Page 57 of I Knead You Tonight

“I pray you walk in next time I’m taking a shit.”

The corners of his lips twitch, but other than that, he shows no reaction to my words.

“Why all the cursing? You’ve been annoying me for the last two minutes with your stomping around and hollering. Two minutes is too long, especially when it comes to you.”

“Is that a line the ladies feed you often?” I smirk, and his eyes narrow. “I’m just having issues staying organized in here without some of my essentials. I’m used to a particular system at home, and being here is throwing off my entire routine. I’m tired of living out of a damn bag, and you didn’t pack any good clothes for me. I look like a street rat whenever I’m not in uniform.”

“To be fair, you look like a street rat when youarein uniform too.”

I flip him the middle finger, and he pretends to catch it, shoving it into his back pocket.

“I’ll keep that promise for later.”

I disregard him and continue trying to sort through the mess that’s taking up most of Winston’s bed.

“I have an idea.”

I peek up at him again. “Oh. I didn’t realize you were still here.”

He shoves off the doorjamb. “What if you just moved in here?”

I blink at him.

Then fall into a fit of laughter because he can’t be serious.

“What’s so fucking funny?” he barks, brows slammed down, arms crossed over his chest.

Are his arms always that big? Does he always look that good in deep red?

“Your joke,” I say, pushing away the stupid thought. “That’s what’s funny. I can’t live here. Not with you.”

“Why not?”

“Because I have a baby.”

“You do? No way! Is that what I found sleeping in my dresser drawer?”

“Hardy-har,” I mock. “I’m being serious, Winston.”

“I’m being serious too, Drew. Just move in here with me.”

I watch him closely, waiting for the punchline, waiting to see how he’s going to rip the rug out from under my feet.

The punchline never comes.

He never rips the rug.

Winston is being one hundred percent serious right now.

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why would you want us to move in with you?”

“Because you need a safe place to live. Riker needs you to have a safe place to live. You need heat, water, food—the essentials. Need someone with a reliable car to get you around when yours inevitably goes caput. You need stability. I can offer you all of that.”

I open my mouth to argue with him, but he holds his hand up, stopping every excuse I have at the ready from tumbling out of my mouth.

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