Dirty Roomie_A Maxwell Family Romance

by Alycia Taylor

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Silas

  I woke up the next morning with Riley still in my arms. I’d slept well that night, and when I saw her next to me, I immediately ran my fingers over her body. I felt her stir beside me and moved my fingers until they were inside her. She didn’t turn around, but her legs opened for me, and I heard a slight moan escape her. I squeezed her breast with my other hand and circled inside her until she shivered against me. She turned around and smiled at me.

  “That was a nice way to wake up,” she said.

  “I didn’t want you to forget me,” I said gently. I made it sound like I was joking, but I wasn’t. I had a sudden fear that she would forget about me when I was gone. I dreaded the thought of her lying in this bed with another man, doing what she was doing with me.

  “How could I forget you, Silas? Anyway, you’re coming back. You’re just going to make yourself famous for a little while.”

  I chuckled. “Any idea what the time is? I want to lie here a bit longer with you.”

  She looked toward the clock on the bedside table. “It’s eight.”

  “Good. That gives me at least another half hour with you. Then I’ll get up and make us some breakfast.”

  We lay there for the next half an hour, not saying much to one another. She turned to face me and every now and again we’d kiss and hold each other. She decided to return the favor to me by crawling under the covers and putting me in her mouth. Afterwards, I looked at the time and laughed.

  “Hmm, how about we grab something to eat at the airport?” I said. I was already pushing it for time, and the last thing I wanted to do was miss my flight.

  She smiled sadly. “Oops, didn’t realize the time. So much for bunkering in for just half an hour.”

  “That’s okay. This was much better than food.”

  We got out of bed, showered, and got ready. I had already packed the day before, so there was nothing much else to do except make our way to the airport. Riley drove, and I spent most of my time looking out the window. This was supposed to be one of the happiest days of my life, but I couldn’t ignore the feeling of sadness that had come over me. I didn’t want to leave her.

  “Why don’t you come with me?” I said as she parked the car.

  “Come with you?”

  “Yeah,” I said as the idea formulated properly in my mind. “I mean, I know I probably should’ve asked you this before we go to the airport, but you could always join me in a few days when you’re ready.”

  “But . . . my job.”

  “You hate your job,” I said.

  She laughed. “I do. But it’s still a job. I need the money. Oh, Silas, I wish I could. But I can’t leave that house. And I’m not renting it out to strangers. I love that place. I want to do something with it and make my grandmother proud. I was thinking about it a lot the other day. I haven’t told anyone about my relationship with my parents in a long time. Talking about it with you really got me thinking. Maybe my grandmother knew how they treated me. Maybe this was her way of saying that she had always wanted to be close to me. I don’t know. I just get a sense that I would’ve gotten along with her. I can’t leave her house.”

  I sighed. “Of course. It was a big thing to ask. Anyway, I’m going to be back soon. I’m just being overly dramatic. I will send you money for my room at the start of each month. I’m hoping I won’t be gone longer than two or three at the most.”

  She smiled. “I hope so. Otherwise, you’re just going to have to fly me over.”

  “Yeah, I’ll say that I simply cannot sing without you.”

  We made our way inside, and I kissed her goodbye. As I walked away, I realized that neither of us had yet addressed what our relationship status was. I still had no idea whether or not we were a couple or just two people that got along very well. We’d had a wonderful date together, an incredible night, and an even better morning, but despite this, I was still frustrated that we hadn’t fully committed to one another yet. I liked this girl so much, and as I turned to wave at her, I promised myself that I would be back to claim her as my own.

  I thought about her the whole trip. Then I reminded myself why I was going and I felt the excitement build up inside me. Garren was there waiting for me when I arrived, which surprised me. I thought he would send Annie to come and get me. It was nice that he had made the effort to come and see me himself. He waved me over.

  “Silas! You made it! Good to see you. And thanks again for coming on such short notice.”

  “Thanks for inviting me. I still can’t believe I’m here.”

  “You better believe it. I’m sure Annie told you that I like to get things moving quick? I don’t see the point in messing about. Got to strike while the iron is hot, I always say. And the iron is certainly hot right now. I’m going to take you to the apartment I set up for you, and we can go over the contract and get you to sign a few things. Then tomorrow we start.”

  “Oh wow, you really do move fast. We start tomorrow? That’s great.”

  He grinned. “Get ready for your entire life to change, Silas. I have big plans for you.”

  We made our way straight to the apartment. Garren never stopped talking the entire way. He told me about all his other clients had what he had done for him. I wanted to tell him that he didn’t have to try and sell me on his skills. I was hooked already. Anyway, he was the only one that had been willing to give me a try, so I felt like my life was completely in his hands. But I liked that he was so excited. It made me feel good about myself and what I had to offer him.

  It wasn’t just an apartment that he had set me up with, but also a car. They were all temporary, but I was still so overwhelmed by it all. I had expected to catch the bus every day, and I had been more than happy with that arrangement. The apartment was big, and very spacious considering I was going to be staying there alone. He took me for a tour of the place, telling me about all the other celebrities that had stayed there before they had gotten big. A portrait of each and every one of them lined the walls, and I smiled at the thought that perhaps one day my own face would be smiling at the end.

  “So, what do you think, Silas? Is this good enough?”

  “Are you kidding me? This is beyond incredible. What a great place,” I said as I looked around in surprise. I still couldn’t believe where I was.

  “Good. I’m glad you like it. Like I said, many familiar faces have been here. It has a good energy don’t you think?”

  “Yeah, it really does. I love it. Thank you for doing all of this.”

  “No problem at all. So, I’ll come and get you tomorrow so that I can show you where the studio is. It’s pretty close but it will be easier if I show you the first time. You can meet Annie too. She’s dying to meet you. And then I’ll run through how it’s all going to work. I have a lot of ideas for you. Once we’re all set up, I’m also going to see if I can get you some interviews. I always like getting interviews for my clients before they actually become well-known. It’s great footage for the media to use at a later stage too. People love to see a before and after of their idols.”

  Their idols? I was going to be someone’s idol? Was this really happening?

  I started laughing. “I’m in shock.”

  “Soon enough, this will all feel normal to you. You’ll see. I went ahead and ordered you a pizza, one meat one and one vegetarian as I wasn’t sure what you wanted. It’s in the fridge. You just need to heat it up. Well, by me I mean Annie ordered it for you. She thinks of everything. I’m not sure what I would do without her. Now, do you have everything you need? Or is there anything I can get for you?”

  “Pizza? That’s amazing. Thank you. That’s very nice of you. I have everything I need. This is great.”

  “Great, then let’s talk business. I have a few things I want to go over with you today before we get started tomorrow. This is the boring stuff.”

  “I’ve been waiting for this boring stuff for a very long time,” I said. “Let’s do it.”
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br />   We sat down and went over the contract details. There was a lot of paperwork and a lot that I didn’t understand, but he went through it all with me as slowly as possible and asked me to sign various forms. It was only once he left and I flopped down onto the sofa that I realized I had just signed my first deal. I wanted to jump and down with excitement. I wanted to share my joy with someone. I picked up the phone and called Riley. There was nobody I wanted to talk to more than her.

  “I was hoping to hear from you tonight,” she said, and I smiled at the sound of her gentle voice. I pictured her sitting on the sofa in her pajamas with her feet up. “So, what’s it like being a star?”

  I chuckled and looked around my new home for the next while. “It’s not bad at all. I have officially signed the contract.”

  She squealed. “So, it’s really happening! I’m so excited for you.”

  “I’m excited for me too. I wish you were here, though. There’s a bottle of champagne here for me, and it sort of feels wrong to open it up without you.”

  “Why don’t you keep it until I have a bottle here too? We can drink and talk all night.”

  I smiled. “I like that idea. I’ll keep it. Let me know when you’re in the mood to get giggly.”

  “I do not get giggly when I drink champagne!” she declared and then immediately started laughing.

  “You’re giggling now! Are you drinking champagne without me?”

  “Never! I just giggle at the mere thought of it. That’s how powerful the stuff is.”

  “It’s nice talking to you again,” I said. Even though I had seen her only a few hours ago, I missed her. I wanted to celebrate with her.

  We continued talking for the next hour until I heard her yawn.

  “I’m keeping you up,” I said.

  “No, you’re not. I’ve loved talking to you.”

  “I’m tired too. We’re going to start recording tomorrow already; can you believe it?”

  “You are? That’s quick.”

  “Yeah, this Garren guy doesn’t mess around. I’m going to have something to eat, and then climb into bed.”

  “You’re not going out to party?” she asked.

  I laughed. “Party? No way. I’m going to bed.”

  “Thanks for calling me, Silas. This house feels so big without you. Miss you.”

  “I miss you too, Riley.” I put the phone down and sighed. I couldn’t believe that I missed her so much already. Hopefully, these next few months were going to go by quickly.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Riley

  I had a dream about my parents the night before. I hadn’t thought about them in a while, and it was strange to see their faces again. The dream was so vivid, and when I woke up, I almost expected to be back at home, hearing them fighting from the opposite room. I held my breath as I waited and then exhaled as I realized where I was. Did my grandmother know what a hard time I had been through with them? Had they told her that she couldn’t see me? Was this her way of telling me that she had always been on my side? I wished I could ask her. Why hadn’t she left me a letter explaining it all? I had a million theories going around in my head, but I had no idea which was right.

  The house was quiet. I missed Silas even though it had only been one night. I walked over to his bedroom, looked around for a while and then walked out and closed the door. It felt weird being inside his room. I felt like I was snooping and kept thinking that he was going to walk in at any moment and catch me. I thought about taking one of his t-shirts to wear but changed my mind. He wasn’t my boyfriend, and there was a big chance he would come back and not want to be with me anymore. I was just a small-town girl, and he was about to be surrounded by stars.

  I called Paisley and asked if she wanted to meet me for a late lunch that day. We were both working that evening, but I wanted something to distract me during the day. Thankfully she said yes, and we made plans to meet at the restaurant across the road from work.

  I spent the rest of the day trying to busy myself with cleaning the house. I put some music on and went from room to room, cleaning. The house was huge, and this was not a job for one person. I did more of a surface clean than anything else, making sure to get rid of the dust and that things were in its place. But if I was going to continue living there, I was going to have to get someone in to help. It felt crazy asking someone to help when there was only one person in the house, but if I had to do it myself, I would literally spend all day, every day cleaning. For now, at least it helped get my mind off everything. There was something kind of soothing about cleaning, and by the time I was finished, I was exhausted. Who needed to go for a workout when you could clean a huge house? When I looked at the clock, I was surprised to see that it was almost time to meet with Paisley, so I quickly jumped in the shower and got ready to meet her.

  Paisley was already at the restaurant when I arrived. She was talking to the waiter, and I could tell by their body language that they were flirting. I wasn’t sure if I should interrupt or wait until they parted, but when she saw me, she grinned and waved me over. The waiter glared at me as I walked up to them, clearly put off that I had stopped their flirtations and I shot him an apologetic smile.

  “Someone likes you,” I said as I hugged her hello.

  “Who knew such a cute guy worked across the road from the pub all this time!” she exclaimed.

  “He’s cute. But not the friendliest. He was not happy that I came in and ruined all his fun.”

  She giggled. “He was friendly with me.”

  “I’m sure he was. Did he get your number?”

  “No, but he knows where I work. If he really wants to ask me out, he can come and find me.”

  I laughed. “I like the way you think. Well, with the way he looked at you, I wouldn’t be surprised if he came over tonight.”

  “I hope so,” she said. “I could use a man in my life again. I’ve been single too long.”

  “I thought you liked being single,” I said as I scanned the menu for something to eat.

  “I do. I mean, I did. But it’s getting boring now. I think I’m ready for a relationship.”

  “And you think he’s boyfriend material?”

  She shook her head. “Hmm, actually he’s more flirting material than dating material, but who knows. Speaking of, what’s going on with you and Silas? Has he left?”

  Just then the waiter came back to take our order. This involved mostly the waiter ignoring me and staring lovingly at Paisley. He scribbled down our orders and walked off smiling like a cat that just got the cream.

  I groaned as he left. “Why do I get the feeling that I’m going to get a tiny meal while you’re going to get all the extras?”

  She giggled. “I hope so. I’m starving. Anyway, enough about me. I want to hear about you and Silas.”

  I sighed. “He’s gone. He left yesterday. I took him to the airport. He called me last night, and he seems very happy. And I’m so happy for him.”

  She looked at me suspiciously. “You don’t sound happy.”

  “I’m happy for him. I’m just not happy for me. I know it’s only been a day, but I really miss him. That house is huge without him. He’s just one person, but he made the house feel more alive. It’s weird staying there by myself now.”

  “I’m sure. That place is huge. Have you thought about getting someone else to stay?”

  I shook my head. “Nah. That would be even more strange. I’ll see. I guess it depends on how long he’s going to be away for. But for now, I think I’d rather just stay there alone. He’s paying for his room while he’s away, so I don’t really need anyone to move in.”

  “Are the two of you a couple?”

  “That’s the thing, Pais, we just never talked about it. I’m not sure why, either. Maybe he didn’t want to commit to something with me now that he’s going to be a big star. Who knows? We sort of left the question hanging the whole time.”

  “First, you don’t even know that he’s going to be a big star. Se
cond, even if he does become famous, it doesn’t mean he’s going to forget about you. Third, he might not have said anything to you, but you also didn’t say anything to him.”

  I laughed. “You make some valid points there.”

  “Of course I do. I’m your best friend, so I wouldn’t say this to you if I didn’t mean it, but he really seemed into you on the few occasions I met him. Remember when I was flirting with him back when I had no idea you liked him? Well, even then I could tell that he was interested in you. I wouldn’t worry, Riley. And anyway, he’s not going to be gone forever. He’ll come, and then the two of you can finally talk about how you feel about one another. Maybe this break will be what you both needed. If you still like each other after a few months apart, then it’s obviously meant to be.”

  I smiled. “You’re right. I’m being silly.”

  “You’re not being silly. I would also be upset if the hot guy I was living with suddenly went away. But he’s coming back. And you have nothing to worry about.”

  “You’re a good friend. Thanks, Paisley. Oh, here comes our food,” I said.

  I tried not to laugh as the food was put in front of us. Paisley and I had bothered ordered a hot tuna melt with a side order of fries, but the waiter had somehow managed to make Paisley’s look like it had been cooked by Gordon Ramsay. He put it down with a flourish, shot her a winning smile, and walked away.

  I chuckled. “What did I tell you? Special privileges for you.”

  “I like this place,” she said and smiled at the waiter who now stood at the other side of the room waiting for her reaction.

  “I’m sure you do.”

  We stayed long at the restaurant and then made our way over to the pub, where we got ready to start our shift. Paisley spent a bit more time getting ready in the bathroom than usual, and I was sure it was because she thought the waiter from the restaurant was going to come for a visit when he was done. I teased her about it, and she fully admitted that she was going to flirt with him.