Page 144 of Rebound
“So, this is Roman’s apartment.” Jules turns in the stool and looks around the living room. “I don’t know why I expected it to look like a frat house.”
“Roman’s very particular,” I say.
Jules strokes Salem’s back. He’s the only one of the kitties who doesn’t mind visitors. Buffy is friendly enough, and Sabrina flat out hisses if you get too near her. “He’s not going to be upset having me here?”
“No, you’re my best friend.” I sound confident, even as I wonder if I should’ve asked Roman about her coming over.
I pick up my phone. After practice, he went to play with Tyler. I love how seriously he takes his role of being a person Tyler can trust. Roman doesn’t see it, but Tyler looks at him with devotion.
Lavinia
Jules is at the apartment.
Roman
Our apartment? You don’t need my permission to have friends over. You don’t even have to tell me you have friends over.
I blink down at his message. I don’t live here. I’ve spent every single day here over the past week and we’ve had sex on every surface, but all my stuff still lives at the apartment I share with Jules.
“What’s wrong? He doesn’t want me here?”
I show Jules the message, and she wiggles in delight. “You have to love a man who knows what he wants and goes for it. It’s refreshing.”
“It’s also terrifying. Like more terrifying than the time you convinced me to go on a cemetery tour with you on Halloween.”
Jules rests her chin on her hand, elbow braced against the counter. She watches me with a soft, knowing expression. “I like this.”
“Like what?” I push a wayward curl behind my ear.
“Watching you fall in love with a man who works hard to deserve you,” she says.
I freeze at her words.
Over the last week, my mind’s been shying away from the idea, even as I fall deeper. It’s like being in a haunted house. I know something is going to jump out at me if I continue deeper into the house, and I still can’t stop myself from going in.
Being in love requires fragility and vulnerability. Each time I’ve been vulnerable, the door’s been slammed in my face.
“You don’t think it’s too fast?” I ask, looking down at the task at hand. I’m making dinner for Roman and me. Roman is always the one who cooks, and if he has a game, then he meal preps for me. It’s the sweetest thing ever. Tonight, I thought I’d surprise him with dinner.
Jules frowns. “How can it be too fast when you’ve wanted each other your whole life?”
I open my mouth to reply when there’s a knock at the door. Putting down the bowl and spoon I’m using to mix the sauce, I go to open the door, thinking it’s probably Kita. She’s taken to knocking ever since she walked into the apartment two days ago and found Roman and I undressing each other.
I’m surprised when I find my brother standing in the hallway.
“I was visiting Ford,” he says, a little defensive.
“Well, now you can visit me. Roman isn’t here, he’s off meeting his mistress,” I say. Drew balks at that and I laugh, ushering him into the apartment. “I’m kidding!”
Jules makes a sour face when she sees Drew and I roll my eyes. Whatever issues these two have, I keep myself out of them. From what I understand, neither party has done the other wrong. They just don’t seem to like each other.
Drew looks around the apartment suspiciously, as if he’s expecting to find something that he can hold against Roman.
“Do you want water?” I ask, opening the fridge and holding out the bottle. Drew takes it off from my hand, twisting off the cap.
“He’s got you locked away here, cooking for him,” Drew grouses.
“I was literally at your house yesterday and had dinner with you,” I remind him.
