Page 20 of Weak Side

“Fine,” I sighed. “We can both set the rules.”

“That’s more like it—”

“But,” I interrupted him, “if you break them, I swear to God I will switch rooms and let a puck bunny room with you. Don’t test me, Theo.”

He stared at me from across the table, and The Bex began to feel smaller as each second passed. His gaze wandered over my features so slowly I began to feel uncomfortable, but then his cheek lifted, and he grinned. “I was right about you.”

“You were?” I asked.

“You are tough, Bryant. Tougher than you make yourself out to be.”

I shrugged, watching him pull the paper back across the table. “Only when I need to be.” His large hand reached out quickly, and his fingers brushed mine before he stole the pen from my grip.

“You should be that way with your boyfriend,” he mumbled under his breath, but before I could question him, he wrote the first rule on the paper and raised his brows, waiting for my response.

1.Can have sex on own side of the room but must put a nonverbal warning on the doorknob for the other person to see.

“Fine.”

“That goes for you too. If your boyfriend ever decides to actually spend time with you, you’re welcome to…”—he paused, glancing away—“dowhatever…on your side of the room.”

“He spends time with me,” I snapped, more irritated that he had noticed than irritated that he was right. “And we have sex. What? Did you think I was a virgin or something, because I’m not.”When was the last time we had sex, though?

“Easy, killer. I never said you were a virgin. I just don’t see your boyfriend—ever. The only thing I’ve witnessed is him acting jealous that you’re rooming with me but never giving you an out.” He shrugged again. “It’s just weird.”

“When did you witness that?” I asked, suddenly feeling nervous. “Are you spying on me?”

“That brings me to rule number two.” He wrote something else down, and humiliation came a moment later.

2.No late-night phone calls after 11.

My lips parted as I reread the rule three times before looking at him.

“You’ve been listening to my phone calls?”

He pointed at me nonchalantly. “Not on purpose, so stop looking at me like that.”

Ugh.

“So? You good with that one?”

“With Chad? Obviously! He’s my boyfriend. Our conversations are none of your business.”

He shot me a look that had me wavering. “I meant the rule, Bryant.”

My cheeks warmed as I snatched the paper from him and scribbled number three down below.

3.No blaring your alarm before 7am.

“Use a quieter alarm.” I peeked up and waited for his response. These had started out as myrules, and now, suddenly, they felt like they were his.

“Okay.”

Surprise washed over me at his acceptance.That was easy.Was I being the difficult one here? I tried to calm my jets as he wrote another rule down before sliding the paper over to me.

4.No lights on after 11.

My shoulders slumped. “That’s not fair. The library closes at ten, and I have to get my homework done. It’s not my fault you go to bed so early.”

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