Page 60 of Resisting my Roommate

“What areyoudoing here?” I finally ask.

“Having a coffee.” She brings the straw back to her mouth. It reminds me of the night we met. How I imagined what her red lips would look like wrapped around my cock.

After last night, I now know.

“There’s a coffee machine at home. One that also makes ice coffee.”

“It’s such a nice morning. I figured I’d come down here and support a local business.” She returns her attention to her e-reader, as if we’re no one to each other.

As if we didn’t spend last night fucking each other until we physically had nothing left.

When I pull out the vacant chair across from her and sit down, she finally looks up from her e-reader. I lean closer so no one can overhear. “Is this because of last night?”

“It has nothing to do with that.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course. Last night was fun, but I’m not naïve, Jude. I know you prefer to keep yourself…unattached. I’m okay with that.”

“I don’t?—”

“It’s not a big deal.” She reaches across the table and covers my hand with hers. “I didn’t sleep with you because I hoped it might turn into something.”

Her words sting more than I thought they would. “You didn’t?”

It’s one thing to set boundaries.

It’s another to have them set for you.

“I get it. You’re not interested in anything serious. Now that I know what happened, I don’t think youcanbe interested in anything serious. Not until you finally come to terms with your past. And that’s okay.” She assures me without a hint of accusation or incrimination. “I’m only here temporarily anyway, so we don’t need to turn last night into more than what it was. Two consenting adults indulging in their cravings. Okay?”

Taking a sip of her coffee, she returns her eyes to her e-reader. I have no idea how she can appear so collected when I want to throw her on the table and have my way with her, especially after hearing her talk about us indulging in our cravings.

This is uncharted territory for me. Usually, I’m the one setting the ground rules. Not because I’m an ass, but because I don’t like making promises I can’t keep.

But there’s something about having this conversation with Abbey that feels inherently wrong.

“So it was just a one-time thing?” I ask in a shaky voice as I fight to mask my emotions over the idea.

“It can be.” She shrugs nonchalantly. “Or, I suppose it would technically be a three-time thing in our case.”

A blush creeps up her cheeks and she bites down on her bottom lip, obviously remembering the two additional orgasms I gave her throughout the night.

“What I’m trying to say is I don’t want you to feel like you owe me anything. We can just go back to the way things were, preferably before things got messy so we can continue our Sunday night bowling tradition. The game’s growing on me.”

“Is that what you want?” I arch a brow. “To go back to the way things were? Did you not enjoy yourself last night?”

“You know I did,” she answers, unable to hide the deepening shade of red on her cheeks.

“So did I. And I think it would be a disservice to deprive ourselves of even more great sex.” I drop my voice again, a playful edge sneaking in. “Especially now that we know how incredible we can be together.”

“So…what? We’d be friends with benefits? Or roommates with benefits?”

I’m not even sure what kind of arrangement I’m proposing. All I know is that last night with Abbey was unlike anything I’ve experienced before, and I can’t bear the thought of never feeling that again.

Never feelingheragain.

“Something along those lines,” I finally answer. “We’re both mature adults and know the score going in. I won’t make any promises, and I don’t expect you to, either.”

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