Zeb Fuller has never been one to make plans for the future. For him, getting through each day is hard enough.
A chance meeting throws him into the path of Ruby, a girl with big dreams, and suddenly Zeb finds himself wishing he had more to offer.
Des...
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The moment the steaming water hit Zeb's icy skin, he could have sworn he had died and gone to heaven. He actually let out a groan of pleasure before he could stop himself. Even the soreness where the water hit a scrape or bruise felt good. It'd been so long since he'd taken a bath. For close to a year, it'd been the trickling lukewarm shower at the shelter, or a haphazard splash from a sink in a public toilet.
He let himself relax into the comforting heat, closing his eyes in ecstasy. His Gran had always made him take baths when he was ill, and it was definitely helping now. While talking to Ruby downstairs, his head had been thumping and he was sure he was running a low fever, but he'd survived worse. He even dared hope Judith would offer him a bed for the night, such was her gratitude for his good deed. She seemed to have this idea that he had been practically arm in arm with Ruby all the way here, and he hadn't bothered to correct her. Let her think he was some kind of tragic hero down on his luck. With her bleeding heart, she wouldn't be able to throw him out, if he kept up the innocent routine.
Zeb didn't feel at all bad that he was looking at this as an opportunity to be taken full advantage of. For far too long, life had been dealing him bad hands, and now it seemed his cards were changing. Anyway, he'd done a good deed, so why shouldn't he be rewarded? Christians loved to help the poor, didn't they? Zeb shook his head, allowing himself a small chuckle. Now he knew why Ruby was so gullible and naive. What kind of people let a homeless 6ft 6 stranger into their house? Didn't they read the news? Luckily for them, he wasn't a psycho. But it'd be educational for them if some of their things 'mysteriously' disappeared. He'd almost be doing them a favour. Who knows what kind of person they'd let in next time?
Someone like you, the voice in his head supplied. Zeb felt his gut twist as Ruby's words rushed into his head. He frowned. Some privileged Christian girl wasn't going to make him feel guilty. She didn't know anything about reality and the way your mind works when your stomach's eating itself, the choices you have to make if you want any kind of decent life and nothing is handed to you on a platter. He knew that there were people out there much worse than him. People who beat up girls, who took the last pennies from some old lady. He wasn't like that. He only took from people who could afford to 'redistribute' some of their wealth.
Ruby had even said herself that she didn't think he was a bad person. He hoped she still felt the same way when that silver dish in the hallway was gone tomorrow.
Zeb grinned as he spotted a huge bottle of fancy shower gel perched on the side of the tub. For the first time in months, he was actually going to feel clean, with a full belly to boot, and the prospect of some further benefits later on.
He couldn't believe his luck.
***
It was a long time before Zeb felt ready to leave the glorious warmth of the water. He could even have lingered longer, but realised that the family might start to get suspicious. He'd used almost an entire bottle of bubble bath and it had been wonderful.
