Chasing Red
4
Adah
Shocked, I could only stare up at him. He shrugged. “I know when someone is at the end of their rope.”
At the end of their rope? I glared up at him. I hated looking up at someone when I talk to them so I got back on my feet. He was still taller. It made me angrier. “Listen, pal, I may be homeless but I am not accepting your charity.”
“Where else will you go? A homeless shelter? Listen.” He raised a finger to my face. “One, I live by myself so you’ll only have the pleasure of my company. Two,” he raised a second finger, “you’re certainly safer here because you have me to protect you. And three,” he raised a third finger, “ding, ding, ding! You can stay here for free.”
I narrowed my eyes. It all sounded too good to be true. “Why are you helping me?" Life has beaten me enough that I knew nothing came free.
He opened his mouth but nothing came out. Then he shook his head. “I don’t know.”
Live with Austin Carlile. In this huge place. For free. That or go to the shelter or live on the streets. “I’m not going to be your prostitute.”
He looked insulted. “Woman, a prostitute is what I won’t ever need. Have you seen this body? Do you really think I need one? Besides,” he added, grinning, “when you decide to sleep with me, you’ll be the one paying me.”
Wow. The size of his ego must constantly give him a headache. I gave him a disgusted look and pretended to yawn. “Please keep talking. I always yawn when I’m interested.”
Those brown eyes widened and honed in on my face. I thought I pissed him off this time but the most unexpected thing happened. He started laughing. “I like you,” he chuckled. “I mean, you’re a knock-out but I didn’t think it went beyond that.”
Did he just insult me?
“You strike me as a smart person. I’m offering a way out of your misery. Why don’t you grab it?” He plugged his nose with his fingers. “And could you please take a shower? You might be gorgeous but I ain’t spending time with a girl who smells like the sewer.”
I huffed. He was right though, I smelled really, really bad. But… “Then what do you want in exchange?”
“Not everyone wants something from you,” he replied grimly.
“Oh. Is that what you think?” I laughed bitterly. “Everyone wants something from you one way or another. Haven’t you learned that yet?”
He titled his head to the side and studied my face for a moment. I wondered what he saw when he looked at me. My exotic looks and shape of my body usually gave boys the impression that I was always looking for fun. Little did they know that was the very last thing on my mind, if at all. I was too busy staying alive, too busy working for my next meal to think about anything else.
“I could clean,” I offered. Was I really doing this? Why not? The world hadn’t given me a free ticket in so long. I was overdue for one.
“I already have someone come in three times a week for that,” he answered.
“I can cook.”
He frowned. “Don’t string me along like that. That’s not very nice.”
I rolled my eyes.
“Can you really cook?” He looked like a little boy who found the last cookie at the bottom of jar.
“Yes.”
“Deal!”
This was too easy. “You said you live by yourself, but how can you afford this place?”
He looked uncomfortable. I hoped he didn’t think I was trying to find out how much money he had in the bank. That I was a gold digger. But why wouldn’t he? He didn’t know me.
“Look,” I hissed, feeling angry whenever I was confronted about my morality. I might be poor but I wasn’t a freeloader. My hands proved how hard I worked and I was proud of that. One more year and I would get that diploma. I’d work my ass off to get a good life. I never needed much; a steady job, a simple house and a serviceable car was more than enough to make me happy. And I would never go hungry again. I’d get there without help from anyone. “I was only curious. If you think that I’m some gold digger-“
He held a hand up. “Will you stop putting words in my mouth? Contrary to what you think of me, I don’t go around telling everyone I’m rich. I’m well aware I didn’t earn this.” He gestured to the whole room. “But I will. In my own way.” His jaw was set, his hands fisted.
Taken aback, I fell silent. Then he opened his mouth again, wiggling his eyebrows. “Know what? You can do my homework while you’re cooking my dinner tonight.”
So much for his speech about earning it.
“Hold on. I didn’t even get your name.”
“Adah Williams.”
“Adah.” The way he drawled my name did something funny in my stomach. “I’m Austin Carlile.”
I didn’t smile back, didn’t tell him I already knew who he was. Who didn’t? I was sure everyone in our college knew about him.
“Which college are you attending?”
I cut him off. “Letting me stay here doesn’t mean I have to spill my guts, does it?”
“You actually did already. In my car, remember?” he laughed. “Please take a shower. Feel free to borrow my clothes. Even,” he grinned, “my underwear.”
I snorted. We both stood facing each other, unsure, lost in our thoughts. Was I doing the right thing by staying here? Where else would I go?
“You can stay in that bedroom where you slept last night. It has its own bathroom.” He went behind the counter, distancing himself from me. “I’m leaving soon. Make yourself at home.”
I nodded, feeling awkward. Was this really for free? How could he leave me alone in his place when he didn’t even know me? I could steal him blind for all he knew.
“Thank you. I…” I paused, unsure. “Thank you,” I repeated, meaning it.
He nodded. I turned away from him, biting my lip. Where the hell was that room again? I looked to my left, then to my right. His apartment was enormous and I was in a panic when I left the bedroom.
“Problem?” he asked behind me.
I jumped, spun around. “I… I forgot where the room is. Just tell me where it is and I’ll stay out of your way.” I could feel myself blushing.
When he didn’t reply, I looked up to find him staring at me with a small smile.
“What?” I demanded.
“Geez. Hostile much?” He proceeded in front of me. “Follow me.”
I walked behind him, trying not to stare at his body too much.
I almost yelped when he turned around all of a sudden, then winked at me and said: “Welcome, Red. I hope you enjoy your stay.”
Shocked, I could only stare up at him. He shrugged. “I know when someone is at the end of their rope.”
At the end of their rope? I glared up at him. I hated looking up at someone when I talk to them so I got back on my feet. He was still taller. It made me angrier. “Listen, pal, I may be homeless but I am not accepting your charity.”
“Where else will you go? A homeless shelter? Listen.” He raised a finger to my face. “One, I live by myself so you’ll only have the pleasure of my company. Two,” he raised a second finger, “you’re certainly safer here because you have me to protect you. And three,” he raised a third finger, “ding, ding, ding! You can stay here for free.”
I narrowed my eyes. It all sounded too good to be true. “Why are you helping me?" Life has beaten me enough that I knew nothing came free.
He opened his mouth but nothing came out. Then he shook his head. “I don’t know.”
Live with Austin Carlile. In this huge place. For free. That or go to the shelter or live on the streets. “I’m not going to be your prostitute.”
He looked insulted. “Woman, a prostitute is what I won’t ever need. Have you seen this body? Do you really think I need one? Besides,” he added, grinning, “when you decide to sleep with me, you’ll be the one paying me.”
Wow. The size of his ego must constantly give him a headache. I gave him a disgusted look and pretended to yawn. “Please keep talking. I always yawn when I’m interested.”
Those brown eyes widened and honed in on my face. I thought I pissed him off this time but the most unexpected thing happened. He started laughing. “I like you,” he chuckled. “I mean, you’re a knock-out but I didn’t think it went beyond that.”
Did he just insult me?
“You strike me as a smart person. I’m offering a way out of your misery. Why don’t you grab it?” He plugged his nose with his fingers. “And could you please take a shower? You might be gorgeous but I ain’t spending time with a girl who smells like the sewer.”
I huffed. He was right though, I smelled really, really bad. But… “Then what do you want in exchange?”
“Not everyone wants something from you,” he replied grimly.
“Oh. Is that what you think?” I laughed bitterly. “Everyone wants something from you one way or another. Haven’t you learned that yet?”
He titled his head to the side and studied my face for a moment. I wondered what he saw when he looked at me. My exotic looks and shape of my body usually gave boys the impression that I was always looking for fun. Little did they know that was the very last thing on my mind, if at all. I was too busy staying alive, too busy working for my next meal to think about anything else.
“I could clean,” I offered. Was I really doing this? Why not? The world hadn’t given me a free ticket in so long. I was overdue for one.
“I already have someone come in three times a week for that,” he answered.
“I can cook.”
He frowned. “Don’t string me along like that. That’s not very nice.”
I rolled my eyes.
“Can you really cook?” He looked like a little boy who found the last cookie at the bottom of jar.
“Yes.”
“Deal!”
This was too easy. “You said you live by yourself, but how can you afford this place?”
He looked uncomfortable. I hoped he didn’t think I was trying to find out how much money he had in the bank. That I was a gold digger. But why wouldn’t he? He didn’t know me.
“Look,” I hissed, feeling angry whenever I was confronted about my morality. I might be poor but I wasn’t a freeloader. My hands proved how hard I worked and I was proud of that. One more year and I would get that diploma. I’d work my ass off to get a good life. I never needed much; a steady job, a simple house and a serviceable car was more than enough to make me happy. And I would never go hungry again. I’d get there without help from anyone. “I was only curious. If you think that I’m some gold digger-“
He held a hand up. “Will you stop putting words in my mouth? Contrary to what you think of me, I don’t go around telling everyone I’m rich. I’m well aware I didn’t earn this.” He gestured to the whole room. “But I will. In my own way.” His jaw was set, his hands fisted.
Taken aback, I fell silent. Then he opened his mouth again, wiggling his eyebrows. “Know what? You can do my homework while you’re cooking my dinner tonight.”
So much for his speech about earning it.
“Hold on. I didn’t even get your name.”
“Adah Williams.”
“Adah.” The way he drawled my name did something funny in my stomach. “I’m Austin Carlile.”
I didn’t smile back, didn’t tell him I already knew who he was. Who didn’t? I was sure everyone in our college knew about him.
“Which college are you attending?”
I cut him off. “Letting me stay here doesn’t mean I have to spill my guts, does it?”
“You actually did already. In my car, remember?” he laughed. “Please take a shower. Feel free to borrow my clothes. Even,” he grinned, “my underwear.”
I snorted. We both stood facing each other, unsure, lost in our thoughts. Was I doing the right thing by staying here? Where else would I go?
“You can stay in that bedroom where you slept last night. It has its own bathroom.” He went behind the counter, distancing himself from me. “I’m leaving soon. Make yourself at home.”
I nodded, feeling awkward. Was this really for free? How could he leave me alone in his place when he didn’t even know me? I could steal him blind for all he knew.
“Thank you. I…” I paused, unsure. “Thank you,” I repeated, meaning it.
He nodded. I turned away from him, biting my lip. Where the hell was that room again? I looked to my left, then to my right. His apartment was enormous and I was in a panic when I left the bedroom.
“Problem?” he asked behind me.
I jumped, spun around. “I… I forgot where the room is. Just tell me where it is and I’ll stay out of your way.” I could feel myself blushing.
When he didn’t reply, I looked up to find him staring at me with a small smile.
“What?” I demanded.
“Geez. Hostile much?” He proceeded in front of me. “Follow me.”
I walked behind him, trying not to stare at his body too much.
I almost yelped when he turned around all of a sudden, then winked at me and said: “Welcome, Red. I hope you enjoy your stay.”
Notes
with love,
shadow
xXx
thank you all so much!
xXx
3/29/16