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And she’s right there. The woman I’ve been thinking about all night is right fucking there.
I find Karli dancing around. Large wine glass in one hand. Medical journal in the other hand. Popcorn kernels scattered across the coffee table. She’s shaking her hips and yammering the lyrics to whatever song is playing in her earbuds.
While the rest of the women in town are all dolled up and hitting the bars and looking for attention tonight, Karli’s at home, having a dance party for one. I feel a wide smile pull at my lips.
She’s effortlessly adorable with her messy hair, oversized T-shirt and reading glasses, gulping down wine like hangovers aren’t a thing.
And fuck all the popular drinking spots around town. As far as I’m concerned, the Brighton family living room is the place to be tonight.
12
MASON
Under compulsion, my feet start moving in Karli’s direction, but then I stop myself.No, Mason. Keep your distance. Go to bed. Don’t go looking for trouble.
Fuck. This whole ‘staying away from my roomie’ thing sucks. But it’s the right thing to do.For the sake of my job.
And for the sake of my balls. Since I don’t particularly want the Brighton brothers to rip them off my body and use them as hacky sacks.
Deciding that it’s best not to disturb Karli’s party, I creep toward the staircase. But my shadowy reflection flashes in the decorative mirror on the living room wall as I go.
My roommate startles with a loud squeak.
Whipping around to face me, Karli drops her book, grabs a pillow and flings it at my head all in one seamless move.
Christ. This woman’s reflexes are like lightning.
My roomie yanks out her earbuds, giggling and clutching her chest as wine sloshes over the rim of her glass. “Seriously? Again?! When will you learn to stop sneaking up on me?”
A smile clings to the corners of my lips. I take a step toward the living room. “When willyoulearn about those earbuds you constantly have in your ears? Psht. Always trying to accuse me of sneaking up on you. You’re not allowed to mute your senses and then be mad when they don’t work like they’re supposed to.”
My eyes skim over the naughty reading glasses she’s wearing and the stretchy leggings pasted to her thighs.You’re also not allowed to dance around the living room in the middle of the night, looking like a sexy librarian.
But I don’t say that part out loud. I have a feeling she’d punch me again.
At the moment, however, Karli is staring at me, right in the face, with a dopey little smile on her lips. It takes me by surprise. Since the moment I moved in here, she’s been deliberately avoiding me and running away from me at every turn. But tonight she’s…smiling?
“Hi, Mason…” she says, like she might actually be happy to see me.
“Hi, Karli…” I feel my heart do an embarrassing little dance move in my chest.
My eyes hook on hers a little too long. When I catch myself,I shake my head.Remember the rules, Mason.
I drop my gaze to the floor. That’s when I notice the letters scattered about all around her feet. I get close enough to make out the different university emblems on the papers.
Wait—is she in here dancing around on her med school rejection letters?
I squint and tilt my head to try and get a better look. But Karli springs into my path, awkwardly trying to kick the papers under the couch. She gives me a sheepish expression.
Right. I should be minding my business.
Turning around, I head into the dark kitchen. I need space from her so I don’t do something stupid. But she follows behind me. With her wine glass in one hand and her wine bottle in the other hand.
My heartbeat jumps when I realize we’re now alone in the shadowy kitchen. We haven’t been alone in a dark room since…
My dick jumps when I remember our night in the motel room.
Nope. Not going there.
