Read Online Stay With Me by Elyssa Patrick - Free Book Online Page B

anything.”
    “Well, look at who’s making it even more obvious now.”
    As those two continue to bicker, I slip away and make my way upstairs . . .
    . . . and to Caleb.

Chapter 7

    I KNOCK ON HIS DOOR. There’s a bark, and then the door opens slightly. Caleb positions his body so he’s leaning against the doorjamb, blocking my view of his room.
    He looks really good.
    His black t-shirt and dark jeans gives him a sexy vibe, not that he needs to add onto that, as his sexy quota is off the charts. His black hair falls over his forehead, and his dark green eyes watch me so carefully, and suddenly I know how gazelles must feel when a lion is in their midst. Caleb’s gaze is hungry, and he looks like he wants to devour me.
    I wouldn’t mind that at all.
    I shiver at the thought and remind myself for the umpteenth time that I’ve been trying to stay away from any relationships. But yet I willingly walked upstairs when I knew he was alone. I seek him out all the time; I’m drawn to him, and everything is pushing me toward him, not away.
    “That’s some outfit,” he finally says.
    Skintight black leather pants. Works every time.
    My shimmery plum shirt skims over my slight curves and dips into my cleavage. Paired with a pair of heels, my makeup done soft and natural, my getup just makes me look like the rock star I used to be.
    It’s one of my favorite outfits, but the pants are a complete pain in the ass to get on . . . and off.
    “Thanks.” I say. “Why aren’t you downstairs? I was looking all over for you.”
    He smiles. “I like that.”
    “That I was looking for you?”
    “Yeah. Definitely.” Caleb moves away from the door, opening it a little wider. He leans down quickly to grab Goliath’s collar. “Come in. I’ve got Goliath out from his crate.”
    I enter his room and put my drink down on the TV stand/dresser across from his bed. “Oh, I was wondering where the pets were earlier.”
    “We keep them in our rooms and move Jaws to Jamie’s room when we have parties. We don’t want to chance someone breaking the aquarium or dropping shit in there that doesn’t belong.” Caleb shuts the door behind me and lets Goliath go. Goliath runs around my legs, and I kneel to pet him.
    “I didn’t think you were going to come,” Caleb says after a few minutes of silence.
    “I wasn’t,” I admit.
    “Oh.” His gaze shutters. “Because of what happened that day?”
    It takes me a second. “Before my art class?”
    He rubs the back of his neck, looking uncomfortable. “Yeah. That.”
    “No, it wasn’t because of that.”
    “Steph is just a friend. She was Kai’s girlfriend, but they broke up a few days ago. Steph’s taking it hard.”
    Kai was one of the guys I met in the cafeteria. “Were they dating long?”
    “About a year.”
    No wonder she was so upset. “Why did they break up?”
    Caleb shrugs. “Who knows? Kai said Steph was being too clingy and that the relationship was more work than it should be. I just don’t think he wants to be in a serious relationship.”
    “Does any guy?”
    Caleb looks at me, sure and steady. “Some guys do.”
    I swallow thickly. What would it be like to have a man who is so aware of himself to be able to call him mine? Would Caleb treat me as protectively as he does his younger sister, Daphne? And would he still look at me like that if he knew everything ?
    I don’t want to know the answer to that one. I’m sure I already know the answer: he would hate me. And I don’t want to see hate in Caleb’s gaze when it comes to me.
    I force myself to look away from him and search his room. His bed is in the center, and a nightstand with a standard lamp and small alarm clock is to the right of the bed. There’s a nice-sized window that overlooks the backyard, and off to the side, is a small desk with a laptop on it. A few pictures line the dresser across the bed, and there’s a print of Van Gogh’s Starry Night on one wall.
    “You like Van Gogh?” I