Page 17 of Thanks for the Love
“Lila says that she’s never felt the same about any man since.”
He rolls his eyes.
I don’t say anything because I don’t know Lila very well either. Maybe her version of the story has changed over the years?
“Anyway, I really need to get home. Should I—?” I point to the back door.
“Oh yes, I’ll walk you out.”
Theo leads me to the gate that separates our houses.
“Thanks again for breakfast.”
He smiles. “Anytime. And please let me know if you need anything else. I’m right here.”
We both stand awkwardly, and once again I’m having a difficult time leaving.
“Bye, Theo.”
I start walk away when I feel his hand on my arm.
When I turn around, he kisses me again. This time his kiss is more urgent, and I don’t fight it.
This type of behavior is completely out of character for me. I thought I’d found my forever with Dustin, and he destroyed that. Maybe embracing my new life and being a little carefree will do me some good.
“Good luck today,” Theo whispers before walking back to his house. I don’t move for a few seconds.
Oh, Miami, I think I adore you.
Chapter Five
Why does it feel like I’m doing the walk of shame when I sneak back to my house? It’s not like I spent the night with Theo. Yes, our morning together started before the sun came up, but that’s not the same, right?
As soon as I walk into the kitchen, Reagan is sitting at the counter, eating a bowl of Lucky Charms. She’s wearing black skinny jeans and a flowy peasant top. Her blonde hair is full of loose beachy waves.
She looks down at my PJs and gives me a confused look.
“Good morning. Where were you?”
I bite my lip. Why am I so nervous? I’m a grown woman. If I want to have breakfast with the hot neighbor, that’s my business. At the same time there’s no reason to not tell her the truth, so I launch into my explanation about not being able to sleep and how I ended up at Theo’s house.
Reagan is listening intently. We’ve known each other for less than twenty-four hours, but she’s one of those people who makes you feel like you’ve known them forever.
“You totally have a thing for this Theo guy, don’t you?”
I put my hands on the sides of my head. “I have no idea what I’m doing,” I whine. “He just seems like a genuine nice guy, and I could use all the friends I can get right now.”
I leave out the part about being really attracted to him and our kiss. She doesn’t have to know everything.
Reagan nods her head. “I say go for it. After the hell you’ve been through, you deserve some fun.”
I rub my forehead. The truth is I’m not intentionally seeking Theo out. Both times I’ve seen him have been purely coincidence—I certainly didn’t plan on him seeing me in my PJs and bedhead this morning.
“I need to get ready. Thanks for listening.”
“That’s what roommates are for,” she calls.
I hurry to my bathroom and jump into the shower. My mind is spinning as I replay the events of my morning.Why do my and Theo’s paths continue to cross?Despite my intense attraction to him, I meant what I said to Reagan about needing friends. Most of my relationships were strained after Dustin and I broke up. Many people I thought were my friends showed their true colors, and I felt like I was an outsider, despite being the victim of what Dustin and Amber did to me.
