Page 42 of Tempt Thy Neighbor

And I get the feeling he’s doing it on purpose.

Since the day I left him hanging at The Gravy Train, he’s been nice.

Toonice.

Going by our history, I’d say he’s doing it to get under my skin while he bides his time, plotting his revenge on me.

After his third glass of water, he places his dirty cup in the sink and makes his way into the living room. His focus shifts to the cat in my lap, who is slowly working on falling back asleep.

He looks annoyed by it, and I’m a little giddy to find something else to annoy him with.

“I’m going to go take a shower. I guess afterward I’ll be running down to the drugstore and grabbing some allergy medication.”

“Damn, I was really hoping you’d go with one of the other options.”

“You know there’s only one way I’m moving out.” He smirks at me, then turns his attention to River as he walks backward down the hall. “Always a pleasure.”

“Pretty sure it’s all mine,” she mutters as he disappears into his bedroom.

“River!”

“What?” She has the nerve to look sheepish. “You can’t tell me he doesn’t get you at least a little bit worked up.”

“He doesn’t.”

She snorts. “Right. Sure. Whatever you have to tell yourself. I just know if he were my roommate, I’d have a hard time resisting him.”

“I’m sure you would. We both know your track record with resisting roommates.”

“Guilty as charged.” She sighs dreamily, no doubt thinking of my brother, who was once her temporary roommate. “So, I couldn’t help but pick up on him saying there’s only one way he’d move out. Seemed like it kind of had a pointed meaning…”

Of course she’d pick up on that.

“Like everything with Sutton, it’s complicated,” I tell her.

She narrows her eyes. “Why do I get the feeling there’s something between you two you’re not talking about?”

I tuck my lips together, and her eyes flare with excitement.

“Spill it.”

I shake my head. “No way.”

“Why not?”

I focus my attention on the kitten that’s fallen back asleep between my legs. “Because it’s embarrassing.”

“Embarrassing or not, it’s clearly bothering you. Maybe you should talk to someone about it, get some outside perspective.”

I peek up to find her grinning at me mischievously.

“You’re only saying that because you’re dying to know the details.”

“Correction: I’m saying it because it’s true…and I’m dying to know what makes you so immune to him.”

Immune to him? Hardly.

If anything, I’m a littletoobothered by him.

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