Page 68 of Landlord Wars
“The fire starter,” she said, her voice growing shallow as though she really were falling asleep.
I pulled a blanket I was partially lying on out from under me and covered her with it. “She was his roommate, until he started to date her and things got muddy. They’d been dating for about a month before Jack and I left for a business trip and the incident took place.”
“You guys work together?” she said, perking up.
“Only on one of Jack’s businesses.”
“He does more than lawyer and design video games? How many businesses does that guy have his fingers in?”
“A few,” I said. “It may not look like it, but Jack’s somewhat of a genius. Except when it comes to women—no offense to your sister.”
“None taken,” was her sleepy reply.
“In any case, his ex threw a party with some of the more reckless people in San Francisco’s high society and torched the place.”
“Your mom mentioned as much during the rooftop party when she asked me if I found Jack attractive.”
That must have been the conversation I’d walked in on when I overheard Sophia saying Jack was good-looking. If my mother was involved, who knew what she’d been getting at? Probably trying to find out if Sophia would try to seduce Jack. Basically, what I’d assumed too.
The apple didn’t fall far from the tree, it seemed, and now I felt like an ass.
I kissed her head lightly again. “I’m sorry about that. Assuming you were interested in Jack.”
“It’s okay,” came her light voice. “Water under the bridge.”
“Considering Jack’s ex set fire to the place, I was lucky the damage hadn’t been worse. In the end, nothing structural was harmed.”
“Jack must have felt awful,” she said faintly, as though half awake.
“He did. So guilty, he pitched in most of the money for the renovation, even though he didn’t need to. Jack can be stubborn.”
She snorted. “Then he’s perfect for Elise.”
“I was worried Jack had thrown in the towel after Fire Starter, as you called her. Until he rented you the room, and then I worried he’d moved on to a new roommate.”
“I guess it makes sense why you might have been concerned about who he dated, given the women he chose and his roommate history,” she said.
“For the obvious reasons related to his ex. But also because you’re beautiful…and I might have been jealous.”
She looked up with heavy-lidded eyes. I wish I could say it was due to sexual arousal, but it was probably sleep-induced. “Jealous?”
I considered hiding it, but what was the point? “Possibly. In any case, Jack seems interested in Elise, so things are getting more fascinating by the minute. She isn’t at all his type.”
“Elise is sassy,” she murmured and closed her eyes.
I nodded. “And smart and hardworking and funny. She’s not at all the type of person he goes after.”
Jack was the happy-go-lucky sort, who stumbled around relationships the way he ran his multiple businesses. But somehow, he found success in business where he didn’t in his relationships. This thing with Elise was decidedly different.
When Sophia didn’t say anything after a long moment, I glanced down. Her breaths had turned deep and even.
I tightened my arms around her. She looked incredibly beautiful sound asleep, and I was enjoying watching her hand twitch every other second. I should probably let her rest, though.
I gently shifted, attempting to slide out from beneath her when she made a disgruntled sound and clung to one of my hands.
She wrapped her arms around my waist tighter than one would think for someone so small. “Stay,” she murmured groggily.
The only reason I’d considered leaving was for her benefit. But if she wanted me here, I wasn’t going anywhere.
