Caleb

Chapter Eight

Elaina~

Of all the stupid, idiotic things Lainey. You confused proximity with affection. Of course he goes everywhere with you, he's paid to. And of course he's going to make conversation with you while he's around. He'd die of boredom if he didn't. It's not friendship or...anything else. It's a business relationship and you're conflating the two.

Lainey reached for the door handle to let herself back into the ballroom, but her hand was quickly covered by Caleb's who stalled her movement and kept her from turning the handle.

"Lainey will you talk to me please?" he asked from behind her.

His voice was strangled and hushed and made Lainey feel like absolute shit, because none of this was his fault. He was a man just trying to do his job for a few weeks, collect a paycheck, then go home. There's no dishonor in that. He didn't owe her a damn thing, but she was making assumptions about him as if he did, putting her misplaced feelings ahead of her own logic.

Turning to face him, Lainey softened her expression. After all, she wasn't angry with him, she was angry with herself.

"Caleb, really it's okay," she tried to reassure him, but he wasn't buying it.

"Are you upset because I said it was my job to take care of you? Because I think you misunderstood."

Lainey cut him off before he could finish. He shouldn't have to explain his comment because she was the one who assigned meaning to actions that were strictly professional.

"Seriously Caleb you don't have to explain. I understand. You're here to do a job and making me feel like we're friends makes that job easier. I put you in an awkward position back there which I apologize for, I'm never that vulnerable...it was a moment of temporary insanity and weakness."

To her surprise Caleb's mouth tipped up into a smirk as she spoke as if he knew something she didn't.

"That's a cute little story you've concocted in your head, mind if I interrupt it with the truth?"

Finding it harder and harder to resist that smile, Lainey gave her nod of approval, agreeing to hear him out despite her better judgement.

"Lainey, I said it's my job to take care of you because it is."

Her brows drew in and she recoiled her head in confusion, which only caused Caleb's chest to bounce as he chuckled at her.

"It's my job to take care of the people that are important to me. I take care of people that I care about because that's who I am, not what I'm paid to do. If you feel like we're friends, that's because we are. I'd never use you, I'd never manipulate you, I care about you Lainey, simple as that. If I didn't enjoy your company I would do my job and only my job. I'd shut down be seen and not heard...but the fact is, I do enjoy your company Lainey. I enjoy everything about you."

Tilting her head to the side, she studied his face for any sign of deception or humor, but saw only genuine compassion. An internal battle raged between her analytical mind and her tender heart, with both sides fighting for her attention at the moment. Her mind was screaming and spewing statistical facts of the likelihood that he was using her for personal gain and that she shouldn't trust him based on past experience alone, but her heart felt completely content and at home around Caleb, like he could do no wrong.

Using one of his strong hands, he brushed a loose tendril away from her face as she spoke to her. The sensation of his hand against her skin made her forget every negative thought that had just overtaken her overworked mind and she considered trusting him for a brief moment, but was scared to.