Page 49 of Renegade Roomie

Dash curses, but bless him, he doesn’t hesitate either. “Never say I’m not a gentleman,” he grumbles, taking off his own shoes, pulling a penknife from his bag, and easing over the side of the boat into the water. He wades over to me. “But if we’re both eaten alive, you’re going to owe me, big time.”

“If it gets me first, you’ll probably make it,” I point out, as he reaches down, and begins cutting the slimy tendrils that have tangled around my ankle. “I’m quite a mouthful.”

“Are you?”

Dash’s eyes meet mine for a moment, and I flush, realizing the dirty double entendre. But survival trumps horniness: He looks away, and finally frees my foot.

“Now, can we please get the hell out of this swamp?”

* * *

Back at Zelda’s, I make straight for my room and an extra-long shower, scrubbing head to toe and shuddering at the memory of what might have been lurking in the water. And what the hell was I doing in there in the first place, leaping overboard just for a pair of old binoculars?

A pair of deeply sentimental binoculars, that I know Dash treasures.

I sigh. So much for treating this like a simple assignment! The longer I spend with Dash, the more complicated our fake relationship seems.

And the more real.

I step out of the shower and towel off, but I’m passing the mirror when I notice a dark smudge still on my back, just out of reach.

I angle closer to the mirror, reaching to wipe—

“AHHHHH!”

I scream. It’s not a smudge, it’s a leech!

A mother-freaking LEECH! Or a tiny snake! Or some other form of bloodsucking monster, and OH MY GOD. I think I might expire right here, on the spot.

I snatch the closest towel to cover myself, and sprint to Dash’s room.

I pound once on the door and shove inside without waiting for an invitation. “Get it off me, please, please, get that little bloodsucking freak off me!”

“Callie?”

Dash steps out of the steamy bathroom with a tiny towel wrapped around his waist, but I don’t have time to appreciate him because OH MY GOD GET IT OFF ME!

“Hurry!” The rooms spins a little, and I moan. “Oh god, I’ve lost blood already, I can feel it. I’m dizzy!”

“Get what off?”

“THIS!” I turn around.

“Aww, you made a friend!” He jokes, and I hit him, wailing.

“Now is so not the time for your smart aleck routine. Dash!”

“OK, OK,” he laughs, turning me around again. “Hold still.”

Something brushes my skin, and I yelp. “Did you get it?” I whimper. “Is it gone?”

“Don’t worry, I got it. You’re safe now.”

I exhale in a whoosh.

“Want to see?”

“NO!” I yelp. I hear him laugh, and step away, then there’s a flushing sound.

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