The Room Mate (Roommates #1)(12)

I made a low sound of disapproval in my throat, but the truth was, her presence would cramp my plans if I was going to pick someone up. And something told me that alcohol plus Paige was a bad combination. All of our inhibitions would be lowered. Not that I was going to fall into bed with her—I had enough self-control to prevent that. Well, probably. But who knew what I might say? I couldn’t go admitting that the fifteen-year-old me used to jack off to her yearbook photo every night. I’d have my man card revoked.

“Did Allie mention that charity event to you tomorrow?” she asked, chewing on her lower lip.

I wiped my hands on a dishtowel. “I told her I’d go. You?”

She nodded. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow, then. Have fun tonight.” She grabbed her laptop bag from the floor of the dining room and disappeared to her room, like she was desperate to get away from me.

But what had I expected? We’d drink tequila and reminiscence about the past? Actually, yeah, I’d been kind of hoping we would. I guessed there was always tomorrow.

After a nice dinner together and easy conversation, I was pleased to see that perhaps our new living arrangement would work. Yes, I was sexually attracted to her, but that didn’t mean I’d ever act on it.

I headed to my room since I still had an hour before I was to meet up with the other interns from my program and a few friends from the hospital. Collapsing onto my horribly uncomfortable futon bed, I stuffed a pillow under my head and let out a heavy sigh.

Paige had been a surprise tonight. She was down to earth and easy to talk to. Optimistic and sweet. I knew I was cramping her style being here, but she handled it all with such grace. Of course, I wished she hadn’t felt the need to sneak off to her bedroom under the guise of having to work, but whatever. Everyone needed alone time occasionally. I was the same way. After a busy shift at the hospital, I craved silence.

Fishing my phone from my jeans pocket, I opened a social media app I seldom used. For some reason, I found myself typing Paige’s name into the search bar, clicking Enter, and then waiting while it pulled up her photo.

I clicked through the few photos she had shared, noting that most of them were either selfies or pictures of her and my sister. There didn’t seem to be a boyfriend in any of the shots, which was odd. She was gorgeous, and most of all normal. I didn’t know why I couldn’t seem to attract a nice, normal girl.

After tossing the phone onto the mattress beside me, I pressed the heels of my hands against my eyes and took a deep breath. Just looking at her had my cock rising. Knowing she was in the next room and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about my attraction to her was a bitch of a combination. I wasn’t used to having to exercise such self-control.

My hand wandered under my jeans, adjusting where my now hard cock was pressing into the zipper. Biting down on my lip, I took the weight of my cock in my hand and began to stroke.

I told myself it was merely cleaning out the pipes before I went out for the evening. It’s not like I could bring a girl home to Paige’s place.

Unbuttoning my jeans, I freed myself from the denim prison. Stroking in hard pulls, I imagined how Paige’s small, soft hand would feel moving up and down my shaft, her delicate fingers massaging my balls. With a swallowed grunt of pleasure, I pumped faster, racing toward my release.

A noise of surprise caught my attention, and I opened my eyes to see Paige standing in my doorway.

Fuck!

Unable to tuck my swollen cock back into my jeans, I pulled a pillow into my lap and gazed up at her. “Are you here to lend a hand, princess?”

Her face turned tomato red and she stammered out an apology before scurrying off down the hall.

After a few deep breaths to get myself under control, I tucked a very unhappy camper back into my pants and went in search of her. Paige was in the living room, standing in front of the window, her shoulders tense.

When she heard me approach, she turned to face me. “Oh my God, I am so sorry.” Her expression was pained, and I could tell she genuinely felt terrible. “I didn’t mean to just barge in like that.”

“Then why did you?”

“I thought I heard you say my name.”

Fuck. Had I? I blew out a frustrated breath and pushed my hands into my hair.

Paige crossed the room and sat on the edge of the couch. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think this is going to work.”

Still reeling and on edge, I took another deep breath. Lacing my fingers behind my neck, I stood before her. Her cheeks were still stained pink, and her eyes were glassy.

“I get it. You don’t think we can stay together under one roof without fucking each other’s brains out.”

She made a noise of surprise in her throat. “I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t have to, princess. Your reactions to me told me everything I needed to know.”

Paige’s blue eyes widened, locking onto mine. I’d given her one hell of a shock. But the look in her eyes was far from disgusted or angry.

Fuck. Playing with her was almost too easy. And fun.

Aside from her physical response to me, I knew she was recalling the first time I’d called her princess all those years ago. I was a rotten ten-year-old, and she and Allie were entering their freshman year of high school. Things had changed between us. I was no longer their cute little sidekick. I was a disease they couldn’t seem to shake. They didn’t want me near them, and since I was too young to understand it, let alone communicate my feelings about it, I’d lashed out.