Getting Down to Business

by Allison B Hanson

  They lay there in silence for a long moment while he thought over the situation. In all reality he should be insulted. She was brushing off his perfectly reasonable offer and giving up everything she had here. For what? Just so she wouldn’t have to spend more time with him?

  “Liss?” He checked to see if she was sleeping.

  “Yeah?”

  “Why won’t you move in here? Really? I mean, I’m not making you sign a lease. You would be free to try it out for a month or so, and if it didn’t work out you could go with Plan Albany next month. I don’t get it.”

  “I don’t expect you to get it.”

  She didn’t elaborate.

  “This would be the part where you tell me the reason.”

  “I don’t trust people.” He got that. He had his own trust issues. Didn’t everyone?

  “I understand, but I’m offering you a room, not matrimony or even an exclusive affair. You wouldn’t need to trust me any further than knowing I wouldn’t steal your stuff or eat the last of your Oreos.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah. Really. It would be just like this, only you would have a home and not have to move to Albany.”

  “I’ll think about it.”

  Thinking about it was a step in the right direction. He wasn’t giving up.

  Chapter 6

  Alyssa found a T-shirt that smelled clean on top of his dresser. She slipped it on, taking a moment to notice how sexy Grayson looked stretched out in his bed with the sheet low across his hips. One small tug and she’d be able to see everything. She sighed and went out to the kitchen to start coffee and see if there was anything to make for breakfast.

  The refrigerator shocked her. He had real food. Bacon, eggs. The milk wasn’t even out of date. She opened a few cabinets to find a hodgepodge of cookware, including a skillet.

  “Excellent.” She put it on the stove and checked for plates. She found a toaster and bread. Things were getting better and better.

  As the eggs cooked, she looked around his place. It was very neat for a guy’s home. It wasn’t huge, but the living room was bigger than her entire apartment.

  Not her apartment for much longer, she reminded herself and flipped the eggs over. When they were done, she put the eggs, bacon, and toast on two plates. She poured coffee, adding tons of the vanilla creamer that she found in the refrigerator, and carried everything into his room.

  He was just waking when she set the coffee on the nightstand.

  “What is this?” he asked.

  “Breakfast in bed.”

  “Seriously?” He looked adorable with his big smile and bed head. “I’ve never had breakfast in bed.”

  “It’s awesome, unless you spill something,” she warned while handing him his plate.

  “This is the second meal I’m eating with you in bed with no clothes on.”

  “I have clothes on,” she noted.

  “Yeah. Mine.” He tilted his head to look her over. “You make that shirt look good, Ms. Sinclair.”

  “Thanks.” She laughed at the formality while he made “mmm” sounds about his breakfast. When they were done, he gathered their plates and took them out to the kitchen, refilling their coffees.

  They sat in bed for a long time, talking about where they grew up, and where they went to school. She was surprised by how easy it was for her to share information about herself. He was safe.

  Eventually, she realized she needed to get going. Staying for breakfast was one thing, but lunch would be overstaying her welcome.

  “I should go,” she said.

  He nodded as they slipped out of bed. She followed him to the hall, still wearing his shirt. He’d put on a pair of boxers and she loved the way they hung on his lean hips.

  In the hall, he opened the other bedroom door and leaned against the jamb.

  “So did you think about it?”

  She had, but she let out a sigh, unwilling to tell him he was breaking through her resolve. She didn’t want to leave the city. She didn’t want to move back with her mother. And worse, she actually wanted to live with him. But she had lived with a man before and it hadn’t worked out. In a very bad way.

  He reached for her, letting his hands rest on her hips. He picked her up and kissed her as he turned and then put her down inside the empty room.

  “Please Liss.” He whispered with his forehead pressed against hers.

  “I can’t live with you,” she said, but without real conviction.

  “Why not? What’s the matter with me?”

  “I’m not sure. I don’t know you well enough to know what is wrong with you. Other than the fact you invite strangers to live with you.”

  “When I was in college, I moved into a dorm with a stranger. Guess what? He’s still my best friend to this day.”

  “Do you hear what you’re saying?” she said.

  “I do. I think it would be fun.”

  “Fun? Fun because you would get sex and breakfast whenever you want it? Would I be like a slave for room and board?”

  His head snapped back and he looked insulted.

  “No. You would pay your rent with actual money, not services rendered. That’s real nice, Liss.” He frowned at her.

  Why had she given him permission to call her Liss? She liked it too much.

  “Sorry.” She apologized for the low blow, but certainly if she’d thought it, other people would too.

  “Just forget it. Move back to Albany.” He made a wide sweep of his hand. “I was just trying to help.”

  “I’m really sorry. I appreciate your offer, I do. But I don’t think you’ve thought it through. I don’t do things like this. I’m all about fun and no bullshit, remember? And I think you’re looking for something more.”

  He pressed her back against the wall and bent to look her right in the eyes.

  “No bullshit, Alyssa. I want you to move in here because I think it would be fun. If you don’t want to do the sex thing, we can simply be roommates. It’s an empty room. I need to fill it; you need a place to live. Take it.”

  “And the price you gave me is what you would charge anyone else?” It seemed too reasonable.

  “Yes. It also includes water.” He winked at her.

  “You’re really serious about this?” she asked as excitement began flooding her system unwittingly.

  “I’m an accountant. We think every minor detail to death.”

  “And I would just be your roommate? Nothing more?”

  “Nothing more.”

  “And we won’t let it turn into a romantic comedy? We are vowing not to have sex with each other if we become roommates?” Kenley had seemed sure if they continued to have sex he would expect more. While she knew she was invulnerable to such things, she didn’t want to be put in a position where she had to hurt his feelings. And then lose her home. Again.

  He looked up at the ceiling for a second.

  “Just so I’m clear, why would we not be having the sex anymore?”

  “Because people who live together and have sex are in a relationship. People who live together without sex or romantic ties are roommates.”

  “I see.” He nodded. “My other roommate and I used to hang out, watch movies and things. Would that be acceptable?”

  “I could probably do that.” Kenley hadn’t warned her about any of those things. She let the smile take over her face. “I can cook.”

  “We can share that job.”

  She thought of living there—a real apartment, with windows and an elevator. He had a washer and dryer, and real doors and bedrooms. Plus it was only four blocks from where she worked. All of it would be amazing on its own, but the best thing about the apartment was still standing in the doorway watching her reaction.

  Grayson.

  She had a lot of fun hanging out with him. Wou
ld that change? Would he still want more than friendship even if they didn’t have sex? Would he get sick of her and kick her out?

  Even if that happened, she would be no worse off than she was at the moment. At least this arrangement would buy her a little more time.

  “Okay, but I have some questions,” she said.

  “Of course, I expected as much. Let’s hear them.” Gray smiled at ease.

  “Since we won’t be sleeping with each other, how do you want to handle guests?”

  “We each have our own room. Guests shouldn’t be an issue, so long as you don’t bring home some loser who steals my TV.”

  “Okay, so we’re responsible for anything our guests steal.” Alyssa made it a rule.

  “Fair enough.”

  “What about groceries?”

  “Trent used to pay for the groceries because I cooked. How do you want to do it?”

  “We could take turns. One week one of us buys and the other cooks and then we switch.”

  “That sounds like a good plan. I’m in.” He was making this awfully easy. Too easy.

  “What do you get out of this?” she asked, her eyes narrowed at him.

  “Well, I know I like hanging out with you and you have a job. You’re neat and I can trust you. I guess what I’m getting is a great roommate without having to do all the work of finding one.”

  “Okay. I’m in.” She held out her hand to shake on the dumbest arrangement she’d ever made.

  He looked down at her hand and stood straighter in the doorway. He reached for her offered palm, but then pulled back as if she had cooties.

  “Before we shake hands and you officially turn into my roommate, I was just thinking maybe I’d get one more shot at Alyssa the hot girl who screams my name when she comes.”

  Alyssa smiled and leaned closer. Surely it wouldn’t count if they had sex before they became roommates. He seemed to understand the rules. If they both knew it was just sex, there’d be no harm in extending the fun part a little longer.

  “That is a great idea,” she said, surprising him as much as herself. “One more time, and then we turn into roommates.”

  He picked her up and carried her across the hall. He set her on the bed and climbed over her. He was already pulling up the T-shirt she was wearing.

  “This is mine,” he said with a rough voice.

  “Roommates borrow each other’s clothes,” she pointed out.

  “You have to ask permission. Make that a rule.”

  “So noted.” She giggled as he ran his tongue along the edge of her ear. His fingers gripped her hair and he sat up holding out a handful of her blonde hair in front of her face.

  “I don’t want the bathroom and the shower full of girly hair crap.”

  “One shampoo and conditioner per person,” she agreed as his fingers moved down her stomach and slid into her, causing her to gasp. He had the best technique. He was a genius with his fingers.

  “Also, one razor per person,” he added with a slow smile as he watched himself stroking her. “And no sharing.”

  “Not a problem,” she squeaked when he touched her in just the right spot. They were so great together. He had her gasping in mere seconds. As soon as her last tremor faded, he was moving inside her, toward his own release. She shifted and pushed up against him, causing him to finish with a groan.

  “I usually shower at night,” he told her between breaths.

  “I shower in the morning.”

  “Would I be able to shave and brush my teeth while you were in the shower?”

  “The shower curtain is solid, so that should be fine.”

  “I might want to get a new shower curtain. Clear.”

  “Are you changing the rules?” She propped herself up on her elbow to look down at him.

  “No, ma’am.”

  “Are you ready to shake yet?”

  He kissed her neck and moved to her ear.

  “Just one more time,” he whispered. “Then I’ll be ready.”

  She rolled over on top of him, not sure if she would ever be ready to give this up. Why had she asked Kenley for advice?

  Because Kenley was a normal person with normal feelings. She would know what other regular people expected.

  Grayson seemed perfectly okay with it just being sex, but she couldn’t risk hurting him. For both their sakes.

  She wished she wasn’t fucked up. Maybe she could have been happy with him instead of keeping him at a safe distance, for his own sake.

  Chapter 7

  By late Saturday night, Gray knew he hadn’t had his fill of being with her. But since he was exhausted, he gave in and held out his hand to seal the deal.

  Alyssa looked at it and kissed his palm, sending a jolt from her lips to his groin. Damn, how did she do that?

  “How about we shake in the morning. I want to sleep here, if that’s okay,” she said settling in.

  “It’s very okay.” He pulled her close, putting his face in her hair so he could smell her as he drifted off. He didn’t care if they ever shook on it.

  It seemed like a silly agreement. Why would either of them want to give this up? They were so damn good at it. No doubt she was worried he might get emotionally attached if they continued to have sex. He’d have to convince her he was up for this challenge. He could enjoy her company without taking it to the next level. Just because he never had a long-term, casual relationship with a woman didn’t mean he couldn’t handle it.

  Sunday morning he woke up alone, but heard the shower running. A smile took over his face as he slid out from under the sheet to go join her.

  The door was hanging open, an invitation that he jumped on. Her body was perfection in the misty shower with suds sliding over her curves down to her perfect toes. He nuzzled up behind her, noticing how hot her skin felt against his.

  “Are you sure we need to keep the rule about not having sex?” he asked.

  “If for no other reason than we need to leave the apartment at some point.”

  “I guess.” He fake pouted. “But not until you move in.”

  “I was going to do that today. After we shook on our agreement.”

  “Today?”

  “Yeah. I figure I can make it in three trips. The biggest thing I have to carry is an ottoman. The rest is just clothes and a few crates of hair products,” she teased.

  “I know a guy who has an SUV. I’ll borrow it and we can move everything at once.”

  “That would be great. Thank-you. I really appreciate you letting me move in here. Really.”

  “Letting you move in here after we have sex in the shower, you mean?”

  “Right. After sex in the shower.”

  Since she was already clean, she lathered him up, paying special attention to his favorite parts. She washed his hair. Never in a million years would he have expected shampooing to be so erotic.

  Maybe it had something to do with her breasts in his face.

  When all the soap was rinsed away, he dried his hands on the towel enough to wrestle the condom wrapper open. They should make special grips on them for water activities. Once properly covered, he pressed her back against the shower wall, hitching one of her knees up by his hip so he had access.

  She moaned his name when he slid inside, and he wondered again how he was going to give this up. Surely they could come up with some way to make it work so they could have this too. He took contracts very seriously, even if they were only binding by a handshake.

  After their shower escapades, they dressed and went out for breakfast. He tried once again to sway her on the sex thing, but she wouldn’t budge. He had no choice but to agree to her terms and hope for the best. Once he paid the tab, he held his hand out.

  “Roommates?” he said.

  “Roommates from here out.”

  “Good. N
ow let’s go move all your crap.” He’d already contacted Trent to borrow his car.

  When Alyssa let them in her old apartment, her roommate was still in her pajamas and looked like hell.

  “Shh,” she said with a glare, though they hadn’t spoken.

  “I’m here to get my stuff. I’m moving out today.”

  “You’re moving in with him?”

  “Yep.”

  “Did you tell him how he’s going to have to deal with your screaming all night?”

  “I don’t scream all night.”

  “How would you know? You’re sleeping.”

  “At least I’m not screaming out someone’s name while I’m having sex in the same room as you. Who does that?”

  “We didn’t have anywhere else to go and I thought you were asleep!” Sasha defended.

  “I’m going to wait downstairs. Let me know when you’re…” Grayson motioned to the room and backed out of the awkward conversation.

  As he went downstairs to avoid the drama, he found himself wondering if Alyssa did scream in her sleep and why. He also wondered what would happen when she was screaming someone else’s name while having sex in the room across the hall from him. How would he feel about that?

  He wanted to be an adult and say he would be fine, but part of him knew he wasn’t that much of an adult. He pulled the Iron Man Pez dispenser from his pocket and took a hit.

  It was too late now. They’d already shaken hands and she was moving out. He was committed to this relationship. Though he knew better than to use that word in front of his new roommate.

  * * * *

  “Are you kidding me?” Gray said as Alyssa carried down a bag of stuff. Since she hadn’t had time to get boxes, she’d just tossed everything into garbage bags. It looked like they were moving body parts instead of her possessions.

  “This can’t be everything,” Gray said doubtfully.

  “This is it, I swear.”

  “You’re perfect,” he repeated his earlier sentiment with a wink. That wink made her stomach flutter, but she looked away.

  They had a much better chance of making this work if they were just friends. Kenley was right, sex complicated things. Not that it had complicated anything between Gray and her yet, but sooner or later he might decide he wanted something more. Something she couldn’t give.