AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I huff, but my eyes are still heavy with exhaustion and my body aches when I haven’t even climbed out of bed yet. I don’t hear anyone else in the house up and about either. “I have a class at 9,” I argue half-heartedly.
“It’s Saturday,” he corrects, his hand dragging over my face. “Now, snooze.”
I sigh, but we both know I’m going to cave. I let him hold me closer and close my eyes, drifting back to sleep almost instantly. This time without any of the broken and haunting pieces of my dreams to follow. I sleep deeper than I have in years.
The next time I wake up, I actually feel better. Good enough to slip out of bed and go search for Isla. Maybe Baylor had a point. Last night was hell on earth and I still have hours until my shift at Tease tonight. If there’s any day to take a rest day, it’s today.
Finding Isla isn’t hard when I just follow the scent of coffee in the air. She sits at their island, a mug wrapped tightly in her hands as steam from it curls around her face.
“Good morning, sleepyhead,” she teases.
I roll my eyes. “You’re one to talk.” Her eyes are still swollen with sleep and the evidence of her tears. I didn’t bother looking in the mirror because I don’t even want to imagine what my own face looks like. There are some things that I just don’t need to know.
“Baylor still asleep?” Wells asks as he puts another mug full of coffee in front of me.
I nod to answer him, taking a long sip of the burning liquid that still tastes like heaven. “Thanks.”
Turning my attention to Isla, I lean my head on her shoulder. “How are you feeling today?”
“Less overwhelmed,” she answers. “A little angrier. You?”
I shrug, sitting up straight and drinking more coffee to buy myself time before I answer her. “Same, I guess.” My voice stayseven but with one look she knows I’m full of shit. I’m probably even more overwhelmed today than I was last night as I think of all the ramifications of this. I can’t guess what the goal this fucker might have, but if it’s seriously denting my bank account than he’s on a winning streak. “Want to go to the grocery store and make lunch?”
It’s just after 11, so we should have plenty of time to make something easy for the guys as a thank you for letting us stay here.
Wells puts a credit card in front of me. “This is the house card. If you’re buying anything for the house, use this. At the end of the month we all split it evenly. But be warned, if it goes in this fridge, it’s fair game for anyone. You want to save something for yourself? Put it in the fridge in the garage. We won’t touch it if it’s out there.”
Isla giggles at whatever look I must have made. “She’s impressed,” she faux whispers to Wells.
Flipping her off, I shrug. “It’s a good system.”
Wells beams at the praise as if it really was a huge compliment. “We like to keep it fair and easy.”
I finish my coffee and rinse out the mug before placing it in the dishwasher. “I’ll get dressed and we’ll go?”
Isla smirks. “Pants would be good for the public,” she agrees. She looks at Wells before turning to look over her shoulder and then back at my bare legs, chewing her lip. “Maybe you shouldn’t walk around here pantsless?” she asks hesitantly, looking at Wells for an answer. “There are other people here.”
“Oh come on, Isla,” Beau chastises as he walks into the room. “I’m a fan of the new view. In fact, I think we should all follow Torryn’s lead.” A paper towel roll bounces off his face and Wells glares at him.
“Torryn can do whatever she’s most comfortable doing, but don’t be a horn dog about it. And keep your pervy eyes off mygirlfriend,” Wells growls. It’s kind of sweet he won’t tell me what to do but will throw objects at his friends.
Not that Beau is at all deterred. “Pft,” he scoffs. “Torryn knows there is a difference between being a horndog and appreciating art that is being put in front of my eyeballs. Right, Tor?”
I snort and raise a brow. “I haven’t shaved my legs in a week.” His responding laugh helps me relax even as I turn around to find James red-faced and staring at my legs. “I can put pants on.”
He shakes his head, making Beau cackle behind me. “Don’t worry, T. He likes the view too.”
James flips him off as Baylor walks into the kitchen, his hair a rumpled mess that makes him look younger and more boyish. “Don’t mind me,” James says. “We want you to be comfortable here.”
Baylor’s eyes flick between all of us before heat flashes in them when they catch on my legs and slowly work their way up to the hem of his shirt. “Is it too soon to say I’m happy most of your clothes got destroyed?”
I roll my eyes and flip him off, but my lips twitch in amusement.
“Amen,” Beau agrees. “In fact, I think we should throw all of our clothes out in solidarity.”
A muffled thunk followed by a grunt tells me Wells threw something else at Beau, but I don’t turn around to see what it was. Instead, I make my way up to my new room where we dropped my remaining stuff on the floor. I sigh as I stand in the doorway and look over the bare and mostly empty room. It’s nothing like the room at my place. Bare walls, bare floor, but hey, at least there are bed sheets and a comforter on the bed. They might be a boring navy blue, but at least they’re there.It’s not like I have anything left to make it feel more like mine anyway.
A problem for another day.
