Chapter 21

I turned off the water. The steam swirled around me, creating a mini oasis within the stark confines of the bathroom. The hallway bathroom was really nice. I could only imagine what the master bathroom was like. My insecurities about my appearance faded a little, but they weren’t forgotten. At least for now, I’d be able to take a bath as much as I wanted. The tub at my own place was more of a shower pan.
Just as I was about to get into the tub, a soft click at the door sent a jolt through me. Startled, I snapped my eyes open, the serenity shattered. There, silhouetted in the doorway, stood Caleb. His face was flushed, a sheen of sweat clinging to his forehead – a stark contrast to his usual composed demeanor.
My heart hammered against my ribs. Naked and vulnerable, I felt utterly exposed. Heat flooded my cheeks, a mixture of embarrassment and a strange, simmering defiance. Surely, he couldn't have missed the fact that the door had been closed. Maybe this was the point he finally did something. Would he grab me and put me on my knees? In the shower?  The thought made my heart race.
But to my surprise, Caleb's gaze flicked over me almost dismissively. There was no flicker of surprise, no hint of appreciation, just a neutral indifference that sent a fresh wave of insecurity washing over me.
Was I really that unattractive? The question echoed in the silence. Maybe I wasn't… enough. Maybe he was actually gay. I grimaced at the thought and sank into the water trying to ignore him the way he was ignoring me. 
Disappointment battled with a strange sense of anger. Here I was, vulnerable, and he didn't even seem to register it, or care. Was he incapable of desire, or was this something more? A calculated act to further unnerve me?
Or… was he going to do something else. I bit my lip, watching him warily. He started to strip out of his sweaty clothes, tossing them in the basket under the sink that I had always thought was a drawer.
He said nothing just like before as if I wasn’t here. I watched without looking away. As he shed his last garment, there was no mistaking his intentions. With a calmness that surprised me, he walked toward the tub. 
“Wait, I’m not–”
He ignored me, sinking into the tub, the water overflowing slightly as he settled in. 
The close proximity sent shivers down my spine, a mixture of unease and a strange, unfamiliar thrill. This was unexpected and completely bizarre. 
His presence in the tub was both a challenge and an opportunity to learn more about him, but he didn’t seem interested in talking. He closed his eyes and relaxed. It gave me a chance to just look at him. Mysterious. Dangerous. Weird. And completely unattracted to me. I looked down, noting that his cock was only half hard. The air crackled with a tension that had nothing to do with the steam rising from the water. 
The water rose precariously around the rim of the tub as Caleb shifted a little. My breath caught in my throat when his legs framed my hips. This sudden shift, this unexpected intimacy, sent a jolt of confusion through me.
"I, uh," I stammered, searching for the right words. "I wasn't actually finished yet."
Caleb didn’t speak and didn’t move. He leaned back against the cool tile, his eyes still closed. The close proximity was overwhelming, an invasion of my personal space. Panic started to bubble up within me.
“W-Why didn’t you use your bathroom?”
He said nothing, clearly ignoring me. 
"Actually," I tried again, my voice gaining a touch of desperation. "Maybe this isn't such a good idea."
But Caleb remained silent, his eyes closed, seemingly lost in his own thoughts. He could at least say something. 
Driven by a sudden surge of panic, I reached for the edge of the tub, attempting to rise. The wet surface, however, betrayed me. My foot slipped, and with a startled yelp, I tumbled forward.
Strong arms shot out, catching me mid-fall. For a horrifying moment, I was flailing, the his hand gripped my arm and my face was mere inches from Caleb's bare chest. How had he moved so quickly. He stood in the tub, leaving me half submerged until his cock was in my face. 
My heart hammered against my ribs, a frantic drumbeat in my ears. It still wasn’t hard. Impulse took over and I flicked my tongue out to taste him: clean sweat and masculine musk.
Caleb recoiled as if struck, his eyes widening in shock. He yanked me up out of the water and tossed me out of the tub. I cried out as I hit the ground. Before I could say anything, he had stepped out of the tub. I shrank back, thinking back to those men who had kidnapped me. 
But he didn’t stop to grab me. A strangled sound escaped my lips as he walked around me. 
Dripping water clung to my skin as he opened a cabinet and yanked out a clean towel, his movements jerky and frantic. Without a word, he strode out of the bathroom, the slam of the door echoing through the sterile apartment.
Alone on the cold floor beside the tub, the steam swirling mockingly around me, I was left to grapple with what just happened. I licked my lips, chasing the taste of him. Had it been that serious? Maybe he really was gay, but that had to be impossible. Any other man would have gotten hard, but other than being annoyed, he hadn’t reacted at all. It had been reckless, sure, but he was the one who walked in and just joined me in the bath, what was I supposed to think?
Maybe he was just shy. 
That was an appealing thought. I climbed back into the tub to think about it, ignoring the sounds of him moving around outside the bathroom.