Page 29 of The Roommate Remodel

“I’ll miss you at practice, though,” he says. “It was fun having you watch today.”

“Now I won’t bother you.”

I’m going to stay so far away from you, I might as well be in another state.

I cross my arms, trying to keep my limbs from bumping into him.

“You weren’t bothering me.” He frowns, almost offended I would eventhinkthat. “I want you to bother me.”

Is this his version of a peace offering?Or an invitation?

He steps forward, closing the space between us. I can’t even cross around him without touching him. He’s too close, and I’m very aware that he has me cornered, so I can’t get away.

He looks at me, and there’s a softness in his eyes, a contrast to his very solid frame. “I just wondered what you were talking to Vale about.”

“Nothing important.” I dodge to the left to get around him, and he blocks me with reflexes that are lightning fast.

“If it wasn’t important, why didn’t you come to me?” He tiltshis head, the question in his eyes. Doesn’t he know the answers are too complicated?

“I...” I hesitate and dodge right, and he stops me. Our little game of dodge and weave is more than just physical. He wants to know why I didn’t trust him enough to ask him first.

How can I explain that I needed to choose someone I’m not attracted to?

“I wanted his opinion on some ideas,” I say, shrugging. “It wasn’t personal.”

He gives a slow nod. “I’m willing to do whatever it takes to turn this team around, too. That’s how I roll.”

“Anything?” I ask, testing him.

“Almost,” he says, and I can see the warning in his eyes.

“How about dancing with some ladies at a retirement home?” I ask with a smile, knowing he’d hate it.

“You saw how I danced at the reception. I have two left feet.”

I laugh, remembering how he stepped on my toes. I was so deliriously happy in his arms, I didn’t even care. The memory spreads a fizzy feeling through my middle.

“I want this to work,” he says in a low voice.

Does he mean he wants the team to work?Or us?

He’s so close that his body is causing my heart to bump against my ribs like a drumbeat, and I’m afraid he can hear the thumping in my body, how agitated he makes me when he’s this close.

“Don’t worry, I won’t compromise the agreement we made earlier,” he says with a gaze so intense, it nearly causes me to want to take it back. “The one where we pretend not to have any history together.”

My eyes drop to his lips.So much history I can’t forget.

“I know the agreement,” I mumble, if only to remind myself.Keep my distance. Pretend there never was an “us.”

Why did I agree to this?

Oh, yeah.So we don’t ruin our perfect arrangement.

Don’t. Mess. It. Up.

He turns and brushes by me, his hand a gentle whisper across my arm. It wasn’t an intentional touch, but it had the same effect. One touch sets off the fireworks in my body, making me want to rein him back andrepeatsome history.

But we both know why that would be a bad idea. He still hasn’t given me an answer that satisfies my need to knowwhy. What happened after our kiss that made him disappear? Until he answers me, that one question is the stumbling block to any future we might have together.

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