Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 62700 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 314(@200wpm)___ 251(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62700 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 314(@200wpm)___ 251(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
I flung open my bedroom door, carefully closing it behind me so I wouldn’t scare off my potential roomie. It looked like a bomb went off. No joke. A towel hung over my desk chair, three of my five dresser drawers were partially open, and clothes were strewn haphazardly around my queen-sized bed, which of course, hadn’t been properly made in…well, not since Anna.
I dropped my damp T-shirt onto the floor and grabbed two clean ones before closing my door behind me to search for Braden. I found him leaning against the doorjamb of the bedroom adjacent to mine.
“Hey, here you go.” I tossed a T-shirt in his general direction.
He caught it but shook his head and tried to hand it back. “That’s okay. I don’t want to take your shirt.”
“I have hundreds of T-shirts, and that is not an exaggeration. No sense wearing a damp one if you don’t have to. You can give it to me when you move in.” I slid by him, scanning the empty space as though I were seeing it for the first time. “What do you think? It’s small, I guess. Mine isn’t much bigger. It gets plenty of light when the weather isn’t crappy. And the closet space is decent.”
“Sounds luxurious,” he quipped sarcastically.
I made a funny face and shrugged. “It’s what I like to call ‘student chic.’ ”
Okay. So, I probably shouldn’t go into sales anytime soon. I wasn’t sure how to make a basic box of a room sound exciting. The walls were white, the oatmeal-colored carpet was worn, and there was a suspicious-looking stain under the window. I suspected Colby spilled a protein drink when it was his room. My best friend had lived here for a couple of years until he moved out last January to live with his boyfriend. That was just a few months ago, but man, I missed him. Living with Sophie had been an adjustment and no doubt it would feel weird to live with a guy I hardly knew, but—
Holy crap.
I swallowed hard when Braden yanked his damp shirt off. Fuck. His abs were a thing of beauty. I fixated on his prominent V-line for a moment, noting the way his muscles flexed when he turned to hook his wet tee on the doorknob before pulling my shirt over his head. He studied the logo emblazoned on the front and raised his brow.
“Did you get this in Hawaii?” he asked.
“Yeah. I think that one was from a western conference game in Oahu last year.”
“We didn’t qualify. Too bad. I’ll take any excuse to visit Hawaii. It’s been a while.”
“It was fun,” I replied lamely.
I stepped aside to give him space to check out the closet and caught a glimpse of our reflection in the mirror affixed inside. We looked ginormous next to each other. Braden was tall by anyone’s definition, but I had him by two inches and probably fifteen pounds.
Six foot six was a good height for a volleyball player. I was broader across the chest and shoulders than Braden, and my biceps were slightly bigger. But Braden had a clean-cut, all-American vibe, while I looked like a beach bum. My shaggy light-brown hair was sun-streaked and in desperate need of a trim. I probably should have shaved this morning too. I rubbed my scruffy jaw absently as I watched him move to the window.
Braden raised the blinds and peered out at the copse of palm trees blocking the view of the neighbor’s balcony in the distance. “It’s nice. When is it available?”
“Tonight, tomorrow…up to you.”
“That soon?”
“Yeah, no sense in waiting till June first. Take your time looking around. The bathroom is across the hall.” I hooked my thumb behind me and backed away. “I’m gonna make something to eat.”
“Thanks. I’ll be right there.” He set his hands on his hips and cast his gaze around the space.
I gave him a thumbs-up, willfully ignoring the twinge of desire creeping along my spine as I headed for the kitchen. Braden was good-looking for sure, but I wasn’t a complete dumbass. It didn’t matter if he was gay or bi or taken. Sure, I had a thick skull and a big libido. And it didn’t help that I hadn’t gotten laid in over six weeks. But it was important to be vigilant when it came to basic rules. Rule number one…roommates were off-limits.
I pulled out a loaf of bread and a knife, then set my best frying pan on the stove. I sliced through the softened butter and was about to spread it on the bread when Braden reappeared.
“Nice place,” he said, peering into the kitchen.
“Yeah, it’s not bad. I’ve lived here for a couple of years. It’s close to campus and the beach and my neighbors are cool. The only downside is that the parking lot is a mile away, so when it rains…” I gestured meaningfully at the wet tee in his hands.