Caleb (The Unseen Series Book 1) (7 page)

“What’s that?” I ask.

“Why they show you the wine for you to look at the label before serving it. If I order a burger, would they bring out the picture of the cow the beef came from?” she asks, trying to keep a serious face.

I laugh, I mean really laugh and she joins me. “You’re relaxing. I like you relaxed.”

“I don’t feel so uptight anymore.”

“Do I make you feel that way?” I ask.

She grimaces slightly. “Yes?” her answer was more of a question.

“I’m sorry,” I reply.

“No, I’m sorry. I’m just not used to the wealth and grandeur,” she says as she gestures a big circle with her hands.

“I’m the same as you. I’m human too. Money isn’t a coat of armor. I feel what you feel,” I ramble on and she chuckles again. The car slows as we turn on to my driveway. SJ’s eyes dart to the house. “This is my home.”

The car comes to a stop and the driver comes around to open the door. SJ moves slowly as she exits the limo.

“Wow,” she exclaims. “I’m not sure what I was expecting but, wow!”

I laugh lightly and take her hand. “It’s better inside.”

The first place I lead SJ is to the bedroom. I see the apprehension on her face. I move toward a dresser and start searching through it, pulling out a pair of sweats and a t-shirt. “These will probably drown you, but here you go. You can change in the bathroom. Feel free to check out the tub while you’re in there, you know, for experimental reasons.”

“You want me to put your clothes on?” She furrows her brow.

“You said your perfect evening was sitting on a comfy sofa in sweats and a t-shirt, eating grilled cheese sandwiches and drinking coffee.” I smile, watching her cheeks color and her eyes divert to the floor. “You go change in there. I’ll change out here and I’ll meet you in the kitchen when you’re ready.”

She leans forward hesitantly and takes the clothes, thanking me before she turns toward to bathroom. “Oh, Caleb, could you unzip me please?” she asks. Her cheeks turn even pinker if that’s possible.

“Sure,” I say and pull the zipper down slowly. Watching the skin on her back appear bit by bit is too much for my libido to handle.
Get a grip, Cal.
I let her go and turn around. “There you go.”

“Thank you. I’ll be out in a minute,” she says before I hear the door close and lock. I don’t hang around as I change and head to the kitchen, hoping to distract myself enough to get rid of this hard on before SJ comes out.

Chapter 7

I
close
the door behind me and gape at the space I’ve found myself in. He wasn’t joking, I’d want to live in my bathroom too if it looked like this. The room is tiled floor to ceiling, an LED TV sits embedded in the wall next to the bath and a sound system is clearly wired in around the room. Everything is sparkling, I feel like I should be wearing sunglasses and white cotton gloves. I can’t help but wonder if Caleb is germaphobic with the way you don’t need to touch anything to make it work, it’s all sensors. I kind of expected him to have a separate shower room but the shower is above the bath, the bath is big enough to be a room if the walls were higher. A glass door leads into the bath that I assume once it’s filled with water will stay closed. Oh how I would love to sink into the deep tub with the jets blasting, massaging my body and relaxing me. I really hope I get to use this tub at some point—for experimental purposes of course.
Yeah right SJ, that isn’t what you were just thinking about using it for.

I change into the sweatpants Caleb gave me. He was right, they’re huge but I can tighten the draw string just enough so they don’t fall down. His t-shirt is just as big, but once it’s on I know I’ll have a hard time taking it off. It smells amazing. His masculine scent surrounds me and oddly enough, relaxes me.

I leave the bathroom and notice Caleb isn’t in the bedroom. I’m not sure if I’m disappointed or relieve to find he isn’t naked and waiting on the bed. I shake my head and laugh at myself.
Since when did you become your mother?

I fold my dress neatly and place it on the bed along with my purse and place my heels on the floor. I open the bedroom door and try to remember my way back to the kitchen we walked through on our way to the bedroom. I pull my hair out of its ridiculously neat bun, letting it fall down my back before using the same hair band to pull it back up in a pony tail. On the last pull through, I bring the hair half way through the band to keep it all up and out of the way. I follow the smell of melted cheese and find Caleb at the stove, just about ready to take the sandwiches off the griddle.

“You were right,” he says. “You do suit sweats and t-shirt much better than a dress and heels.” His eyes roam over me, finally finding my eyes.

I blush profusely. “Thank you. Can I help?”

“Nope, it’s all done. I made us two each, if you can’t eat it all don’t worry, I’m sure I’ll finish it off.” He laughs.

“You must be mistaking me for one of those stick thin models you must date, the ones who will only eat a lettuce leaf for dinner. I could eat all four of these sandwiches,” I respond. I don’t miss him wince when I mention the models.

“I don’t date as much as you think I do, only when I need a plus one for company at social and business events. You’re my first real date in a very long time, SJ,” he explains.

I shuffle my feet and refuse to meet his eyes. My cheeks are burning from his compliment. He chuckles as he moves closer to me and then he lifts my chin to look at him.

“I love this color on your cheeks, so pure and innocent,” he says and my breathing quickens. Does he know I’m still a virgin? He takes in my face and then his brow furrows as he closely inspects my right cheek. I yank my head away. “Is that a bruise?”

“I-It’s nothing, a little accident,” I stammer.

“It can’t be that little if it shows though your make up,” he growls. “SJ, what happened?”

“Please just leave it. We’re having such a good night, let’s not ruin it. Really, it’s not what you think,” I say and pray that he drops it. He seems to think about it for a moment and then his eyes seem to soften.

“You’re right,” he concedes. “So what would you like to do?” he asks as he turns back to the counter and hands me a plate with two grilled cheese sandwiches on it.

“Thank you,” I say and take the plate. “I don’t know, you choose.”

“We can watch a movie, play pool, go and sit out on the deck?” he suggests.

“Let’s play pool,” I reply. I haven’t played in ages. I don’t get a chance to go out without the twins.

“This way,” he says and sets off toward a hallway on the other side of the house. “We’ll eat these and then I’ll get us some coffee.”

I smile, but don’t reply, my belly is rumbling and I just want to start eating. As Caleb sets up the pool table I sit on the couch against the wall and as ladylike as I can, stuff my face with grilled cheese sandwiches. They’re amazing. I don’t know what he did to them but they are the best grilled cheese sandwich I’ve ever had. By the time he turns back to me, my plate is empty. “Did you want anymore?” he asks.

“No thank you,” I reply even though I could probably eat another twenty of them. “That was the perfect amount.”

Just as Caleb breaks, we hear his name being called across the house. “Who’s that?” I ask.

“My brother,” he groans. “In the den, Grayson,” he shouts back.

Moments later, a guy about the same age and build as Caleb walks through the door. They’re pretty much identical, except Grayson’s nose is a bit crooked, like it was broken once and not set properly.

His attention is instantly on me. “Hello, I’m Grayson,” he says and I expect him to hold out his hand to shake but he keeps them firmly in his pockets.

“I’m SJ,” I reply. He continues staring at me like I’m something completely new to him.

“Grayson,” Caleb calls him and his attention shifts back to his brother. “As beautiful as she is, SJ is not an art exhibition for you to ogle.”

“My apologies,” he says to me and then turns back to his brother. “Now I get why you needed my advice,” he says. I shoot Caleb a questioning look.

“Shut the fuck up, Grayson,” Caleb moans.

“Sorry, was I not suppose to say anything in front of—”

“What do you want?” Caleb interrupts his brother.

“Oh yeah, I need your help—I’ve lost her,” Grayson says.

As confusing as this conversation is for me, Caleb seems to know exactly what his brother is talking about.

“Maybe it’s for the best, Gray,” he replies.

“It’s not,” Grayson says bluntly. “She could be in danger. I need your tracking expertise.”

“Can this wait until tomorrow?” Caleb asks.

“Not really, but if I have to wait so you can ‘
get some
,’” he replies, using finger quotes. “I guess that’s what I’ll have to do.”

While I try my best to stifle a laugh, Caleb looks like he might actually murder his brother.

“I’ll call you later after I’ve taken SJ home.”

Grayson rolls his eyes. “Fine,” he says and turns back to me. “It was a pleasure meeting you, SJ.” I smile and nod, waiting for him to leave.

The second he’s out the door, I turn to Caleb. “What was that all about?”

His cheeks seem to darken and for once he’s on the receiving end of the teasing. “It was nothing,” he mumbles, rubbing the back of his neck while his eyes stay fixated on the floor.

“It was clearly about me,” I continue pushing.

“It was a bit of brotherly banter. Grayson likes to get under my skin,” he says.

“Unless you have another woman you were asking to him for his advice about and that was why you didn’t want him to continue.”

“Nope,” he replies.

“So it is about me?”

“Nope,” he replies again, frustrating me even more. “I can do this until I’m blue in the face.”
Quite literally when my hands are wrapped around your neck, squeezing the life out of you.

I try my hardest but my last thought just makes me laugh out loud. I’ve never had thoughts like that before. What the hell is wrong with me?

“What’s so funny?” Caleb asks suspiciously.

“Nothing, never mind,” I say and continue laughing.

“SJ?” He narrows his eyes at me and I swear I heard him growl as he slowly stalks toward me.

“I can do this until I’m blue in the face,” I mock him and laugh, edging my way around the pool table.

He lunges for me and catches me before I can get away. “Damn woman, you’re so hot when you’re sassy,” he says and wraps one arm around my waist as his other hand entangles in my hair. I tense suddenly as I’m bombarded by memories of Jake, Caleb must notice because he lets go of me instantly.
Well done, SJ, your mother was right about you, you’re a fuck up—always have been and always will be.

“I’m sorry,” I start.

“Hey, hey, hey, don’t worry about it. I was being a little forward. I should be the one apologizing.” I stare at him for a moment, trying to gauge his sincerity. Obviously I’m not a fuck up. Maybe Momma just didn’t know any good men.

“You know when you talk to your brother, your Irish accent is a lot stronger,” I tell him, trying to lighten the mood.

“Funny you should say that, the board of directors at Slate Security say the same thing.”

“How does Slate Security tie in with Slate Property Development?” I ask.

“It’s difficult to explain, my brothers and I ran the company together until seven months ago. I made a mistake, one that I can’t forgive myself for and so I stepped away from Slate Security and started a new business venture.” He explains.

“What mistake did you make?” I ask before I think.

“Oh no, it’s my turn,” he says. “When you said you were hiding from someone, was it the twins’ father?”

“Yes,” I reply. “My turn—”

“No, you have to offer up an explanation, like I did,” he says.

“You didn’t ask me for an explanation.”

“I didn’t think I needed too.”

“You should learn to ask your questions correctly then, shouldn’t you?” I reply with a smirk.

“Probably,” he grins. “Okay, my turn—”

“Hold up,” I say.

“You asked me a question,” he says and I go to interrupt again. “You told me I should ask questions correctly.”

“That wasn’t a question,” I argue, but the smirk on his face says otherwise.

“It was as soon as you added ‘
shouldn’t you?’
to the end,” he replies, grinning from ear to ear. I open my mouth and close it again, knowing I’ve been tricked. He laughs and asks me his question. “Why are you hiding from the twins’ father?”

What the hell do I say to that?

“He was an abusive alcoholic,” I say, deciding to stick to mostly truth.

His eyes appear to darken and his jaw clenches, before he shakes it off. It’s a quick recovery, but the reaction was there.

“Abusive how?” he asks, his voice slightly gruff.

“No, my turn. What mistake did you make?” I ask my question from earlier.

His chest puffs out and he’s clearly thinking whether he should answer me or continue his line of questioning. “I was protecting a young lady, she told me she loved me. When I didn’t return her affection, she ran away from me and straight into the arms of her killers,” he tells me, his eyes on the floor the whole time.

“That’s not your fault, she made the mistake by leaving herself unprotected. You were being professional—”

“I was hardly professional, I was sleeping with her,” he interrupts me.

“Oh,” I reply not really knowing what else to say. Why am I feeling jealous?

“That is why I no longer work for Slate Security. I fucked up and my client got killed on my watch. She was only nineteen.”

“Everyone makes mistakes Caleb, trust me I’ve made my fair share of them. It’s if we learn a lesson from those mistakes that matters, so we know not to make them again,” I tell him.

“You’re an old head on young shoulders,” he says and I furrow my brow. “It’s a saying, meaning you’re very mature and wise for your age.”

“Thanks? I think,” I reply uncertainly.

“It’s a good thing.” He laughs. “Now tell me about your ex?”

“He’s not my ex,” I say, looking over his shoulder to avoid eye contact.

“Then who is he?” he responds like he might be jealous.

“I can’t tell you anymore because then I would have to lie to you. I need to keep the twins safe, telling you will be divulging information that only one person know.”

“Rita?” he asks.

I nod and bite my lip. “Please don’t push it, I’ll tell you when I think it’s safe to.”

“I can keep you safe, SJ,” he says as he moves toward me. “It’s what I do.”

“It’s not about being kept safe physically, I need to keep the twins a secret,” I tell him.

“Is that why you didn’t tell me about them the first time we met?” he asks and I pray that he’ll stop this line of questioning soon.

“Yes,” I reply. “I can’t have them taken away from me.”

“Okay, but promise me that if you need me, you’ll call,” he says.

I nod, unable to answer him, because I do need him. I need him not to make me homeless.

“Shall we play this game then?” I ask, trying to change the subject.

“Come on then,” he says and lines up his cue to break.

We spend the game laughing, while throwing playful insults at each other. It was when Caleb opened up about his family that stopped me in my tracks. He may not have been poor but he’s had it pretty tough. After his mom died when he was a teenager, he and his brothers were sent here then split up and sent to different boarding schools.