Page 78 of Necessary Roughness
“Listening.”
“If you ever get annoyed with me living here, promise you’ll tell me. I can go back to my other place. The last thing I want is you guys feeling like you’re stuck with me, and then start to resent me.”
Knox grabbed a handful of my hair, squeezed it tightly, and pulled my lips toward his. “I promise,” he said after a short kiss. “And since you’ll be sharing my bathroom, too, I promise to let you use my mouthwash whenever you need.”
“Is that a hint that my breath stinks?” I demanded.
“Yes,” he replied simply. “But since your breasts are rubbing against my chest, I don’t really mind.”
I playfully shoved him, then got dressed and opened the bedroom door.
And gave a start when I saw Logan standing right there.
“I don’t care if your breath stinks,” he said, grabbing my face with both hands and kissing me.
“Listening at the door like a creeper?” Knox said dryly.
“I can hear you through the wall. Didn’t need to creep at the door. Just good timing while I was coming back from the bathroom.” He gently touched my nose with his fingertip. “I also promise to kick you out if we get annoyed with you. But I doubt that’ll happen.”
“Glad to hear it. I’ll be back later with my stuff.”
Logan went into Knox’s room and they started chatting about one of the other football games, so I left their place by myself. But I paused when I saw Roman in the kitchen.
“You probably hate this,” I began. “If you’re against it, then I can find another—”
“I don’t mind,” he replied brusquely, his back turned to me while he washed dishes.
“Wait, you don’t?” I asked.
His back was still to me, the muscles in his shoulders flexing and rolling as he cleaned a plate. “If you stay here, it meansLogan won’t get caught breaking curfew. Which is good for the whole team.”
I stood there, still confused by his approval of the situation. “Wouldn’t it be easier to keep Logan from breaking curfew?”
“I’m not his fucking mother,” Roman snapped, turning his head so I could see one dark eye. The profile of his face was strong and decisive. “Just keep it down, clean up after yourself, and I won’t have a problem.”
I mumbled, “All right,” and then left the house.
Morgan wasn’t around when I got back to my apartment, which allowed me to pack in peace. Bryson came over with his truck and helped me with my things. I left a note for Morgan explaining the situation, that I would be living off-campus for a while and she would have the entire apartment to herself… as long as she dropped both the formal complaint and request for mediation.
“Thanks for the help,” I told Bryson as we drove away.
“Sure thing,” he said quietly.
We drove in silence.
“How long have we known each other?” I asked.
Bryson frowned at the road. “Freshman year. First semester. I got so shitfaced that I threw up all over the dorm hall, and you covered for me with the RA so I wouldn’t get caught.”
“Told him I had food poisoning.” I laughed. “He even believed me once he realized I was sober.”
“Why are you bringing that up?” Bryson asked.
“To illustrate that we’ve been friends a long time,” I said. “Iknowyou, Bryson. Which is why I know you quietly disapprove of what I’m doing. Go ahead. Tell me what you think.”
He glanced sideways at me. “Will it make a difference?”
“Probably not.”
