Roomie Wars Box Set

Just one night, one moment.

When codes don’t exist, and rules are made to be broken.

Just her and me on the dance floor—the best type of foreplay—bodies swaying, sweat glistening on our skin, creating this magnetic force which feels impossible to tear apart. She follows my lead, not allowing her body to break away. The smell of her skin is lingering in the air, and every part of me wants to take her back to our place and show her body what it needs. What it’s been craving.

I start to think about us and what this all means. Zoey is my best friend.

What’s so wrong about your best friend being more than that?

The aftermath—the what if it doesn’t work out, and things don’t revert back to the way they were. It will affect everything we have—the trust, the honestly, and the friendship. Will it even be possible for us to be roomies after taking it that step further?

My head is spinning.

Stop thinking.

When the lights come on, her skin is flushed, and she struggles to make eye contact with me. Reluctantly, we both pull away from each other when the MC announces it’s the end of the night and requesting all guests form a line to say farewell to the bride and groom. Who the fuck invented this stupid tradition? I can barely walk, let alone form a line.

I turn to my left, surprised to find Zoey’s no longer beside me. Scanning the room, I spot her at the table and immediately start walking toward her trying my best to act cool.

“You okay?” Losing my balance a little, I rest my hand on the back of the chair trying to ignore the dizzy spell.

“Yeah, it’s a shame it’s over,” she says, nonchalant.

“The wedding? I’m sure Mia and Troy have better things to do on their wedding night as a married couple.” I chuckle, eyeing the leftover champagne on the table.

“No, I meant the dan—” She clears her throat. “Never mind.”

I do mind. Does she want this as much as I do? What does this all mean?

Fuck, I need something to take the edge off. That glass of champagne remains untouched, so I lean forward, pick it up and raise it to my lips. It may be a glass, but it feels like a drop.

Not enough. The bottle sits in the middle of the table with a small amount left. I pour the remainder into my glass. It goes down a lot smoother, taking the edge off this unknown anxiety I am feeling.

The MC once again reminds us to join the line like animals in a circus act.

I want to go home.

“Slow down, Drew,” Zoey warns me, taking the glass out of my hands. “How are we going to get home?”

I don’t answer her following the crowd to the dance floor. Riddled with guilt, I turn to apologize, stopping abruptly when Jess comes out of nowhere and latches on to her arm. She appears startled, switching to annoyed, then something in her face softens. I’m only a few steps away but unable to hear their conversation until they turn in the opposite direction. What the fuck? Instinctively, I follow them but stop short of the foyer where they both stand.

Jess is pacing up and down, rubbing his hands along his bald head in frustration. “Were you fucking him when we together?”

She remains silent and not bowing down to his demands. Thank God! At least she knows how to stand up for herself.

“Fucking answer me, Zoey,” he grunts, moving closer to her face trying to terrorize her with his bullying tone.

“You cheated on me. I didn’t touch Drew when we were together. I already told you that. Everything that happened between us is your fault. Stop blaming me.”

“The way he’s touching you tonight. It’s driving me fucking insane,” he seethes. “He can’t fucking touch you like that. You’re mine. You understand?”

Zoey continues to stand still, crossing her arms and keeping her distance. With a satisfied laugh, she shakes her head and says, “Wow. Imagine what it’s like to catch your best friend blowing your boyfriend.”

“Zoey, I’m sorry,” he apologizes, softening his tone with false pleas. “I’d been drinking that day, and it sorta just happened. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“Well, Jess… Drew and I sorta just happened, too.”

“I can’t do this, Zoey. It was meant to be us all along. You’re mine. I can’t leave here tonight knowing you’re going home with him.”