Invitation

Caleb's POV

I had just finished placing the dishes on the table when I felt her presence nearby.

I turned and saw her making her way around the pool - eying it like she thought an alligator might jump out of it any second - looking kinda cute in her frown, purple PJs and finger-combed wet hairs.

I felt my lips curl into a smile, only to catch the look on Leo's face as he entered the poolside behind Ruth, eying me with a suggestive smirk.

I scowled instantly and shot him a warning glare just as Ruth reached the gazebo. She looked up at me with a faintest smile and my heart banged against my ribcage like a beast trying to break free.

What the fuck?

Nodding slightly at her in acknowledgment, I went to sit, only to realise that Ruth intended to sit across from me. And next to Leo.

Like hell.

Straightening up again, I wordlessly pulled out the chair that was right next to mine, keeping my eyes on Ruth, and avoiding Leo's raised brows.

She frowned slightly, but thankfully sat in the place I had assigned to her without any questions, leaving Leo to drop in the chair opposite to us as he placed the cutlery he had fetched from the kitchen.

"Got to admit," he drawled, looking Ruth up and down slowly, in a way that made me clench my fist around a tissue.

"You look a lot less like a banshee when you're not screaming like one," he continued, then paused and slyly added, "of course, it'd probably be different if you were screaming for the right reasons."

Ruth's brows raised at the blatant innuendo and I placed the chicken marsala bowl on the table a little too hard, before speaking.

"Forgive my cousin, Ms. Brooke. He is slightly out of practice in talking-to-a-lady department."

"Pfft, she's no lady." Leo waved his hands around, then continued.

"Just ask my eye. Or the cops. Or the poor kidnappers that made the mistake to grabbing her today."

I felt Ruth going still beside me, and I cursed Leo internally for being careless with his words.

She must obviously still be shaken up by what had happened, even though the outcome was a favourable one.

"Didn't you learn in school that we mustn't talk when we eat?" I told idly, hoping he'd take a hint.

No such luck.

"Nope, I focused on honing better skills," he winked at Ruth, making her cheeks tint prettily.

"Just stuff your face and leave, Leo," I hissed, suddenly out of patience.

"You're not staying here?" Ruth asked, sounding surprised, making irritation boil in the pit of my stomach.

She reached for chicken marsala and in my agitation, I pulled the bowl away and out of reach from her, instead placing the bowl of plain, vegetable soup in front of her with a loud clank.

She frowned at this and gave me a narrow-eyed look which I deemed fit to ignore.

She wanted Leo to stay?

Obviously enjoying my irrational reaction, Leo placed his arms on the table and leaned in with what he thought was his lady killer look, but in my opinion just made him look acutely constipated.

"If you'd rather I stay, we can arrange for that to happen, you know?"

Sure, we can. If your body organs are in working order to let that happen.

I breathed deep in through the nose to avoid sprouting the crap that was running through my mind. The worst part was, I wasn't even sure where it was coming from.

Maybe it was the stress of the day. Her being in danger must have turned my protective instinct on that I am unable to turn off yet.

Yeah, that must be why I was having weird urges to smash Leo's predatory look right into his skull even with the knowledge that he was doing that just to get on my nerve.

"Seems like no one learnt to not talk during meals," I grumbled, earning a glare from Ruth and a mock pout from Leo.

"Looks like our in-house nurse doesn't approve of you having anything hot and heavy tonight," he spoke in an angelic tone that grinded my nerves to a pulp, gesturing towards her soup bowl with a half smile, but clearing indicating at something else.

Clenching my teeth, I snapped, "cut this shit out, Leo, or I swear to God I'd-"

My threat to shove Leo's innuendos at a very impolite part of his body were cut short when I suddenly felt her small hand covering mine, nearly making me jump a mile out of my skin.

Looking up at her face, I saw one of her brow arched, and I realised I was clutching the soup spoon I had intended to hand over to her in a death grip.

Handing it over, I massaged my temple with one hand and stuffed my food with other, while Leo and Ruth finally, blessedly, ate in silence.

I could feel Ruth's confusion in the furtive glances she shot at me throughout the dinner but I didn't dare meet her eyes. How could I do that when didn't understand my stupid reactions myself?

Finally, about 30 minutes later, Leo walked with me to the front door, thankfully avoiding any more comments on Ruth that would set my teeth on the edge.

Shortly after the dinner, she had excused herself to the bedroom vaguely stating that she had a headache.

Frowning, I glanced at the bedroom door, imagining her curled up under the sheets in pain. So occupied was my mind in thinking up all the possible ways to help her through it that it took me a second to realise we were standing at the threshold and Leo was giving me another one of his know-it-all, motherly stares.

Not again, damnit.

"So," he started, only to stop short when something like a growl emerged from my throat.

"Not. A. Word. Leo. I swear, if you made one comment on me-"

"I was just gonna remind you," he cut me short with his palms up in surrender, "about the bonfire I'm gonna have tomorrow."

Exhaling, I felt my shoulders loosen as I commented, "aren't you a little too old to be hosting a birthday party for yourself?"

"Bonfire," he replied hotly. "There'd be a get-together and beers and burgers. Perfectly grown up way to celebrate birthday, thank you very much."

He huffed and walked out, before turning back around and adding, "Oh, and bring the munchkin with you, okay? I can't wait to see you both mentally fornicating right in middle of the party, just like you guys did with that soup spoon back there."

A stream of expletives ran through my mind, but before I could put them to words, he slipped into the night and escaped.

Shutting the door, I sighed before making my way to the bedroom.

I stopped short, watching a small lump beneath the covers where Ruth was cuddled up on her side, leaving more than half of the bed empty for me.

Even from my viewpoint, I could tell her shoulders were too rigid for her to be actually sleeping, but instead of questioning it I went back into the kitchen, and grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator and walking back to the room.

Placing the bottle on her bedside table, I decided to take a shower before slipping into the bed myself.

In the shower, I took several deep breathes, getting my senses calm and under control.

I knew it was a right decision to move us in the same room, just in case she'd need something late at night, but that didn't calm my nerves one bit as the thought of sleeping in the same bed as her dominated my mind.

Even after being with many women in my life, I had never actually slept with one ever before.

Usually, I told myself it was because I needed my space in bed. But really it was the occasional bouts of nightmares that made me sought this solitary sleeping arrangement.

They weren't anything bad really. They didn't wake me up screaming or something similarly dramatic. They just left me dazed and confused, lost in my own head where nothing made much sense.

And I hated anyone seeing me like that. Disoriented. Out of sorts. Out of control. Unable to make sense of my own dreams. Unable to tell a dream from reality

Strangely, it wasn't the prospect nightmares that was making me nervous tonight. No, it was the fact that I will be sharing something intimate like sleeping in the same bed with Ruth that was making me turn into a pathetic puddle.

What was there to be nervous about anyways?

It was just a girl. Granted, a hot girl with mouth watering curves and sassy tongue that left an aftertaste like grape tart behind, both literally and figuratively.

Hm, that tongue... I sighed, remembering the kisses we had shared so far, remembering the way she'd curl that tongue around mine in a way that made you wonder thing. I sighed again, then cursed as my thoughts made my body get stupid ideas.

With a muttered curse, I turned the knob to full throttle cold shower, hoping I was exhausted enough to fall asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.