The Roommate Agreement

He didn’t need my permission.

Why was I even thinking that?

Why did I have to open the door?

Damn it, Brie, if I hadn’t gone looking for him, then I wouldn’t have found him. And found a hell of a lot more than I needed to.

I didn’t want to know what Jay looked like naked.

All right, that was a lie. I did want to know, but I didn’t want to, you know, know.

Imagining it was so much easier. If I could imagine him naked, I could give him a flaw. Like… wonky testicles or a really, really tiny penis. Maybe an unfortunately placed mole or scar or something.

Now, though?

No.

Now, I was shit outta luck. He didn’t have wonky testicles—not that I could see, anything. There were no sadly-placed moles or scars or spots.

And his penis was most definitely not really, really tiny. Not even really tiny. Not even just tiny. Or mediocre.

Nope.

If it were a machete, you’d be able to take down forests with it.

Thank God penises were, as a rule, ugly. Otherwise I’d really be able to romanticize this moment.

There was nothing romantic about it.

There was nothing more awkward than walking in on your best friend totally naked.

Your best friend who you had a crush on.

Whose disco stick you kinda totally did want to take a ride on.

Two knocks at my door made my heart skip a beat. “Shelby? Are you in there?”

If I stay quiet, will he know?

“I was being polite. I know you’re in there.”

Guess so.

“Can I come in? We need to talk.”

We really, really don’t.

“Shelbs.”

I sighed. He wasn’t going to leave me alone. “It’s not locked.”

Gently, he tested the handle, almost as if he thought I was lying to him. The hinges creaked as he pushed it open and poked his head through the crack. “Hey.”

I ran my tongue over my dry lower lip. “Hey.”

“Can I come in?”

I nodded, tucking my feet beneath my butt and leaning against the headboard. “Sorry. About that.” I jerked my shoulder in the direction of the bathroom.

“No, listen.” He ran his hand through his still-wet hair, pushing it back from his handsome face. “It’s my fault. I knew you were in here working so I didn’t even think about locking it since I knew it’d be quick. Sorry.”

“It’s both of us. I had my headphones on and must have taken them off when you were already out of the shower. I blame Brie.”

He drew his brows together, perching on the edge of my bed.

Not a place I needed him to be when my heart was still calming down.

“Brie? What does she have to do with this?”

I quickly explained the situation that she’d told me about. “I called for you, but I guess you didn’t hear.”

“No, I didn’t. Shit. He wasn’t scheduled to work today.” He chewed on his lower lip, and I wanted to reach out and pull his lip from between his teeth because, well, lips that pretty weren’t meant to be nibbled on.

Except by someone else.

Preferably me.

Whoa—what was this? One glance at his penis and suddenly I’m choreographing getting him under my sheets?

Geez.

I needed a vacation.

“You want me to try to call him?” Jay leaned back and rested on his hands, turning to face me. “He might know why I’m calling, though.”

“Could he be at the gym still? Uh—is the new girl working today?”

He shook his head. “She’s training under me. She’ll be in tomorrow when I get there.”

Ugh.

Damn it.

Not my business.

“Where could he be?” I asked, pushing a wisp of hair behind my ear. “Brie was drunk, and that doesn’t excuse what she accused him of, but it was pretty shitty behavior. I don’t know, Jay.”

“You think we should keep out of it?”

I hesitated. “They’re our best friends, but…”

He raised his eyebrows, lips tugging up at one side. “They’re adults and have to sort out their own relationship issues?”

“Something like that.” I deflated with a sigh. “Maybe try calling him. If he picks up, tell him Brie’s worried about him and wants to know he’s all right.”

“What if he doesn’t want to go home?”

“Then you can make up the sofa for him and bring me pizza to apologize for the unexpected house guest.”

He stared at me for a moment then burst into laughter. “You’ll use any excuse for pizza.”

“Wine would be good, too. And—”

“Oreos. I know.” His tiny smile became a full-fledged one that made his eyes light up.

My tummy flipped.

“Don’t worry. I’m on it.” He reached out and flicked my ear. “By the way, I think your scream deafened me.”

I wrinkled up my face as he headed for the door. “Yeah, well, seeing you naked scarred me, so we’re even.”

His laughter followed him out of the room.

I wished he’d taken my attraction to him with him.

CHAPTER EIGHT– JAY

Bras Do Not Live On The Sofa, Shelby

“You think you can handle it?” I turned my head to meet my new employee’s eyes.