ROOMIES (Strangers-To-Lovers Romance Novel)

by Bella Grant

  I was incensed and couldn't speak. Okay, if he didn't want to make an effort, I was done playing nice. I got up and headed for the balcony, feeling his eyes boring into my back.

  9

  Liam

  Shaking asses and naked tits flashed all around me, but I barely saw them. For the life of me, I couldn't get my roommate out of my head. The low lighting of the strip club was perfect for me slinking back in the plush booth with my friends, unusually quiet while they hollered and whistled at the two performers dancing with each other on stage. Another time, I would have been right there with them, but tonight, oddly, I found the environment to be a tad sleazy.

  For one, each time I looked at one of the strippers riding the pole, it was her my mind conjured, half-dressed and sliding seductively down the metal. It was a hoot because I had no idea what she looked like half-naked. After a couple weeks of living together and sharing the same bathroom, one would have thought I'd accidentally see something I shouldn't have, but I had no such luck. My roommate was a prim and proper Southern gal who always wore a long robe, in and out of the bathroom.

  Her demeanor fascinated me in a way I couldn't explain, considering how much she irritated me. I wasn't necessarily a model, but I was decent enough to catch many women's attention. Except hers. She never looked at me with anything but dislike, which was partly my fault. I had no idea how to relate to her. I'd never had a decent girlfriend before. I rarely had a girlfriend because my relationships consisted mainly of instant sexual gratification. No woman had connected with me on a deeper level, which made me curious about her.

  Until now. And we hadn't even come anywhere close to having sex. I was used to sex first and conversation after. Those conversations usually ended with me explaining I wasn’t looking for a relationship, just a good time. Several attempts had been made by females to get me to change my mind, but it never worked. I had zero interest in a relationship. I could barely manage myself much less be responsible for another human being. I did think that sometime in the future, when I got my head together, I might start a family. It didn't necessarily have to be marriage. Many couples lived together without marriage, but some day, I wanted kids. I couldn’t afford to think about that, though. My life was going nowhere fast. I'd be at the same dead-end job I’d had since dropping out of college five years ago with nothing to look forward to but a night out with my friends.

  I didn't even know why I started thinking so deeply about this now, but I observed Emily and the way she handled her life like a pro. She had such control over everything. She knew what she wanted and was going after it and didn't mind the hard work. I had no idea what she was studying, but she had such dedication in attending classes. Even when I'd been at Auburn, I'd not gone to all the classes. Sometimes, I got home late from hanging out with the guys and she would still be up, typing at her desk. I'd found her fast asleep at her desk once.

  I was a little jealous at the ease with which she had her life all put together. I had to admire her tenacity, even in creating that list of rules for us living together. She was precise, and I was not. My life spun out of control, and her presence made me think about it more than I wanted to.

  Emily was the type of girl a guy didn't get involved with unless he wanted commitment. I didn't, so it was best for me to stay away. Not that she'd given me any hint at all she even noticed me. She only paid me mind when she wanted something to complain about. I would never admit it to her, but I could have easily compromised on her list. I wouldn't give her that victory, though. If I were to do that, when would I get to admire the flecks in her eyes that flashed when she was angry or the rapid rise and fall of her breasts when she was livid?

  I took another swig of my beer. She wasn't making drinking any easier for me, either. So many times, I'd been tempted to go to her room and lose myself in her sweetness because despite her bitching and henpecking, I sensed a sweet heart beneath her exterior.

  "Hey, man, you've barely said anything all night," Nate said to me. "And you've turned down a lap dance. Twice. What's up with that?'

  "I don't see you accepting lap dances either," I pointed out.

  "But that's different. I've a girlfriend. Keisha would have my head if I let any of these strippers come near me. But you, my man, are still single."

  "It's that roommate of his," Shawn piped in. "She's driving him nuts. Did he tell you she gave him a list of rules to follow? ‘Dear Liam, don't leave your shoes lying in the hall,’" he mimicked.

  "Actually, that didn't find its way on the list," I refuted, draining my beer. "She's a little obsessed with everything being neat."

  "I have an idea," Shawn added. "Why don't you bone her? Maybe that'll mellow her out—or does she have a boyfriend? "

  "I don't think so," I responded with a frown, signaling for a waitress to bring over another beer. "But she's not the type of girl you bone."

  "Why the fuck not?" Shawn asked loudly. "I know I was drunk when we met, but the chick is hot. I did get an eyeful of her boobs in that top she was wearing, and they are the type you can squish together and titty-fuck the shit out of."

  My frown deepened with a little irritation at the way Shawn talked about Emily. It sounded disrespectful now that I listened to him—which was weird, considering he hadn’t said anything we guys hadn't all expressed about a woman at one time or another. Why should I get upset because he thought my roommate was hot?

  "She is a good-looking girl," Nate agreed with him. "I would totally bone her. I mean, if I wasn't in a relationship. She looks quiet, and you know what they say about the quiet ones. A freak between the sheets."

  "Just think about spanking that ass red," Shawn continued, then bit his bottom lip and made a face while he mimed doggy-style sex and spanking. His antics made Nate laugh, but I was sweating, and not because of the liquor. I had the urge to punch him in the mouth to shut him up.

  "Come on, guys, let's not talk about her like that, " I heard myself say. Two pairs of eyes swung round to stare thoughtfully at me.

  "Why not?" Shawn asked. "She's just another regular broad."

  "But she's not!" I exclaimed, running my fingers through my hair, frustrated. Man, was I confused.

  "Don't tell me you've got the hots for her!" Nate cried in surprise. "You, Liam? You complain about her every chance you get. She's bitchy, she's pushy, she's impossible, she's irrational. And all this time, you've wanted to bang her yourself!"

  "I do not want to bang her,” I denied hotly, but I could tell they weren’t buying it. "Okay, so I do find her sort of attractive. It doesn't mean I'll do anything about it. She's all those things I mentioned before and more. We don't get along. I have no desire to complicate things by having sex with her."

  "You want to know what I think?" Shawn asked with a grin.

  "Not particularly, but I have a feeling you'll tell me anyway.”

  "Damn right I am. I think you like this girl. I mean really like her, and that's why it bothers you that we are talking about her sexually. You also won't sleep with her because you're not sure if you can handle what you're feeling."

  He was right as rain, but I refused to let him know it. I scowled blackly at him. "Wrong. First of all, she drives me insane and I can't stand her. Secondly, I won't bang her because we share a lease, and if I do, there's no getting up the next morning after we have sex and leaving or asking her to leave. We are stuck with each other."

  "I don't care what you say to deny it," Shawn said. "I would bet that I'm right, and guess what? You're going to sleep with her."

  "Are we placing a bet on it, then?" Nate asked hopefully. Of the three of us, he was always the first to jump on the wagon once gambling was involved.

  "Hell, why not!" Shawn responded. "I'm betting fifty dollars that Liam will end up in bed with his sexy new roommate."

  "And I bet fifty that he won't," Nate added. "What's your bet, Liam?"

  "I'm not joining this stupid bet."

  "Why? You know I'm going to win?" Shawn jeered.
>
  It was enough for me to take a side. "Fine! I'll show you none of what you said is true."

  The guys turned back to the stage where a new stripper with a body that had to be fake was shaking and twirling around the pole. Seeing her made me think more about Emily and how natural she was. Would I ever stop thinking about her? I had to get her off my mind because as much as what Shawn said was true, I was also right about staying away from her. I wouldn't be able to avoid her afterwards. If we had sex, it would make living together even more awkward.

  And all this worrying was moot, anyway, since she gave no indication she was remotely attracted to me. Why would she be attracted to me, anyway? I wasn’t worth her time, just someone she wanted to train to abide by her rules like a dog. I wasn't worth even unhooking her bra. A girl like that deserved so much more than I could offer. What could I offer her? Nothing. A drunk who made the same money as she did?

  At the depressing thought, I drank more and more. I hadn't planned to get drunk tonight, especially since it was a week night and I had work tomorrow. But as my mood plummeted, I turned to the comfort I knew. When another stripper offered me a lap dance, I said yes, trying to push Emily from my mind. When my cock sprung hard against the stripper's ass, it wasn't her I thought of, though. It was the blonde, blue-eyed parasitic woman who had sunk her teeth in me and wouldn't leave me alone. I paid the stripper and turned down her offer for more.

  By the time we left the strip club, it was one in the morning and I was so drunk I could hardly see straight. Nate had to rush home since his girlfriend had called, wanting to know why he was still out so late. Shawn was my designated driver. He dropped me off at the apartment in my car, and since I had picked him up for the strip club, promised to bring the car back later.

  In my drunken stupor, I was barely able to climb the stairs and hung on to the railing when I almost rolled back down. It took me several attempts to get the key inserted in the lock. I was seeing double. The apartment was in darkness, and I walked as quietly as I could so I didn’t wake Emily. The last thing I needed was her disappointing stare, so much like my mother's, glaring at me.

  I veered to the bedroom, pushing the door open. I didn't bother to turn on the lights. I just wanted to crawl into bed and forget everything—to forget her, forget Kyle, and forget my parents. I sat on the edge of the bed and stripped my clothes off awkwardly. It took me longer than it usually did due to the drunkenness. Finally, I was down to my boxer briefs and climbed into bed. I frowned at the feminine scent on the pillow as I burrowed my head into it, but I was knocked out before it could sink in to me what that scent meant.

  10

  Emily

  In response to the hard, masculine body beneath mine, I smiled languidly as I wakened. I stretched and cuddled closer, throwing my leg across Jake. My knee connected with his semi-erection, and I rubbed it against his swollen member, feeling naughty as he got even harder. I was horny, and this morning, he felt even better than usual against me.

  I lay with my head on his chest and yawned sleepily as I ran my hand over his naked chest. Jake’s muscles were hard beneath my palm and… What the hell, I thought, coming out of my sleep. Jake and I were no longer together. Who the hell was I lying against, almost purring like a kitten?

  My eyes flew open and it was my worst nightmare. I let out a bloodcurdling scream—the familiar kind from horror movies where the predator caught the prey. Lying on his back, his head turned towards me, was a sleeping Liam. I lay with my head pillowed on his chest, draped over him like a damn robe. How the hell had he gotten into my bed?

  At the scream that ripped from my throat, he jumped up to a sitting position. I flew off his chest and scrambled to the other end of the bed, clutching the sheets to my bosom.

  “What the fuck!” he exclaimed, holding his head and peering at me in confusion. He wasn’t allowed to be confused. I was allowed. He had crawled into my bed sometime during the night.

  “What the hell are you doing in my bed?” I demanded.

  “What?” he asked, looking around him dumbly. “I’m in my bed.”

  “You definitely told me pink was not your thing!” I snapped at him. “Does this look like your bedroom?”

  He frowned as he looked around at my very feminine bedroom, the one that looked like someone ‘farted skittles all over it.’ Realization dawned on him, and he stared at me in horror, his cheeks turning red in embarrassment.

  “Why didn’t you say something last night when I got into the bed?” he retorted, but it didn’t escape my mind that he still made no attempt to get up and return to his own room.

  “Gee, I don’t know why,” I answered sarcastically. “Probably because I was sleeping, you jerk!”

  “Who sleeps so soundly you can’t tell when someone gets into bed with you? And not once did you wake in the night and wonder who was in your bed?”

  “I thought you were—” I started to explain before I cut myself off. I didn’t have to bring Jake into this. “I took a sleeping pill before bed because I was having trouble sleeping. What’s your excuse?”

  “I was drunk,” he groaned as if he was in pain. “And can you lower your voice please? You sound like a friggin’ banshee, hollering at me like that. Nothing happened. I made a mistake and walked into the wrong room, that’s all.”

  “How do I know you didn’t molest me in my sleep?” I demanded, not lowering my voice as he’d asked.

  He looked at me hard and smirked. “Trust me, Emily. If I’d been anywhere inside you last night, you’d know it.”

  I blushed a deep crimson at his words, rendered speechless. At the same time, his face paled and he scrambled off the bed, almost tripping over the bed sheets, which were half on the floor. I stared at his broad, muscled back, his toned legs, and firm, round backside as he made a beeline for the door. I got out of bed too, feeling a touch of concern for his wellbeing although I still battled embarrassment for what he’d said and anger that he’d been so drunk last night he’d ended up in my bed.

  I followed the sound of him retching in the bathroom and stood there, staring at him in rebuke. He looked terrible bringing up all that liquor he had in his system. I didn’t care if this was a bad moment for him he probably didn’t want me to see. As much as I disliked the guy and thought him rude, inconsiderate, and obnoxious, it was clear he needed an intervention. I wasn’t the kind of person to keep my mouth shut when I saw something was wrong, and something was wrong with this picture. I didn’t understand it at all. Why the constant need to get drunk and not remember half the night? I had never been drunk before, although I did enjoy liquor every now and then, but never in excess. I knew my limit and I stuck to it.

  “Can you close the fucking door and get out?” he snapped at me. He flushed the toilet and put the lid down, his head resting against the tank. He did look wrecked, like he’d been run over by a train.

  “You need to stop doing this,” I murmured. “You look like a damn mess. I understand if you want to hang out with your friends and have a few beers, but look at you, Liam. This is too much!”

  “Save the lecture, okay?” he growled at me. “It’s none of your damn business.”

  “Did you drive home last night?” I asked, refusing to back off as he wanted.

  “Of course not. I’m not stupid.”

  “No, just a drunk!”

  “Get the fuck out, Emily!”

  “I’m sorry if I’m trying to be a decent human being and show you a little care!” I returned, stung at the way he was talking to me. “Because apparently, you have nobody in your life who cares. Your so-called friends shouldn’t be encouraging your drinking habit. You need to learn to quit while you’re ahead. Think of all the other stupid things you could have done instead of winding up in my bedroom last night because you were drunk.”

  He looked up at me, and I stared at him, wondering why he smiled with evident humor given the lecture. Good Lord, now I was questioning his sanity!

  “Nice,” he commente
d.

  “What?” I asked in confusion.

  “You’re not wearing panties,” he responded, his eyes on me.

  I gasped and jerked my legs together, shoving my short silk night dress between them. I was humiliated. I never wore underwear to bed, except on my period, and all the time I was talking to him he’d been looking up my nightdress. A decent guy would have looked away. I had been so concerned about him I didn’t even think about my state of dress. All my night dresses were short and provocative since I’d lived with Jake and had wanted a spicy love life.

  “You’re such a jerk!” I shouted at him and slammed the bathroom door as I hurried back to my room. I didn’t dare think about what he’d seen between my legs. It was embarrassing. How was I to face him ever again? I wished I could be swallowed whole and spat out somewhere else. Where was the whale that had done Jonah that favor?

  Despite the morning’s mishap, I couldn’t let it distract me from the fact that I needed to get to work. I waited until I heard the bathroom door open and close before I dashed inside to take a shower. I couldn’t spend my usual long time in the shower today since I’d wasted precious time on that drunken idiot. That was the last time I would offer to help anyone out.

  I was barely in my bedroom when I heard him enter the bathroom behind me. At least he’d had the decency to let me use the bathroom before him as it took me twice as long as he did to get ready. He got dressed in the mornings in under fifteen minutes. Sometimes, he left the apartment with his hair still damp.

  I pushed him from my mind as I blow-dried my hair, added moisturizer, and slipped a rubber band over it to lock it into a ponytail. I pulled on a new pair of jeans I’d bought at Hollister since I got an employee discount on top of their twenty-five-dollar per pair sale. I pulled on a loose, white, cotton tank top and clasped a long necklace around my neck which ended in a dreamcatcher pendant between my breasts. I added eyeshadow, mascara, and a nude-colored lipstick before I slipped on my suede lace-up half boots. I wore them a lot at work. They were wedge heels but super comfy, and my feet never got tired from wearing them all day.