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“Should we go down there?”
“Don’t ask me. How the fuck should I know.”
“Well, do they sound like they’re about to get physical?”
“There’s been no crashing, smashing, or cracking, so I think we’re safe.”
He nodded. “In that case, I’m going back to bed. I stayed up way too late sexting Ella.”
“Seriously?” I glared at him.
“What?” He shrugged. “You could be up all night sexting your girl if you bothered to keep one around long enough.”
“Asshole.” I flipped him off right as he closed the door in my face.
The shouting had stopped, so I took my chances and headed downstairs.
“Morning.” I breezed into the kitchen, stopping dead in my tracks at the sight of Aurora crying.
She glanced up and sniffled, frantically trying to dry her eyes with the back of her hands. “Sorry, we didn’t wake you, did we?”
“What happened, and how hard do I need to kick Austin’s ass?”
She laughed weakly, but it was a laugh, and I felt fucking ten feet fall that I’d made it happen.
“It was just a silly argument. I’ll be fine.” She turned away from me, inhaling a shuddering breath.
“Shortcake,” I said, going to her. “You don’t have to hide from me. We’re roomies, remember. Roomies tell each other things.”
“I swear to God, Noah. If you ask me to have a naked pillow fight with you, I’m packing my bag and leaving.” She glanced back, flashing me a weary smile.
“There she is,” I said, falling into her big green eyes.
“Noah?”
Aurora turned, and I was so aware of her proximity, so fucking stunned by how beautiful and sad she looked all at that same time, that I couldn’t breathe. The pain in her expression knocked the air clean from my lungs, and at that moment, all I wanted to do was fix it.
“Yeah, shortcake?”
“You’re looking at me weird.”
“I… uh, I’m tired,” I stuttered out. “I’m really fucking tired.”
“Right.” Her mouth twitched. “Do you want breakfast? I was about to make Austin pancakes before he took off like a coward.”
“Asshole.” I smirked, forcing myself to move away from her and to one of the stools at the breakfast counter. “Do you want to talk about it?” I asked.
“Oh, it’s just boring family stuff.” She didn’t meet my eyes, and that told me all I needed to know.
“Aurora, look at me.” Slowly, she lifted her gaze to mine and graced me with another weak smile. But I still couldn’t get over how beautiful she looked. How raw and vulnerable and real.
“I know we’re mortal enemies,” I said, “but you can talk to me. I know a thing or two about boring family stuff.”
Sucking in her bottom lip between her teeth, she contemplated my words. My offer.
Maybe I was a fool to keep putting myself out there when it was obvious she’d already made up her mind about me.
But there was something about Aurora Hart that made me want to keep trying.
