Page 93 of Tapped By My Roommate
Before he could answer, a loud rap on the window made me jump. Audrey stood on the other side of my door, grinning in at us.
I turned the key to auxiliary power so that I could power down the window. “Hey, Audrey.”
“Ethan! Are you staying for dinner?” Before I could answer, she shot a glance at Rhett. “Where’s your car? Is itstillbroken down? What about my driving lesson? Ohmigod, do I get to drive Ethan’s car?”
“Audrey, take a breath,” Rhett said. “Don’t hyperventilate all over Ethan. No, you can’t drive his car. He just gave me a ride because, yeah, my car is still out of commission.”
Her face fell. “No driving lesson?”
“Sorry, kiddo.”
“But Ethan’s staying?” She looked at me. “You’re staying right?”
“Oh, uh, no. I was just giving Rhett a ride.”
Just then, my stomach rumbled loudly enough that everyone heard it. Audrey giggled. “You’re hungry, so stay! There’s plenty of food.” She glanced across at Rhett. “Keith is at work, but he should be home soon. He said you guys needed to talk.” She wrinkled her nose. “Good luck with that.”
“Thanks,” Rhett said dryly.
“So you’ll stay?” Audrey asked again. “Please?”
“I don’t want to impose—”
“Come in with me,” Rhett said, catching me by surprise. “If you don’t have other plans tonight?”
“I don’t,” I said, even though I’d planned to check on Zilla. She was fine. I’d been by Oasis several times, and she was content enough in her enclosure. Carla had been giving me more freedom to handle Zilla, since she was really my pet, and I’d been trying to reconnect with her. But I couldn’t resist the chance to meet Rhett’s family and learn more about them. “I guess I could stay, if you’re sure?”
Rhett squeezed the nape of my neck. “I want you to stay, but only if you want to. Don’t let my sis bully you.”
Audrey gave an offended squawk, and I smiled, even as my heart raced. Maybe wewereon the same page after all. “I could eat.”
“Then let’s go.”
* * *
RHETT
Cary pounced the second we were through the door, slamming a fist into my shoulder and knocking me into Ethan.
“There you are!”
“Ow, fuck—”
Ethan grabbed my arm, steadying me as I stumbled into him, sending ripples of sensation through me. The warmth of him as I leaned my shoulder against his chest was short-lived as my mother charged into the room.
“Rhett Butler Hayes, I know you’re not cursing up a storm in my living room!”
“But Cary hit me!” I protested.
Ethan laughed, and all eyes turned to him. Suddenly, I was aware of how close we stood together. Of how this looked. My mother’s eyes narrowed even as a smile tugged at her lips.
“And who is this?”
Shit. What to say? Ethan had been hurt when I’d introduced him to Audrey as a roommate. Calling him a friend didn’t feel right either. But I couldn’t exactly introduce him as my boyfriend, andguy I’m having sex with but hopefully will soon datewas a bit of a mouthful.
I floundered too long, and Ethan stepped forward and extended his hand. “I’m Ethan. I gave him a ride over since his car is in the shop.”
“I invited him to dinner because it’s the least we could do,” Audrey chimed in.
