Page 11 of Loud Hot Roomie
Once we’re seated, I take great satisfaction in watching Derek inhale my food. I may have grown up with a silver spoon in my mouth, but it was always covered in good food. Mom taught me a lot in the kitchen. We could afford to have staff do the cooking for us, but it was something she always enjoyed, and now that I’m on my own, I’m thankful she taught me everything she knows.
“I didn’t even know we had all this stuff to make this,” Derek says before shoving another mouthful of food in. “Incredible.”
“I picked up more things at the store last night when you were asleep. I was out of energy drinks.”
He sets his fork down with a clatter and pins me with a firm stare. “About those things. You know they’re bad for you, right?”
“So is living off protein powder, but somehow we’re both still alive.”
The snark in my voice cuts like a blade and I immediately regret it. His entire demeanor seems to close up when I just got him to open a little. Me and my stupid mouth.
“Okay,” he says finally. “You got me there.”
I whip up my head in shock. “I do?”
“I know it’s a shitty routine.” He wolfs down another bite before saying, “I was spoiled to my mom’s cooking when I laid low with her and Dad for a few months. The protein kept me full, so I figured it was fine. I sure as hell couldn’t come up with the meals she did.”
“Oh, Dere-Dere.” I playfully nudge at his bare foot with mine under the table. “I’m going to keep you fat and happy.”
His lips curl into a cute grin that has a dimple popping out one cheek. Oh my God. How sexy is that?
“Don’t threaten me with a good time, Riko.”
A flash of heat burns up my neck and settles on my cheeks. Are we flirting? Impossible. I’m not sure Derek would even know how.
“Also,” he says with faux annoyance. “Don’t call me Dere-Dere.”
Well now, obviously, I have to always call him Dere-Dere.
Derek polishes off his food and then goes for seconds. This pleases me to no end. The way to this man’s heart is through his stomach. Noted.
“I saw you got roped into babysitting Linda’s monsters.”
I frown at his back. “Topher and Eloise aren’t monsters.”
He turns around, shock on his face. “Are we talking about the same two kids?”
“They’re cool, man. They love soccer like me. We played for a few hours, but now I’m regretting it.”
I absently rub at my burning thigh. I can feel the heat of the inflammation through my basketball shorts.
“I knew you liked soccer, but I didn’t know you still played it,” Derek says as he sits back down. “I feel like there’s a lot we don’t know about each other.”
That’s because you spent all week hiding from me, Dere-Dere…
“Soccer is my life.” I sigh heavily, the spaghetti roiling in my stomach. “Wasmy life. Injured my hamstring and it fucks up every time I overuse it. Playing so hard today was a bad idea.”
Please offer to rub it out for me.
Derek doesn’t take the hint because, next, he says, “My ex could probably help you. Want me to reach out?”
Yeah, sure, Dere-Dere. I totally want your ex to rub all over me instead of you. Not.
“Thanks, but I have my own sadist. I’ll call up to the clinic tomorrow and get an appointment to see my PT tormenter.”
Derek motions around the house with a casual flick of his wrist. “When exactly do you go to college?”
I try not to grimace but end up doing it anyway. “I dropped out. Sorry I lied.”
