Waiting For August

Part 46 ~ A little defiance

The real estate lady looked like a cougar and not the shifting kind either. She had a short blunt haircut that was heavily highlighted, bold makeup and a slightly too tight outfit. Her cleavage threatened to escape her top every time she bent forward, which she managed to do quite frequently. She seemed nice enough, although she kept glancing at Caleb's butt like she thought I wouldn't notice. It was irking my wolf, but I guess I couldn't really blame her. Caleb's ass was a thing of beauty.

"I'll just let you boys have a minute to talk things through." Gwen said as she took one more longing glance before disappearing out the door.

"What do you think?" I felt nervous. His opinion really shouldn't matter, after all, it was my ass that would be staying here, but somehow, I wanted his... What, exactly? Definitely not his permission—that'd be ludicrous, but maybe... his approval? It was a small crap apartment, but it would do for a year. If they decided to keep me on after Denae returned, I'd have to find something a lot nicer and a little more permanent.

Caleb was stalking around with a frown on his face as he checked out the bedroom, bath and what had passed for a kitchen-living room combo. He'd been moody ever since we arrived. No, scratch that. He'd been moody even before we arrived. In fact, he'd been acting a bit pissy as soon as he had found out what we were going to be doing. I'd actually never seen him in such a bitter mood before. He was usually so easy-going.

He was now staring out the window to the street below.

"Not much parking."

That was true. There was only street parking available, not that it mattered much to me. "Yeah, but I have a bike. I used to ride to work in Toronto."

"You can't bike to work in the winter. It's too dangerous and too damn cold to boot, and you only have a couple months until we're buried up to our balls in snow."

I shrugged. "I can take the bus. Or a cab. Or an uber. I'm not even opposed to walking."

"You want my honest opinion?"

Of course, I did. "That's why I brought you."

"I hate it."

I nodded. I thought he was leaning that way. "Okay. Well, there's a studio apartment to look at as well."

"No."

"No? No, you won't look at it with me?" I sighed, feeling disappointed.

He turned to face me, shaking his head. "No. I just don't like it. It's way too permanent."

"It's only for a year. If they keep me on, I'll find something nicer. If they don't," I shrugged. "I'll sublet for the remainder of the lease."

"You should stay with me. Save the rent."

"That'd be moving way too fast." He had to see that, right? "And money isn't an issue." It wasn't. I'd received my inheritance after I turned twenty-one, and I'd had a tightwad of a vampire who'd invested every cent of it for me for over a decade. He'd also paid entirely for my schooling. I literally had no debt.

Caleb rushed me then, and I found myself taking a startled step back—right into the wall behind me. "Way too fast, August? I've been waiting ten years for you. I've already put up with you staying at that fucking hotel. I'm not having this." He shot his arm out from his side to punctuate his displeasure.

I blinked. Wait. Did he just...wow. "It's a good thing I don't need your permission then." I tried to sidestep around him when his palm slammed against the wall blocking my escape. I don't think I'd ever seen him look angry before. I'm not gonna lie. It was a bit scary.