Page 35 of The Paris Roommates: Dean
“I still can’t believe you want to keep it a secret until you have the keys,” Sawyer said with a frown. “I need some hope, man.”
“I bet that works on your students but not with me,” Kyle said with a grin. “Think of the impact it’ll have when you see your new room in person and know you can finally sleep in a big bed again. My current bed is going to kill me. I keep rolling over and thinking I’m going to end up on the floor.”
“Me too, man.” He used the heel of his foot to nudge Kyle. “It’s the only place without paint, and you so like your threads.”
“I do.” Kyle grabbed the neckline of his navy cashmere sweater. “Only in Paris do I act like a girl over clothes.”
“Better not say that sexist line in front of the other roomies. Between Brooke and Madison, you’d be dead and buried.”
“I know my secret moment of mini-misogyny is safe with you.”
They shared a smile. “Yeah, you know it,” Sawyer told him, his tight chest easing. “Would you hold my phone up so I can see what all the texts were about?”
Kyle did as requested, and after reading the first two messages, Sawyer was laughing. “Man, you’re going to want to read these texts in the group chat Brooke started. Dean’s semi-date with the beautiful Jacqueline and the famous Pierre went viral—over a misunderstanding about a booty call—and we have links to watch.”
“What?” He puffed out a laugh and hit the first link. “Oh my God! You’re kidding. He did not talk about having a booty call with the woman we want to buy the cave from.”
And yet that was Dean. Maybe he should have had a chaperone, after all.
“At least she seems to find it hilarious.” Sawyer winced. “Then again, maybe it’s not so great for Dean that his dream girl is this amused by the thought of having a booty call with him.”
“Right.” Kyle peered at the display. “Dean doesn’t seem upset. More resigned.”
“Click on another,” Sawyer told him.
“Did you guys see the links Brooke sent?” Madison asked, appearing in the doorway. “Oh my God, Sawyer! Why is there a black X through your painting?”
“The women looked like wooden ducks,” Kyle answered before he could. “In fact, Sawyer thinks a live model in an old ball gown would help bring his work to life.”
When Madison blanched, Sawyer fought to keep a straight face. God, was she really thinking about doing it? “Yeah, Madison, would you help a brother out?”
She studied them for a long moment before laughing. “Okay, you had me there for a moment, but the brother thing didn’t feel right. Imagine. Me in an old ball gown. You’d still have a woman looking like a wooden duck. Ihatedresses.”
“Why?” Kyle asked, suddenly intense. “I think you’d look great in a dress.”
Her eyebrows shot to her hairline, and Kyle looked like he’d bitten his tongue. An uncomfortable moment passed, and Sawyer decided against teasing them about that kiss they’d shared. The energy was too strange all of a sudden, and he didn’t want to wonder why.
“It’s easier for guys to get under your dress, if you know what I mean,” she said, shifting on her feet like she was ready to run. “All right. So clearly Sawyer needs a break from painting, and I need to wash out that momentary image of me in a corset and whatever those layers of thingies are under those dresses.”
“Petticoats,” he offered helpfully.
“What a weird name.” She gestured to her all-black ensemble.
“Maybe that’s where the word petty came from, because some of those women are so not nice,” he said helpfully.
Kyle cleared his throat, and Sawyer wondered if it was because he knew women like that. From the sound of it, his ex-fiancée had been one of them. “How about we all take that break? Anyone know what we can do to torture Dean about the booty call?”
“Did you know it was calledun plan cul?” Madison asked. “It’s another interesting phrase when you translate it directly.”
Sawyer’s shoulders started to shake. He was in etymology heaven. “Nothing wrong with an ass map. Hey, did you guys ever consider that cul-de-sac translates to ‘ass of the sack’?”
“Huh.” Madison scratched her head. “No.”
“My parents live in one,” Sawyer replied. “I always found it hilarious seeing as they both have sticks up their butts. I have another funny one. The French sayÇa coûte la peau du cul—literally, it costs the skin of your ass—when they say something costs a fortune.”
“But booty calls aren’t expensive,” Madison answered with derision.
“Depends on the booty call,” Kyle broke in, causing more of that strange energy to return. “And whether you’re wearing a condom.”
