Mine To Keep (Love By Design 7)

Her cheek sported a dusting of flour, and her bun of red hair hung lopsided off the couch cushion her face lay smashed on, a soft snore coming from her open mouth. Who knew my roomie was an adorable mouth breather?

I’d have snuck a kiss if not for the peaceful look on her face, not to mention the pain in my jaw.

I needed a dentist.

Badly.

I was going to have to call Kristen. I didn’t have to think twice with the shooting pain driving into my skull or how late the evening hour had now become. This was an emergency. She was no longer my booty call, but this warranted a little help from unusual places.

“Hello?”

“Kristen, I need help.” I barely got the words out before the cackling laughter burned my ear like acid.

“Oh, that’s good. What happened now?” She snickered like the Wicked Witch of the West.

“Please stop laughing.” The sound of her voice vibrating through the phone sent pain like glass shards into my head.

“Poor Evan.” Brat didn’t sound very sympathetic, and rolling my eyes at her through the phone hurt.

“I broke a tooth. Have mercy on me, please.” I’d tap my heels if it came to it. There was no place like a pain-free jaw I’d rather be.

“How did you manage that?”

“This has to stay between the two of us,” I gritted out.

“Spill it, badge.”

“Swear you won’t go running your big mouth?” I growled, knowing full well how much she was enjoying this.

“Who would I tell?” She tried to sound insulted, but I knew once Kristen opened her mouth, the entire network of females in this town would be on high alert.

“It would really hurt someone I care about.” I wouldn’t let anyone make Remi feel bad about this. Maybe my tooth was defective before I bit into the rock-hard cookie. I would never know and I hoped she would never find out.

“Okay, I fucking pinkie promise you through the phone I won’t tell a soul. Demanding asshole.” The grumbles I used to think were cute with this girl only grated on my nerves today. The only thing that rated on my cute meter was a tired little momma whom I still needed to put to bed while I battled shooting pains from my tooth for the rest of the night.

“It was Remington.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Kristen didn’t bother holding back over the phone.

/> Shooting pain lanced my brain.

“I will so arrest that jackass of yours if you don’t stop giggling.”

“Right, sure. I think Demon would take one for the team on this. Now tell me what happened.”

I breathed through the pain and said, “I bit down on one of Remi’s cookies and cracked something. My back molar, I think. Fuck, it hurts.” My mouth zinged in pain as I thought about it and absently rubbed my tongue against the spot.

“She baked? That’s adorable and incredibly domestic of you two playing house.” Kristen kept laughing, and my ego shriveled a slow death.

“We’re not playing house. We live together.” Even if I wanted more, Remi was not ready for something like that. Our situation was unusual at best. I was taking things moment by excruciatingly slow moment, apparently losing one tooth at time.

“Uh huh, sure.” More giggling except now she wasn’t even making the effort to hold the phone away from her. I hoped the snort she let out burned her nose.

“What? Why are you hysterical about it?” I demanded.

“B-because she can’t cook to save her life.” Kristen howled and I felt defensive. Remi made some meals and tried her best. I wasn’t expecting Ina Garten or that hot Italian girl from the food network, but come to think of it, some of our meals did taste a little suspect. The garbage seemed heavier with a few takeout containers I didn’t recognize on those nights. Even the cutting board stopped looking like its usual crime scene when she tried cooking lately. The little cheater looked so cute in her white apron and messy hair I didn’t have the heart to interrogate her.

“Now you tell me this?” I moaned, thanks to my tooth.