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32
DITA
A knock sounded at my door before it opened cautiously. “Hey, Dita. Can I come in?”
That voice. A tad softer than the one I dreamed about.
I looked up at the person standing at the other side of my temporary room. His head peeked inside; hair styled backwards. He wore no nose ring nor was there an outline of a nipple piercing through his white shirt. But he looked so devilishly handsome. I cursed Cary for making boys this gorgeous.
And identical.
Especially because they were identical.
That face.
Those dark, pensive brows.
Silver so striking.
My heart squeezed painfully.
“Sure,” I squeaked, thinking this past week without Ares in my life—well, a week consisting of ignoring texts and calls and denying myself the right to cry myself to sleep—would mend my heart somewhat.
It didn’t.
Rio took me in; pajamas with slices of pineapple on them, hair a mess, and the largest boa constrictor encircled around my shoulders and waist.
Relax. It was just a stuffed animal.
One that was casually dropped off in front of my bedroom door somewhere at the start of this week and I couldn’t let go of. I slept with it, ate with it. Even took it to the bathroom with me once. Or twice. Definitely did it more than once.
“Sorry. I would’ve cleaned myself up a bit if I knew I had visitors!” I shouted the last sentence loud enough in the hopes my Mom or Cary could hear me. But I doubted it would slip past the stairs and into the large living room.
I heard a guilty cough. And I smiled.
It was easier to have an indication where a person was in here, since the place wasn’t as big as his sons’ mansion. The dry laugh came from Cary, who was probably sitting in his favorite lounge chair. He’ll be at the receiving end of my evil eye the next time I passed him.
Rio smiled. “At least your girlie perfume lingers in this room. Can’t say as much about Ar—uh, my brother’s.”
The pang in my chest struck, and I wanted to ask him what he meant. But his expression said it all, so I joked about it. “Are you a pirate now?”
Rio shook his head and scrunched his nose. “Wish I was. Rather have the stink of rotten tooth gums than… well, death.”
It made me chuckle. “There’s a Fatboy in the corner, or you can use the desk chair,” I said, and smelled the boa to see if it missed Ares’ familiar bodily scent.
My stomach plummeted.
Nothing.
Just the girlie perfume Rio mentioned and the soothing scent of caffeine. I took a big enough breath to still the emotions stirring inside.
Rio dropped his backpack on the floor. “Got you coffee. And a muffin. Wanna share?”
“It’s been a while since we did this.” Even my morning routine was totally wrecked. “You got chocolate chip?”
He nodded and zipped open the bag, revealing two travel mugs. He handed one over and put the freshly baked muffin on the nightstand while I immediately popped the tiny lid and brought it to my lips.
Rio’s knuckles brushed against my cheek, soft and sweet, and then petted the snake. “New roommate?”
