The rules we break a roo.., p.3
The Rules We Break: A Roommate Romance, page 3
“I thought you wanted to watch it alone,” she says, leaning against the door frame.
“I wanted to watch it with Wes, but he ditched me for Avery.”
“Yeah, those two are inseparable,” she says, rolling her eyes.
“So what do you say? You want to watch the game with me?”
“I guess I could.” She takes one of those fabric-covered elastic things from around her wrist and uses it to put her hair up. She has long wavy blond hair that I’ve been finding all over the floor and on the furniture. It’s another thing I’ll have to get used to. “Let me grab my phone.”
As she walks over to get it, my gaze drops to her ass. It’s tight and round—fucking perfect. I feel my cock twitch and quickly glance away. That shit can’t be happening. She’s my roommate. I can’t be thinking of her that way. I didn’t think that’d be a problem until now, seeing her in those tiny shorts and that cropped shirt.
“Okay.” She returns to the door. “Are you going to move?”
“Oh. Yeah.” I step aside and let her go first.
We go down the hall and down the stairs.
As we’re walking into the living room, she stops suddenly. “Did you clean?”
“I just picked up a little.”
She turns to me. “For me?”
“I realized this is your house too. I don’t want you stuck in your bedroom all the time because it’s too messy down here.”
She smiles a little. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. Hey, sorry if I’ve been a jerk the past few days. I’m just not used to living with a girl. I need time to adjust.”
“I’m sorry too. I didn’t mean to nag you about cleaning. I just got used to living with Avery, who liked everything to be clean and organized. I think she might’ve rubbed off on me. Messes didn’t used to bother me as much as they do now.”
“I’ll try to pick up after myself, but I can’t promise you anything. All I can say is I’ll do my best.”
“So is this a truce?” She holds her hand out to me.
“Truce.”
We shake on it, then she goes to the kitchen while I return to the couch.
“Shit, they scored and I missed it,” I say, picking up my beer.
“You want something to eat?” Darcy yells from the kitchen.
I pick up my bag of chips and notice it’s empty. “I’ll take some more chips. ”
Darcy joins me on the couch with a bottle of water and bag of chips. “We can share.” She rips open the bag and offers it to me.
“What the hell is this?” I ask, holding up a green chip with black speckles all over it.
“They’re kale and chia seed chips,” she says, taking one for herself.
“That sounds disgusting. Why’d you buy these?”
“They’re supposed to be healthy. I’m trying to lose weight before the holidays. I always eat too much at Christmas.”
“Lose weight?” I glance at her body. “You’re fucking gorgeous.”
Shit. Why did I say that? I didn’t mean to. It just came out when I looked at her long lean legs folded up next to me on the couch.
“You think I’m gorgeous?” she says, smiling a little.
I look back at the TV. “You have a good body. I can’t believe you don’t work out.”
“I tried to, but I got bored and stopped. But when I lived at home, my mom and I would go to yoga class a few times a week.”
Maybe that’s how she got that body. I’ve never tried yoga, but I’ve heard it’s a good workout.
“Are you going to eat it?” she asks, pointing to the chip I’m still holding.
“No.” I toss the chip on the table. “I’ll get something else at the next commercial.”
“I’ll try it if you do.”
“You haven’t had them?”
“No, I bought them because they have half the calories of potato chips.” She scrunches up her face as she looks at the chip. “I didn’t think it’d be this green. Would you try it with me? It’ll be like a roommate bonding experience.”
I sigh as I pick up the chip. “Count of three. One. Two. Three.” We bite into the chip. Darcy took a tiny bite, but I ate the whole thing.
She coughs. “Oh God, it’s disgusting.”
“It tastes like shit. Who the hell would eat these?” I burst from the couch and race to the kitchen, spitting out the chip in the trash.
Darcy’s behind me at the fridge. “How do I get rid of the taste?”
“Grab a beer. The alcohol will kill whatever it was we just ate.”
“Here.” She hands me a beer and grabs one for herself.
We stand there, gulping down the beer. Darcy spits some out as she laughs.
“What’s so funny?”
“Those were so bad. I don’t think I’ve ever tasted anything that horrible.”
“I can’t believe you made me eat that.”
“Sorry.” She’s still laughing. “I’ll throw the rest out.”
I open the cabinet above the fridge and pull out a bag of potato chips. “Here.” I offer her the bag.
“You can have them. The beer used up the rest of my calories for the night.”
“Forget the fucking calories. You don’t need to diet.”
“Have you seen the girls Colton goes out with?”
“Is that what this is about? You’re trying to lose weight for Colton?”
“It’s not the only reason. I told you, I always gain a few pounds during the holidays.”
“Everyone does, and you’ll still look good even if you do.” I drink my beer. “Why are you trying to change how you look for some guy?”
She shrugs. “It’s just what girls do.”
“They shouldn’t. That’s stupid. If a guy doesn’t like you the way you are, he’s not the guy for you. And just so you know, Colton would rather have a girl with some curves than one of those skinny girls you’ve seen him with.”
“Then why does he date them?”
“Because they’re the ones always begging to go out with him. But it doesn’t go anywhere. If he wanted a girlfriend, he’d pick someone who wasn’t that skinny.” I walk back to the couch. “We’re missing the game. Bring the chips.”
I return to the couch with my beer, setting it next to the one I haven’t finished yet. Darcy sits on the opposite end of the couch, facing me, her legs stretched out.
“Making yourself comfortable?” I ask, glancing at her legs.
“Why wouldn’t I?” She pops a chip in her mouth and tosses the bag to me. “I live here.”
I grab a handful of chips and toss the bag back to her. “When are you going home for break?”
“I haven’t decided. I might stick around for your party.”
I’m having a party next Thursday for anyone who’s still in town. Then on Friday, I’ll head home for winter break. My finals were done last week so I could’ve gone home earlier, but I get bored when I’m there and I don’t like being around my mom when she’s drinking. She uses the holidays as an excuse to drink more, and by holidays I mean the entire month of December.
“Don’t you want to go home sooner?” I ask. “To hang out with your family?”
“I’m an only child so it’s just me and my parents and my parents are always working.” She takes a chip and tosses me the bag. “I’m done.”
“You sure? This is your last chance. I’ll eat the whole bag.”
“I’m good.” She takes a sip of her beer.
I can’t believe she’s trying to lose weight for Colton. She doesn’t need to lose weight, for any guy.
“Touchdown,” I say, watching the game.
“How long have you been playing football?” Darcy asks.
“For as long as I can remember.” I stuff some chips in my mouth. “My mom said she gave me a football when I was three and I took it everywhere we went, like other kids do with stuffed animals. She said I’d hug it to my chest and keep dropping it because it was almost as big as me.”
“Aww, that’s cute,” Darcy says. “I bet you were adorable.” She lays back more, her feet almost touching my leg. “Did your dad play football?”
“I don’t know.” I stare at the TV, my chest getting tight at the mention of my dad.
“You never asked him?”
“Never met him. I don’t even know his name. He got my mom pregnant in high school and took off before I was born.”
“Oh. Sorry. I didn’t know.”
“It’s okay. My mom ended up marrying a guy a lot better than my dad. He stuck by her even when she—” I stop, deciding not to tell Darcy about my mom’s drinking. I barely know this girl. I don’t need to be sharing my whole life story with her.
“When she what?”
“Nothing.” I gulp down what’s left of my beer. “Forget it.”
“You don’t want to talk about it?”
“I’m trying to watch the game.”
Darcy starts to say something, but then stops herself. She wants to talk. It’s another thing I have to get used to, living with a girl. They always want to talk. When Wes lived here, we could watch an entire game and only say a few words.
“Go ahead,” I say to Darcy during the commercial.
“What?” she asks, looking up from her phone.
“You were saying something and then stopped.”
“Oh, I was just going to ask you something, but never mind. You’re trying to watch the game.”
“It’s a commercial. Go ahead and ask.”
“Could you teach me about football? I know the basics, but I want to know more so I can talk to Colton and not seem like I’m totally clueless.”
Why is she trying so hard to get with Colton? She doesn’t even know him, and he’s not looking for a girlfriend. He’s a good guy and one of my best friends, but he’s not ready to get serious with a girl.
I look at her. “You’re doing this for Colton?”
She shrugs. “And to learn more about the game. My dad doesn’t like sports so I didn’t grow up watching football. But going to the games this year, I’m really getting into it. I just don’t know all the rules.”
“If you want to know for yourself, I’ll teach you. But I’m not doing it if it’s for Colton.”
“Why? I thought you guys were friends.”
“We are, but you shouldn’t be doing all this for Colton, or any guy. You don’t have to try so hard.”
She sits up straighter. “Then I’m doing it for me. So will you teach me?”
“What do you want to know?”
“That guy right there.” She points to a guy running down the side of the field. “What’s his position and what’s he supposed to do?”
I explain it to her, and continue to explain stuff to her for the next hour. I was hoping to just kick back and watch the game, but she won’t stop asking me questions. I don’t mind teaching her this stuff. I just don’t want her doing it for Colton. I wish I could convince her he doesn’t want to date anyone right now, but she seems determined to go out with him.
“I’m getting tired,” she says, yawning.
“Go to bed.”
“I want to see the end of the game.” She tucks her legs in, then stretches them out a little. “I can’t get comfortable. This couch is too short.”
“It’s not too short. Go ahead and stretch your legs out.”
“I can’t. You’re huge. You take up half the couch.”
“Here.” I pick up her feet and place them over my lap.
“Really?” She smiles. “You don’t mind?”
“Game’s back on.” I point to the TV as I reach for my beer. I’m on my fourth one. I was going to quit at three but then remembered I don’t have class tomorrow. I’m done until next semester.
As I go to drink my beer, I somehow miss my mouth and beer spills all down the front of my shirt. “Shit.”
“What happened?” Darcy asks.
“I just spilled beer all over me.”
“Go change your shirt.”
“Not with the score this close. I’ll just take it off.” Keeping my eyes on the game, I yank off my shirt and toss it on the floor. “Don’t freak out. I’ll pick it up after the game.”
Darcy doesn’t say anything. I look over at her and see her staring at my chest, her mouth slightly open.
“What are you looking at?” I ask.
“Nothing.” Her eyes dart back to the TV and she clears her throat. “Aren’t you going to be cold without a shirt?”
“No. I run hot.” And I’ve been feeling even hotter looking at Darcy all night in those tight shorts, having her long legs sprawled out beside me on the couch, watching her crop top ride up every time she moves, showing off her flat stomach and almost giving me a glimpse of her tits.
I can’t let my mind go there. She’s my roommate, and everyone knows there’s a rule against getting involved with your roommate. Not that it’d ever happen. Darcy’s determined to go out with Colton. She has no interest in me. And I have no interest in her. But damn, she’s nice to look at.
CHAPTER FOUR
DARCY
“How’s your new roommate?” Avery asks. I called her while I was waiting for my latte. Since classes are over, I slept in, then went to a coffee place a few miles from the house. I’m still getting used to living off campus and having to drive everywhere. After three semesters in the dorm, I got used to everything I needed being within walking distance.
“I watched the game with him last night.”
“Wes and I watched it too. Until we decided to do something else,” she says with a smile in her voice.
“Would you stop telling me how much sex you’re having?” I notice the guy at the counter glance up at me. I turn away from him and lower my voice. “It’s getting really annoying.”
“I didn’t say we had sex.”
“You implied it. And I know you guys did it. You do it like five times a day.”
She laughs. “We don’t do it that much.”
“Still, I don’t need to hear about it.” I walk away from the counter and look out the window. “You know how long it’s been for me?”
“Wasn’t it last May? With Paul?”
Paul was a guy I dated for a month before deciding we weren’t a match. He transferred to a different college last fall.
“It was June,” I tell her. “Remember Spencer? The lifeguard?”
“That’s right. I forgot about him.”
I wish I could. Spencer was hot, so I assumed he’d be good in bed. But he was horrible. It was the worst sex I’ve ever had.
“You’ll find someone,” Avery says. “Especially living with Theo. You’ll have guys over there all the time.”
“I’ve lived in that house for three days now and the only guy who’s been there is Wes.”
“Order for Darcy,” the guy at the counter yells.
I walk back to the counter and get my drink.
“So how did last night go?” Avery asks as I sit at one of the chairs that face the fireplace. “Are you and Theo getting along better?”
“We didn’t fight after you left, so I guess that’s progress. Oh, and he cleaned. Well, not really cleaned, but he picked the place up. I don’t know what made him do that, but I’m glad he did.”
“Wes might’ve said something to him.”
“That makes sense. I didn’t think Theo would do it on his own.”
“At least he did it. Did you ask to watch the game with him?”
“No, he asked me. And then I asked him to teach me more about football so I’d have something to talk about with Colton.”
“You still want to go out with him? I thought Theo said Colton has a date tonight.”
“A date doesn’t mean he’s committed to her. Theo said Colton isn’t ready for that. He doesn’t want anything serious right now.”
“Then why are you trying so hard to go out with him?”
“Because maybe he’d change his mind if he met the right girl.” I sip my latte, gazing at the fake flames in the fireplace. “So what are you up to today?”
“I just got off work. I need to shower and then Wes and I are going out for lunch.”
“Is he still at the gym?”
“Yeah, he’s doing extra workouts this week since he can’t work out when we’re at my mom’s house.”
Wes is going home with Avery for Christmas. He hasn’t been getting along with his family so he didn’t want to be there over the holidays.
“I heard Theo leaving the house at seven,” I say. “Do they always work out that early?”
“It’s even earlier during the semester. They have to get their workouts in before class. And then they work out again later in the day.”
That explains why Theo’s so ripped. When he took his shirt off last night, I tried not to stare but I couldn’t help it. I knew he was in good shape, but not that good. I could see every muscle that lined his chest. He’s even got abs, like an actual six pack. For a guy who’s always eating junk food and drinking beer, I can’t believe his body looks that good.
“Darcy? You still there?”
“Yeah. So what about tomorrow? Do you want to do something?”
“I have to work in the morning, but we could do something after that.”
“I need to buy some stuff for my room. You want to go shopping with me?”
“Sure. Maybe I’ll find something to get Wes. He said he doesn’t want anything for Christmas, but I have to give him something. I just can’t come up with any ideas. He doesn’t really need anything.”
“How about something for yourself? Something sexy that Wes would like?”
“I thought about that, but I don’t want him opening that at my mom’s house.”
“So do it privately, before you guys leave for break. Then get him something else to open in front of everyone.”
“That’s a good idea. Hey, I should go. Wes will be home soon and I need to get ready.”
“Okay, bye!”
As I end the call, I hear a deep voice at the counter. “No, just the coffee.”
Looking up, I see Colton standing at the register, looking really hot in his black coat and faded jeans. He pays for his coffee and moves down the counter, his eyes on his phone.
My heart beats faster as I walk over to him. “Hey, Colton.”
