Page 77 of See Me

I stand and grab my bowl, butterflies replacing my appetite, and head to the kitchen. “We don’t have a relationship.” The heat in my cheeks and the flutters in my stomach are trying to voice their objections, but I just shove that pesky desire for human acceptance and affection down and clamp a tight lid on it. Just like Mama taught me.

“And you didn’t even have the door locked.”

I smile. “But you’re the only one that knows I’m here.”

“We aren’t doing that again.” He frowns with his entire face. “And not anymore, remember. Your little boyfriend has been watching.”

My heart rate increases at the thought of Charles keeping tabs on me. Or it increases because Luca balls his fists at his sides and the action gives me a little flip flop in my stomach.

Is he jealous?

“Good thing he’s already seen me naked, since he’s probably been watching me shower and change.”

I almost revealed the fact that it was when I was four and we ran around in the sprinklers, but I really enjoy watching Luca almost break his teeth when his jaw clenches, so I keep that little tidbit to myself.

If he wants to hump me and dump me, then he doesn’t get to be jealous. He set theone and donerule, not me.

He crosses his arms over his chest and sighs. “Where do you want me?” Memories of my face stuffed into that couch right in front of him have the butterflies in my stomach pulling their hair up in a ponytail.

I turn from the sink where I’m rinsing my dishes. “Excuse me?”

He picks up his bag and hoists it over his shoulder. “Me. My stuff. Where do you want it?”

I toss the dish rag to the counter without meeting his eyes. “Preferably, in the apartment next door.”

Shut up. Sincerely, downstairs kitty.

“That’s not really going to help us, is it?”

I turn on him as I round the kitchen island. “Us? There is no us. You inserted yourself into my problems without invitation.”

He scoffs. “Well, excuse me for trying to be a good guy.”

“A good guy?” I laugh. “Is that a joke?”

“Don’t forget whose apartment you’re living in, rent free. Ibought everything in here. I could just sleep wherever I want. I was nice enough to ask you.”

“And we both know what happens when you’re nice, right? Or was that a special treatment just for me? You did at least close the door on your way out. That was pretty nice.”

He drops his bag onto the couch. “I already apologized for that.”

My hands land on my hips as I cock my head to the side. “Did you, though?”

He scrubs his hands through his hair. “I tried.”

“You tried to make yourself feel better because you realized it was a butthole move. You don’t care about anything other than that. Yourself.”

“Then why am I here? I’m trying to help you out from that, that douchebag.”

I slam my dishes in the dishwasher and flip the door closed. “I don’t need your help.”

“Says the homeless girl with a PI following her. And you didn’t seem to mind when my hand was on your ass.”

“Which you didn’t ask permission for, by the way. That example isn’t really painting you in a better light.”

He brushes his finger over his lower lip, trying to hide a smirk. “Your nipples sure didn’t seem to mind.”

I grab a paper towel to dry my hands and walk away before tearing it off, making a trail behind me. “What’s with everyone taking in the state of my nipples thinking they speak for me? Can you control every hard-on you get? Does it sometimes happen for no reason at all? There are plenty of biological reasons for that to happen.”

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