No Strings attached..

Chapter three.

"I thought I was the one buying the clothes?" Ruby asked, sifting thorough the basket of Calum's various black shirts and skinny jeans while trailing through Brandy Melville.

"In running low on clothes too!" Calum shot back jokingly, curiously eyeing Ruby as she browsed through the clothing racks, picking out the monochrome that caught her attention.

"Yeah, but you've just bought everything you're already wearing!" Ruby pointed out laughing.

"What? No! I've brought different versions of what I'm already wearing, there's a difference!" Calum laughed back, trailing his hands through his thick, brown hair, and making his muscles flex - temporarily winding Ruby.

Still smiling, Ruby shook her head and looked down. She tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear and fidgeted her foot slightly.

"You are really beautiful you know?" Calum suddenly said, making Ruby look up at him. For a split second, she saw a flash of Luke wallpapered on Calum's face. She felt the blood rise to the surface of her cheeks, and lost all ability to speak. 
Luke was out of her life, yet he was still ruining it.
Ruby nervously chuffed in response to Calum, and continued on walking.
Usually Ruby was confident with everything she did, and certain of what to do next. Calum made Ruby nervous, and she didn't know how to feel about it. But what Ruby did know, was that she was drawn to Calum so strongly, that she didn't want to stay away.

"I mean it" Calum said, still sanding and looking straight at Ruby as she met his eye, "You really are beautiful"

His intense stare made Ruby's legs wobble, and her body became paralysed.
Not once had Luke complimented Ruby in two months, unlike Calum had twice in one day.

"I don't know what brought you to my family-run hotel, but I'm glad your here" he said again, walking closer to Ruby as her heart rate was speeding up rapidly.

Without her knowing it, they were both leaning in towards each other. Calum craned his neck down towards her, and wrapped his muscular arm gently around Ruby's slim torso. They were only centimetres apart when Ruby's phone started going off. Calum sighed in desperation, and his warm breath hit her nose.
Ruby pulled away just as Calum continued to lean into her.

"Sorry" She gasped, "I need to take this"

Riddled in guilt, Ruby took her phone out of her pocket and looked at the caller ID, making sure not to catch Calum's eye as he awkwardly scratched the back of his head.

'My Daddy' flashed on the screen, and immediately, while thoroughly cringing at the ID name, Ruby declined the call, impressing herself as she did so, while promising herself to change the name when she got back to the hotel.

"Hey look I'm sorry, I didn't mean to force myself on you" Calum said apologetically.

"No, I'm sorry for giving off the wrong impression. I'm just not looking for a fuck and chuck kinda thing" She replied quickly and spitefully, regretting every word the instant it left her mouth.

Calum's Adam's apple bobbed, "I would never do that to you" he said in a serious tone.

"I know you wouldn't" Ruby smiled kindly, "Lets go pay"

While on their way to the check-outs, Calum broke the silence, "Hey, how about we go out tomorrow night, just the two of us?"

Ruby unknowingly grinned - one which Calum saw.

"Yeah, there's this small restaurant downtown that I've been to a couple of times, they make really great food" he said encouragingly.

Ruby didn't think, "Sure" she smiled, teasingly pressing off of Calum as they were called over by the cashier.

She was giving herself whiplash with the constant change of feelings.

Dorkily smiling, Calum followed after her.

On her way over, Ruby's phone buzzed again. She rolled her eyes and pulled out her phone.

lucas - how about we meet tomorrow night? Fancy restaurant? Anything.