Home > Model Behavior (Wrecked Roommates, #1)(9)

Model Behavior (Wrecked Roommates, #1)(9)
Author: Kelsie Rae

All I want to do is curl up into a ball and sleep for a week, but I need to wash my face and pee before I can finally give in to my exhaustion. I also need a freaking toothbrush, but that’ll have to wait until tomorrow.

Resting my head in my hands, the quiet in the room finally whispers the truth that I’ve been trying to avoid all day. But it hits me harder than a wrecking ball.

Ian and I are over. We’re really over. I refuse to go back to him again. Even if he was my first. Even if we’ve been together so long that I don’t remember what it’s like to be without him. Even if I know this’ll be messy and that Ian won’t let me go easily. Not when he needs me.

But I can do this. I can stand on my own.

Can’t I?

My body feels heavy as I push myself up from my bed and head to the bathroom. I splash some cool water on my face then cringe as I take in the bags under my eyes in the mirror. I look like crap, and my freckled skin is even paler than usual. Hell, I look like a freaking ghost.

No wonder Ian was screwing other people.

I squeeze my eyes shut and grab the hem of my white T-shirt before remembering that I don’t have any pajamas to change into. I didn’t bring any.

Well, that’s just lovely.

Gritting my teeth, I yank off my bra and weave it through the armhole of my T-shirt.

I should’ve grabbed a few things before I stormed out of my apartment. That would’ve made my next twenty-four hours so much easier, but apparently, I’m batting a thousand lately.

White bra in hand, I fling the bathroom door open and run into a very hard, very naked, and slightly sweaty chest.

Oomph.

My palms press against it in self-preservation as a gasp escapes me.

“Shit, sorry,” River mutters. His hands envelop my biceps, making sure I’m steady while simultaneously putting two feet of distance between us. “You okay?”

Frazzled, I look up at him with wide eyes.

“Uh, yup,” I squeak. “Sorry. I was just in my own little world, I guess.”

“No worries.” A smirk teases his lips as he scans me up and down before dropping his gaze to his bare feet, where my bra is currently residing.

Shit.

Scrambling for it, I squat down to pick up my bra then swallow my tongue as I look back up at a very amused River.

Girl on knees in front of hot guy with no shirt on…now this is a precarious position.

I gulp but hold his gaze as my hand mindlessly searches for the lacy fabric that got me into this position in the first place. When my fingers brush against the elastic strap, I fist the material and offer my new roomie a tight smile.

But I don’t move another muscle.

I can’t.

I’m too frozen with embarrassment, and self-consciousness, and awkwardness, and maybe a little curiosity too. Not that I’d actually do anything. Not that he’d even want me to. But my brain has been mush since I found Ian and his skank. And for some reason, the heat in River’s eyes seems to recharge me instead of siphoning off the last of my energy like everything else in my life.

Or maybe I’m hallucinating from lack of sleep and sheer exhaustion.

His deep chuckle makes my insides tighten as he offers his hand to help me up while simultaneously breaking the spell he’d cast on me.

Clearing my throat, I take it. His palm is warm and––despite his pretty-boy eyes that hint he’s never worked a day in his life––they’re a little calloused, too, which only fuels my curiosity for the enigma in front of me. My forearms pebble with awareness from his touch, but I ignore it and pull myself up.

“Uh, thanks,” I mumble under my breath.

“Is that what you’re sleeping in?”

Confused, I look down to examine my outfit and find the girls practically playing peek-a-boo through the thin material of my shirt. My face scrunches up in embarrassment.

And it just had to be white, I think to myself before folding my arms across my chest.

He smirks. Again. That same arrogance hovers around him like a familiar security blanket that’s both annoying and hot as hell. He knows he’s attractive. He knows he’s making me squirm. He knows that I know that he knows.

And he’s thriving off it.

With a huff, I explain, “I had to get out of my place in a hurry and forgot to grab a change of clothes. I would ask if you have a T-shirt I could borrow or something, but since I’ve never actually seen you wearing one, I’m gonna go ahead and assume you’re a little behind on your laundry.”

He laughs, then steps around me and back into his room without uttering a single word. Baffled and more curious than I’d like to admit, I watch him disappear for maybe three seconds before a cotton missile comes flying through the doorway and hits me in the chest.

I catch it, lifting the T-shirt into the air. The material is gray and looks worn in a way that only the best of shirts are. A University’s logo is printed on the front of it. I cock my head to the side and ask, “Do you go to LAU with Jake?”

His mouth quirks up in amusement, but he doesn’t answer me as he saunters back into the hallway. “We should probably get some shut-eye. After all, I gotta take care of the moneymaker, and I’ve heard you had a long day.” He tacks on another sexy wink. “Goodnight, Roomie.”

My heart flutters in my chest, but I shove the foreign feeling aside. “Goodnight. And thanks for the T-shirt.”

Another smirk. Then he steps around me and closes the bathroom door behind him, leaving me alone in the hall as I stare at the solid piece of wood that separates us.

Unable to help myself, I lift River’s shirt to my nose and breathe in the unique scent of laundry detergent and Old Spice, then stare at the closed door where he’s hiding.

River…who are you?

And why do you smell so freaking good?

 

 

5

 

 

Reese

 

 

With my face pressed against the pillow after a restless night of sleep, I groan. So help me, if that phone vibrates one more time, I’m going to throw it against the wall and break it into a million pieces. I peek one eye open and take in the soft light from the window that casts a cool glow across the room.

It’s too early to be awake right now, especially after the day I had yesterday. I squeeze my heavy eyelids closed another time, then pull the pillow on top of my head in hopes of falling back asleep. But my phone vibrates against the nightstand another time.

Cursing under my breath, I mumble, “No, no, no, no. I just want to sleeeep.”

It continues buzzing away until I finally chuck my pillow against the opposite wall, then give in and look at the screen.

My teeth grind together as I slide my thumb along the screen to answer the call and seethe, “It’s five in the morning, Ian.”

“I couldn’t sleep.”

“Well, I was sleeping like a baby,” I lie. “And you woke me up.”

“We should talk.”

Scoffing, I roll onto my back and stare up at the white ceiling above me. “Of course, you wouldn’t apologize for wrecking my beauty sleep. What do you really want, Ian?”

“I already told you. I want to talk.”

“You’ve already said your piece, remember?”

“Yeah, well, I want to say it again.”

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