Chapter Ruby
Ruby
The next morning Morgan assured her that he wanted to work from home to spend some extra time with her, but needed to set up in his office for a few meetings, so Ruby set up shop in the living room.
Trying to find the most comfortable position, she switched from the dining table to the couch and then settled for the floor with her tablet on the coffee table.
She started by sending her client a sketch of her most recent design, then dove into the requested corrections.
After a while, Morgan stepped into the room and headed to the dining table. “I moved,” she called. “I’m on the floor by the coffee table.”
Morgan pivoted, slowing his steps once he reached the table. She smoothed her hand on the side of his thigh, gently asking him to come closer. “I was just going to ask if you needed anything.”
“Can you refill my water bottle?”
“Of course.” He took the bottle and started for the kitchen. “How about snacks?”
“Yes, please.”
“Sweet or salty?”
“I was hoping you’d surprise me.” When he returned with an option for both, she tugged on his hand. “Do you have time to sit with me for a little?”
“If you’re okay with me working on my laptop.”
“I would love that very much.”
With a kiss to her hair, Morgan didn’t hesitate to grab his laptop and settle beside her.
Only, she couldn’t take her eyes off him.
He focused hard, brows furrowed over a tablet as his hands worked the laptop.
Her heart filled with pride at the simple thought of how he managed his life.
It was nothing other than appreciation, because if she were to be in that position, she would no doubt be terrified of everything.
“You haven’t moved for the past couple of minutes. Are you alright?”
“Just staring at you like a creep.”
His head turned to face her, brows arching. “And why is that?”
“I’m not sure if I should share.”
His expression turning serious, he shifted his whole body, fingers finding her arm and running over her skin until he’d taken her hand. “Something I should worry about?”
“No, I was just admiring you.”
“And why wouldn’t you like to share your thoughts? Is it because you don’t want to feed my ego?”
She sighed and laced her fingers between his.
“I’m… proud of you. Saying it out loud though I’m afraid you’ll think my words are pitiful.
I just realised that if I were in your shoes I wouldn’t leave my house.
I can’t even wear headphones in public because I’m terrified of missing something.
I get anxiety when I drive somewhere I’ve never been because parking makes me nervous.
You face that on a much larger scale every day.
I don’t know, I was just smacked with a big dose of reality. ”
“It’s different for you. You’ve had good enough eyesight your entire life. I don’t know anything else. I see it like a poor man standing in front of a Lamborghini and wondering what it would feel like to drive it. I envy it sometimes, but it doesn’t keep me up at night with jealousy.”
“So, you think it would have been harder if you lost your sight later in life?”
“Definitely. Just thinking of losing what I have now scares me shitless. I know how to read and write, I refused to learn braille. I guess, if I lost all of it, I would feel more afraid of it.”
“But is that a possibility?”
“No, my sight isn’t degenerative. I mean, I’m sure it might happen naturally just like everyone else, but no quicker than normal.”
“If you were to come over to my apartment, what would help you feel comfortable?”
“I’m like a bull in a china shop, so you should hide anything breakable.”
“I’ll keep that in mind, though I have to work on my messiness and my rather horrible habit of not putting things where they belong.”
“Well, if I’m at your place I assume you’d be there as well—then you can be the one to search for things.”
She squeezed his hand, loving how rosy his cheeks were and how his lips always parted oh so slightly with each of his smiles. “Well, if we survive everything after the honeymoon phase and I end up moving here, I have to start working on things now.”
“Ah, so I’m not just a fling.”
“I hope not.”
He lifted her hand to his lips and softly kissed her palm. “Good. Now get some work done or I’ll have to hide in the office again.”
“Meanie,” she mumbled but returned to her tablet.
After a long, exhausting shift that night, she brought some food back to Morgan’s.
“Hi, you two gorgeous gentlemen,” she greeted as she walked up to him and Blue.
“We have an unexpected visitor.”
She welcomed his arms around her and let him take the paper bag. “We do?”
“Yes, I texted you a few minutes ago. Manuel showed up with some paperwork.”
“I think we have enough to share.”
“I’m sorry—he didn’t know you were coming back tonight.”
“You don’t have to justify yourself. I can’t hoard all your attention for myself. I just hope we have enough food because I’m hungry.”
“You should be; you’ve been on your feet all day.”
Entering the apartment, she was greeted by a dining table scattered with papers. Manuel leaned over them, talking excitedly on the phone. He waved before continuing his conversation.
“Maybe we should lay the food out in the kitchen. Manuel has taken over the table,” she giggled.
“He has, huh?”
She followed Morgan into the kitchen and as he sorted through the containers, she wrapped her arms around him from behind. With her hands pushing under his shirt, she laid her cheek against his spine.
“I have to go into the office tomorrow, so I’ll be out of here around eight. You’re more than welcome to stay as long as you need.”
“I’ll leave with you. I picked up some extra hours.”
Manuel stepped in and cocked his brow. “Maybe I should leave.”
She grinned at him, hugging Morgan even tighter and letting some of his skin show as she pushed his shirt higher. “Maybe you should.”
“I agree,” Morgan teased, squirming.
“There should be enough food for you,” she explained. “But you can’t have my cake.”
“He should be grateful he gets anything at all.”
Manuel’s hands shot up in defence. “The faster we get finished with work, the faster I’m out of your hair.”
“Eating in front of you would be rude.” She pushed a plate across the counter to him. “And I was the one to keep Morgan out of the office this morning anyway.”
They dug in, and once she was no longer starving, she curled up on the couch and started doom scrolling on her phone.
She didn’t even realise she’d dozed off until Morgan lifted her into his arms and carried her to bed.
Bleary eyes landed on where Manuel still studied the papers like his life depended on it, bouncing between two laptops and a pot of coffee.
When Manuel saw her watching, he grinned sheepishly. “Don’t try anything. I’m not afraid to come in there and drag him out.”
She returned the grin and offered him a wave.
Morgan sat her on the bed and placed her bag beside her. “This might take a while, but I’m just a call away.”
“Is everything okay?”
He shrugged and took her face in his hands. “It’s nothing I’m too worried about.”
“Well then I won’t waste a thought on it either.”
“Now, sleep tight and don’t wait up on me.”
She stifled a yawn. “I couldn’t if I tried.”
They shared a brief kiss and she watched him disappear, dozing off to Manuel’s teases that Morgan had been so fast.