AllFreeNovel
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“There’s a makeshift bedroom with a fully functioning bathroom.” Years ago, when I first got the shop, I didn’t have any extra money, so I lived here, which included setting up a makeshift bedroom. If this were any other time, I would invite her to my place but, fuck. Archie would kick my ass if I made his daughter stay in the garage. I hope I’m not going to regret this. “Fine. You can stay at my place. Grab your bags and throw them in my truck.”
Her lips turn up in a slow smile.
I’m going to regret this.
Stevie grabs her bags and saunters toward my truck. A low whistle sounds next to me. When I glance over, Jay’s at my side.
“You’re really letting her stay at your place?”
“As much as I want to, I can’t kick her out to the street.”
“Well, good luck resisting that one while she’s sleeping in your bed, probably wearing some skimpy, lacy thing on your sheets.”
I narrow my eyes at him. He holds his hands up in defense and slowly reverses his steps, but the devilish smile never leaves his face. It will only be for a few days. No one will know and then my life can go back to normal.
“Are you ready?” Stevie yells from the open garage door.
I turn to Jay. “I’ll be back. Get some shit done around here while I’m gone.”
“So, while I’m working here, you’ll be working her?”
I glare at Jay. My fists clench. I’m three seconds away from physically assaulting my friend, but instead I take the high road. For this, he’ll be scraping and polishing the head gaskets for the car we’re fixing later. I walk to the open garage door and past Stevie until I’m pulling open the door to my truck. With the key in the ignition, she jumps in as the truck rumbles to life.
Fifteen minutes later, we’re pulling into the driveway of my duplex. My place isn’t the swankiest place in town, but it’s mine. It was the first thing I purchased once I got my shop up and running. Jay rents out the top half since I don’t need an entire house to myself. The truck door slams behind me, and I stroll up to the door at ground level. When I glance behind me, Stevie is carting two suitcases down the uneven sidewalk.
“Don’t worry. I got everything.” She huffs as she hoists a suitcase up onto the cement landing.
“I never doubted you.”
She tilts her head and narrows her eyes.
I unlock the door and push it open, holding it open for her to walk in.
“Now you’re a gentleman.”
“Never claimed to be one.”
“Oh, I know. I remember all the times when you had me pinned up against the wall—”
“Stevie, I’m not doing this. No walks down memory lane.” I yank the suitcases from her and lead her through the small kitchen, into the living room, and around the corner to my bedroom. The suitcases hit the floor with a plop. “I’m only doing this for Archie.”
I toss a pillow to the floor. Then I strip the blanket and sheets off the bed and toss the sheet ball into the corner of the room. I pull open the closet door and grab a set of clean sheets and pillowcases from the top shelf. While Stevie stares from the other side of the room, I fold the fitted sheet over the last corner of the mattress and toss the sheet on top, along with the comforter.
“I’m sure you can finish the rest.” I grab the pillow off the floor and pull a blanket from the closet before closing the door.
“Where are you going?” she asks as her footsteps trail behind me.
“I’ll be sleeping on the couch.”
“We’re adults. We can share a bed. It will be like the good old days.” She tosses me a wink.
“That’s not happening.”
“Why not? Remember those nights where we would stay up past sun rise and not talk? You don’t want to relive those nights again, or do you have a girlfriend?” I freeze at the last word. “Oh. You have a girlfriend. How’s she going to react when she finds out your ex-girlfriend is sleeping in your bed?”
“She won’t. Because she’s not going to find out. And she’s not my girlfriend.” I don’t need Stevie knowing about Olivia. If Stevie came with a warning, it would be ‘doesn’t play well with other females.’ Keeping these two far away from each other is the best thing for all parties involved.
“With that reaction, she’s something. And if you think she won’t find out…you’re denser than a box of rocks.”
