Page 55 of Tapped By My Roommate
Rhett flinched, and Audrey’s gaze drifted past him to me. She raised an eyebrow, looking incredibly Rhett-like in her expression. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your roommate?”
Rhett half turned, looking as if he’d forgotten I was there. He smiled apologetically. “Audrey, this is Ethan. Ethan, my sister.”
“Let’s sit,” Audrey said, sliding back into the booth.
Rhett slid in across from her, taking a spot close to the wall. I perched on the edge, keeping some distance between us. Audrey pushed a menu across the table to me. “I already ordered coffee and pie for me and Rhett. I didn’t know what you’d like.”
I fidgeted. “Yeah, um, I just drove him over. I didn’t mean to crash the party.” I glanced uncertainly at Rhett. “I could have waited in the car.”
“And miss out on pie?” Rhett tapped my foot with his under the table. “I wouldn’t ask my worst enemy to make such a sacrifice.”
“Good to know I rank right up there with your enemies,” I murmured.
It was meant to be a joke, but it fell flat. Rhett looked stricken. “I wasn’t saying—”
“I know.” I waved a hand, trying to smile. “Bad joke.”
Rhett cleared his throat and turned his attention back to Audrey. “Does Mom know where you are?”
“Sort of,” she hedged.
“So, that’s a no…”
As they continued speaking, Rhett gently chastising her decisions to lie to their mother about where she was and put herself in a risky situation by leaving the party alone, I studied the menu. I kind of wanted to be anywhere else right then.
Audrey excused herself to the bathroom a few minutes later. Rhett immediately turned to me. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah. I’m sorry if I invited myself along. I thought it was a good idea at the time.”
Rhett slid his hand along my back, a warm, comforting touch. “Don’t worry about that. I could have driven, but I was all kinds of distracted. It was nice of you to offer. I’m sorry if I said something to upset you, or—”
“No, it’s fine.” I shook my head. “You’re honest. I’ve always liked that about you.”
“I forget sometimes…” He trailed off, his lips pursed in thought.
“Forget?”
“Never mind,” he said softly. “The truth is, you’re a good friend, Ethan. More than a roommate.”
My chest warmed, as did my face. It was hardly a declaration of love, but I didn’t want or need it to be. We’d agreed to this hookup arrangement as long as it worked for both of us. I’d written the rules myself, expressly putting in writing that it was just sex, not a relationship.
I’d intended to confirm my bisexuality, gain some experience, and decide whether I might ever want a romantic relationship with a man someday. But that man was not supposed to be Rhett. Couldn’t be, in fact. I knew he didn’t date. If he did, he’d have been coupled up already. Because who would pass up a guy like him?
“You’re a good friend too,” I said, managing a real smile. “Sorry if I got weird.”
“Out of everything said tonight, I don’t thinknowis the time you’ve been weird.”
He grinned as I blushed and sputtered out, “Rule Five!”
Audrey returned just then. “Rule Five?” she asked as she slid back into the booth.
“Oh, Ethan was just telling me about a project he’s working on at a wildlife rescue center,” Rhett lied smoothly. “They drafted a new policy.”
“Oh. Wildlife?” Her eyes lit up. “That sounds so interesting! Do you get to work with a lot of animals?”
“A fair amount,” I said. “But I’m just an intern. I only get to handle them occasionally.”
“I’d want to play with them!”
