Page 3 of Pucked-Up Roommate Deal

“Oh. Um. I’m pretty sure that he meant, if we,” I swung a hand back and forth between us, “are together, that he’d be tailoring more clothes for you. All my suits and trousers are bespoke and even my off-the-rack stuff gets fitted. I’m sure he figures I’ll have him do the same for you.”

“But…” The flush in Nash’s face deepened.

“I know,” I sighed, tamping down my regret. “But he doesn’t. I guess, get used to it for the next twenty-four-ish hours, right? Playing the part?”

“Oh. Yeah. Right,” he said. “Dating. Boyfriend. Just…weird to me, you know? I’ve never…”

“Pretended to date a guy?”

“No,” he laughed. “Never done that. Never dated a girl, either, if you must know.”

“I didn’t ask.” But it made me feel damn smug to know I was his first date. Wow. His first fake date, but I wouldn’t dwell on that.

“It’s the whole nerd thing, yeah?” he said. “I’m not exactly on people’s radar. Plus my life is kinda…” He shrugged. “Well, you know. I’ve kept my head down to get the best grades possible, so I could graduate and not fuck up.”

“Because of your dad?” I knew there was something there, that his dad was some sorta deadbeat loser, but Nash hadn’t ever elaborated to me.

Nash’s eyes widened, his nostrils flaring. Shit! I shouldn’t have said anything.

“So, pizza?” I asked, playing off as if I hadn’t just stepped into a can of worms. I was shutting the top on that real fast. And if hockey had taught me anything, it was redirection and subterfuge. I was real good at both.

Watch me hide the verbal puck and shoot it somewhere else…

I pulled out my phone. “Or do you want Chinese? Or subs? Or that new burger place is on delivery too. Don’t know how great the fries will be by the time they get here.”

Nash swallowed, and I could literally see his internal battle. Ask me what I knew or let it go. I hoped he’d let it go. I didn’t wantthings to be any more awkward than I was already making them with the fake date thing. I really did need him as a shield.

“Burgers,” he said, his head bobbing as he spoke. “But I want rings. Not fries. Those should be alright.” His shoulders lighted with his breath. “I’m just gonna go work. I have to try to wrap up the programming tonight.”

“I thought it was due next week?”

Besides school, he and his nerd patrol—his words, not mine—ran a company that developed apps and software. A company called…drum roll…Nerd Patrol.

“It’s not, but you know I like to finish things early in case I run into an issue or there are bugs. Can’t really rush a deadline and get the job done right.”

“Fair enough,” I agreed, but he was already headed away to his computer desk that took up a corner of his bedroom. I watched him go, hoping I hadn’t just screwed things up with my big mouth—not just for tomorrow but for our roommate relationship, in general.

Three

Nash

The tux fit as if it had been made for me, which I supposed it had. Still, I felt like a complete fish out of water in it. When I’d looked in the mirror after showering and dressing, I’d hardly recognized myself. I’d gotten a haircut this morning, telling my regular stylist, Victoria, to give me something country club worthy. She’d been thrilled to do more than trim my floppy hair for one, and had even broken out product to tame my hair into submission.

“Look at you,” she breathed. “Who would have thought you look like Nicholas Hoult when you’re all cleaned up?”

“Who?”

Victoria had rolled her eyes at me. “Never mind. Just trust me. You’re going to make girls drool at this party you’re going to.”

I hadn’t clarified my date was a man. I’d just asked her to show me what to do with my new cut. Looking in the mirror that evening, I thought I’d done a pretty good job of following her directions. That and the tux… I looked better than I had in my whole life. My friends would never recognize me. Also, they’d give me shit about selling out too. I chuckled to myself. Jealous asses.

“Here goes nothing,” I muttered, heading for my door to meet Porter in the living room. I’d heard him moving around earlier, I knew he was out there. We had to leave in about ten minutes, too. Honestly, I was surprised he hadn’t come knocking on my door. He could be high-strung and pushy that way.

Porter turned as I exited the hallway and my breath caught in my throat. Damn… Sure, I’d seen him dressed up before since he attended functions often, but I’d never seen him spiffed up for me. At least, in theory it was for me…his fake date.

I wasn’t the only one affected. His eyes scanned over me, and my body heated. I tried to think of equations…programming language…icy water…anything to dull my body’s reaction but nothing worked as he looked at me.

His tongue shot over his lips and I had the random, unwelcome thought about what it might feel like to have his full lips pressed to my mouth, his hard body against my softer more lanky frame. His dick rubbing against mine since we were relatively the same height.

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