The Roommate Equation

I weave my fingers between his, and we walk down the hallway in silence. Dylan leads me into his bedroom, locking the door behind us. Sloan won’t bother coming downstairs until it’s time for work. When they fight, they usually don’t speak for a day, and then they find a way to kiss and make up.

Dylan drags me into his bathroom and turns on the water, sticking his hand in the glass shower to adjust the temperature. He slides my tank up my stomach, his eyes fixed on my face as he rids me of my shirt.

He bends down in front of me, shoving my shorts and panties down my thighs. He’s still peeking up at me, slicing through me with those pretty blue eyes.

Dylan rises to his full height, and I get to work unbuttoning his dress shirt. His eyes meet mine for a split second and then slowly rake over my body. He bites his bottom lip, his cheeks flushed.

I quickly help him out of his pants, not surprised to see he’s already hard. Before I can get my hands on him, he lifts me, my back hitting the wall as we move into the shower.

My heart slams into my chest as he looks at my body like it’s the best thing he’s ever seen.

“Sloan already hates me,” he whispers.

“My brother doesn’t hate you.”

“He should. He will when he finds out about us.”

“You’re going to tell him?”

He presses his lips together and looks away. A few seconds pass in silence before he says, “Is this what you want?”

“Honestly, I don’t know what I want. My life is a complete mess right now.”

“I need to know, Ash. You have to be sure.”

“Dylan, please. Not now. Not tonight.”

He runs a hand through his wet hair and groans. “I want to tell him… if you’re sure about us.”

“Give me some time to think. I have to call Dominic in the morning, and I need to talk to Vinnie about representing me. Plus, I’m still homeless until I can make up the back rent.”

He narrows his eyes. “This is about money? I’ll take care of you, Ash.”

“I don’t want your money. This is my mess. I have to fix it, my way and on my terms.”

He nods, and his forehead touches mine as he brushes his lips against mine. “If you need anything…”

“Dylan,” I say against his lips.

“Yeah?”

“Turn off that big brain of yours and kiss me.”

He thinks too damn much. His mind works in ways that no one understands, me least of all. I follow my heart and go with the flow, where Dylan has to plan and know the answers to everything before he can move forward. I was surprised when he asked me to meet him all of those years ago. It was so out of character for him. And now, I’m getting the feeling that he needs an answer before we move forward. He needs to know if we have a future.

I don’t even know where I will be living next month or if I will have enough money for gas. My life isn’t as simple as Dylan’s. Nothing in my life has gone according to plan. What if this is another thing that doesn’t work? What if my relationship with Dylan ruins everything?

Dylan rakes his fingers through my hair, shoving the wet strands out of my eyes. He explores my body with his hands, and then he molds his lips to mine, pinching my nipple between his fingers. I moan into his mouth, practically exploding from a wave of pleasure that washes over me.

Our lips separate for a few seconds, and we stare into each other’s eyes, a raging inferno burning between us. He dips his head down to suck my nipple into his mouth, dragging his teeth along my sensitive skin. Dylan takes his time with each breast, and then his hand falls between my legs. I cry out his name when the pad of his thumb rolls over my clit.

He massages me, the pressure building within as he slips two fingers inside me. Dylan leaves a trail of hot kisses down my skin from my neck to my breasts, his fingers plunging deeper and deeper. I thrust my hips into his hand, greedy and wanting more of him, my body responding as if it were made for him.

I grip his shoulders. “I’m so close, Dylan…”

Heat flickers in his eyes, and then his lips are on mine, smothering my moans as my orgasm commands my body's control. After I stop trembling, he lowers me to the floor, meeting my gaze as he sucks on his fingers.

“You taste so good,” he moans. “I need to lick every inch of you.” He leans forward, pressing his hand to the wall above my head, caging me with his muscular body. “I need to be inside you. To feel you.”