Page 9 of Under One Roof

I turn off the water and step out of the shower. The plush robe and slippers provide some small comfort as I towel-dry my hair, and my mind drifts back to Captain America.

I bet his penis wouldn’t ruin anything.

In fact, I bet his penis would solve a lot of problems.

One of my favorite romance authors coined the termStern Brunch Daddy, and I don’t think I really understood it until now.

Until this man showed up with his handsome frown and stately grays, taking over the situation like he could handle anything thrown at him. Like it was his pleasure to rescue me.

And, honestly, it felt nice to be rescued.

Felt even nicer when he put his hands on me.

I can’t deny the instant attraction, and I’m positive it wasn’t one-sided. I’m sure he thought he was being smooth, but almost every time I slanted my eyes to his, they were on my mouth first before darting up to mine. And I don’t think I imagined the way he seemed to hesitate when he left, his hand outstretched to me like he meant to hug me.

I would have happily obliged. Starved of affection for too long.

But clearly, the man has bigger issues to deal with right now than some random stray he plucked up off the side of the road.

And I need to figure out my own life—get my Jeep fixed and come up with a plan, starting with finding my vibrator from where I buried it in my bag.

Might as well relieve some stress while my Captain’s face is still fresh in my memory.

Chapter4

Andi

My brain slowly switches on, and I arch beneath the sheets, stretching my back and arms. For a moment, I don’t know where I am, still half in a dream. Then it all comes flooding back…the smoke pouring from my Jeep’s engine, the handsome stranger who came to my aid. Captain Stone.

Then I remember the days spent in my car and Ryder’s cruel words said to and about me at the worst possible time. Ryder was at a dinner with a bunch of producers, people who had power and money in the industry, and he called me to bring him his baggie of party favors that he forgot. While I was there, I got to talking, attempting to make my own contacts since he hadn’t helped me in the three years I’d worked for him. But he didn’t like me taking any of the spotlight away from him. So, he put me down with a few words and a smarmy smile.

He dug his elbow into his friend’s side, raising his voice so everyone heard as he made it obvious to the entire party who I was to him. Insinuating I was nothing more than a paid blow job. Even though I’dnevertouched him.

“Her face is plain, but she’s got those cock-sucking lips. ’Cept even those can’t help her get her shit together. Worthless. Consider this your notice, Halton. Unless any of you wants to put those lips to good use.”

I know I’m not worthless, but it still hurts. To be degraded and demeaned.

And the fact that I’m currently stranded with no idea of what I’m going to do with my life doesn’t make me feel any better.

Lifting my phone from where I have it charging, I read the time, a few minutes after eleven. I suppose I needed the sleep since I haven’t slept in like this in a long time, and my first instinct is to think that I need to do something. When I worked for Ryder, my schedule was not my own, constantly at the beck and call of his mercurial whims. If he wanted a special-order smoothie at six a.m., I got it for him. If he needed me to kick a woman out of his house at three in the morning, I did it.

And now that my life is my own once again, I’m at a loss.

So, I pull up the contact of the one person who I know will understand and FaceTime her. She answers immediately.

“There you are, mama! I miss your face already!”

I smile at my best friend of six years. Dahlia Ruiz let me live in her house rent-free for the last year, and she’s the singer who gives life to my words. “I miss you and your cuddles.”

Dahlia always let me snuggle her. Over the years, we’ve spent hours playing with each other’s hair or scratching each other’s backs, and I especially miss it first thing in the morning, when she’d come into my bed. Then Vic would almost always join us, the three of us like a pile of puppies.

The thought of never having that again makes my heart ache.

On my phone screen, Dahlia pouts. “Vic misses you too. We don’t know what to do with ourselves.”

I snort a laugh. I’m sure that’s not true. I’ve been the third wheel in their relationship for a long time. No matter that he’s like a brother to me, I know I was starting to cramp their style. He all but told me so when he said he planned on proposing to Dahlia soon. The puppy pile had to end at some point.

Yet another reason for me to pack my bags. Usually, a person needs only one or two signs to make a decision. I got, like, seven to know Los Angeles just wasn’t for me anymore. If it ever was.

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