Page 19 of Flirting With Forever
Too bad good things never lasted.
Chapter Six
After dinner, Gage followed Sloane back downstairs to pitch in and get a few of the larger items out of the room. He stored those in the hallway and wondered how he’d managed to let so much pile up in only a year. Then again, since he was rarely home, it just did.
“Cool bike.”
He turned and saw her rolling his bike out into the hallway. “I’ll stick that in the garage. Should’ve put it there to begin with.”
Sloane handed it off, and he rolled it as far as the end of the stairs before leaning it against the newel post to store before he went back upstairs for the night.
When he returned to her doorway, he hesitated, eyeing the view as she bent to grab one of the two cornhole game boards. “Let me,” he said, hurrying to take it from her.
“I can get it. It’s part of paying rent, remember?”
He grinned at the slight bite of her words. “Organize away, Merida. Just giving you some room to do it.”
By the time they finished getting the bigger, heavier items out into the hallway and garage, he saw the way she tried and failed to hide a yawn. He wanted to ask how many nights she’d actually slept in her car but figured that was a question best kept for another day. “It’s late. Think you’re good for the night? Path to the bathroom and doorway good for you?”
Sloane slid her palms into the back pockets of her pants and took a look at their work while he tried not to look at the way her pose pulled her T-shirt across her chest.
“Yeah, looks good to me. Thanks for doing the heavy lifting.” She shifted her weight from side to side, glancing at him before she looked away.
“Well, I guess I’ll say goodnight. Try to get some sleep. Between the rentals building and here, you’ve got a lot of work ahead of you.”
She glanced toward the bed. “Hey, at least I’m not sleeping in the backseat, right?”
Gage headed toward the door, aware that she followed. “Right. Night, Merida.”
“Night, boss.”
He grinned at the irritation in her tone, figuring his nickname had earned the sound.
But it wasn’t until she shut the door behind him and twisted the lock that he knew he wasn’t the only one with his guard up.
The following morning, Gage sipped his coffee while staring out at the sunrise. He’d sent Sloane a text inviting her up for a cup, but she hadn’t responded. He knew she was awake, though, because he’d seen the water flow slow as he’d filled the pot, indicating she used the water downstairs. When it continued, he deduced she was showering and then had to quickly get that awareness out of his mind.
His phone chimed, and he glanced down to read it.
How’d it go with your new roommate?
Gage frowned at Cole’s text.
Funny. We’ll help her out and see her safe through the hurricane if it hits, but that’s it.
Get any more info out of her?
Only that her family is bad news. You got any friends who can find out more?
You think it’s that bad?
Gage paused to ponder the question but followed his gut.
Yeah, I think so.
I’ll see what I can do. The trouble is researching her could mean her family finding her.
Gage swore softly under his breath. He hadn’t considered that.
