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My heart pounds in my chest as the words sit on the tip of my tongue, but I can’t push them out just yet. I love him. I think I’ve always loved him, even when I hated him, but I can’t help feeling scared to say those words aloud. I’m worried if I do, it’ll jinx everything we have going for us so far.
Drew walks in the door thirty minutes later and immediately curses the second he sees the dog run toward him. “Travis?” he calls out, bending down and picking the puppy up. I’m watching him from the living room, but he hasn’t seen me yet. “Did a new roommate move in that I’m unaware of?”
“He’s mine,” I say, bringing his attention to me. “Isn’t he cute?” I smile, hoping he won’t ask a million questions about him, but I know better.
“Yeah, adorable,” he deadpans. “Why’s he in my house?”
“Because he lives here,” Travis chimes in, stalking from the hallway without a shirt on.Dammit. Why is he shirtless?
“Since when?” Drew asks, setting him down and watches as he runs back to me.
“Today,” I answer, picking him up. “Travis gave him to me as a thank-you gift for taking such good care of him. Is it okay that he stays here?” I give him my best pleading look and pout out my lip.
He sighs, setting his gear down on the table. “You’re okay with this?” He directs his question to Travis. “I mean, you basically bought yourself a dog, man.” He shakes his head a little with an amused chuckle.
“Yeah, it’s fine. But it’s Viola’s dog. She’ll take care of him when she’s around and then…” He slips his hands into his front pockets and shrugs carelessly. “I’ll take care of him until she’s back.”
I watch as Drew furrows his brows at Travis, trying to read his intentions. “Something weird is going on.”
“Drew, c’mon. You know I’ve wanted a dog forever.” I keep my eyes locked on his, knowing he’ll cave any second.
He inhales through his nose, and I watch as his chest rises and falls with a deep sigh. “Fine, whatever. But I’m not picking up any dog poop. I deal with enough shit at work. I don’t need more of it when I come home.”
I smile in victory but hide it behind Gryff’s head. I know Travis and I dodged another bullet with Drew, but now isn’t the right time to tell him.
“Are your clothes in the wash, Vi?” Drew asks from the kitchen. “I need to throw a load in.”
“Just set it down by the washer, and I’ll throw it in after I change mine over.”
“Okay, thanks. I’m going to hit the gym for a couple of hours then.”
I nod, and he disappears into his room for a few moments before he resurfaces in his workout clothes. “Fuck!”
I nearly jump from the couch and run down the hallway when I spot Drew standing in front of a pile of dog poop. “Oh, no.” I pick Gryff up and hold him close to my chest. He’s shaking. “He didn’t mean to. He’s just nervous.”
Drew walks around me without saying another word, and I know he’s already unhappy about the puppy. He heads down the hall, and I exhale as I hear the bathroom door click shut.
“I’ll clean it up, Princess. Don’t worry. Drew’s been an emotional mess the past couple of weeks. It’s not you.”
It may not be me, but I can think of a certain someone who is probably the cause of all his pent-up aggression.Mia.
Once Travis cleans up the mess and sprays the carpet, he calls me to the kitchen. I hear him banging around pots and pans, and I can’t help but wonder what the hell he’s getting into now.
“I know you said you didn’t want anything of mine near your mouth, but I make a really kick-ass pasta dish.”
“A puppyanddinner?” I ask with a smug smile. “You sure know the way to a girl’s heart, don’t you?”
He cups my cheek and pulls me in, so our mouths are just barely touching. “Just yours, Viola.” He presses his lips to mine for a deep, passionate kiss. “You were always the girl.”
“And you were always the boy, Travis King.”
He wraps his arms around my waist and attacks my mouth with his tongue and lips. I take everything he’s offering and more.
“Let’s skip dinner,” he whispers against my mouth. “I’dmuchrather have dessert instead. What do you think?”
“Too much dessert in your diet isn’t a healthy balance,” I say.
“Since when have I cared about a healthy balance?”
