AllFreeNovel
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That’s the truth. Even though we lost touch after a while, both of us moving to different parts of the country, I will always consider her a friend. That’s why I’m more than willing to serve as her pretend boyfriend if it makes her life a little easier, and at the end of the weekend, I’ll head back to Tennessee and her back to California.
And our relationship—albeit fake—will be over.
“I do know that,” she whispers, turning her head upward a little. When she does, her nose grazes against my neck and a shiver sweeps through my body.
Desperately in need of a little space, and a shower, I pull myself from her hug and retreat to the bathroom. “I’ll only be a few minutes,” I say, closing myself in the small room.
Exhaling deeply, I lean against the back of the door, realization setting in. These next two days are going to be the most trying of my life. The lines between friendship and more are starting to blur. That crush I’ve suddenly developed is big and alive, an ugly truth that I can’t seem to ignore. I’m going to have to give the performance of a lifetime, and at the end of it all, pretend it never happened at all.
Shouldn’t be a problem.
After a quick shower, one that uses more cold water than warm, I grab a towel and dry off. With the towel wrapped around my waist, I brush my teeth, run a comb through my hair, and place my glasses back on my face. Then, I turn to grab my clothes, only not finding any clothes. Probably because I didn’t grab any from the dresser drawer before I closed myself off in the bathroom.
Sighing, I realize there’s only one thing for me to do: walk out of here in my towel.
Chapter Seven
Cricket
I gather up my clothes as soon as I hear the shower shut off. It’s weird to see my things intermixed with a man’s, let alone Rueben’s. I haven’t lived with a male since my time with Danny in college, and even then, we weren’t stuffed in four hundred square feet of joint space.
Rueben agreed to help me with Danny, but I still feel bad. It was my big mouth that got us into this mess, and I’m determined to get him out of it as soon as I can. Maybe we can stage a breakup tonight at the alumni dinner? Though, the thought of a breakup with Rueben—whether fake or real—doesn’t sit well in my stomach.
I’ve kinda become attached to him.
When the sink turns off, I know my time to get ready is almost here. I make sure to have my travel cosmetic bag and other bathroom things, heading to the door as it opens.
And. Stop. Dead. In. My. Tracks.
Rueben is standing there in nothing but a white towel. My mouth goes dry and my tongue dangles from my lips. Truth, that last part doesn’t happen, but it could, you know, just like those cartoons I used to watch when I was little.
“Sorry,” he says, standing straight and looking both incredible and uncomfortable at the same time. “I forgot to take clothes in with me. I guess I’m not used to sharing a hotel room with anyone.”
I’m already shaking my head. “No problem! I’m the one crashing your space. I’ll just…go,” I stutter, waving my full hands toward the bathroom and juggling my things like a clown at a birthday party.
Inside the room, which still smells like Rueben’s soap, mind you, I drop all of my stuff on the vanity counter and start to sort it. Is it possible he didn’t notice the way my eyes were riveted to his chest, not missing the way the V of his hips dropped low and disappeared behind that lucky terrycloth? God, I hope so. Yet, I’m pretty sure a blind man could have seen the way I was practically drooling all over myself.
I find my shampoo and conditioner, but the face scrub and body wash aren’t here. I know I had them when I gathered my stuff for the shower. I guess I dropped them when I juggled my bath products and clothes. They’re probably lying on the floor beside the bed. I’m sure it would be no big deal to use Rueben’s body wash, but my face is sensitive enough that a change in product might not have a good outcome. I’ll just slip out and grab my stuff.
I open the door and say, “Hey, Rueb, I think I dropped my—”
But the words stop on my tongue, my mind going completely blank. Rueben is standing there—naked—with his back to me, the towel that was once wrapped around his waist, now dropped on the floor at his feet. All I can do is stare at his ass. His incredibly firm and perfectly round ass. It’s magnificent.
“Cricket?”
My eyes finally move up, taking in the muscled planes of his back and the way they tighten under my scrutiny. Words. Did he say something? I can’t recall. I finally glance all the way up, my eyes locking on his. The chocolate brown is an even darker shade of molten black, and they stare back at me with question and astonishment.
“What?”
He’s watching me over his shoulder, his bare ass still very much on display. “Did you forget something?”
I blink back.Did I forget something?
Yeah, my brain, apparently.
“Oh! Yes, I forgot my…” I glance around on the floor, spying my body wash and face scrub immediately. “Here it is!” I declare, picking up the misplaced bag. “Thanks for assing. I mean asking.” My face burns with mortification. “I’ll just…” I point over my shoulder as I backpedal to the bathroom.
Of course, my traitorous eyes drop down once more, drinking in one last, long look at that very fine derriere. Before I can slip into the bathroom, where I have a likely chance of accidental drowning in the toilet, my eyes flick up to his face, catching the hint of humor and the smile on his lips.
