Page 12 of Crossing Lines

When he finishes with his swim thirty minutes later, he heads into the sauna for ten minutes. Ten long minutes that make me wonder how sitting in a hot room holds any appeal. I’ve never been in a sauna, and I don’t get it. But if he likes using it, then maybe I need to start using it myself just to mess with his schedule.

When he comes out, he looks more relaxed than I’ve ever seen him before. The tension that clings to him like a second skin is nowhere to be found. I watch as he closesthe door to the main house and flicks on and off lights as he makes his way to the bedroom.

Finally, when the light to Stella’s bedroom on the second floor turns on, I get back to plotting. I have no idea what time he wakes up, but I bet it’s early. He has that start-the-day-at-five-a.m. energy to him.

I glance at the clock. It’s already midnight. If he wakes up early, I’m sure he’d want coffee. And that’s something I can use to get back at him for eating my cereal.

Grinning from ear to ear, I sneak into the main house and steal all the coffee and the tea from the cabinets and hide them in the pool house.

It’s petty, but what can I say? Petty is my middle name.

Setting my alarm for five a.m., I fall asleep with a smile on my face, not willing to miss his reaction for anything.

Chapter 4

Evren

Ihit the light in the kitchen, needing coffee after yet another night of tossing and turning. It’s getting to the point where I doubt I’ll ever sleep again. It’s been over a year since Mert betrayed me. He was my friend since childhood, practically my brother, and the person I trusted most in the world.

I never saw it coming, never imagined he’d try to hurt me like that. That he’d resort to blackmail all because he was jealous of my success.

Normally when I can’t sleep, I rehash what happened with him and all the signs I missed, but last night, all my thoughts revolved around Nina. Her dark, long hair messy after I laid her out last night. I thought whoever hacked my house had found me. So, I did what I’ve been trained to do to protect myself.

But touching Nina was a mistake, not only because I’m worried I hurt her, but because her curves felt toogood under my hands. Like the shape of her imprinted on my palms, and no matter how many times I wash them, it’s still there…whether I want it or not.

Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to take Stella up on her offer to stay in her house. No matter how many times I declined, she refused to take no for an answer and insisted I agree. In a moment that could only be described as foolish,as she piled reason upon reason in front of me, my resistance crumbled. And in the end, I caved and accepted her offer.

Probably because I hate hotels with a passion, and it’d take weeks to buy a new house. And, though I hate to admit it, my agreement probably also had something do with the fact that I haven’t had someone take care of me in a long time. At least someone who isn’t an employee or my family, who also rely on my money, blurring the lines of what’s real affection. Since my teenage years, I’ve been the anchor for my family and friends, the one they lean on for support and guidance. I handle their crises all the time, while my own get swept under the rug.

So, I agreed with the condition that I could upgrade her security and make any adjustments to her house for safety purposes. She readily agreed, having dealt with her own break-in issues.

But then she mentioned that Nina was staying at the house as well.

There was no way I could back out without explaining to Stella how complicated my feelings towards Nina are. So, I remained quiet, even if being Nina’sroommate feels more like a recipe for disaster than a good idea. Nate and the rest of the security team set up cameras around the house and are stationed in a house across the street to avoid intruding on Nina’s life.

After opening all the cabinets in the kitchen, it becomes clear there’s no coffee or tea for that matter. Who doesn’t have coffee in their house? Or at least a bag of tea?

The door behind me opens and closes. I spin around, instantly on alert, but relax when Nina struts into the kitchen. I scan her from head to toe and my body goes completely taut once again.

Her fuchsia shorts are so short, my mouth waters at the amount of skin on display. She has on a lime-green shirt that says “Let me sleep” on it. She’s all color, even at six in the morning, while I’m stuck in my usual black and white. Why does she have to be so vibrant, making everything around her feel bright? It’s annoying, almost making my carefully curated clothes seem…inadequate. Sighing, I must be more tired than I realize if I’m dissecting the color of clothes at this hour.

“Do you know where the coffee is?” I ask.

“I don’t have any.” Her smile has an edge to it that tells the opposite. “Must’ve run out.”

I scan her face, not believing her one bit. I bet if I went into the pool house, I’d find it all there. I rub a hand across my mouth, holding in the sudden urge to laugh. There hasn’t been much need to laugh lately, and I’m surprised the urge arises now, especially as she’s messingwith my routine. Instead of giving in to the urge, I tilt my chin, acknowledging her sabotage.

“Well,” I say, “I’ll be sure to have some delivered today and hopefully it won’t magically disappear by morning.”

“You never know, the house might be haunted.”

“Haunted?” My lips twitch. “By caffeine-addicted ghosts?”

“I mean,” she says with mock seriousness, “anything is possible.”

Nina has a comeback for everything. It’s like she lives her life with a retort locked and loaded, always at the ready. It’s something I can’t relate to. When I was a kid, I’d replay conversations from the day and come up with a comeback late at night while lying in bed. They were good, too, but they’d never be used since the conversation was over and done with. The fact that it comes so easily to her is admirable.

My phone pings with a reminder of my meeting at seven. Shit, I’ve got to go and prepare for that. And I didn’t even have time to drink my usual cup of coffee. She’s been my roommate for less than twenty-four hours and she’s already messing with my schedule. I have a business to run, and distractions are unacceptable.

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