with her.”
“True,” she replies, raising a brow. “You’re okay with it, right?”
“Yeah, of course,” I tell her. “Like I said, the three of us are family. It’s all good.”
“Well,” she says, exhaling as her hand moves again, inching closer toward me, “you guys have me too, you know. I mean Sie and I hit it off since day one here, but well…” she trails off, biting her bottom lip as her eyes find mine in the half darkness. “I’m your friend, too.”
Friend.
There it is, that word again, that description of what we are. Just thinking about it starts a dull ache, low in my gut, as though reminding me not of what we are, but of who we can never be. But as much as it hurts, I know it’s for the best too. That nothing I can offer Ruby is enough, so the last thing I should be thinking about is dragging her into my world.
“Caleb,” she whispers, her hand moving again until it’s slipping under my pillow and finding my hand. Her touch sends shivers of electricity up my arm and as much as I know I should pull away, I don’t.
“Yeah?” I whisper as her fingers slide against mine, pulling my hand from under the pillow.
“You know that, right?” she says, her voice low. “I’m your friend.”
I smile at her, my eyes growing heavy. “I do, Ruby,” I murmur. “Thank you.”
I don’t know when we stop talking and eventually drift off to sleep, but the next time I open my eyes, the morning light is streaming through a crack in the blinds.
Rolling over, I find Ruby’s side of the bed empty, a sheet of paper on her pillow. Reaching for it, I fall onto my back as I hold it up and start to read.
Hey sleepyhead! Think the plan worked…no nightmares! Hope you wake up feeling rested. For the record, you’re not impossible to sleep with.
I’ve got class till 3pm, but if you wanna go for a run afterward, I’m game
I let out a breath, a weird smile on my face as I lower the paper to my chest, my eyes on the ceiling as I listen to the peaceful silence of an empty house. Ordinarily I would hate this, but this morning, it feels calming, as though something has shifted.
Rolling over again to look at the clock on Ruby’s side of the bed, I end up with my face on her pillow, her scent instantly filling me and awakening my senses.
And my dick.
I let out a low groan, turning my face as I bury it against her pillow and inhale deeply, even knowing I’m just torturing myself doing this.
But it all feels too fucking good to ignore, no matter how much I know I should. Without thinking, I slide a hand inside my sweats, my fingers curling around my hardening dick. All of this is so, so wrong and I know it, but it doesn’t stop me from tugging gently, once, twice, three times.
Groaning again, I fall onto my back, my eyes closing as I allow myself a few seconds of believing that I’m lying in Ruby’s bed, but it’s her hand on my dick, about to get me off.
Before I can go much further though, I hear the front door slam shut, the sound of footsteps as someone walks through the house. Scared it might be Ruby, I yank my hand from my sweats, swinging my legs over the side of the bed and sitting up as I mentally command my dick to calm the fuck down.
But she doesn’t come into her room and when I finally get myself under control, I slip out of her bed, pulling up the duvet as best I can, before venturing out to the kitchen.
Sienna stands leaning against the kitchen counter, her eyes on her phone as she scrolls through something on the screen. When I walk in though, her head snaps up, a strange look on her face that eventually morphs into a smile.
“So, you and Ruby, huh?”
I shake my head, running a hand through my hair as I make my way toward the fridge. “Not like that, Sie,” I say, peering inside. “What are you doing home anyway?” I add, hoping to change the subject.
“Lab got canceled,” she says quickly, as she cros
ses her arms over her chest, a smug look on her face. “Uh huh, and what exactly is it like then?”
I roll my eyes as I grab the orange juice and pour myself a glass. “It’s nothing.”
She scoffs. “Please, you sleeping in her bed is not nothing. Come on, tell me what’s going on,” she continues. “I’m not gonna be mad.”
I turn and lean against the counter across from her, the two of us in identical poses as we face each other. “She offered to let me sleep in her room because she thought I might feel safer there with the door shut,” I start. “I wasn’t about to let her sleep on the couch, so…” I trail off shrugging as I take another sip of juice. “But it was nothing more than a friendly gesture. That’s it.”
The smug smile on Sie’s face disappears and I expect her to ask me something about why I need to feel safe or what it is that makes me feel afraid here. But she doesn’t, instead she does that thing she’s been doing lately where she walks over and wraps her arms around me, pulling me into a tight hug.
I humor her now, wrapping my arms around her and hugging her back, because truthfully, this change in us, it isn’t just with her anymore.
“I’m glad you have her,” she whispers, her mouth against my ear. “This makes me very happy.” She pulls back, a smile on her face and her eyes shining as she looks up at me.
“You’re only saying that ‘cause you stole my best friend,” I say teasingly as I pinch her side.
Sienna laughs, swatting a hand across my chest. “Oh, so we’re trading now are we?” she asks.
I let out a chuckle. “Or,” I say, my eyes meeting hers, “the four of us are all friends?”
Sie’s smile widens, her arms squeezing me a little as she whispers, “Yeah, I like that idea.”
With her lab canceled, Sie and I decide to hang out for the day, spending time together, just the two of us. It’s something we haven’t done since she came back to Providence for our dad’s funeral and she’d stopped speaking to Reid because she thought he was involved in what happened to me.
It’s nicer this time though, because for the first time in a long time, both of us are happy, unburdened by the drama of our fucked up family or the misunderstanding of everything that happened. We spend the day laughing and talking, grabbing lunch together as Sie fills me in some more on what life is like here at Hawthorn.
By the time we finish eating, it’s almost three.
I’m gonna go meet Reid after his class finishes,” she says, checking her phone. “You wanna come with me?”
We get up from the table as I grab the check, waving her hand away as I make my way to the counter to pay. “Actually, Ruby and I are gonna go for a run,” I tell her. “But thanks.”
She gives me a small smile, nodding once as she links her arm through mine and we walk outside. “You going to meet her after class?” she asks, the smile of hers only getting bigger.
My brows narrow. “What day is it?” I ask.
Sienna gives me a look that screams, what the fuck does that have to do with it, before she says, “Wednesday, why?”
“Shit.” I shake my head. “I think she has a class with that creepy professor.”
“In that case,” my sister says, pulling on my arm as she drags me in the direction of campus. “You should definitely meet her after class.”
We head over toward the science buildings, the campus getting more and more familiar to me with each day I spend living here. As I recognize the building that has the classroom Ruby will be in, I stop, my eyes scanning the door where people are already starting to exit from.
“I’ll see you later,” I say, glancing at my sister. “Thanks for today. It was fun.”
Sienna smiles, squeezing my arm as she looks up at me. “It was,” she says. “See you at home.” Then she disappears, heading off in the direction of the engineering buildings.
I turn back to the door, watching as students continue to walk out, most of them laughing and chatting. I still haven’t seen Ruby and when the door finally slams shut and there’s still no sign of her, I find myself walking closer, the memory of the last time I met her after class, flashing through my brain.
Without thinking too much about what I’m doing or why, I yank on the door, pulling it open and heading inside. The building is quiet, the only sound that of a man’s voice, too low to make out what he’s saying. I head in the direction it’s coming from, stopping in front of the open door to a classroom.
Inside, I can see Ruby, backed up against a desk, the creepy professor guy clearly boxing her in as he invades her personal space. His eyes are fixated on her, despite how uncomfortable she is as he leans close and says something to her.
The whole scene has my senses on instant high alert, my hands curling into fists at my side as the hairs on the back of my neck bristle and stand on end. I clear my throat in warning and the professor’s head snaps up, his eyes meeting mine in an angry glare.
I don’t give him the satisfaction though, turning my attention to Ruby instead. Offering her a smile in an attempt to defuse the situation, I take a step inside the classroom as I say, “Hey babe, you ready to go?”
Ruby gives me a strange look, but I don’t react, holding my hand out as I take another step closer. Creepy professor guy takes another couple of steps back, but I still don’t look at him, my attention firmly focused on Ruby and getting her the fuck out of here.
Eventually she walks toward me with that same confused look on her face. As soon as she’s close enough, I wrap my arm around her shoulders, pulling her close as I press a kiss to her temple. “Let’s get out of here,” I murmur, not looking back as I lead her out of the classroom and away from that guy.
Before I do something stupid like punch him in the face.
Chapter Nine
Ruby
As soon as we are out of Professor Keller’s line of sight, Caleb’s arm drops from around my shoulders. I don’t ask any questions, just grateful for being pulled out of that situation so effortlessly by Caleb. It’s not like I couldn’t have eventually weaseled my way out, but it was definitely easier when Caleb showed up acting like we were together or something.
“Thanks for meeting me after class. What were you up to today?” I ask, keeping things breezy, because that’s what we are, casual friends. Even if every time I see him it feels like something more.
“Nothing much. Hung out with Sie and had some time so I thought I’d walk you home,” he smirks at me, his blue eyes comforting as they wrinkle up in the corners. He’s effortlessly gorgeous and it won’t be long before every girl that walks into the bar is hitting on him.
“Well, thanks. I appreciate you coming by.”
“I’m happy to meet up with you anytime you need it. Actually, I think I’ll start showing up here every Monday, Wednesday and Friday just because,” he says, a playfulness to the way he talks, but I know he’s worried about Professor Keller, even if he won’t admit it.
“You know I can take care of myself, right? Before you moved in, I was fighting off the advances of many suitors,” I tease, laughing a little at how ridiculous I sound.
“How many suitors have you had?” Caleb asks and I can’t tell if it’s a serious question or if he’s making fun of me.
“It’s college, Caleb. Girls get hit on, but I can handle myself.” I toss an elbow into his side and give him a little smile.
“Yeah, well college guys are one thing, but a creepy professor is another. That guy…” He doesn’t finish his thought and it takes everything in me not to roll my eyes.
“I’ve told you before, he’s harmless and I only have this semester left with him. Two more months and he’ll be long gone.”
“And harassing some other girl,” he mutters and now I am rolling my eyes.
“Seriously, Caleb, you and Reid need to stop thinking everyone is out to get you.” The words come out so fast that I can’t stop them and I regret them instantly.
What the fuck is wrong with me?
Of course he
thinks everyone is out to get him. That was literally his life for the last two years, stalked and tormented, and eventually beaten to near death. He has every right to be nervous, scared and paranoid, and being the asshole that I am, I act like he should just get over it.
I stop walking, reaching out to grab Caleb’s arm as he continues ahead of me. “Hey, I’m really sorry,” I say, swallowing back the guilt I feel as it burns in my throat. “I just said it. I didn’t even think about it and it was really insensitive of me.” I want to keep talking. I want to say everything I’m feeling in my heart about wanting him to heal and wanting to help him, but I know that’s the last thing he wants. He doesn’t want someone who is constantly feigning over his well-being.
“It’s okay. I get it. I am paranoid and I am worried about my safety, your safety, Sienna and Reid’s too. It’s like a never-ending battle in my head.” He says it as if he’s just accepted the fact that this is what his life is like now.
I rest my hand on his cheek, trying not to look too affected by his words, but my heart shatters each time he admits something to me. I’ve asked it before, but I ask it again, hoping he says something.
“What can I do to help? How can I help you get through this?”
“I don’t know, Ruby. I wish I had an answer for you. I wish I could tell you and then suddenly all of this bullshit would be gone.” He shakes his head and we start walking again. I don’t want to push things, but Caleb continues talking. “I’m fully aware of how ridiculous everything sounds in my head. I’m lying there in bed wondering what I would do if someone broke into the house. I wonder if I should sleep with a knife beside the bed, but then I’m like, ‘Whoa, settle down’ but I still Google the number of home invasions in Hawthorn.”
I can’t even begin to imagine what it feels like to be him, to live with the daily struggle of wanting to clear his head of everything that haunts him.
“But running with you helps and so does working at the bar. They’re all things that keep my mind busy and away from everything else,” he smiles again and I’m grateful to see that behind all the pain he can still find the good. “And you’re easy to hang out with, watching TV and talking, all that helps too.”