Page 70 of Renegade Roomie

Past tense.

I barely have time to process the word, before he turns and saunters back down the hall.

“Who’s a stupid girl?” Brando squarks, as I open the door. “Stupid! Stupid!”

I close it with a sigh. “Yup. That’s me. stupid.”

15

Dash

I wake the morning after I arrive back in the city and reach for Callie automatically, but the space beside me is empty.

I open my eyes and reality comes rushing back. I’m in my own bed, in my own apartment. Alone. Since sticking around for cuddling was never my specialty in the past, none of this should feel weird. Yet somehow, over the course of a few days, I’ve gotten used to waking up with Callie’s warm body lying next to me, her hair spilling over the pillow.

Her curves pressed up against me, just right.

No, it’s more than just being used to her. I’ve actually enjoyed waking up with her nestled in my arms. It shouldn’t be possible to miss someone or something after such a short time, but I do. Her scent, those delicate little snores. The sleepy smile she greeted me with before things would turn heated.

I roll over and grab my phone of the nightstand, hoping that maybe she texted.

Nothing.

My fingers hover over her name, tempted to call, before I toss the phone onto the bed.

Don’t make a fool of yourself, Dash.

I get up instead, and head to take a shower—even though morning showers won’t ever be the same after the downright-illegal things Callie did the last time I was under the spray.

I sigh. I have no idea where her head’s at right now. After an amazing trip together, everything seemed to hit a wall when I walked her to her door last night. I thought for sure she’d invite me in to stay, but nope.

Maybe I imagined the connection between us, and for her, and this was only ever a friends-with-benefits kind of deal.

Except we weren’t even friends to start with, so more like business associates with benefits.

Right. The business arrangement. The one that specifically said, no feelings.

I groan.

Yeah, this is why I don’t do relationships: So I don’t end up arguing with myself like an idiot. Seriously, I’m like a step away from taking one of those online quizzes to see if Callie’s just not that into me.

Maybe there was just something in the water in Palm Beach, I decide, toweling off. Or Zelda was slipping it into my morning coffee. Anything to explain why I’ve gone from zero to a hundred on this woman in just a few days flat. From thinking she’s an argumentative loudmouth, to wishing she was here so I could kiss that mouth…

And other places.

I shake my head. Callie never said a word about wanting this to last beyond our trip, and the last thing I want to do is make her feel awkward—or set myself up for a killer rejection. I need to take a hint.

Time to get my head back in the fucking game.

* * *

So, that’s exactly what I do. I catch up on email, make some calls to check in with my investments, and break the good news to my financial advisor, Sarah, that the trust is back on track—and soon to be landing back in my accounts.

“Nice work,” she says. “I should have known you’d come through.”

“Well, I had some help from a friend,” I admit, and then get caught in a flashback of how much more Callie and I were than friends.

The taste of her mouth. The feel of her body pinned underneath me. The way she moans right before she comes...

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