Page 10 of Roommate Wars
And then I remembered Elise had been the last woman in my bedroom…
This was a business meeting. Why was I feeling guilty? It wasn’t like Elise and I were dating. No way would I get involved with another roommate, and especially not her.
Thalia entered the room and passed the bed I’d remembered to make this morning. She headed straight for the nook that housed my large desk and three massive computer monitors. The desk stood in front of a window overlooking the street, with a distant view of the bay.
“I can see why you enjoy working here,” Thalia said. “Nice view.” She pulled out a folder and sank onto the couch that faced the window and not my bedroom.
This wasn’t so bad. I could make it work.
Besides, I’d needed the distraction from Elise and her legs, so in a sense, Thalia’s timing was perfect.
ChapterFive
Elise
I was scavengingin Jack’s kitchen for food when the universe heard my prayer and sent a delivery woman bearing groceries.
I graciously accepted said food on his behalf, decided this was too much for him to eat alone, and helped myself to a sandwich after I put everything away.
It was somewhat strange that Jack had invited his CEO into his bedroom, but then again, this was Jack we were talking about. A dedicated homebody.
I’d gotten a glimpse of his bedroom the one night I spent there, and then earlier when I borrowed some clothes. His room was massive, and half of it was set up like an office, so it wasn’t entirely unusual that he’d have a meeting there.
Who was I kidding? Itwasstrange. But I batted down any territorial instincts I was feeling toward Jack because he wasn’t mine, even if I felt a twinge of something unpleasant in my chest at watching another woman go to his room.
This was strictly a one-month business transaction where I made dinner three nights out of the week and did laundry. No bedroom shenanigans involved. That bridge had been burned.
Twenty minutes later, the sound of the woman’s laughter made my ears perk up. Because her tone was flirty.
What in the hell were they doing in there?
I tiptoed to my bedroom and closed the door, leaving it open a crack, then sank onto the bed my sister had left behind and listened.
Was I being nosey? Damn straight!
Jack was hot—when he wasn’t bossing me around. I’d seen the way Thalia looked at him, and it hadn’t been entirely professional.
She was classy-looking, dressed in moss-green wide-leg slacks and a matching blazer with a sexy cream tank. Her outfit was the kind of top-notch businesswoman gear I’d never worn in my life, because who could afford that shit? Jack’s new CEO, apparently.
Meanwhile, I was in boxers and a ratty T-shirt, so I didn’t feel uncomfortable. No, not at all.
This was my temporary home. Everyone dressed like crap at home. I didn’t need to look good; I needed a roof over my head, and who cared if his CEO was classy and pretty? All I wanted was my independence, and living with Jack was a means to an end. If this lady had designs on him, it was good I knew that from the start, so I didn’t get in the way.
I sighed and looked around. Other than the bed, my room was barren, and I couldn’t find my phone. Or my purse, come to think of it. I’d dumped the clothes I’d been wearing near the front door after my shower, and Jack had stashed them somewhere when I wasn’t looking.
As much as I hated to admit it, he’d been right about not bringing anything from the moldy apartment. But I needed something to wear to work tomorrow. Maybe I could pick up a few basics from Target?
I tiptoed into the living room and looked around for my purse. Jack had done something with it after we left my apartment, and I forgot to ask him for it when we got here, as the idea of living with him was throwing me off.
I looked to the ceiling and sighed. I couldn’t buy basic clothing for tomorrow if I didn’t have a wallet. Should I interrupt them and ask him what he’d done with it?
I returned to the hallway and stared at Jack’s door. The sound of his deep voice filtered out as he said something about synergistic outreach—whatever that meant. I’d be disturbing their meeting to ask about my purse, which was a weird roommate thing to do.
Fine,I thought and yawned. This could wait until later.
I crumpled like an accordion on Sophia’s old mattress and closed my eyes.
When I stirred briefly sometime later, it was to the feel of a soft, fluffy blanket being draped over me, right before I sank into a dreamless sleep.
