by Elyse Kelly
“Are you sure it’s cool for me to crash here for a few weeks?” he asks me shyly, his big, strong hands crammed into the front pockets of his tight black jeans. The royal blue tee he’s wearing pulled tightly across his broad, muscular chest. Dirty blond hair cut low on the sides and longer on top, perfectly tousled, just begging for me to run my fingers through it. And those emerald green eyes and strong jaw... Good God, this man is gorgeous. How on Earth did anyone think this was gonna be a good idea?
“Christian, of course it’s fine. Besides, where would you go?”
“I can always stay with my parents. I haven’t even unpacked yet, and I’m sure my mom wouldn’t mind. My dad is another story, but he’d be fine for a few weeks.”
“No one our age wants to stay with their parents unless they have to. And besides, I have a perfectly good bedroom not being used. C’mon, let’s go check it out.” He walks towards me and the closer he gets, the more I can smell his cologne, so clean and fresh and so masculine. I wanna bury my face in his chest and deeply inhale.
“What did you say?” he asks me with a smile. Shit, did I say that out loud?
“Uhh…what now?”
“I thought you said something.”
“Nope, not me,” I exclaim a little too quickly. I hurry down the hall to his new room. Gesturing for him to step into the one on the right, I say, “This is you.”
“It’s bigger than I thought it’d be. It’s perfect,” he says looking around. He peeks into the en suite bathroom, then looks in the closet. “And you’re sure you don’t mind?” he asks me again.
“No, now c’mon. Let’s go get your stuff.”
Christian didn’t have to bring much with him, since he’s not planning on staying here forever. Callie left her furniture here and Christian left his at Asher’s, figuring we’d just end up moving everything again once Christian found his own place. He brought all his clothes and shoes, and what looks like the motherload of an entertainment system. In addition to the huge TV, I’m pretty sure I saw a few gaming systems, a DVD/VHS player (Do people still use those?) and several boxes of movies and games. On top of that, there was a sound system too.
“How much time do you spend in your room to need all this stuff?”
“Oh, well, all of this wasn’t in my room. It was in our living room. We kinda had a bachelor pad thing going on, but I don’t think Callie is into that.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right about that. You can put it in our living room though. It’d be great for movie nights,” I tell him, hoping he doesn’t see right through me and my attempt to spend some time with him.
Excitement covers his face. “Yeah? That’d be awesome. I love movie nights.” My face begins to heat as I think about snuggling up with him on the couch watching movie after movie. What am I doing? You cannot hit on your roommate, Ava! Bad girl! Bad. Girl!
“Umm, yeah… so I think we got everything from your truck. I’m sure you wanna take some time to unpack. I can order us a pizza while you settle in?” I ask him, not sure if he needs some space or what he’s thinking right now.
“Actually, I’m wiped. Let’s order pizza, get cleaned up, and have our first movie night. Deal?”
“Deal.”
I order our pizza then head to my room to take a quick shower and change. As I’m riffling through my lingerie drawer, I debate if I should put on something nice just in case, or if I should put on something comfortable so I’m not tempted to flirt with my roommate. Wait, why am I thinking about this? No flirting, Ava! Sheesh!
But he looks so good! When I first saw him that night at Big Mike’s I was instantly attracted. Then I saw Dane and was briefly conflicted because that man is just as hot. Dane is a tall, mountain of a man, all sexy milk chocolate with smoldering dark eyes. Any girl would want that man. But I only had eyes for the green-eyed blond sitting next to him. There was just something about Christian that said “home”, like my feet were moving towards him of their own accord.
And the more time I spent around him, I was more and more attracted. He’s genuinely a sweet guy. Smart and sexy, but kind too. I was really hoping he’d ask me out when he came over for dinner, but that all went to hell as soon as Callie and Asher dropped their announcement. Now I’ve gotta live with this sinfully hot man, for who knows how long, and keep my hands to myself. I just know if we cross that line, it’ll end in disaster and I’ve had enough of that in my life.
Shaking my head clear of the lust fogging my brain, I grab a pair of plain cotton, pink bikini panties and a purple t-shirt bra. Hey, at least I’ll be comfortable. I shower quickly and dry off, pulling on black yoga pants and a purple tank top. Twisting my hair into a bun high on my head, I swipe on some cherry Chapstick and head into the living room. I’m adjusting my bra strap that’s falling off my shoulder when I see Christian standing in between the couch and the TV, scrolling through movie choices on Netflix.
My jaw drops open and my panties burst into flames! No man should look that hot in gray sweat pants and a plain white tee. This isn’t fair! How am I supposed to stay away from this man when he looks like that? His shirt molding perfectly to his torso, doing nothing to hide those abs that must have been carved from marble. Those sweats hanging low on his hips, showcasing that V-cut that makes every girl stupid.
He must feel me staring because in that moment, he turns, catching me red-handed and ogling his glorious body. Thank God he’s kind enough not to embarrass me, and that he doesn’t say anything about me blatantly checking him out. My cheeks instantly heat, knowing I’ve been caught. Trying to regain my composure, I manage to croak out, “Did the pizza come?” He stares at me and I notice it takes him a second to respond.
“Yeah… it, uh… came a few minutes ago. Kitchen.” He clears his throat. “I mean it’s in the kitchen,” he says more clearly this time, rolling his eyes at himself. Maybe I’m not the only one affected.
“I’ll… um… I’ll go grab some plates and napkins and be right back with the pizza,” I say, as I hurry out of the living room. I need to create some space between me and the hottie living under my roof. I’m not sure I have enough batteries for my vibrator to survive the next few weeks.
CHAPTER 3
Christian
Damn, this girl is gonna be the death of me. Why can’t she wear something baggy? No, she just has to strut in here with those damn yoga pants molded to her firm little bubble butt and that fitted tank that does absolutely nothing to hide those perfect tits. Not too big, not too small, just perfect for me to rub all over my face. Dude! Stop thinking like that!
I bite my lower lip to hold in a groan as I watch her turn and walk into the kitchen, swaying her hips as she goes. Shaking away the image of me grabbing a hold of said hips, I follow her to help with dinner. She’s pulling out plates and napkins as I approach the kitchen island.
“What would you like to drink?” I ask her, opening the fridge. Maybe if I stick my head in there the cold air will help calm my dick down.
“Water’s fine. I know there isn’t much in there. Maybe we should go shopping tomorrow?”
“Sounds like a plan,” I say, grabbing two waters and the pizza before following her back into the living room. I set everything on the coffee table and flop down on the couch next to her. Picking up the remote, I hand it to her.
“You pick. Your movie choice will tell me everything I need to know about my new roomie,” she says with a smirk.
“Ooh, so much pressure. Any suggestions?”
“Nope, I wanna see what you pick without my help. But I reserve veto rights if you pick something crappy.”
I scroll through the choices, trying to decide. Honestly, I like all kinds of movies. And not that I’d tell my boys, but I love a good rom-com or a chick flick. They give me all the feels inside and I’m a sucker for a happy ending. I don’t know much about Ava yet, but she seems like an action kinda girl to me
, so I pick the newest action flick with lots of explosions, guns, and car chases.
“This is your pick?” she says, with one eyebrow raised.
“Yes. Why? Are you vetoing it?”
“No, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised you’d pick such a guy movie.”
“Actually, I picked this for you. You don’t strike me as the ‘feel good’ type of movie girl.”
“I don’t? Why’s that?”
“Don’t get me wrong, I think you’re a sweet girl. But you don’t strike me as the girly type. I thought an action flick would be the safest bet,” I explain with a shrug.
“You’re actually right. I’m not a girly girl,” she says, looking a bit sad. I scoot a little closer to her, our thighs almost touching. So close I can feel the heat coming off her body. God, she smells good—clean and fresh from the shower and slightly sweet like cut flowers. I bump my shoulder into hers.
“Hey, what’s wrong? What’s that look about?”
“It’s nothing. I’m fine, let’s just eat.”
“Hey, look at me. We’re gonna be spending a lot of time together and I wanna get to know my new roommate. Now, tell me. Did I say something wrong?”
“No, of course not. I was just thinking, I guess.” She lets out a deep sigh and turns her body toward mine, like she’s getting ready to tell me a story. On the outside, I’m playing it cool, just waiting for her to start talking. On the inside, I give a little fist pump, feeling like I’m gaining her trust and loving that she trusts me enough to open up.
“So, you’re not wrong that I’m not super girly. I like dresses and makeup like everyone else, but I’d much prefer to wear jeans and a t-shirt, and throw my hair up in a messy bun. It’s just that I grew up having to wear dresses all the time and always ‘look perfect’ as my mom would say. I was told that my appearance was everything and was a reflection on my family. I didn’t even get my first pair of jeans until high school, and I wasn’t allowed to wear them outside of the house.”
“Wow. I don’t really know what to say to that. I guess it’s just different with boys. As long as we were clean and didn’t embarrass her, my mom didn’t care what we had on.”
“No, it was more than that for me. If you really wanna know, I was raised to be a trophy wife. My parents didn’t care if I was smart or finished school. They didn’t care what I had to say or what I wanted to do. Bottom line, I was raised to look pretty, be arm candy, and keep my mouth shut. To marry someone inside my parents’ circle of friends, someone wealthy like us.”
“So that’s what you meant when you said you didn’t need money?” I ask her, remembering our conversation from the other night.
“Yeah. I don’t like people to know this, but I have a trust fund from my grandfather. I only use what I have to and I refuse to take a dime from my parents. I paid for college with a scholarship and went to school with Callie. The only thing I have from my parents is my car, which was a high school graduation gift. They wanted to get me a new car when I graduated college, but it came with the unsaid stipulation I would have to date someone of their choosing. Someone that would help my dad’s business. He owns a huge financial planning firm back home.”
“Damn, girl. And they let you just up and leave and move down here?” She looks down at her hands, as they play with the hem of her shirt. She doesn’t raise her head to look at me, but she keeps talking.
“Actually, I just left. I took what I needed and just left.”
“They don’t know you’re here? You’ve been living here for over two months, Ava!” My parents would kick my ass if I just disappeared. How could she just walk away?
“They know I’m here. I mean, now they do,” she says, sheepishly.
“What do you mean, ‘now they do’?”
“Callie’s mom, Leigh, ran into Grace, my parents’ housekeeper, at the grocery store. She had no idea my parents didn’t know where I was, and she told Grace about The Sweet Spot and how great Callie and I are doing. Needless to say, Grace had to tell my parents, resulting in numerous texts and phone calls—all of which I’ve been avoiding.”
“Wait a minute. So, you’re telling me they’ve been trying to get in touch with you and you’ve been avoiding them. Have you talked to them at all?”
“It’s not like they can’t find me, Christian. They know where I am and have made no effort to come see me. They know how close I am with Callie and her family and yet, they haven’t reached out to Shawn and Leigh to even ask how I’m doing. They don’t give a damn about me and never have. They only care about what I can do for them. Who I can marry that will make them more money and raise their status even higher in society. They don’t love me, Christian. They never have.” Her eyes are welling with tears, but she refuses to let them fall. I can’t believe her parents would treat her this way. My sweet Ava.
Sometimes I take for granted how awesome my family is. My brother is my best friend and our parents dote on us like we’re the greatest damn kids on Earth. Hell, my mom still babies the shit out of us. And Dad is so proud of us he damn near beams when he talks about us.
I slide even closer to Ava, wrapping my arm around her shoulders and pulling her into me. “C’mere. I’m so sorry, Ava. I mean, that’s really fucked up. I wish it wasn’t like that for you and I’d do anything to fix it for you.” And I would, too.
“It’s fine. I’ll be OK,” she says, wiping away her silent tears.
“You’re crying, Ava, so it’s not fine. And it’s OK to not be fine. But I’m here for you, if you’ll let me.” I lift her chin with my forefinger and look into her watery blue eyes. She’s so beautiful and vulnerable. I just want to kiss her tears away and put a smile back on her face.
The longer we stare at each other, the hotter I get inside, and my dick begins to tingle. She licks her bottom lip and my eyes follow the movement. Her mouth is so close to mine in this moment, I could easily lean forward just a few inches and press my lips to hers. What would she taste like? Would her lips be soft and warm? Fuck, man, get your shit together! She’s upset and needs a friend. Not some guy trying to get into her panties.
I clear my throat and wet my lips, which have now gone dry with lust. “C’mon. I think pizza and a movie is just what you need to cheer up.” I fix her a plate and hand it to her, noticing she almost looks a bit disappointed. Did she want me to kiss her? C’mon, man, you’re thinking with your dick and not your head. Handing her a napkin, I start the movie then settle back into the couch with my own plate.
We eat in comfortable silence and watch the movie. Every now and then, I steal a glance at Ava and notice she looks relaxed and a bit more like herself now. I just want to pull her onto my lap, hold her, and all her problems go away. Show her that she’s more than arm candy and any one would be lucky to love her. Right now, she needs a friend, but maybe if we can survive this roommate thing, she’ll let me be more.
CHAPTER 4
Ava
I can’t believe I just spilled my guts like that to Christian. Other than Callie, no one knows all that stuff and here I go just word vomiting all over him. And to top it off, I cried like a big baby. Well, I didn’t ugly cry or anything, but there were tears and I should’ve held them back. He just made me feel so safe and it felt so good to be in his arms. Then he lifted my chin and I stared into his pretty green eyes, getting lost for a minute. We were so close I could feel his breath on my skin. I just wish he would’ve leaned in and kissed me.
I know getting involved while we’re living together, even though it’s just temporary, would probably be a mistake. I think he’s interested in me and I know damn well I’m interested in him, but I’m afraid if we take this too fast, it’ll be over before it starts. I’ve never had a boyfriend and I’ve never wanted one until now. But everything with Christian just feels right. It’s our first night in the house together and it feels like we’ve been doing this for weeks, months eve
n. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like having him here. I just wish I knew how he felt about all this. Would he even want to date me?
“So, another movie, or do you think you’re ready for bed?”
“Huh?” I guess I was so caught up in my head, I didn’t realize the movie was over.
“C’mon, Ava Bear. Let’s get you to bed. It’s been a long day and I’m pretty tired myself.” Did he just call me “Ava Bear”? Something about the way he says my nickname makes my tummy feel all tingly. This feels more intimate than just casual roommates. I know I’m just imagining things, but maybe he is feeling what I’m feeling. Should I ask him? What do I say? Maybe I should wait and talk to Callie first. Yeah, that’s what I’ll do. I peel myself off the couch and start to gather up our plates and things from dinner.
“I’ve got this. Why don’t you go and get ready for bed? I’ll lock up,” he says, grabbing the plates and napkins from my hands.
“Let me help. This is your first night here and you’re a guest.”
“Ava, I’m gonna be here until I find my own place, which could take a few weeks. I’m not a guest. I’m your roommate. So, let me clean this up and you go get ready for bed.” He puts his hands on my shoulders and spins me around until I’m facing the hallway. He gives my back a little nudge, encouraging me to head towards my room.
“Fine, but I’m cleaning up next time,” I pout playfully.
“Deal.”
I hear him cleaning up behind me as I trudge down the hall. I use the bathroom, then wash my hands and brush my teeth. Before getting into bed, I decide to grab a bottle of water from the kitchen. I step into the hallway without looking and run smack dab into a solid wall of hard, warm muscle. Dear Lord, when did he take his shirt off? I can still feel the heat from his bare chest against my face as I crane my head up to look at him.
