I sat on the edge of the tub, watching the water rise. My mind kept wandering back to Dad’s curse. Every time I thought of it my entire being filled with dread. I was almost done with school, so close to freedom that the idea of being chased by some invisible, malevolent force had me breaking out in hives.
The bath was full now. I turned off the tap, then sat back, staring off into nothingness for long moments. The bathroom was large, with an ornamental clawfoot tub. Faded, mould infested grandeur that harkened back to a time when the house was first built. I wondered what the wealthy, well-to-do family who first lived here was like. Had they been cursed through the generations, too, or was it a more recent thing?
I was so lost in thought that I didn’t hear the door open. Noah didn’t see me either, since I was half obscured by the shower curtain. I only became aware of his presence when he unzipped his pants to take a piss. I froze, too embarrassed to make a sound as he peed right there with his back to me. Then, a squeak escaped me. He jolted and turned around, swearing under his breath when he saw me sitting there.
“Jesus fucking Christ, Estella, are you trying to give me a heart attack? What are you doing in here?” he questioned as he tucked himself back into his pants.
My mouth opened, but no words came. Finally, I swallowed and said, “I was running a bath for Vee.”
He stared at me; his expression was incredulous as he started to laugh. “Well, a little heads up would’ve been nice. You didn’t have to just sit there watching me.” He flushed the toilet and went to wash his hands.
“By the time I realised you were in here it was too late,” I said, cheeks aflame. I tried not to think about the fact that I’d almost seen his penis.
He lifted both eyebrows. “How did you not see me?”
“I was lost in thought.”
He dried his hands and took a step closer, eyes wandering over me. “You okay?”
I sighed. “Not really. Vee’s in a bad state. Did you know she’s been blackmailing Irene into bringing her alcohol? That’s how she’s been managing not to leave her bedroom.”
His expression hardened. “I did not know that.”
“I think you might want to cancel your thing tonight. Having a bunch of people in the house right now might not be the best idea. I’m scared Vee’s going to give herself alcohol poisoning.”
Noah rubbed his jaw, looking perturbed as he came to perch on the other end of the tub. “I’ve been so busy with this job I haven’t had time to keep an eye on her.” A pause as he glanced at me. “Exactly how bad is she?”
“Very bad. She looks like she hasn’t bathed or changed her clothes in over a week.”
Several thoughts passed behind his eyes. “Why are you taking care of her?”
I shrugged. “Because nobody else will.”
“I will,” he said fervently. He actually seemed guilty that he hadn’t noticed how bad Vee’d gotten.
“We can take care of her together then,” I suggested.
He nodded, his attention going to the bathwater. “You’ll have to empty this out and run it again. Vee hates bubbles.”
“Seriously? Who hates bubbles?”
“My sister.”
I groaned, reaching out to drift my hand through the water. “Well, this was a waste of perfectly good Radox.”
Noah got a playful, boyish glint in his eyes. “Not necessarily.”
I saw his intent to throw me in a moment before he dove for me, and I leapt out of the way. He backed me up against the door, and my breaths came in sharp bursts.
“Don’t,” I warned, holding a hand up to his chest.
His eyelids lowered to half-mast, a sultry look on his face as he crowded me, leaning his chest into my palm. “Live a little, little spy.”
“I’m not a spy.”
“No? All evidence points to the contrary. First, I catch you snooping in my bedroom. Then, you earwig on my conversation with Enda Riordan. And today, well, today takes the biscuit. You hide in here so you can watch me taking a piss?” He shook his head teasingly. “Now that one’s just perverse.”
I swiped at his chest. “Shut up. It’s not true!”
He caught my wrists, chuckling low as he dragged me toward the bath. I struggled against him, twisting and turning. Finally, I managed to pull free, shoving him off me and pushing him into the tub instead. He landed with a loud, messy splash, covered in bubbles.
A silence fell. Then, I burst out laughing. Noah falling into the tub was quite possibly the funniest thing I’d ever seen.
“It’s true what they say about Karma,” I said with a grin.
Noah scowled at me, but I could tell he was holding back his laughter. All his clothes were drenched. He’d never looked so ridiculous. He’d also never looked sexier. I inhaled sharply at the sudden realisation, too spellbound to notice him reaching out and pulling me in on top of him. I regretted filling the tub so high because water sploshed out the sides.