Page 60 of Caleb
“You’re officially drooling,” Aaron says with a teasing snort.
“Shut up.”
“I don’t blame you.”
I look quizzically at Aaron with a raised brow. I’m feeling a bit territorial about her, even if it’s ridiculous to do so. I mean, it’s Aaron.
I don’t know what the hell is happening to me.
“I don’t mean it that way, so don’t raise that eyebrow at me,” he says, readjusting his earpiece. “You know she’s like the little sister I never had, so …” He seems uncomfortable with the conversation he brought up on himself. “What I mean to say is that I know she’s not a girl anymore. And I’m sure you’ve noticed that lately as well.”
“She’ll be twenty next month, so yes, I’ve noticed.”
“Don’t get any ideas, though,” Aaron rasps out.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I look back at her while she talks to a woman who’s touching her hair. Red hates that. She’s always complaining about people feeling inclined to touch her hair while complimenting her auburn locks and how it makes her feel uncomfortable.
“But it only bothers me when it’s someone I don’t know,”Red said the first time she mentioned it to me. “I don’t mind when my friends do it.”She blushed after saying that. I thought it was sweet that she was trying to clarify that point. And I do confess that touching her hair or running my fingers through it is something I think about wanting to do every single day.
A deep sense of annoyance is snaking up my neck and fogging my brain. Red being older now doesn’t mean anything. Doesn’t change anything. And me feeling attracted to her physically on top of already worshiping the amazing person she is only makes it harder for me to accept the reality of things.
She’s still my boss’s daughter.
She’s still untouchable.
I sigh, and Aaron lets out a low chuckle. He knows I have a big crush on her but trusts me not to act on it, and I can’t let him down. I can’t let myself or Red down either. Doing so would ruin everything because even if my mind insists that she might be into me, I can’t risk it being a figment of my imagination. But what I do know for sure is that we’re friends, and that’s something I’m not andwill notever be ready to risk.
After a couple of hours of looking at Red talking to people the Ambassador introduced to her, she’s now sitting alone, sipping slowly on her second glass of wine of the night. Yeah, I’ve been keeping close tabs of her alcohol intake. I always do every time she goes out with her friends or attends an event like this. I admit to being a freak about her drinks getting spiked too. It happens in a second, and it can happen anywhere, regardless of the place or the people, but that’s just me being neurotic.
Red loves wine, but she’s not a big drinker anyway. And she’s never tried hard liquor, which I’m thankful for. I don’t know how well she could stomach it without getting super drunk after only one or two drinks. The thought of her being intoxicated and looking the way she does would pose a different challenge for me. I wouldn’t allow anything with a dick getting anywhere near her. And she would probably hate me for being so obnoxious, but I’m sure her father would get with the program without any complaints.
It’s crazy how the sweet, innocent girl I met four years ago wearing that school uniform is now drinking wine at events wearing elegant tight dresses and heels. She’s still sweet and innocent but sexy as hell too. That’s new. And I’m not sure if she’s aware of that, but people around her seem to be by the way they look at her.
It makes me jealous. Jealous that I will never be a part of the lifestyle she leads. I’ll always be there, though, lurking in the shadows. But I’ll take that. I’ll be there for her in whatever capacity it may be.
Always.
Most people have left, and she seems tired. Her father stepped out to the garden with a few people to smoke cigars. So she’s sitting there twisting the wineglass’s stem with her fingers, looking around, and waiting to be dismissed. She can’t leave until her father allows her to do so; she knows that.
Red pulls out her phone, and a few seconds later, my phone pings inside my jacket pocket. I pull it out to see a text from her.
Red:SOS? Lol.
I look at her, and she scrunches her nose cutely like she always does. A sigh escapes my lips. She’s so goddamned beautiful.
Me:I wish I could help you out with that.
Red:I know. I’m just tired and bored and want to take these heels off. They’re killing me!
She drains her wineglass and sets it on the table beside her. I wish I could kiss my way down her legs and help her out of those heels. And that dress.
Fuck.
If Red could see the thoughts going through my head right now, she wouldn’t be texting me with that reassuring smile on her face. She would probably be terrified of her creepy bodyguard.
Me:You know cigars are everyone’s cue to leave, so you’ll most likely be free to go as soon as they’re done with that.
Red:Do you want to step out for a smoke?
