Be Your Downfall

by Lizzie Fox

  This one was decorated in light, seafoam greens and yellows; not quite my taste but it fit together, somehow. A queen bed sat on the wall, along with a beige sofa on one wall and I’d kept the only furniture that ever mattered to me—even though it didn’t match.

  “I know those nightstands don’t match, but they belonged to my grandmother on my dad’s side. Came with a matching desk and a bookshelf that’s downstairs.” I sighed, snorting. “You don’t care, though.”

  “Not true. They’re nice. Nice to see how you tick a little,” Seth said, flashing me a playful glint that sent tingles down my spine and started to make my legs weak. Goddammit he was hot. And he was standing here… in my bedroom. All I had to do was grab him, and pull him down…

  He coughed gently, as we both uncomfortably eyed the bed and avoided the other’s eyes. “Your grandmother… do you see her often?” He finally asked.

  I shook my head sullenly. “She died long before I was born, but she was a writer too; long ago they were willed to my dad.”

  “What’s he like?” He inquired, raising an intrigued brow.

  “Dead.” Was all I said blankly. He winced.

  “Damn, Jessie, I’m sorry…” I waved him off.

  “Car accident. I was very young. I don’t remember him. We grew up very poor but my mom was at least pretty cool until…” Until she thought I destroyed my life by getting married before high school was even over. And then again when in a fit of sadness, I hooked up with Adam and didn’t look back. “I only have a cousin left and even that is strange. His biological dad was my dad’s brother, but he was adopted. I never met my uncle, but that’s how he found me.”

  “Your family might be as messed up as mine,” he said, with a knowing chuckle. “Amazing you turned out so well.”

  “Not so well…” I muttered. He eyed me strangely, but I didn’t elaborate.

  I gently cleared my throat, forcing awkward thoughts aside. “Anyway so this is the house. Or, if you like, you can take the bedroom downstairs instead.”

  “This one is fine. I like the view.” His honey-colored eyes roved over my body, and I got the distinct feeling he wasn’t talking about the lake. My breath caught in my throat at his intense stare, like he was undressing me with his eyes.

  I shook myself, trying to ignore the heat building deep inside from that intense stare of his. “Downstairs…” I muttered, quickly stalking off before I did something very stupid.

  “So what do you think of Independence Point so far, Jessie?” He laughed at himself as we traipsed down the stairs. “Crap, I just noticed I keep calling you Jessie. I’m sorry, is that okay?”

  Chuckling, I turned to him. “Well I did sign the ad ‘Jesse’. Of course I didn’t spell it right…”

  “Autocorrect fails, clearly,” he retorted, and I laughed.

  “Yeah we’ll blame that.”

  “What else would it be?” Seth grinned, raking his top teeth over the piercing, and my fists clenched at my side. God he was hot… so hot…

  I didn’t even notice he was talking at first, I was so distracted by the sexy thing he did with his mouth. “Was all this furniture here?” Seth asked curiously, walking around the great room, slowly taking everything in.

  “Everything but the couch and the chair there.” I motioned across the room. “I’ve been here just long enough to get them switched out. The last one was ugly so I banished it to the basement.”

  “Really strange that all of it was just left behind.”

  “That’s what happens during a foreclosure sometimes. Perhaps the person died, or something. You don’t have any idea who lived here before, do you?” I inquired. He paused in his pacing to shake his head.

  “Nope, it was empty long before I was here. One of the guys might know,” he replied. I sat down on the sofa and he came and sat opposite of me. “So… what do you think?”

  “Think?” I chortled. “Right. Well…” I scrubbed a hand over my face, pulling my hair along with it; a nervous habit I had as I ran my fingers through it. When I caught Seth staring I blushed and quickly stopped. “I mean if you think it’s a good idea… being here. Even though…”

  “Even though what?” He challenged, quirking his pierced brow. “Even though I’m obviously attracted to you?”

  I swallowed thickly, I couldn’t even speak.

  “Hey, I need a place to go, and you need someone here. It’s a win-win. Anything else is just…bonus.” I don’t know who he was trying to convince more, himself, or me.

  “Right.” I sighed, leaning over my lap and burying my face in my palms. Was I really going to do this? Really?

  I really didn’t want to be alone. And no one else responded… that was excuse enough, right?

  “Jessie?” I felt a hand on my shoulder, and I looked at him with surprise, when my skin tingled and heated underneath his fingers. Quickly he pulled away. “Sorry…” He muttered hesitantly.

  “It’s fine,” I replied shortly, though I was anything but. Especially looking into those eyes… those damn eyes. This was the second time I’d seen them so up close; the first time being that night at the Lagoona. Today they weren’t rimmed with black, but still just as smoldering and sultry. I felt my breath hitch as his tongue gently ran over the ring in his lip, before he sucked it in, gently biting it. I was fascinated watching his mouth work. My mind was full of irrational and dirty thoughts. I blew it out, though—the breath—and finally spoke.

  “Is this a good idea? Really? I’m not sure I’m…” I wanted to say I wasn’t sure I was looking for a relationship, because that was always my excuse for everything whenever I tried to go out on a date. Since my divorce, I’d been on three. And all three times they were nice enough but, there was just something missing. No chemistry, no magic. I knew what was missing, and it was currently standing in the living room of my new house.

  Seth exhaled, leaning against the kitchen island, propping up his long upper body with an arm, crooked at the elbow. I tried not to pay attention to how his upper arm flexed, putting a lean bicep on display, and how I wanted to reach out and touch to see if that skin was really as smooth and taut as I thought it was. And admire all the extensive ink all over.

  “Look, Jessie… are you planning on leaving this town any time soon?” He asked finally, after appearing pensive for a few moments.

  “No… what does that have to do with anything?”

  “Plenty. It’s a small town, we’re going to run into each other, plain and simple. It’s inevitable. And, I really don’t have anywhere else to go…”

  “…and I really don’t want to live in this house alone,” I agreed reluctantly. Which I didn’t, that much was true.

  “Let’s just start as friends and… see what happens? Maybe you’ll find out I’m just a crazy asshole you’ll want nothing to do with,” he said, with an uneasy chuckle. His tone had wavered at the word “crazy.” “Then I’ll move on and find somewhere else. But if I have to listen to my friend and his husband go at it again one more time… I’m going to blow. So… please. I beg you. Just… let’s give it a go. If you don’t want me for anything but a friend…fine. I’ll deal with it. Or I’ll go. But for now let’s just… take it easy. Okay? You need someone here, I need somewhere to go. If I were anyone else, would you turn me down right now?”

  “No, I wouldn’t.” I had said as long as he wasn’t old, perverted, or smelly… I wouldn’t care. That was true. The fact that it just happened to be… well…him…was just convenient.

  “So…?” He asked expectantly. “What does your first instinct tell you to do?”

  I pulled a curious face. “Fine.” I agreed, despite my better judgment.

  He grinned widely, looking triumphant. “So… should I get my things?”

  “Sure, I guess. I mean… how much do you have? Not that it matters—there’s room, and the garage is huge. Plenty of space, I’m just—” I was stammering now, like a fool.

  “—not much, really. Um…” He frowned. “I
don’t suppose I could ask a favor? I can use my truck to move my things, but I have my bike, so…”

  “You want me to drive you? Where to? You’re not just making an excuse to ride in the Challenger, are you?” I asked, kiddingly.

  “No,” he said, laughing again. It was such a musical sound, almost; his entire face lit up and he just beamed. My heart warmed just watching and listening to him. I didn’t think it was possible to love watching someone laugh so much.

  “You can just drop me off. You don’t have to stick around.”

  “All right well, let’s go. If you’re sure?” I asked one last time with uncertainty.

  “What’s the worst that could happen?” He asked, with a shrug.

  My eyes widened. I knew exactly what could happen.

  I could easily fall in love with this man… and I wasn’t totally sure I should. But apparently I was about to find out.

  6

  Seth

  “Who was that in the green car, Seth?” Shane tried peering around my shoulder as I entered the house. I scoffed and pushed him aside.

  “Not your type, dude,” I replied, with a laugh.

  “How do you know?” He protested, setting his hands on his hips.

  “For one, you’re married.”

  “Yeah, but I’m not dead.”

  “Oh but you will be if you keep talk up like that,” Anthony cut in, joining us in the living room, affectionately slapping Shane on the ass, who just scowled.

  “And two, it was a woman.” I threw that little fact out there like it was no big deal. Causally I sauntered by the two of them to the back bedroom.

  “Wait.” I felt a hand on my shoulder, pulling me back until I looked directly at Anthony. “That’s your new roommate?”

  I shrugged, pretending to be indifferent. “Sure. Is that… bad?”

  “You’re going to live with a woman.” Anthony and Shane exchanged devilish, playful glances.

  “It’s no big deal.” I tried to hide the blush as I started collecting my things to pile in the bed of my truck outside.

  “No big deal? There’s no way you can live with a woman and not like…” Shane made a rude, sexual gesture.

  “Unless she’s hideous,” Anthony interjected.

  “She’s not,” I deadpanned.

  “She’s… gay?”

  “Nope.”

  The two of them grinned at each other evilly and I groaned.

  “Enough, guys. Just… enough.”

  I really didn’t have much to bring; just a couple suitcases worth of clothes, some books and a pile of notebooks, a laptop, a box of keepsakes… really not much at all, and they grilled me the entire time. I only allowed their interrogation so they’d have to help me pack the truck. I gave them vague, one-worded answers to keep them distracted and talking, and within about forty-five minutes my room at the Flannerys’ was completely packed up, and in my truck.

  My entire life in the flatbed of a small black, Chevy truck. How fitting. A bunch of crap, in a piece of crap, representing the crap that was my life. Awesome.

  “Well, guys… thanks for everything,” I said, when the last box had been shoved in and everything was tied down. I moved to shake hands with Anthony but he pulled away.

  “Oh no. We’re going to meet this woman. I don’t think I’ve seen you smile this hard since…well, ever, actually,” Anthony said, smiling from the side of his mouth.

  “I have to agree, hun. There’s more to this roommate than we’re getting from him.” Shane nudged his husband and they both smirked knowingly.

  I rolled my eyes. “No. Not happening.”

  “Oh come on. What do you think we’re going to do? Embarrass you?” Anthony protested, pretending to look wounded.

  “Yes. That’s exactly what I think you’re going to do,” I replied blandly, moving to climb into the cab of my truck.

  “Come on,” Shane pleaded. “We’ll behave. We’ll just come help you move your shit in, make sure she’s not a psycho since she’s a total stranger, and leave.”

  I bit my lip, looking away. “Um… she’s not exactly a stranger.”

  He and Anthony exchanged astonished looks. “But… you said she was new in town? How could you—”

  I rose my hand, shaking my head with a groan. “Okay… you remember me mentioning before I met this girl? At my first performance with Fever Pitch?”

  Anthony snorted loudly. “Oh, only once or twice.”

  “Four hundred times…” Shane interjected. Anthony snapped his fingers and pointed at him with affirmation.

  “Every time we go into Minneapolis, you kept looking for her, like some little lovesick puppy.”

  Pressing my mouth together, I paused, quirking a brow. Anthony appeared confused, but Shane let out a shriek.

  “No—you. No! That’s not possible! No fucking way—you’re saying that that girl you were hung up on for months after—is your new roommate?”

  I shrugged nonchalantly. “Apparently.”

  Anthony still appeared confused. “Is this the same girl you spilled booze all over?”

  “The one and the same.”

  Anthony slapped his forehead. “Jesus, Seth. This is—fucking huge! How is that possible? What is she doing here? Did she know it was you when you answered her ad?”

  “No, I really don’t think so. She said she looked for the band afterward online but couldn’t find anything because no one kept our shit updated,” I replied scornfully. If they had… I might have seen her again sooner.

  “And… you’re really going to live with her? I mean… live with her?” Anthony asked in disbelief. “You’re definitely still hard over this woman?”

  I laughed incredulously. Just the very thought of her… those swooping curves and those sexy eyes had my dick twitching. I shifted uncomfortably. “Yeah, it’s safe to say I am.”

  Shane elbowed him. “Fifty bucks says they’re in bed together by the end of the week.”

  Anthony took his hand and shook it. “You’re on. But I don’t think he’ll last until Wednesday.”

  “Guys. Come on now!” I protested.

  Anthony held up his hands in surrender. “Okay, okay. Uncle. But really… if you’re so into her is it a good idea to be living with her? Really?”

  “I’m not fucking passing this up. I don’t care if I have to wait months… I’m not letting her get away again. What if she finds another guy to room with? One that’s a dick? Or one she’s into, and I lose my chance again? No way. Whatever happens… happens.” I grabbed the handle to the driver’s side door of the truck and opened it. “Besides there’s something cautious about her. Like, she’s been hurt before. I know she’s divorced, but it doesn’t seem to be what it is.” I shrugged as I climbed into the cab and started the engine. “I’m going to find out though. So…if you insist on coming—you both fucking behave. Okay?”

  Shane crossed his heart and held up two fingers. “Scout’s honor.”

  I shot him a dirty look. “You were never a scout.”

  “No, but I dated someone who called himself ‘Scout.’ Does that work?”

  Anthony facepalmed himself, and I chuckled loudly. “I’ll keep an eye on this one. Let’s go—I have to see this girl you’ve been mooning over for a year.”

  I pulled out of the driveway and they followed me in their blue SUV to the red house at the very end of Lakefront Drive. When we arrived, Jessie was ready at the front door. She had changed, and now wore black leggings and a heather-gray t-shirt; her hair was pulled into a ponytail.

  “Oh. I was going to come help you but I see—” She motioned to Shane and Anthony who were right behind me.

  “Sorry. They insisted. Like overprotective, jerky brothers,” I said, rolling my eyes. “Do you mind?”

  “Not at all,” she replied, opening up the double front doors wide, and motioning in. “Second room upstairs.”

  Shane entered with his box and gave her a quick once over. He tossed me a sly look that said, “he approved,�
�� and I about groaned out loud. Shifting the box on his hip to free a hand, he held it out to her. I tried not to chuckle at his purple nail polish and wondered if Jessie would think it was strange. “Shane. Good to meet you, darlin’. I bet we’ll be good friends. Anyone that’s willing to put up with this jackass is okay in my book.”

  “Oh sonofabitch…” I mumbled, but Jessie just laughed loudly. She wasted no time though in taking it in hers and flashed him a genuine smile.

  “Jessie Reynolds. It’s good to meet you too. Guessing you’re… Anthony?”

  “Guilty.” They quickly shook hands, and Anthony prodded his husband further into the house. “Move, you big lug.”

  “Oh stop,” Shane groused in reply.

  Jessie grinned into her fist at them.

  “I’m sorry for whatever they’re going to say that’s embarrassing and everything they say about me is all lies,” I said to her quietly, with a smirk when I passed her to bring my first box upstairs.

  She chuckled and waved me off. “Duly noted.”

  It only took about fifteen minutes to move my life into the upstairs bedroom, and when we were finished, Jessie was purposely trying to stay out of the way, sitting on the sofa with a tablet in her lap. Much to my protest, Shane immediately sat down next to her. I cringed, not looking forward to the third degree.

  “So, Jessie… is that short for Jessica?” He asked, and I blew out a breath, taking the chair nearby instead. Anthony chose to stand nearby me.

  “No, actually. It’s Jessalie. I don’t know what my parents were thinking,” she said with a shrug of her shoulder. “No one gets it right.”

  Shane chuckled. “No, it’s pretty! Isn’t it, Anthony?”

  Oh god… I covered my face with my palms.

  “Very pretty. So what brings you to Wisconsin? You have family here or…” Anthony inquired.

  “No. Umm… as stupid as it sounds I just needed something new. I came across this house on a real estate website and I bought it. That’s literally it,” she said with a shrug. “I know, it’s weird, but…”

  “You’re daring and impetuous. Hmm… sounds like someone we know,” Shane said, with a pointed gaze in my direction.