Page 88 of Tapped By My Roommate
“So, you and Ethan? You two are solid now? I really can’t afford to feed him any more ice cream.”
“Uh, yeah?”
“Is that a question or an answer.”
“We haven’t really talked everything out, but…yeah. Things are good.”
“Since you haven’t talked, I assume ‘things’ means sex. Not like I couldn’t hear you through the walls.”
“Damn, really? Don’t tell Ethan. He’ll be so embarrassed.”
She smirked. “But seriously, you guys need to talk. This past week, both of you were moping around, and why? You like each other. So stop holding back.”
“Yeah, you’re right,” I murmured.
I more than liked Ethan. I’d been steadily falling for him over the past few weeks. How could I not when he was just so genuine and sweet? I loved his intelligence, his work ethic, and his passion for so many things in life.
His passion for me was pretty damn amazing too.
I wanted to tell him all that. After last night, I was pretty sure he wanted something more too. This time, there was no rulebook to hold me back.
* * *
ETHAN
Dan led me through the back door, which put us in a small laundry room. Heaps of clothes covered every surface—which made me twitch. I’d kept on top of the chore when Tess and I lived together because I really couldn’t stand clothes left in the washer so long they smelled of mildew or hopelessly wrinkled shirts left balled up in a big pile for too long. Clearly, Dan didn’t have the same concerns.
The kitchen was directly ahead. The rental was a little house built in the thirties, so it was a small galley-style space. Or as my grandma always used to say, it was a “one-butt kitchen.” There was no dining room, just a small nook for a two-seat table in one corner. The kitchen led to the living room, with only a narrow hall separating them. I could hear the television playing something with a laugh track. The master bedroom was down the hall to my left, but it meant passing behind the spot where Tess was snuggled up. If she looked over the back of the sofa, she’d see me.
Dan once again placed his finger to his lips—as if I needed any reminders to be quiet—and we tiptoed across the kitchen.
“Dan!” Tess called.
I froze, and Dan shoved me behind his body. “Yeah, hon?”
“Why aren’t you cuddling with me? I don’t feel well.”
“I’m just…making you some tea!”
“Oh, thanks.”
Dan waved me forward, pantomiming that I should stay low to the ground. I hunched down, creeping behind the sofa until I was out of sight of the living room.
I breathed a sigh of relief once past that obstacle. Sneaking around someone’s house was so stressful! I should have let Linh do this part. She was always sneaking up on me.
But it was good I’d decided to do this on my own. Three people would be hard to hide from Tess.
I hurried into the master bedroom and to the cage in a corner, which had a sheet thrown over it. I frowned, tugging the sheet away.
“Hey, Zilla,” I murmured. “How are you?”
Thankfully green iguanas eat greens, rather than insects, so Zilla would have been easy to feed. Assuming they didn’t forget about her with this sheet hiding her away.
I set down my carrier and opened it, then opened the enclosure containing Zilla. Before I could retrieve her, I heard Dan and Tess arguing.
“I just want to lie down for a while,” Tess said.
“But I’m making you tea.”
