Change With Me (With Me in Seattle 17.5)

“What kind of emergency?” he asks and leans his shoulder on the doorjamb, watching me organize the groceries alphabetically.

“You know, a bad-day emergency. This is comfort food, and I have to have it on hand. Just in case.”

“In case of a bad day.”

I nod and brush past him to get another bag.

In the process, I feel his heat and realize how short I am next to him.

My nipples pucker, making me scowl.

“Don’t you have comfort foods?”

“Whiskey.”

I raise an eyebrow. “I guess that counts. I didn’t buy any.”

He laughs, and then his eyes narrow on the bag of nacho cheese tortilla chips in my hands.

“Now those, I like.”

“These?” I hold up the red bag. “Do you know how many chemicals are in this? There’s no real cheese in here. It’ll kill you.”

“Gimme.”

“No way. Mine.”

He grabs for them, but I evade, hurrying around the island.

Just when I think I’m free, Zane catches me, wraps his arms around me from behind, and snatches the bag out of my grasp.

“You’re a thief.”

“Don’t worry.” His mouth is close to my ear, his voice smooth as silk. “I’ll share.”

Chapter Two

~Zane~

“Wait.” Rina holds up her hand partway through my story and scowls at me from across the table. Because it’s my first night in town, she invited me over to have dinner with her and Ben. “You’re telling me that the landlord messed up and rented the place to both of you? And you’re still living there?”

“It’s only been a few hours,” I remind her. “But, yes. I’m staying.”

As long as the damn bed is delivered tomorrow. I’m not spending more than one night in a twin.

“Why?” She sets her fork down, already loaded with shrimp, and scowls at me. “You could go anywhere. You could come here.”

Now she sounds like Aubrey.

“Why should I be the one to leave?” I demand, pointing my fork at myself. “I paid for the place. I like the place. It’s convenient.”

“It’s just a little condo,” Rina reminds me, and I look to Ben for help. He just shakes his head and shovels more food into his mouth as if to say: “I’m not getting in the middle of this.”

“It’s not fancy at all,” she adds.

“I don’t always need fancy.”

She gives me an have-you-met-you look.

“Okay, I like nice things. But this place is new and nicely decorated. Sure, it’s not my house in Beverly Hills, but it’s fine. And it’s a ten-minute walk over here. I can get to the gym quickly. I know the area. There were no houses for lease nearby—which is weird, but true.”

“Speaking of the gym,” Ben says, changing the subject. “You should come with me after dinner. There’s going to be some sparring in the ring. Hunter Meyers is in town, and I think Nate’ll even be there, which doesn’t happen often these days.”

I nod, chewing my shrimp. “I’ll go. How’s Hunter doing after that head injury a while ago?”

Hunter’s a famous mixed martial arts fighter based out of the Seattle area, who goes to Ben’s gym. He was attacked about a year ago and was in the hospital for a while.

“He’s doing a lot better. He’ll never come out of retirement, but he seems to be content with family life on the island.”

“So, you’re both just going to abandon me and go to the gym?” Rina sniffs. “Maybe I’ll go with you.”

“No.” Ben leans over and kisses her cheek. “It’s a guy thing.”

“That’s sexist,” she says.

“No, that’s your husband saying he doesn’t want to kill anyone for checking out his wife tonight.” I wink at her and see the truth of my statement in Ben’s eyes. “Besides, you have girls’ nights with your friends. We don’t claim that to be sexist.”

“You can come to the next one.”

I scowl. “I’d rather poke my eyes out than be submerged in that much estrogen.”

Rina laughs and starts clearing the dinner table. “Fair enough. Okay, tell me about this new roommate of yours. What’s her name?”

“Aubrey.” I like the way it falls off my tongue. “I’d say she’s in her mid-twenties. She’s a teacher, and she has a backbone.”

“What did you do to her?” Rina’s eyes narrow.

“Nothing she couldn’t handle.” I laugh when she just cocks an eyebrow. “It’s not like I debased her or something. We had words about the condo, and I might have stolen her donuts. And some chips.”

“What’s up with you and food?” Ben asks.

“You didn’t see the donuts.”

“Fair enough.”

“Is she pretty?” Rina asks, pressing for more information.

I take a deep breath and think about the young woman I met this morning.

“She has the girl-next-door thing going on.”

“So, not your type,” Rina says. “At least this will be a platonic situation.”

“Wait.” I hold up a hand. “What does that mean? How do you know she’s not my type?”

“Oh, come on, Zane. If she’s the girl next door, she’s invisible to you. You go for the starlet types. Long and lean with blonde hair and fake boobs.”