Page 57 of Passing the Red Line
“Haha. Funny. Grumpy has jokes. So, are we going to look for a place for me or not?”
“I wasn’t joking,” Christian says, getting up from the bed and sliding on a button up shirt that looks like it belongs in the nineties with the blocks of color.
I can’t even concentrate on the shirt for long. All my head is trying to wrap around is the fact that he said he wasn’t joking in the most serious way possible.
“Why the hell would I move in with you?” I ask, a little more unhinged than I wanted to.
Christian gives me a shrug as he goes and sprays his cologne. “You need a place to stay. I just renewed my lease yesterday, and it’s not like we are somewhat living together already. It makes sense.”
“No, no it doesn’t make sense. I can’t live with you.”
“Give me one good reason.” He stands at the end of the bed with his arms crossed, looking very much like the intimidating hockey player that he is.
I don’t let that stop me though. “For one, we’re not technically together. As of this moment we are still very much summertime fuck buddies.”
“I’m changing that today. Next.”
He’s changing that today? Is that the surprise?
I don’t ask, I just continue. “We both work for a company that has a no fraternization rule. So, if we do become official we can’t keep our relationship secret at work and live together at the same time.”
“I’ll set up a meeting with HR. It’s not like we’ll be the first individuals to get together within a hockey team. We might have to keep it a secret for a little while but we’ll make it work.”
I narrow my eyes at him.
He has a solution for everything, doesn’t he?
“That easy, huh?”
“That easy. Come on, hermosa. Give me a good reason.” He throws out with a smirk starting form on his face.
He knows I got nothing and he’s taunting me. The asshole.
“I have a lot of camera equipment that needs to be properly stored.” I throw out knowing it’s not a true reason.
He lets out a scuff. “Good thing I have three bedrooms back in Chicago.”
“Of course, you do.” I roll my eyes at him.
Christian lets out a small chuckle and walks over to my side of the bed and takes a seat, caging me in with his body on one side and his arm on the other.
“Why don’t you want to move in with me, Ellie?” he asks in the most caring way possible. Maybe this is my favorite Christian.
Now it's me shrugging. Fighting on being truthful or if I should just make up another excuse that he will see right through.
I decide to go with the former.
“Because if things don’t work out with us, I won’t have any place to go. I already fell in love with this house, what makes you think I won’t fall in love with that one too. And I can be a lot. If you can't tell, I can be a little annoying when I want to be. Who knows how long you’ll be able to handle me.”
“Trust me, I know. Why do you think you almost had the cops called on you or almost landed in the ocean? You annoyed the living shit out of me,” he says, a grin on his face. “Still do sometimes, but that’s one of the things that I would never change about you. Same goes with your attitude. Most of the time I’m right there with you,” he closes the distance between us even more, this time placing a finger under my chin and making me look up at him. “I’ll be able to handle you as long as you are able to handle me. If we don’t work out, we don’t work out, but we won’t know unless we try. And if that ever comes, which it won’t, by the way, then you can kick me in the balls and make me help you find a place. I will even pay for the first year. All you have to do is move in with me when we get to Chicago.”
“What about expenses?” Because no way am I going to let a man pay for every single thing in my life.
“I make more money than you,” he starts to say, and I shove him. “Damn, there was a but coming,” he tells me right before leaning in and giving me a kiss. “I was going to say I make more money than you, so I would take care of the big expenses, and if you wanted, you don’t have to, but if you wanted. You can take care of the Wi-Fi or groceries or any other bills you want. Again, if you want to. It’s not a requirement to live with me.”
It's enticing. Not only will I have a place to live, that’s not my dad’s but I will also have Christian close by. After only a few short weeks, he has become my constant, something I didn’t have for a very long time, not since my mom.
It’s not only sex between us, but also laughter and building memories and so much more. And we can do that if we were living together and in the off season we could come back here and enjoy a few months next to the beach. It’s a win-win.
