Accidental Roommate

by Katie Kyler

  “Whatever, man.” Jamie shook his head. “Have you had a chance to look at my idea?”

  “I was just about to open it up.” I tapped the file he’d left on my desk last week.

  “Geez, no rush,” he said.

  I glanced down at my phone again. “I’ve been busy.”

  “Oh yeah, with what? Why do you keep checking your phone?”

  Nosy little punk. I just raised my eyebrows at him.

  “You know, you haven’t been taking me seriously,” he said. “I’m part owner of this business.”

  Only because I’d felt sorry for him. But I didn’t say that. Despite everything, he was still my brother. “So, tell me about this idea.”

  He reached for the folder, but I kept it in place with my finger. People shouldn’t touch things on my desk without permission.

  He huffed. “May I?”

  “Of course.” I slid it toward him. My phone chirped. A message from Allison! Jamie tapped the folder on the edge of my desk, and I discreetly tried to read the message. It was harder to access on my phone, which was annoying.

  “No need to be sly, James Bond,” Jamie said. “I can tell you’re reading a text. Go ahead, I’ll wait.”

  Her message was short. I’ve been thinking about you all day, too. Even that short message could make me feel lighter inside. Bubbly, just with that hint of her. I was like an addict. Christopher would laugh his ass off if he knew what was going on.

  Jamie was staring at me, so I wiped the smile off my face. “Go ahead with your pitch.”

  “So what I’m thinking is a total redesign of our site, we strengthen the lines, we punch up the colors. The design is so muted and downplayed that it’s only going to attract the thirty-something crowd and older. But what if we made it brighter so it would appeal to the twenty-something crowd, too?”

  Brighter. I could imagine hand-prints in primary colors. Something for a preschool logo.

  “I have some different schemes here.” He opened the file and fanned out a few papers.

  Primary colors. Right there on top.

  “Right,” I said. “Thanks for the idea. I’ll try to bring it up in the marketing meeting next week, if we can fit it in.”

  “If we can fit it in?”

  I nodded, daring him to complain. If he wanted to fight about something so stupid, I could handle it.

  But he deflated instead, and that was almost worse. “Fine,” he said.

  I scrambled to change the subject. He was an ass sometimes, but I didn’t want to end our conversation being pissed off at him. Everything was going so great with Allison, that I was happy, and I wanted him to be happy, too. “You, uh, going to Dad’s birthday party?”

  He set the file folder back on my desk, aligning it so it rested front and center. “It’s not for a couple of weeks, right?”

  “Yeah.” I made a mental note to slide the folder off my desk as soon as Jamie left the room.

  “Yeah, I’m going,” he said. “You bringing a date? I haven’t seen you with anyone in a while. What happened to that blonde? Terry? Trina?”

  “Tricia. She’s long gone.”

  “You’re seeing someone else, of course. You never waste any time.” He rolled his eyes.

  I smirked. “Maybe.”

  “You know it’s against company policy to date an employee.” He stared down at the folder when he said it.

  I stared at him. “Uh, that came out of nowhere.”

  “It’s in the handbook.”

  “And?” I gestured for him to get to the point. He could be so fucking irritating sometimes. I tried to cut him some slack, because neither of us had had it easy since Mom died, but still.

  “You wrote it yourself, four years ago when we started. You made me proofread it for typos.”

  “I still don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  He ran a hand over his head, making his hair even messier. “Forget it.”

  He stalked out of my office, not bothering to close the door behind him. He’d always been a little shit.

  Chapter 5

  Allison

  “So I have big news.” Jess took a sip of her frilly coffee and made her eyes go big.

  I was thinking maybe Jeremy had proposed—they’d been together forever. But I didn’t want to jinx anything for her, and besides, he was still in Paris. Nothing less romantic than a long-distance proposal. I could imagine the text: U R the only 1 4 me. Will u marry me? <3

  “Let me guess,” I said, my voice playful. “You’re going on a fashion shoot in…Greece.”

  She shook her head.

  “Myanmar?” I guessed.

  “Nope.”

  “Wichita!”

  She laughed. A couple of patrons at the café turned to look at us, but mostly we were ignored. We’d been coming to Connie’s Café since college to dissect all manner of gossip and catch up on our lives. The café itself was decorated like someone’s old, worn living room, with gently-used rugs and furniture. Mismatched lanterns hulked on the walls, almost proud of their age. The artwork was done by local artists, but it was all in strange frames that looked like something I’d find in my great-aunt’s attic. The coffee aroma, mixed with the smell of baked goods and the tart scent of fresh smoothies—it was all as familiar to me as Jess. Sometimes I felt so lucky to have such a great best friend.

  She said, “It’s not a fashion shoot at all. It’s my writing.”

  “Your blog is going to Wichita?”

  She threw a crumb from her scone at me. “No, you beautiful nerd. My blog is doing great. It’s getting ten thousand hits a day. And yesterday…” She paused dramatically. “Yesterday Elegant asked me to do an interview for their magazine!”

  “Elegant, the magazine that has multiple copies strewn all over our apartment, Elegant?”

  She grabbed my hands in hers. She cleared her throat and, with mock seriousness, announced, “The very one.”

  We squealed in unison. This time more than a handful of other patrons turned to look.

  “Shhh,” I motioned, putting my finger over my lips. I didn’t want us to be the obnoxious, giggling girls who scared all the customers away. “But seriously, that is so wonderful, Jess. I’m proud of you. You must be so incredibly happy right now.”

  “I just wish I could tell Jeremy face to face,” she said, her voice wistful.

  “He’ll come back from Paris…when?”

  “In a couple of weeks.”

  I looked at her. “You don’t know exactly when he’ll be back? Who are you, and what have you done with Jess?”

  “Okay okay…fifteen days, three hours, and—” she looked at her watch “—thirty-five minutes.”

  “Now that’s the Jess I know and love.”

  “Speaking of looooove,” she drew out the word, “tell me about your hot hunk of man. What’s his name again? Eden’s Nookie? Eden’s Nympho? Eden’s Nutritious Snack Of A Man?”

  “Oh my god, Jess, and you think I’m the nerd. EdensNomad. But his real name…crap.” I couldn’t believe I’d waited this long to come clean about everything.

  She gave me a stern look. “Alls? Spill.”

  “Okay, don’t be mad, but I didn’t tell you because I thought it wouldn’t work out, that the whole thing would explode into one giant mistake and I’d be so embarrassed I’d die. But it’s Joshua.” The words came out in a rush and I hid my face behind my giant cup of tea, wincing.

  She set down her coffee. “Joshua, Joshua?”

  Miserably, I said, “The very one.”

  “Ohmygod ohmygod!” she shouted. When a couple got up to move to a couch on the other side of the café, she lowered her voice to a whisper. “Ohmygod.”

  “I know. Please don’t be mad I didn’t tell you.”

  “No,” she said, “no, I’m not mad at all. Well, yes I am.” She threw another crumb at me. “But the crumb of punishment has absolved you, and now I feel better. This is amazing! You’ve been crushing on him for three freaking years, A
lls. I’m so glad something’s finally happened! So is it just like you’d always dreamed?”

  I hesitated. “Yes…and no.”

  She took one look at my face, which I could feel wilting in misery, and grabbed my hand in hers. “Tell me.”

  “He doesn’t even acknowledge that I work at his office.”

  “What? Doesn’t he see you there?”

  “He sees the boring version of me. I don’t wear your gorgeous dresses to the office, and I don’t have time for make-up before I leave in the morning; I’m still not that good at it. Sometimes I wonder if he even recognizes me.”

  She patted my hand. “Well, you should probably talk to him about it soon.”

  I just wanted to hide behind my teacup…or my cubicle, depending on where I was. In a small voice, I asked, “Do I have to?”

  “Hon, you don’t have to do anything. But guys don’t always like surprises, and from how you’ve described him, he’s always struck me as the sort who wants to be in control of everything.”

  “He is. You’re right.” I sighed. “I’ll tell him.”

  “It’s Joshua, though! Ohmygod ohmygod!” she stage whispered. “Your boss. Aren’t there, like, laws about that or something?”

  “Ha! If there are, I’d hardly have paid attention. Like I ever believed something would really happen. Besides, we’re both adults. I think we’re old enough to make our own decisions about who we date.”

  “I know,” she said. “Your night of hot sex. Whew! When does Jeremy get back again?” She made a show of checking her watch.

  I sipped my tea, thinking about Joshua. I’d promised Jess I would talk to him, but I didn’t want to talk about things right away. Other than being nervous at work, I was enjoying things too much. I didn’t want to ruin it by surprising him with my secret identity. What if he only wanted the dressed-up, made-up version of me, and he didn’t like the everyday me?

  Chapter 6

  Joshua

  Sitting on the edge of my bed, I held Allison close as she straddled my lap. We were both naked, and I was inside her. I pressed my face into her chest, tasting her skin, teasing her nipples with my tongue until she moaned and ground down on me harder. Every part of me was building into an orgasm, but I wanted to make sure she came first.

  “Touch yourself,” I whispered. “It’s time.”

  Her hand snaked down between us, disappearing to that place where we joined. I could feel her fingers moving there, bringing her forward, helping her reach completion. She lifted up and down on me faster and faster, and sexy moans erupted from her throat. Her hair bounced in waves with her movements. This was the hottest thing I’d ever seen. I wanted to remember it forever.

  I captured her mouth with mine, drinking in her desire.

  “You’re going to come now,” I whispered against her throat. “You’re going to come while I’m inside you and—”

  She shuddered and let out the loudest moan yet. It was all I needed for my own release, and I stroked once, twice, a third time, gripping her hips in my hands to guide her up and down on top of me.

  There. It was like I burst open, everything inside me laid bare for her. I’d shared everything, and only wished I had more to give.

  Still joined, we rolled over until we were lying next to each other, face to face.

  She leaned forward and kissed me. “That was amazing.”

  “You’re so fucking fantastic, Allison. Stay the night?”

  She gave me a shy smile. “Okay.”

  Her skin was luminous in the moonlight coming through the curtains, and her eyes shone, large and expressive. I couldn’t believe my luck. All that time I’d wasted, dating all those women. I kept missing The One because I’d been too busy shopping the bouncy blonde type. And this was the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen, lying here next to me. “Do you even know how beautiful you are?”

  She just smiled again and tucked her hair behind her ear. I let my fingers trail over her hip as she turned over.

  “Goodnight, Phillygirl.”

  I could hear the smile in her voice when she said, “Goodnight, EdensNomad.”

  I marveled at how adorable she was. I loved that little gesture, where she’d twirl her hair around her finger after tucking it back.

  I rolled over and stared at the ceiling, a smile glued to my face as exhaustion took over my body. I closed my eyes as I replayed Allison tucking her wisp of her behind her ear. Her smile.

  Immediately I saw her face again, but this time it was in the break room at the office, then again in the hallway, as I asked for the advertising reports. My heart pounded rapidly and then sunk into my stomach.

  Work. Allison. That Allison. Fuck.

  Chapter 7

  Allison

  Eyes still closed, I rolled and stretched. My muscles were deliciously sore from last night’s sex with Joshua. How he moved…it was incredible. I was amazed he could barely keep rhythm on the dance floor when he moved with such prowess in bed. I grinned to myself, remembering how much fun dancing had been. How it had led to our first night together. When he’d gone down on me that first night, I’d thought I would die because I couldn’t even contain that many good feelings.

  Even though I’d just had him last night, I wanted more.

  I reached toward him, but his side of the bed was cool and empty. He must’ve been up for a while. I sat up and wrapped the sheet around my breasts to fight off the morning’s chill.

  His room was functional and large, with a sensitivity found in the very few pieces of artwork on the walls, and one giant mirror that must have cost a fortune. It faced the bed, and I wondered if he’d been able to see us in it last night as we sat on the edge. I didn’t feel embarrassed, though. So what if he saw my naked ass? He made me feel like the most gorgeous creature on the planet.

  The bathroom door was open, so he wasn’t in there. I needed a shower. Grabbing my make-up bag with the bare essentials (the few things I could fit into the handbag I’d taken on our date last night), I scooted into the bathroom. The water was soft and warm, reminding me of his fingers. I wish he’d stayed in bed. We could’ve had more sex before heading our separate ways for the weekend.

  I smiled to myself again. I never would have thought I’d be thinking these things about anyone, much less Joshua. My previous boyfriends had never stuck around for long, and they certainly hadn’t been as good as Joshua was in bed. You’re going to come now, he’d said. Nobody had ever been so communicative, so considerate…

  After getting dressed and putting on some make-up, I headed out of Joshua’s bedroom to search for him. I carried my purse with me because I wasn’t sure I’d be able to find his bedroom on my own again. Last time we’d made love, I hadn’t stayed the night, so I never got the tour of his house. Not “house,” I reminded myself. “Mansion.” Or maybe “palace.” This place was huge. I’d be surprised if I didn’t get lost in it.

  “Oh lover boy,” I called. “Where are you?”

  No answer. I had time. I had plans with Jess today, but wanted to spend at least another hour or so here, if Joshua didn’t have early plans.

  I peeked into one room after another. Three bedrooms. Four. An opulent guest bathroom, designed in marble and chrome. Modern and tasteful, but opulent just the same. It was the same understated richness that seemed to follow Joshua wherever he went. Not for the first time, I wondered why Jamie didn’t have that aura.

  I passed a few more bedrooms. There was an office here, too, but it was larger and more personal than Joshua’s office at work. The colors were muted and understated, a lot like the Scintilla colors and logo. They were perfect for him. Masculine. Cool, but not cold. They invited me in, but maybe I’d explore this room more some other time. I still had a desk-related sex fantasy I wanted to play out. God, I was getting so turned on. I hoped I found him soon.

  I padded down the hallway, my feet sinking into thick rugs, until I came to the living room. I recognized this place. We’d barely paused here to start kis
sing, before Joshua had hauled me up to his bedroom like some kind of hot caveman.

  And there he was. He sat in front of the fireplace, gripping a book. He wasn’t reading it, though. Instead he was staring at the empty grate as if trying to make it catch fire by his will alone.

  I empathized with the fireplace. Joshua could turn me on like that.

  He didn’t turn to look at me when I came into the room. Maybe he was just distracted, and didn’t really see me, yet. A small part of me wondered if I hadn’t put on enough make-up…if somehow I was still invisible to him like I was at the office. But I shoved the thought aside. I shouldn’t have to worry about things like this.

  “Hey, you,” I said, starting forward. He looked strong and comfortable. I wanted to climb into the chair beside him, be as close as possible. Maybe relive some of last night’s hotter moments. “Is there room enough for me? We could squeeze.”

  He finally looked up from the fireplace. His expression was so cold, I changed my earlier notion. He wasn’t trying to start a fire in that fireplace, he was trying to freeze it.

  He didn’t say anything. He just gave me that cold stare.

  “What’s wrong?” My throat felt so tight, I could barely get the words out. I felt like I had on our first date—nervous, unsure. So anxious I didn’t think I could stand straight.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked. “What’s wrong is you’ve been lying to me this entire time.”

  I felt like all the air had been kicked out of me.

  “Lying to you?” I couldn’t even think of what I’d been lying about. Every part of me had been laid bare for him to see. I’d shared everything about myself.

  “Is this whole thing some kind of fucking joke?” he asked.

  My heart started pounding, thundering in my ears. I took a step back, knocking into the low coffee table. His mask of anger morphed into one of concern for the barest of seconds, before turning back to anger again.