Mr. Savior: A Roommate Hero Romance

by Sullivan, Piper

  “May as well stop torturing myself,” I announced determinedly. Before I changed from my gym shorts and into a pair of worn jeans, I placed a big order at Enzo’s Fine Dining – who could say no to a delicious meal?

  Since Enzo’s was on the other side of town, I took the scenic route to pick up the food and parked my car behind Nina’s in her wide, semi-paved driveway. Chances were, she wouldn’t be happy to see me, but I was banking on her love of food to get me in the door.

  I shot her a quick text to let her know I was coming before grabbing all three bags of food and jogging up the stairs to her apartment, a beaming smile on my face.

  She pulled the door open and I sucked in a breath at the sight of her. Nina wore a pair of tiny black shorts covered in light pink skulls and a matching tank top, which I expected. What I hadn’t expected was what a turn-on the ink would be when combined with her pale skin and supple curves. “What are you doing here?”

  I gave her an exaggerated pout. “Not happy to see me, sweetheart?”

  I chucked her under the chin, which sparked a quick flash of rage she did an incredible job of extinguishing before she spoke again. “Don’t answer a question with a question, Preston.”

  “I brought some food. Figured you might not make it out for groceries in the next couple days.” I motioned to the bags, sporting my best Boy Scout grin, while she continued to glare at me.

  “Thanks, I guess. Come on in.” I saw the spark of appreciation in her gaze as it swept over me, and reveled in it as she turned her back to head back inside. “You have plans tonight? You smell good.”

  “Good of you to notice, darlin’.”

  Nina stopped just long enough to scowl at me over her shoulder before she limped down the hall, her boot making a loud clunk against the floor. “So annoying,” she grumbled softly.

  Somehow, Nina always made me laugh — even though it was usually at my own expense. Maybe I’d gotten too used to women chasing after me, or using nothing but my charm to win me a few nights and a good time. Nothing with Nina was easy, but it sure was fun. “How are you feeling today?”

  She shrugged. “All right. The pain is mostly bearable right now. Why’d you bring me food?”

  “So suspicious,” I chided with a smile, which she returned. Reluctantly, I guessed. “Because I love the way you eat, and because I figured you might be hungry. Since you are the most stubborn woman in the world, I also know you didn’t ask anyone to bring you any food.”

  “Maybe I planned to have something delivered later.” I might have believed that if she didn’t look so damned defiant.

  “Bullshit,” I pronounced confidently.

  “Excuse me?” She tried her best to look offended, but I caught the glint of pride in her sky-blue eyes.

  “You heard me. Bullshit. You were gonna go hungry or eat whatever scraps were in there before you left for that camping trip.”

  She looked at me for a long moment before dropping down on the sofa and elevating her foot. It had obviously become clear to her that I wasn’t leaving anytime soon.

  “That really doesn’t answer my question. I’ve been here for months, Preston, and other than your drink order, you haven’t said a word to me. And now, all this. What gives?”

  I had to admit, she was as dead-on right as she was stubborn as hell. “Maybe it’s the ‘don’t fuck with me’ vibes you give off. And on purpose, I might add.” Nina knew she was intimidating, and she didn’t do much to make a guy feel like his attention might be welcome.

  “Either way, you didn’t give a damn about my well-being before, and now you’re acting like you’re responsible for me.”

  “I’m just trying to help. Why is that so wrong?” I was starting to see why she hadn’t made many friends in town – she could test the patience of a saint.

  “Why? That’s all I want to know, Preston; why do you even care?”

  “I just do,” I said simply. I didn’t have the energy or the words to explain why I cared about her pain and her well-being, and I wouldn’t until I was good and ready. “Now, can you bear to share a meal with me?”

  The appreciation in her eyes turned to lust as her gaze swept over me again. “I’m sure I can manage you,” she teased. “For a time.”

  I dropped down beside her and started pulling metal and paper cartons from the bags. “Better make it a long time, or I’m eating both pieces of lasagna.”

  She growled. “You don’t fight fair, Worthington.” The little sneak took advantage of my laughter and snatched the lasagna from my grip. “Is that shrimp I smell?”

  I held up another carton. “I had a feeling you were a scampi girl.”

  She burst out laughing, gripping the lasagna she’d scored as her body shook with the force of her amusement. “What the hell is a scampi girl?”

  She couldn’t stop laughing, and the sound was so incredible, I decided to wing it. “It seems simple, but its has intense flavor — kind of like you. Scampi Girl.”

  “Call me that again and you’ll be wearing that second piece of lasagna.” There was no fire fueling her glare, but I knew that didn’t mean she wouldn’t do it. I remained cautious. As always.

  “How goes the job hunt?” If I hadn’t been staring at her so intently, I might have missed the brief moment when she froze. She recovered quickly, though.

  “It’s going, I suppose. How goes searching and rescuing?”

  “It goes, but it’s pretty slow this week. Which is a good thing, in my line of work. What do you do for fun, Nina?” It wasn’t the smoothest conversation, but I’d never pretended to be smooth.

  She blinked, like my question had caught her off-guard. “When I’m not working, I’m chilling at home. Watching TV, reading, dancing, pretending to learn how to cook. The usual. How about you?”

  “Mostly I hang out with my friend Ry and his family, we watch a lot of football and hockey. I read. Grill. Drink beer. Sometimes, I like to get out to my family’s ranch and let one of the horses stretch their legs.” It wasn’t the most exciting life, all laid out like that, but I had no complaints.

  “A horse? Like, with a saddle and everything?”

  “Is there another kind of horse that I don’t know about?”

  Nina nodded, looking smug. “A sex horse.”

  “Nope, don’t wanna know. You ride horses? The animal variety, that is?”

  She snorted and shook her head, chewing her scampi. “Not so many opportunities for horseback riding in the Missouri foster care system.”

  It was one of just a few breadcrumbs of her past that she’d let slip. I was like a starved man, hungry for more details, but I knew I couldn’t push.

  “I’ll take you when your ankle heals,” I said instead.

  “Maybe.” She hesitated. “Don’t want my ankle to heal only to turn around and break a leg.”

  “We’ll share a saddle the first time out.” It would be safer, sure, and it would give me another chance to get my hands on her sexy little body. “That would be fun, don’t you think?”

  “I’ll let you know if I don’t get thrown or trampled to death.” She went back to eating as though she hadn’t just tossed out that bleak scenario.

  “That’s what I like about you, Nina. Your sunny outlook.” She snorted a laugh that I shouldn’t have found so adorable, and I knew I had to ask. “Is there a husband or a boyfriend somewhere?”

  “A little late to be asking that question, don’t you think? Or, what, you look at me and assume that I would have screwed you if I was in a relationship? Real nice, Worthington.” The way she spat my name definitely wasn’t a compliment.

  “You didn’t bring it up, so I figured I would.” Maybe being honest would garner me a few points with her. I constantly felt like I needed them.

  She set down the scampi and stole the lasagna right out of my hands. “You mean, you thought you’d find a way to bring it up without actually bringing it up, because that’s easier than flat-out asking, right?”

  Normally, that
kind of directness would annoy me, but Nina’s candor turned me on. “That’s another way to look at it, I suppose. If you’re determined to be completely negative about it.”

  She waved her hands at me dismissively. “We had sex and it was nice. Good. It was really damn good, actually. But you’re not looking for anything serious, blah, blah, blah. Let’s keep it casual and see where it goes, blah, blah, blah. That about it?”

  She was so smug, so sure she was right, but I desperately wanted her to be wrong. “Are you looking for something serious?”

  “No. I’m looking to stay under the radar or, better yet, off the damn thing altogether. That would never happen with you.”

  For some reason, her statement offended me. “Because of my last name or my mother’s not-so-subtle matchmaking attempts?”

  “Both. And since the whole town knows that you don’t do serious, there’s no reason to go through hell for a few weeks of really good sex.”

  When she put it that way, what kind of asshole would pursue her?

  “That was just our first time together, Nina. Imagine how good it could be, when I know what every little flutter means. Which moans mean ‘give me more’ and which ones mean you need it softer, slower. Faster. Harder.” The pulse at the base of her throat fluttered wildly. She was turned on and I had no doubt if I touched her, her panties would be soaked.

  “You have a very dirty mouth for such a golden boy.” Her teasing tone made me hot. And hard.

  I laughed. That was another thing I didn’t do with women — laugh. Still, all I wanted to do was slide into her and make her moan. Cry out my name. “You have no idea how dirty. Go out with me, Nina.”

  “What?”

  “You heard me, let’s go out. Dinner and maybe a show.”

  She frowned, looking genuinely confused. “We’re having dinner right now.”

  “Yes, but this is just us hanging out. I’m asking you out on a date. With me.”

  “Why?”

  “Why not? We like each other and our chemistry is crazy. What are you afraid of?”

  She barked out a laugh and handed the lasagna back to me, eyeing the tiramisu on the coffee table. “Nothing, I just told you my objections to seeing you.” And the stubborn tilt of her head indicated she planned to stick to it.

  “If you agree to one date, I’ll agree to do the calendar.” I always found that making sure both parties walked away satisfied was a good measure of success when it came to negotiations.

  She crossed her arms and scowled at me, a look so black I felt my insides start to shrivel. “I’m not for sale, Preston.”

  “Good, because if I was gonna buy a woman, she’d be a lot less stubborn than you are. One date, Nina. Even if you decide not to go out with me again, I’ll still do the calendar.”

  “We’ve already had sex, why do we need a date?”

  “So we can get to know each other and have even better sex the second and third time. And the eighth and ninth, too.” She grinned and it stole the breath from my lungs. “Yes or no, Nina?”

  The minute she paused, I knew I had her. But a little bit of patience went a long way with her, so I waited calmly, arms crossed with an expectant look on my face.

  She sighed and her clear blue eyes scanned my features, probably looking for signs of deception or malice. “Fine. Yes. One date, Preston. And do the calendar if you want to do it.”

  “You’ll still go out with me?”

  “One date.” She held up her hand, in case I didn’t get the message. “But I don’t barter my time or my body.”

  “A bad girl with integrity. I might be in big trouble where you’re concerned.” I let out a loud whoop that startled her, but the soft smile she flashed sent a shiver through me that said the trouble had already begun.

  And it was too late to run away.

  Nina

  “Why did I agree to this? I don’t have a damn thing to wear!” I opened the front door for Max, who eyed me with twitching lips.

  “Aww, you’re nervous. How cute. Lucky for you, I am a kickass friend and I brought a few dresses you can try.” She gave me an assessing once-over and nodded. “We’re about the same size, and your bigger boobs might even the height difference out a bit.” She breezed in, carrying a garment bag in one hand and a paper bag in the other. “So… how nervous are you?”

  I was nervous as hell, but I couldn’t tell her that. “I’m a little nervous, but nothing I can’t handle. Thanks for the dresses; I was seconds away from throwing on jeans and a pink tank top.”

  “You rock the jeans and tank look better than just about anyone I know, but tonight you might want to go a little more feminine.”

  I guffawed. “That’s a sneaky way of saying I need to dress like a girl.”

  Max laughed, draping an arm around my shoulders. “You already dress like a girl — one with a great rack and incredible legs. Tonight, though, you want to dress like a woman.”

  She was right. I didn’t want a total transformation, but I did want to look a different, hotter version of myself for tonight’s date. “Okay, show me what you brought.” I limped to the bedroom, anticipating three dresses I would never buy for myself and wouldn’t dream of being able to pull off.

  “We have your standard little black dress. It’s great for any occasion, but it’s pretty basic.” Max held it out to me, and I took off my pajamas and slipped it over my head. It showed off a lot of leg, but she was right.

  “It’s kind of plain, right?”

  Max groaned. “Apparently, I’ll need to upgrade my LBD on the off-chance I get asked out on a date before this century is over. Try this one.”

  She held up a tiny red dress that was short and strapless. “No offense, but absolutely not. My tits will fall right out of this and into my soup.”

  She glared at me. “Do not order soup on a date. It’s not sexy, trust me.”

  “Fine, I won’t order soup, but I’m not wearing that red dress, either.” Max was petite with soft curves that fit her body — she could pull it off, but on me, it would just look slutty. “Hand me the final contender, but I think I’ll end up going with the little black dress.”

  “Don’t be so sure, Nina. This one right here is pure magic.” She held up a dress the color of wine, only deeper and more vibrant. “Take it.”

  I did. I couldn’t help it. The color was hypnotic and the cut was short, barely skimming mid-thigh, but it was the long lace sleeves and exaggerated high-neck lace collar that drew me in. It was sexy, for sure, but when I tried it on, it didn’t look right. “This is great, but it’s not me.”

  “Wrong!” Max ignored the way I shrank back from her noisy proclamation. “This dress is totally you, Nina. Hot and sassy and super strong. Preston is gonna swallow his tongue, and then he’s gonna swallow you whole. Just you wait!” The intense gleam in her eyes made me take a step back.

  The dress was nice, but I had a feeling Max was doing that thing good friends did to pump up your lagging self-esteem. “What’s his goal with this date, anyway? You know him; tell me the truth.”

  There had to be some bet out there, about him sleeping with the new girl, or something else that would make sense to me.

  “Preston is a good guy, Nina. He hasn’t settled down yet, but I think it’s because he wants more than a merger marriage, which is what his mom has been pushing for. He isn’t like his family. Preston will marry for love and she’ll be a real woman, not a trophy wife. But… I don’t think that’s what worries you.”

  “Yeah? What’s worrying me, then?” There were all kinds of alarm bells going off in my head, but I couldn’t tell if it was because I hadn’t dated in a long time or if I just didn’t trust myself.

  “You like him. You think you shouldn’t, Lord knows why, but still, you like him.” Her smile couldn’t have been any more satisfied than if she’d been the proverbial cat with a bowl full of cream.

  “What in the hell does he want with me?” That was the part that really made no sense. We had n
othing in common, other than sexual chemistry. Why did he even want a date?

  “You need to get over this whole ‘I’m not worthy’ thing, because it’s getting old. You’re awesome. Smart, beautiful, with a killer body and a sharp tongue. Preston is no dummy — that’s why he wants you. And he probably wants to get in your pants.”

  “He’s already been there, Max. I told him there was no need for a date when we’d already slept together!”

  Max laughed for a good long time, smacking the wall beside her just to show off how funny she thought my life was. “Wait, you told him you just wanted to have sex and he’s still taking you out?” I nodded, pleased to see she finally understood my confusion. “Wow. Maybe he likes you for more than that sexy booty.”

  I groaned. Those were the last words I wanted to hear. “I guess I need to start getting ready. He’ll be here soon.”

  “Oh, I’ll help.” Max spent a few minutes setting up a spot on my tiny kitchen table, then parked me in a chair and began primping and fussing with my hair and makeup. “Preston is great, Nina. Don’t worry.”

  “Then why haven’t you dated him? And what the hell are we supposed to talk about?” The sum total of my dating experience was a quick trip to a local pizza or fast food joint, maybe a movie, but mostly, the bedroom. And even that hadn’t happened all that much.

  “Hobbies. Work. Travel. Your favorite sex positions. Talk about whatever you want, just relax and have fun. You already slept with him and lived with him — a meal should be easy.” Max was right; at least, her words sounded truer than my lingering doubts.

  “I guess we’ll see, won’t we?” When Max had finished her sorcery, I looked like a much sexier version of the woman I saw in the mirror each day. “Max, you’re my fairy godmother.”

  “Excellent. I hope that means you’ll listen to me when I tell you that panties don’t go well with this dress.”