Leah

Today's work has taken a toll on me, normal office work combined with the Cyber-security issues got me tired that I forgot about the planned call I was to make with Anna.

I was so tired that the moment I ate dinner and went to my bedroom, my eyes literally closed faster than my head dropping on the pillow.

Some time during the night, I woke up feeling like someone has dump an entire desert in my throat. I suspect the time to be around two (2) in the morning.

I walked into the kitchen barefoot to have a drink of water, wearing only a pair of panties and my sleep shirt, a large t-shirt that reaches down to my knees.

I uncapped the bottle of the chilled water to drink directly from it, only to hear someone clear their throat to notify me of their presence. Out of reflex, I turned rapidly and pour out the content of the bottle I was holding, almost emptying it at the intruder.

The intruder —a male intruder to be specific —hissed in reaction to the cold effect of the chilled water, I was almost befuddled, because my brain was tricked by the exquisite beauty and handsomeness of this person, I mentally smacked my brain to think normally.

I then tried screaming, but the person was quick to react, covering my mouth with the big palm of his hand, I was almost drooling, because of the close proximity and the cologne he was wearing was quite enticing, my next reaction was to kick him in the groin, which I succeeded to the point.

The man toppled-over with a Yelp because of the pain he was in from my kick, I took an escape, practically flying my way up the stairs to my room, then locking the door behind me.

The moment I was in my room after locking the door, I leaned my back on the door to catch my breath, my heart is practically thumping in my chest.

But why was this man here? Is he a stalker or maybe a rapist? He was almost naked, shirtless.

Oh God! I think I need to call Anna, this person was no other than Mr. O'Brien I was suspecting to be her stepbrother. I need to be real quick about it, because if he wasn't, I'll have to call 911. If he wasn't, he must be dangerous then.

Picking up my phone, I saw that I have several voicemail. This is one of the fault of this phone, sometimes calls don't come in but went straight to voice mail.

I dialed her for the first time, which she didn't pick up. I redialed her number again, which she picked up after the third ring.

"Didn't you see what the time is?" was her first statement the moment we are connected, I pulled the phone away from my ear to check the time, it was 2:30 AM.

I tried telling her that now wasn't the time to be checking time, even though I've checked it already.

"And didn't you receive my voicemail?" She asked, already knowing the predicament of using my old phone.

"Now isn't the time to be checking voicemails, there's a man in my house right now!" I told her, "a stranger!"

"Of course there is!" she said irritated by how I avoided her previous question. "It's my brother, you silly girl."

"No way!" Now everything falling into place, the hunch I had about him. "But wasn't he supposed to be here, like next two weeks?"

"Yeah, that was before he was being contacted by the company, I've kept several voicemails to inform you about that."

"Oh shit!"

"what?!" She asked alarmed.

"Well... I might have kicked him in the groin," I told her, "thinking he was some stalker I met at the office."

"Oh." she said flatly.

"Let me check on him, he might be lying down in pain."

"Alright then, we'll talk in the morning. Say hi to him, bye!"

"Bye!" I ended the call.

I unlocked the door then opened it and headed downstairs. I enter the kitchen but couldn't find him there.

While on call with Anna, I thought I heard movement outside my door. He must've went upstairs to his room.

I then remembered that I haven't wet my dry throat. I look for the previous bottle of water but couldn't find it, and floor seems dry and clean. I remember dropping it in my haste to escape, I guess he did clean it off.

I opened the fridge and pick up a new one and was about to close its door when I had a second thought. Maybe I should make an ice pack for him.

I look around for a plastic bag and pack some ice in it. I open the bottle of water and took a big gulp from it to finally satisfy my thirst. What a relief!

I pick up another bottle together with the ice pack and headed upstairs.

I went to his bedroom door and and stood there for some moments contemplating whether I should just turn back, but my hand automatically knocked lightly on his door before I could decide.

I'll just walk away if he didn't answer, but not to my luck. "In a minute!" He shouted from the other side of the door.

I could hear some shuffling sounds, doors opening and closing, and the pitter-patter of his footsteps indicating his to and fro movements.

Seconds later, the door opened and he stood by the threshold with one hand holding the door, now fully clothed. This is going to be more awkward than I thought.

"Oh... eh, I'm so sorry about —" I started saying with a stammer. I swallowed the saliva threatening to choke me down with a gulp. "I'm so sorry that I kicked you in the —" I refrained myself from saying groin. "I mean in the kitchen."

"Don't worry, I would've done the same if I was in your shoes. But did not see that coming." He seems to be in pain or something, I can't decipher his expression.

"Are you sure you are okay? Like you don't need to see a doctor or something?"

"Don't bother yourself. I'm totally fine, well kinda. But it will be alright by morning"

His reassurance made me hide behind me both the icepack and the bottle of water I was holding. He doesn't need to know my intent with them, what was I thinking?

"What's that you got behind you?"

"huh? Nothing! Just a bottle of water. And eh... an ice pack."

He paused without saying a thing as if waiting for more explanation. In the absence of that, "so how is work, huh?" He asked.

"Nothing much... Well, until this week. Everything seems boring and smooth, but now they're disoriented and hectic," I sighed. "I'm currently working my ass off so I could meet up with the deadline of my current project," I sighed again. "Hopefully we have some backups, I can't imagine what we would be able to do without them, nothing."

"Don't over-do yourself, my team and I would get to the bottom of this. It works most of the time, so don't overwork yourself." He checked the time on his wristwatch, "well, um... It's late and I guess you'll probably need some sleep. I don't know about you but I'll definitely need one."

He yawn for emphasis, stretching his body. This made me unresponsive because I'm busy drooling over his body. Even though he has a shirt on, I can only imagine him without it.

I can vividly remember how sexy his body looks like when he was shirtless in the kitchen, how I almost wanted to grab his chest and abs to know whether they'll be as hard –

"Leah?"

"Huh?!" I was confused at first, "oh! Sleep, good night!" I turned awkwardly towards my bedroom. Damn! Why is he having this effects on me?

"Goodnight!" he retreated to his room.

He has this effects on me ever since the first time we met, when Anna's dad, my adoptive father and Peter's mum started seeing each other, they conduct an introductory meeting for both families to know each other more, it was crush at first sight.

I suspected the crush is still there, but now isn't the time to be crushing on people that won't in forever reciprocate it. He only considered me as a sister, I'll definitely need to focus more on work.

I was supposed to fall asleep immediately I lay down on the bed, but I was awake most of the night going over some memory lanes and my current situation.

I didn't realized when I fell asleep, only to woke up in the morning feeling like someone on meth or drugs. It's already 7:20 AM when I checked the time. 

I walk to the bathroom groggily to brush my teeth, refresh myself with a hot shower and answer the call of nature. I felt a little bit relieved after that but not to my full capacity.

I dressed up and went downstairs hoping he will be gone by now, it's now 8:10 AM. But no he wasn't, he was at the dining table with his laptop on the table and a cup of what I guessed to be coffee beside it.

"I made some coffee," he said without lifting his head from what he was doing. "And breakfast."

"You shouldn't have bothered yourself, on the contrary I should be the one doing it since you are a guest here," he lifted his head trying to maybe opposed what I've said or defend himself. "But anyways, thanks! I really need the coffee."

He swallowed back what he was about to say and went back to his laptop, then saying something inaudible.

"What?"

"Nothing," he lifted his head up again, "enjoy your coffee." He went back to his laptop again.

Did I just saw him smiling? Was this conversation funny or was he smiling at something on his laptop? I stood there watching him for several seconds before moving away to find something to eat.

I came back to the table with a cup of coffee in one hand and a platter of pancakes with egg and bacon in the other and sat opposite him.

For some moments, we sat in silence as he sips from his cup and work on his laptop, while I munch and sips at my breakfast. The only sounds that could be heard are the clacking of my cutlery against the platter, the clicks of his keyboard and the soft thud of our mugs on the table.

"So, how was your night?" He broke the silence.

"Well," I hesitated. I don't want to reveal that he was part of what kept me awake. "I didn't sleep well, I was awake the whole night."

"Me too." he watched me watch him. "So what are your schedules today? I mean are you going to office today?" He seems nervous.

"Yeah, I have a lot of work to do for the entire month."

"You could hop on my car, since we will be heading the same way."

"Well, that won't be really necessary, I mean I can get a cab to –"

"Are you avoiding me?" he asked with a sullen expression. "I understand that makes you feel uncomfortable –"

"That wasn't what –"

"–even though we haven't seen each other in ages, you're trying to –"

"Fine! Fine!" I cut him off. He smiled triumphantly, is this an emotional blackmail? What is he playing at?