Cocky Roomie_ A Bad Boy Romance Novel(6)
His eyes twitch. “You’re meant to live here?”
“Yes. Because I love those curtains!”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“And that view.”
“Ha,” he dryly shoots back.
“And that bay window. And the cold water in the fridge. And that couch! And that winding staircase in the hallway. And those flowers out the window. And I have to start over!” My hands fly up to my face.
“Oh shit. You’re not going to cry, are you?” he groans.
I squeak, “No!” turning my back.
He walks around me to pull my hands down, rolling his eyes as the wetness slips down my cheeks. “Hey, hey, hey. I can’t take a woman crying. Stop it.”
“I’m tryin’!” I squeak, embarrassed, but he won’t let me cover my face and now the faucet is fully on.
“Oh fuck it,” I whisper through little gasps. “I’ve just been through so much and I can’t sleep where I am and I have to get a job and I…I mean, my daddy gave me money to start out, so I can pay rent, just not on my own! I have to find a roommate and there aren’t any and I don’t know who to trust! I’m from a small town. Dublin is not like Atlanta — not at all! I’m in over my head. And I can’t go back! I just can’t! I always wanted to live in the city. Oh, I’m so sorry. I’m being desperate and weak and…oh God. I have to go now.” Tugging away from his hold I race out of the room.
“Hang on! At least let’s get you a tissue.” He runs and catches up with me, grabs my arm and opens up the door I was just about to walk past. “Here. This is the bathroom. We’ll be sharing it, but it’ll be clean so you don’t have to worry about guy’s being messier than women. I have a maid.” He rips a single tissue from a box on the counter and hands it to me. Adorably awkward, he grabs five more and offers them up. “You might need the whole box with all that snot you’re building up, but this is a good start.”
I half-laugh and whisper, “Shut up!” wiping away dripping mascara in the mirror.
“I’m just saying. You’re a mess.”
“You’re so rude.”
He’s looking at me in the reflection as he leans against the doorframe. “Yeah.”
Suddenly I become aware of what he just said. My hands drop. “Did you just say, we’ll be sharing it?”
“About time you caught on.”
“I can move in?”
He waits a beat then nods.
I blink a couple times, stunned. “You’re having pity on me. That’s terrible.”
“Please don’t start crying again or I’ll change my mind.”
Sniffling, I whisper, “I promise I won’t. When?”
“Sooner the better. Apparently you need some shut-eye. Nerves are shot.” He smiles like he’s looking at a lost puppy.
Without saying a word, tissues crumbled in my fingers, I turn around and wrap my arms around him. “Thank you.”
He hesitates, but hugs me back. It’s quick and polite.
Before he decides he made a mistake, I pad to the front door and step into my pumps, wanting to get out of here.
He follows me, his body relaxed. No, that’s not the right word now, is it? Confident. Yes, that’s the word. Which is the total opposite of me.
Rock. Meet bottom.
I glance over to the couch and picture sitting on it with a big jug of ice cream. Sighing, I meet his eyes to reassure him, “I really do pay my bills on time.” I used to handle our money in the house, even though Edward earned it.
“Good.”
“It’s almost the first of the month and I believe that’s customary to payin’ rent, yes?”
A smile is dancing in his eyes again. “Yes.”
“I can prorate the days if I can move in sooner?”
“Okay.”
“Well, that’ll work out just fine.”
“Great.”
“Okay, then. I have your email.”
We stare at each other a few seconds before he opens the front door for me to leave. “Goodbye, Jake Cocker.”
“Goodbye, Drew Charles.” He holds out his hand and I shake it. “A woman roommate. Never would have thought it.”
I stare at him as he shuts the door, feeling he is my savior. My cocky, gorgeous angel who just might become my friend since he can’t be my boyfriend.
As soon as I’m in the old, beat-up Honda Accord I rescued from Daddy’s garage, I start to breathe normally again. I sit a moment, replaying what just happened. The showered naked man challenging me to look down. The reluctant tour. The bay window. The rejection. The break down.
And how handsome he looked when he waited for me to figure out he’d said I could stay.