Not Over You: Accidental Roommates Romance

by R. S. Lively

  I smile and step up beside him. He steps down into the gap that was once the foundation of the building, and I follow him.

  "I love what you've done with the place," I say.

  He laughs and gestures around us.

  "This is the living room," he says. "Sliding doors on that side led out onto a patio. There was a charcoal grill."

  "Ooooh. How fancy."

  "Not at all." He takes a few steps and points to the left. "This is the dining room." He goes a few more steps. "If you join me down the hallway here, I can show you the rest." I follow him, and he gestures to one side. "The bathroom. Complete with bathtub."

  "Only the best amenities."

  "Of course. Here is my parent's bedroom." We're almost to the back of the shape when he pauses and opens his arms out to his sides. "And this is my room."

  "Oh, really?" I ask, stepping up beside him. "I don't know if it's really appropriate for me to be in your bedroom."

  Cade wraps his arms around me and pulls me up against his body, capturing my mouth with his.

  "You have no idea how many times I thought about that."

  "Kissing me here?"

  "Not here exactly. In my bedroom at my parent's house. This will do, though."

  I loop my arms around his neck and pull him in for another kiss.

  "You didn't live here when you started spending time at the house?"

  "No," he says. "We'd already left here before that."

  "What happened to it?"

  "They tore the entire complex down years ago."

  "Why?" I ask.

  He shakes his head.

  "The apartments were emptying out. People were moving on or dying. Families weren't moving in anymore. There weren't enough people who wanted to stay here to overpower the developer who wanted to sell it."

  "But what happened to it then?"

  "Nothing," Cade says with a sigh. "The buildings all came down, then nothing happened. It just sat and started crumbling. It's like everyone forgot about it. That's why I bought it."

  "What are you going to do with it?"

  "I'm turning it into community-use property," he says, his voice suddenly sounding stronger, like the thought of the changes he's made as an adult are pulling him out from under the memories weighing him down. "I want to remove all of the remnants of the buildings, replace them with a community center and a playground. I'm thinking about a pool. I want to make it into a space for people to enjoy, and that will give kids and families a place to spend time together."

  "That's amazing," I say.

  I lean back to look at him, letting out a breath as I stare into his face.

  "What?" he asks.

  "You," I say. "Just you. I can't believe all you're doing for other people."

  "Don't forget I'm doing it anonymously, so don't tell Grammie. If you do, ten seconds later, there will be a parade and a dedication ceremony."

  I laugh.

  "What's sad is you're not exaggerating."

  I rest my head on his chest for a few seconds to listen to the beating of his heart. Cade's face is different now, stronger and sharper, and there's an edge to him that wasn't there before. But here, in the rhythm of his heart, he's the same as the teenaged boy I once knew.

  "Are you ready to go?" he asks.

  I nod and take his hand so we can make our way back toward the car.

  "Where were you living when you started coming around to Grammie and Gramps's house?" I ask.

  "We bounced around a lot," he says. "I can't even really count how many times we moved. By the time I met Gramps, and he introduced me to Grammie, I was going back and forth between living with my parents and living on my own."

  "You were thirteen!"

  "I know. That's where Gramps comes in. They decided I'd spend time with them so I wouldn't be alone. The more time I spent with them, though, the less my parents felt like they needed to be responsible for me. They didn't really feel much parental instinct to begin with, so things weren't great. They were around less, and I was with Gramps and Grammie more. Then the trouble started."

  "Trouble?"

  "Yeah." Another secret he'll keep to himself for now. "Eventually, I ended up in a group home, then went back to my parents, then back to the group home, then I tried to strike out on my own. I got forced back to the house with my parents. Things got worse. There were fights. I went back to the group home, tried to leave again…"

  "And eventually Gramps and Grammie's house became home."

  "It was always home," he says. "You were always home."

  "Can I ask you something with the understanding you don't have to tell me anything else if you don't want to?"

  "Of course."

  "Do you still talk to your parents?"

  "Yes," he answers without hesitation. "Sometimes. Mostly, I pay for their house and keep up their bills for them."

  "Why?" I ask almost explosively. Cade looks at me, and I flinch. "I'm sorry. That came out a lot more…"

  "Judgy?"

  "Yeah. A lot more judgy than I intended. That's a terrible word, but I'm going with it. I didn't mean for it to sound like that."

  "It's fine. I'd probably ask the same question if I was you."

  "So, why do you do that for them? You won't even tell Grammie how wealthy you actually are, but you'll tell them? Don't you think they're going to take advantage of you?"

  "I haven't told them, either," he says. "They know I have enough to help them out, but that's it. That's part of the reason I do it. I decide how much I give them, so I stay in control. They don't decide. But I think the main reason I do it is, because, in a lot of ways, I’m grateful to them."

  "Grateful?" I ask incredulously.

  "It's not like they were always horrible. There were some good moments, and I believe they do love me in whatever way they’re capable of. Them being selfish, self-centered, and fucking shitty parents sucks, but in the end, it's what brought me to your grandparents. In all honesty, if things were always OK with my parents, I never would have met Gramps or Grammie. I would have ended up on some dead-end path, in jail, or dead. Instead, they managed to be just bad enough, for just long enough, that I found my way to your family. In a twisted way, everything I have is because of my parents, but not in the way most parents want to be responsible for their child's success. That's what keeps me from really being a part of their lives. I don't wish anything bad on them. I don't want them to be miserable, or to end up in an unpleasant situation because they don't have the help they need. I don't want them to think they were right when they told me I was going to end up exactly like them because I had no other choice, but I also don't want them to think they deserve the credit for who I am today."

  "As much as I hate what they put you through, you're right that there is some good to it. If they hadn't sorta been pieces of shit, I never would have met you."

  Cade shakes his head, drawing me closer to him.

  "No," he says. "That's not enough to stop us from meeting. I don't know how, but I think we still would have found each other."

  The comment makes my heart flutter and tears spring to my eyes, but I can hear the sadness in his voice. I think about the summer he spent away from the house after his stint in jail and wonder how much of what I just learned had to do with those weeks he disappeared from my life, only to return with no explanation.

  "You know what?" I say, pulling his hand to stop him and turn him toward me.

  "What?" Cade asks.

  "Now that I know you're not just a little fledgling business owner, I think you owe me a better break than that camping trip."

  I grin at him, and he smiles back, the boy I fell in love with so many years ago shining through.

  "Deal," he says. "I'll make some arrangements, and we'll go tomorrow."

  "Where?" I ask.

  Cade raises an eyebrow at me.

  "Do you really think I’m going to spoil the surprise?"

  15

  Cade

  The next d
ay…

  "Are you going to react this way every time I take you on a trip?" I ask.

  "Not if you keep bringing me fucking camping!" Fiona exclaims angrily from where she sits in the front seat, her arms crossed tightly over her body.

  I laugh as I get out of the truck and walk around to her door. She refuses to look at me as I open the door and lean over to release her seat belt.

  "Come on," I say.

  "No."

  "You said you wanted me to bring you on another trip," I say. "Our first camping trip had a few hiccups."

  "So, you thought it would be clever to bring me camping again? That is fantastic planning."

  "Are you getting out of the truck?" I ask.

  Fiona seems to wriggle deeper into the seat like she's staking her ground, her eyes still locked in front of her at the rough-hewn wood sign indicating the trailhead to the campground deep in the woods.

  "No."

  "Then I guess I'm just going to have to do it for you," I say.

  Tucking my shoulder into her stomach and grabbing hold of her wrist, I flip Fiona over my back in a fireman's carry, and pull her, squealing with protest, out of the truck. She continues to shriek as I kick the door closed and carry her to the back to get our bags.

  "Cade! What the fuck!”

  "You needed to get out of the truck. I'm going to put you down now. Are you going to behave yourself?"

  "No."

  I smack Fiona on the ass, and she lets out another little squeal. This one sounds distinctly more amused than the first.

  "I'll try that again. Are you going to behave yourself?"

  "No."

  Another smack. Another squeal. My body responds to the sound, and to the feeling of her breasts crushed against my back. I feel my cock strain against my pants and my mouth water.

  "Are you going to behave yourself?"

  She hesitates for a brief beat.

  "No," she replies, her voice slightly lower.

  The bags can wait.

  Turning sharply, I start toward the path. From this vantage point, it looks like the narrow trail is nothing more than a stamped-down path of dirt and fallen pine needles meandering its way deep into the woods. Someone who doesn't know, like Fiona, would likely think anyone following the trail would eventually end up in a barren clearing at worst, and a smattering of primitive campsites at best. I know better. Owning the property means I know this trail goes several yards into the trees, but then turns and winds its way to a custom-designed luxury cabin. I also happen to know the team I employ to take care of the property while I'm not here spent all day yesterday preparing the cabin for our arrival. They're gone by now, which is exactly what I want.

  "Where are we going?" she asks.

  "Quiet," I say sternly.

  She immediately complies, and I quicken my steps down the trail. My heart is pounding by the time I see the cabin come into view, and Fiona's lush little ass up in the air is making me feel like I'm going to explode. Her breasts bounce against my back as I bound up the steps onto the front porch, her hands clutching my shirt to keep herself steady.

  There is no key to the cabin. Instead, the lock is mechanical, controlled by a keypad positioned directly beside the front door. I input the code, pushing the door open as soon as I hear the lock disengage. Slamming the door closed behind us, I carry Fiona toward the master bedroom. As soon as we step into the room, I drop Fiona down my body and onto her feet. She isn’t standing long. I grab her by her hips and shove her back against the wall, crushing my mouth down over hers in a passionate kiss. My hands make quick work of the button and zipper on her pants, and I push them down off Fiona's hips. She steps out of them, and I pull her shirt over her head, throwing it to the side. Her breasts are full and heavy, a flush sending a tinge of crimson across her creamy chest. Taking hold of the tops of the cups, I yank the fabric away from her breasts, so they spill out, revealing her tight pink nipples. Growling hungrily, I suck one of her nipples into my mouth. My tongue swirls around it, puckering the flesh around the bud. Meeting her eyes, I tear away my shirt and release my belt. My cock springs out of my pants, and I take a condom out of my pocket before I force them away, kicking them aside. Tearing the package open with my teeth, I roll the condom down my engorged erection and lean into Fiona again. Her mouth opens eagerly beneath mine as I kiss her deeply, my hand trailing down her body until it finds her hip, dipping down further into her waiting pussy.

  I groan when I find she is already hot, slick, and wet. Wrapping one arm around her waist, I pick Fiona up and plunge deep inside her as I push her up against the wall. Her fingers dig into my hair, and her head falls back as I thrust into her at a fevered pace. Within seconds she's gasping, her high-pitched cries filling the room around us. I can feel my own climax rushing through my body, and although I don't want it to be over so soon, I also don't want to stop. I've thought about being buried inside her luscious body all day, and I can't control myself.

  With a final impaling thrust, I let out a deep growl and feel my cock throb, then release into her. Fiona gasps and arches her back, pressing her breasts into my chest as her walls tighten around me. Pushing back slightly and ducking my head down, I close my mouth over one swell, flicking my tongue over the peak of her nipple as her body twitches on my cock. Fiona's body sags against me, and I hold her up, enjoying feeling the last waves of her orgasm flow through her. She lifts her head to look at me, and I kiss her, smiling against her lips.

  "Are you going to behave yourself now?"

  "Not if that was my punishment," she says, sounding spent and satisfied.

  Lowering her to her feet, I brush her hair out of her face.

  "Why don't we get our bags, and I'll show you around."

  "I don't want to get dressed," she says.

  I look at her swollen lips and feel my stomach clench. I feel like I could scoop her up, toss her onto the bed, and be perfectly happy staying right here for the rest of the trip. In the interest of saving at least some energy, though, I figure we should take a bit of a break.

  "You don't have to," I say. "We could go to the truck for our bags like this."

  I open the bedroom door and start through the cabin.

  "We can't go through the woods naked!" Fiona gasps from behind me.

  I turn around to look at her.

  "Why not?"

  "People might see us!"

  "I hope not," I say. "No one is supposed to be anywhere around here for miles."

  'You rented out the whole campground just for us?" she asks.

  "No," I say. "I own the cabin and the woods around it."

  "You do?"

  "Yes. I bought an abandoned campsite a few years ago, designed the cabin, and developed some of the rest of the land into what I like to think of as my own vacation paradise."

  Fiona stares at me, blinking a few times like she's trying to process what I just told her.

  "You bought an abandoned camp?" she asks.

  "Yes," I answer.

  She's still standing naked in the bedroom, and the surprised, almost incredulous, look on her face creates an image I'd love to snap a picture of and use as the background of my phone screen, NSFW be damned.

  "An abandoned camp. You bought an abandoned camp?"

  "Yes," I repeat.

  I reach for my pants and step into them. She follows my lead almost absently, reaching down for her pants and wriggling into them while still staring at me. Picking up her shirt, she starts to pull it down over her head not realizing her breasts are still spilling out over the tops of her bra cups. Resting her shirt on her shoulders, she wiggles the silky peach fabric back in place, and I feel a little hint of regret as her pink nipples disappear inside the cups again.

  "Are we talking an old campground where people drove their RVs and set up tents and stuff, and just stopped coming? Or is this a children's summer camp that was mysteriously abandoned when several campers went missing after telling stories about the legend who roams the woods type si
tuation?"

  I laugh as I drop my shirt down over my head.

  "It was a camp-style resort," I say. "So... both?"

  She pauses again as she pulls on her shoes and stares at me.

  "Both? There is a legend who roams the woods?" I continue out of the cabin and back toward the truck. "What is it? Is this a person?" I can hear Fiona calling to me as she follows behind me, and I can't help but laugh. "An animal of some kind? A murderous ghost? Insatiably angry because they, too, were killed here?"

  We make it back to the truck, and I turn around toward her.

  "Nothing is going to come out of the woods and get you, I promise. And if something tries, I'll protect you."

  I reach into the bed of the truck and pull out one of the bags, then reach for another. I offer the smaller of the two to Fiona and reach for another. She doesn't look entirely convinced, but I don't mind the idea of staying up with her if she has nightmares tonight. When I've unloaded everything, we make our way back to the cabin. My heart swells in my chest when she follows me without question back to the master bedroom rather than asking for her own room. It's comfortable and natural, with none of the awkwardness of two people trying to navigate living life so close to each other. The dynamic between us has changed, but everything feels so easy, like we are just falling into the pattern we should have been all along. There are no questions or hesitations. There is no discomfort. We inhabit the same space like we've always been meant to share it, and deep within me, I know this is how things should have been.

  Half an hour later, we've unpacked our bags and put our clothes away in the custom closet and built-in wardrobe. We've only planned on being here for a few days so we can get back to the work we left behind at the house, but I hate living out of a suitcase no matter where I am. Whether I'm traveling for work and staying in the president's suite of a hotel for a single night, or in one of my vacation properties for weeks at a time, as soon as I get there, I have to unpack. I need the sense of settling in, of having control over my space rather than the transience of having everything shoved away in suitcases and bags.

  Fiona's eyes wander as I give her the tour of the cabin. She seems to be taking in all of the details, admiring the honeycomb of rooms I carefully designed to ensure I always have access to the features I want when I come out here to relax.