I take him in while I search for a solution to the problem. I need to stay here for the time being. He seems to want that. But I can’t just stay here with nothing in return. Life doesn’t work that way.
“Janey is on vacation or something, right?” I ask.
He nods.
“I’ll do her work while I stay here—”
“No.”
“Boone,” I warn.
He furrows his brow. “Where does this come from? Why can’t you just stay here and use this as a way to spend time with Rosie and just … I don’t know. I know it’s not Hawaii but fuck, Jaxi.”
My heart tugs in my chest. I don’t want to hurt his feelings, but he doesn’t understand.
“Where is this coming from?” he asks again. “If we’re going to do this, we have to be honest with each other, right?”
I take a deep breath. “In the world that I come from, nothing is free. There will come a time—and I promise you that—when you’ll feel like I’ve taken advantage of you somehow, and things will go downhill. Fast.”
He smirks. “I know we’re being serious and all, but if you’d like to take advantage of me, I won’t be mad.”
I roll my eyes for his sake. Inside, I squirm at the innuendo I’m fairly certain—and that I hope—he’s making.
“You’re not listening to me,” I tell him. “I don’t have a job. I don’t have a car. I don’t even have a fucking plan now, Boone, and I have a kid. That’s a problem. A big, huge problem that I have to fix and I can’t complicate anything else in my life because I’m complicated out!”
I heave a breath.
He, however, seems unfazed.
“I am listening to you. I just disagree. But you need to hear me out too. Because of the fact that I hear you, I’m trying to help. I want to help. I’m offering this to you, and from my position, it’s the only answer to your problem right now.” He comes around the island. “If things get unbearable, I’ll tell you. Okay? Does that make you happier?”
I try to ignore the pull of my body to his.
“No,” I say. “Because there’s also the component of my pride, and I don’t want to be the girl who’s living with a guy because she needs to.”
“What are you afraid of? That I’ll hold it over your head?”
“Yes,” I say too quickly. “And then make me feel bad about it.”
The look on his face makes me regret saying that.
“Thanks for having faith in me,” he says.
“Look, I’m sorry. I just have had a lot of bad experiences with people, and I know I shouldn’t project that onto you. I’m just trying to take care of things as best as I can.”
The door opens down the hall. Little footsteps clamor against the tile.
“Boone? Jaxi?” Rosie shouts, panicked.
“We’re in the kitchen, Rosie. Keep walking straight,” I shout back.
I peek around the corner. Her eyes light up when she sees me.
“I thought you left me,” she says.
“Nope. We’re right here, sweetheart.”
Her steps pick up their pace.
When I turn back to Boone, his position hasn’t changed. Nor has his focus.
“Fine,” he says. “You want to vacuum and do some dishes? Cool. Go for it.”
I blow out a breath. “Thank you. Was that so hard?”
He grins.
Before I can ask him what it’s all about, we’re joined by Rosie. She pushes us away from each other and stands in the middle. Then, she looks up at Boone.
“I’m hungry,” she says, tilting her head back to look up at him. Boone winks at me before grabbing Rosie up and tucking her under his arm. Rosie shrieks as Boone carries her into the living room.
“Come on, then,” Boone says.
“Where are you going?” I ask, laughing.
“I’m going to get dinner.”
I walk to the corner and see him sitting on the couch with Rosie next to him. She looks up at him adoringly.
“You’re getting dinner from the couch?” I cross my arms over my chest. “This should be interesting.”
“Live and learn, babe.” Boone whips his phone out of his pocket and puts an arm along the back of the couch. “Okay, Rosie Girl. Let’s pick out our dinner.”
“I want cake!”
He looks at me and grins. It’s a different smile than he’s given me before. This one is more intimate, more personal. Definitely the most dangerous look he’s ever given me.
And then, as quickly as he tossed that libido-burner onto my lap, he plucks it away.
“We are having cake. Are you kidding me?” He points at the phone. “Should we order this one? Or that one. Oh, that one has—”
“Sprinkles!” Rosie shouts. “That one! I want that one?”
“Yup. I was thinking that too.”
I watch the two of them act like two children with a DoorDash account. It’s hilarious and sweet.
It’s also freaking sexy.
I have to keep my head on straight. This isn’t a budding romance. It’s a friendship that you’ll never be able to repay, and you better remember that before you screw this all the way up.