Page 11 of Beautiful Crazy

When Emily moved in here three years ago, I thought we might need some respectful ground rules so she would be comfortable but also know that our living situation was a comfortable and safe space for both of us.“So do you mean like, put a sock on the door if you have a special someone in there with you?” she asks, wiggling her eyebrows.

Bobbing my head, I purse my lips. “I mean, it doesn’t have to be a sock. We’re both adults, we could just text each other to let the other know there will be a third party in the apartment. Like, if you’re going to bring some guy home, just let me know and I’ll…work late or go run some errands or something to give you some alone time.”

“Right.” She nods. “Yeah, okay. But maybe we need slightly more fun rules instead of just ‘hey I’m getting laid and don’t want to be interrupted.’”

A smile spreads across my face. “Okay. What did you have in mind?”

She gets up from the couch and grabs a piece of paper off my desk along with one of her purple pens. I notice she always goes for the purple pen. Purple must be her favorite color.

“Okay. I think we need rules like, we take turns binge-watching shows on Netflix.”

“That’s fair. Do we ever get to veto each other’s shows?”

She shakes her head. “Nope. If it’s my night. I get to pick and you have to suck it up until it’s your turn…unless we both agree that we don’t like a new show or something.”

“Deal.”

I watch as she excitedly scrolls down the new rule on her paper. “Okay, what else?”

She sticks the end of the purple pen in her mouth and for a quick second I watch her work it between her lips, but then she pulls it out and says, “How about we have to eat dinner together at least twice a week and we’re each responsible for one meal?”

I raise my brows. “Cooking it?”

She shrugs. “Or buying it. Whatever. But sort of like one night you cook and one night I cook.”

“Do you know how to cook?”

She scoffs but smiles at the same time. “Of course, I can cook.”

“Okay then. Next rule.”

“Umm…okay, let me think. Oh yeah, this is an important one. We can never get involved.”

“With each other?” I ask.

“Yeah.”

I smirk and then give her a quick once-over. She’s cute, but not my type. Not that she knows that.

“Why not?”

“Because it would be weird. And then I would have to explain all that to Wes.”

“Ah, true. I don’t need to deal with your big brother’s assholery when he finds that out. And I’m seeing someone anyway, so moot point.”

“Okay well, just remember.” She points her pen at me. “I’m not your sloppy seconds when you break up with her.”

“What makes you think I’ll break up with her?”

“I’m not saying you’ll break up with her. I’m just saying. No kissing and no sex with the roommate.”

“Not a problem. Oh, but now I have a rule.”

“Oh!” Her brows shoot up. “Let’s hear it.”

“No walking around naked while we’re both in the apartment.”

She giggles. “Why would I ever do that?”

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