Page 9 of Roommate Wars
I feigned searching the fridge. “I see you found something to wear.”
“Yep. Thanks, by the way.” There was a pause, then, “What kind of laundry detergent do you use?”
That caught me off guard. I looked over. “Huh?”
She was sniffing my T-shirt, her expression unadulterated pleasure.
And she might as well have licked my cock.
“You always smell so good, but I can’t place the detergent. I better get familiar with it if I’m to do the laundry.”
I don’t know why her liking the way I smelled got my blood pumping, but it did. “I have no idea,” I said, acting like I didn’t care.
She shrugged. “I guess I’ll use whatever.” She plopped on the couch Max had shelled out ten grand for because he “needed something comfortable” on his daily visits, and kicked her bare feet up onto the coffee table, crossing her lightly tanned, sexy-as-hell legs. She’d done this a million times when her sister lived here. But never while wearing my boxers that barely hit mid-thigh.
Fuuuuck…
Someone rang the doorbell, and I wiped the bead of sweat that had formed on my forehead.Thank the grocery gods.That was quick even for the neighborhood food delivery, who were pretty damn prompt.
“I’ll get it,” I said, but Elise was already surfing the TV, not paying attention.
I opened the door, but it wasn’t the grocery person. “Thalia?”
My new CEO smiled in a way that made the corners of her eyes crinkle, and I suspected it was her secret sauce for making power deals and coming across genuine. She had shoulder-length, no-nonsense, light-brown hair, and cut a fine figure in the professional world. She was young but not too young, and not so good-looking that people (men) didn’t take her seriously. Sadly, those things mattered at her career level. Though I would have hired her regardless.
I checked the time on my phone. I wasn’t running late, despite my impromptu new housemate. “I thought we were meeting at the office.”
“Oh, we were, we were,” Thalia said and swatted the air congenially. “But I was in the neighborhood.” She glanced behind her, smiling as though she found the street charming. “I know you prefer working from home, so I thought I’d pop on by.”
Elise’s neck was stretched like a meerkat as she watched us. I couldn’t tell if she was curious or if there was more behind her scrutiny.
I stepped back and let Thalia in. This wasn’t the best time, but I’d be spending weeks getting her up to speed. Might as well introduce her to Elise, because my new CEO was correct: I vastly preferred working from my home office. “Thalia, this is Elise, my new roommate. Elise, this is Thalia, the CEO of my VR company, Environ.”
Elise greeted Thalia, then flashed me a questioning look. “VR?”
“A virtual reality company that predicts the impacts of natural disasters.”
Elise’s forehead scrunched. “Is this the company you own with Max?”
I shifted and tucked a hand in my pocket. “No—that’s another company.” I glanced between the two women uncomfortably. I liked to have my hands in multiple pots to keep from getting bored, but it was unusual. “There are a few.”
Thalia nodded and winked.
Given how thoroughly she’d reviewed Environ, I wouldn’t be surprised if my new CEO knew everything about my other businesses. The woman was a shark.
Elise stood. “Can I get you anything to drink?” she asked Thalia.
I winced. Should have offered first. “Do you need anything?” I said belatedly.
Thalia shook her head. “No, I’m fine and ready to get started.”
“Okay, well…” I rubbed my jaw. “I guess we can head back to my office.” I really hadn’t thought this through, considering my office was in my bedroom, but it would have to do.
“Certainly,” Thalia said brightly.
I felt Elise’s gaze as I walked to my bedroom.
My apartment wasn’t the idyllic location for professional meetings, and I wished Thalia had given me a heads-up. I would have instructed her to keep the meeting at the office. But I did have numbers on our newest prospective client handy. And my bedroom was a large master suite, with a separate nook that fit my office furniture and a small couch. It wasn’t entirely unprofessional.
