Page 9 of Kissed By My Roommate

CHAPTER 4

JUNIPER

I’m nervous as hell as I drive Zoey to The Mile High. It’s a big fucking deal for her to be coming with me to meet the family. Iris is going to freak out, but it’ll be in a good way. I know it. She won’t even hold the shit I gave her when she fell in love with Gavin against me, even though she should.

I watch Zoey out of the corner of my eye when I can, taking in the way she looks nervous as well. Maybe I should warn her, but meeting these people is kind of something you just have to do. There’s no preparing for something like this.

I mean what would I even say?

Prepare to be mauled by a bunch of people who will want to love you? Don’t mind them if they get in appropriate with the touching and the affection? They apparently know how to show it in ways I don’t understand?

Yeah, maybe not.

“So,” Zoey clears her throat and glances over at me, causing my eyes to shift straight ahead. I don’t know why; it’s a silly reaction. “Is your sister the only family which will be there?”

I wince, “Kind of.” She lets out a huff of annoyance and I barely stop myself from chuckling. I don’t think it would go over well. “The group of friends I mentioned, they’re more like a family. It might not be blood which ties them together, but they’re still a family. The art show I’m having,” I add sheepishly, “it’s at the art gallery a group of them own which is attached to a photo studio and a tattoo shop.”

Zoey gasps, “Banks Ink.?”

I’m a little surprised, which is evident in my voice, “You know it?”

“Duh,” I might not be looking at her, but I can feel her eye roll from here. “Of course, I know it. Beckett Banks is wicked with a tattoo machine. He used to work at a shop where a friend of mine works.”

“Really?” I’m a little taken aback. “Vibrant Ink?”

Now it’s her turn to sound incredulous, “You know it?”

I bark out a laugh and nod slowly, “Iris keeps me up to date no matter how often I’m around the family. I heard about the owner’s son being dropped on his doorstep. The nanny he ended up falling for is the sister to one of the artists at Banks.”

She laughs, the rich sound soothing my soul. “Monroe told me about it, but she didn’t go into much detail.”

I glance her way and smirk. “I’m sure if you want the drama and the details, the girls will be more than willing to fill you in.”

“The girls?” She echoes me, but there’s something in her voice which has me looking her way. She’s staring out the window, watching Denver pass us by, with a sadness rolling off her.

I can’t help it, I reach over and let my hand rest on her thigh, giving her a squeeze when I do. She sighs and covers my hand with hers. Here I thought she was going to push me away for a moment. Zoey accepting comfort from me, even if it’s only a little bit, has my cock standing at full attention and taking notice.

It’s a problem I’m constantly having around her.

I’m surprisingly okay with it.

I make my voice as gentle as possible, but it still comes out like a barked command, “What’s wrong?”

Zoey shakes her head, but she doesn’t turn and look at me. I’d give almost anything for her blue eyes to be on me right now. I need it. She’s so fucking expressive when I look into her eyes. She can’t hide anything from me there.

“Nothing,” she lets out a forlorn sigh and then sits up a little straighter, her thumb idly passing back and forth along my hand. “I just don’t have much luck with female friends.”

“What about Monroe?” Again, I go for soothing, but it comes out more demanding.

Fucking hell, I’m going to drive this woman away before I get the chance to tell her how I really feel.

And wouldn’t that be a fucking travesty?

“We’ve been friends for a while, but she’s not like a lot of other women. She works in an all-male environment, except for her. She’s used to being around guys. I think it’s probably why we get along so well.”

I make a humming sound in the back of my throat, not buying it for a minute, but knowing full well she’s not going to believe it until she meets Amelia and the girls. If anyone can set her straight about having female friends, it’s them. They’re so much more than friends; they’re sisters of a sort.

They’re family.

---