AllFreeNovel
Share Us
His smile was endearingly confused. “That is your name, isn’t it?”
“You’ve only ever called me Gemma, like I’m some naughty child.”
He let out a deliciously horse laugh. “Well, if the shoe fits.”
We stood staring at each other for a while, my heartbeat in my ears. “Do you—” I cleared my throat. “Do you want a snack or something? I’m kind of hungry.”
His eyes roved over me, and I picked at the hem of my jacket, my bare feet rubbing against each other after I’d kicked off my shoes. As if he really liked my chipped toenail polish, he grinned. “Yeah, me too.”
He was an absurd man, and I don’t know why I liked him so much.
I pulled out hummus and chips, while he sat down on one of my mismatched chairs, scooting it away from Mr. Clooney, who lounged on his back on top of the table. His silver eye followed Jason’s actions.
“Your cat’s freaking me out.”
“George, off the table.” I snapped, and he vaulted from the table to a cabinet by the doorway to the couch in the living room.
“That’s pretty impressive to do with one eyeball.”
“He’s missing an eye, not a leg,” I said, pouring us drinks into mason jars.
“What is that?” His lip curled up slightly at the sight of the whitish liquid.
“Coconut water.”
He lifted one of the glasses. “If it’s water, why isn’t it clear?”
I sipped some from my own glass. “Because it comes from a coconut.” When he held it aloft, examining it from side to side as if he’d find a bug or something in it, I jostled his shoulder. “It’s full of nutrients and replenishes electrolytes after a workout. Try it, it’s good.”
“I highly doubt that,” he said with a skeptical eyebrow raise.
“You liked the vegan burger.” I pushed the glass toward his mouth with one finger on the bottom. “Don’t be such a baby.”
He grumbled something unintelligible then took a big gulp.
“So?”
He wagged his tongue. “Gross. Tastes like a mix of feet and cereal milk that was left out overnight.”
“How many toes have you been sucking on that you know what feet taste like?”
“Hey, don’t kink shame,” he said with a cringe. “And I’m assuming that’s what feet taste like.” He wiped at his mouth. “It’s offensive to call that water. How do you drink that?”
“I have to change. Help yourself to whatever.” I poured him a glass of regular old tap water then ambled down the hall, smiling to myself. At least he tried it. Most people didn’t even taste my vegan offerings. I shucked off my jacket and lifted my oversized T-shirt over my head before I discovered it.
The monster in the corner.
I screeched reflexively, my phobia in control of my body. “Jason!”
“What? What’s wrong?” He bounded down the hall instantly, running into me as I sprinted from my bedroom. We collided with anoof, and he seized my shoulders, a half-eaten chip still in his hand, as his eyes scanned my body in panic. “Are you hurt?”
My palms were already wet with sweat. “Spider.”
“What?”
“In my room.” I shivered. “There’s a gigantic spider in my room. You have to kill it.”
“You’re kidding.”
