Page 84 of The Roommate Remodel

“No, it’s reallynotokay,” he says. “I don’t care what they think. I’m not caving because of them.”

I finally decideenough is enough. He doesn’t deserve this.

I step toward him and say in my boldest voice, “Then I’m kissing you, Brax MacPherson.”

His face snaps to mine as his lips curl into a crooked smirk. “Are you sure about this?”

“Never been more sure in my life.” I jump into Brax’s arms, wrap my legs around his waist and kiss him with everything I’ve got.

That’ll shut them up.

It did shut them up. Mainly because everyone’s mouths were hanging open in shock.

Since that moment, there’s been no more teasing. And no more kissing in a week. For the record, I’ve kissed Brax twice, but he hasn’t initiated a kiss with me. And now I’m worried.

Why is he holding back? It’s not that he’s given any hint to make me believe he’s questioning it. Every chance he gets, he surprises me with something to make me smile.

After returning from an away game late last night, Brax left me flowers in a vase outside my door with the note:I want to be the first person every day to make you smile.

The other night, he snuck up behind me while I was washing dishes and wrapped his arms around my waist. “Has anyone told you that you look beautiful today?” he whispered. “Because you should be told that every day.”

The scene caused Tate to yell from the other room, “You’re breaking a house rule!”

“What rule?” Brax replied, not letting me go. “Annoying you?”

“Flirting,” Tate said, giving him the evil eye.

Brax grunted, then continued to hug me while Tate and Leo hurled insults at us.

The guys can’t stop teasing us about the house rules, but Brax refuses to give up his flirty ways, which I can’t say I’m sorry about.

He just hasn’t tried to kiss me, either. And the longer he waits, the more I want him to show me that I’m someone special. It’s like tryingnotto think about chocolate when all you want is chocolate.Humanly impossible.After what happened with Brax ghosting me, I want evidence that this isn’t a repeat performance.

“Just talk to him,” Sloan urges as she stirs a giant pot of spaghetti sauce.

“When am I going to do that?” The house smells like basil and garlic, and Sloan licks a spot of tomato sauce off her wrist. “We’re hosting a team dinner tonight. I won’t have time for an intimate conversation about Brax’s lips.”

Sloan props a hand on her hip. She’s wearing theKiss the Cookapron to keep sauce from splattering her cute yellow blouse, and her hair is pulled up into a messy bun, highlighting her striking cheekbones. “The longer you wait, the more it’s going to bother you. Just pull him aside and tell him. With all the people around, no one will even notice if you’re gone.”

“And ask what?Why haven’t you kissed me? Maybe I should wear that apron and see if he gets the hint.”

“If it helps...” She unties it, willing to stain her adorable blouse just so I’ll get kissed. That’ssoSloan. She’d give me the shirt off her back if I asked for it.

I wave my hands, forbidding her to take it off. “I’m not that desperate. Even if it’s driving me crazy.”

Sloan tips my chin to hers, like Granny used to do. “I’ve seen the way he looks at you, Jazzy. Brax isn’t playing around. He can’t keep his eyes off you.”

I smile, feeling that warm glow in my chest, the same one that fills my body every time he’s around. “So the guys have reminded me, every time they catch him breaking a house rule.”

“You’re the one who created the rules,” she reminds me with alifted brow. “Maybe he just wants you to be sure after what happened.”

Sloan stops stirring for a second and squeezes her eyes shut.

I freeze, knowing exactly what’s happening. Sloan’s face grows pale, and I reach up and tilt her face so I can look at her. “I didn’t know you weren’t feeling well.”

“I’m fine,” she says, waving it off. “Feeling dizzy and lightheaded is an everyday thing since the accident. Probably just a migraine coming on.”

“There’s no such thing asjusta migraine,” I remind her. “Not since your accident.”

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