Page 13 of My Ex's Roommates
“I was lucky to have my brothers. They’re five years older than me. They’re the only reason I didn’t end up in the foster system. It wasn’t always pretty but they made sure I was safe and fed. There were times I know they fed me and went without themselves.” I looked down, the same shame I always felt when I thought about how much they’d done for me hitting me hard. “They did everything for me.”
“If you ever need a ride to see them, I’d take you.”
I looked back up at him and leaned in so I didn’t have to say the next part very loud. “I’ve never been to see them. They won’t let me. I haven’t seen them in two years and it’s almost like a piece of me is missing.”
“Now that I know more about you, you don’t strike me as the type to follow all the rules.” He rested his hand on my knee. “If you decide to break that rule, let me know.”
“After all they’ve done for me, I can at least follow their rules.” I searched his face and wondered when we’d gotten so close. “Were the McNeils good to you?”
“Yeah, they were.Are. They come by sometimes. My little brothers are still in high school but they freak out every time they come. They’re another reason we have to fix the team. I think they’d riot if we had a shitty season.” A warm smile lifted his lips but it faded faster than I would’ve liked. “Why Jake?”
I blinked a few times, surprised by the change in topic. “What do you mean?”
“I mean Jake was a pompous asshole, the kind of guy who snapped at waiters. He couldn’t possibly understand any of the shit you went through.” His other hand rested on my other knee and it seemed like we were closer than ever, talking in our own private bubble.
“I’d just gotten finished being the poor kid with the holes in her clothes for eighteen years. I wanted to live like the other half for a bit. Not the money, but just… I wanted to walk into a room and not have people feel sorry for me. But no, Jake didn’t understand my life. He ended up using it against me. He threatened to tell everyone I was trailer park trash the night he left.” I blushed and covered my face with my hands while I said the next part. “I responded by telling him that I saw your… I told him I sawyouthat day and that he was like a kitten being compared to a great dane.”
Silas pulled my hands away from my face and held them in my lap as he grinned. “I’ve never been compared to a great dane before but I’ll take it. I especially like the part where Jake probably assumed that meant you’d cheated on him with me.”
My mouth popped open. “I didn’t even think of that.”
“I’m sure he did after. Even if he left you, I guarantee that he lost sleep that night, thinking of you spread out under me.” Glancing from my eyes to my mouth, Silas swallowed loud enough that I heard it.
The image filled my head and sent heat throughout my body. I could feel how red I’d gone but there was nothing I could do to help it. My body was buzzing and had a mind of its own when it came to Silas. I watched as he licked his lips, noticed the glisten on his fuller bottom lip, and felt myself sway closer. “That’s…quite-”
He closed the gap between us and pressed his lips to mine. Soft, warm, a little rough from his facial hair, his mouth settled over mine once, twice, and on the third time, I shifted closer and felt his tongue brush over my lips. Wetness pooled between my thighs and I let out a sound I’d never once made for Jake. It was a breathy little moan, a plea for more without as many words.
Just as fast as it happened, it was over, though. Silas stood up and was halfway to the door before I realized what had happened. He stopped in the doorway, both hands gripping the frame tight. “I shouldn’t have…”
“It’s o-” I cut myself off when he turned and walked away.
I didn’t know how to feel or what to think about what’d just happened. Getting up, I rushed over to the door to shut it tight. I didn’t understand the kiss that happened but I knew it couldn’t happen again. Silas was a jerk and I was… I was healing. I was focused on work and school. I was… I was so turned on by a simple kiss that I had to go take a cold shower.
13.
***Harper***
Aweek passed without me seeing Silas anywhere besides the football field. I kept my distance from all three of my roommates, despite how often I caught them glancing my way. Carter had even started standing by me at practice, smiling at me with his stupidly cute smile that I wasn’t sure if I wanted to kick or rub myself against. The kiss with Silas had woken my body from whatever depressed slumber it’d been in and I’d been so aware of my body that I was ready to explode.
Things were quiet at home until Friday night. The team played a scrimmage game and lost terribly against an unranked team. I hadn’t gone to the game, deciding to instead give myself some time alone at home to get my head on straight. I saw the score change in real time on my laptop while I painted my toenails, wincing at every bad move our team made. I felt bad for themand I felt angry that Jake was probably in California, feeling like some big honcho.
I heard the guys come in a few hours after the game ended and I knew they were hammered right away. A dead man would’ve heard them come in, they were so loud.
“And thenyoudropped the ball! What were you doing?” Dylan’s words were painfully slurred.
“Me? I was trying to catch the… the football thing and you were throwing it all wrong!” Carter was just as bad.
And then there was Silas. He appeared in my doorway after climbing the stairs absolutely silently. “Hey, princess. Think you can come take care of us down here? We got beat up pretty bad.”
I watched in shock as he pouted and held out his hand for me. In a stupor, I grabbed the first aid kit from my bag and took his hand. It was big and warm and nearly dragged me down the stairs when he stumbled.
He stopped halfway down the stairs and turned to me. “You almost fell, Harp. Let me carry you. Okay? Come on. I’ll carry you so you don’t fall.”
I slapped his hands away, laughing. “Youalmost fell! You’re not carrying me, Silas. You’d drop me. Go! Go down the stairs, you goof.”
He smiled so wide that his eyes crinkled closed. “I’d never drop the princess. Hey, do you want popcorn? I could really eat some popcorn right now.”
I followed him into the kitchen where Dylan and Carter already were. Carter was spreading sandwich ingredients on Dylan’s pristine kitchen counters and Dylan was slapping his hands all the while. Silas grabbed a bag of popcorn, uncooked, and opened it, sending little bouncing kernels everywhere.
