“Good, I haven’t seen it,” he says, and my mouth drops open.
“You are kidding, right?”
“Nope,” he answers, and I sense he’s telling the truth as he looks directly at me without blinking. I avert my eyes to keep from blushing under his gaze.
“How come?” It just sounds strange to me that he hasn’t seen Shang-chi. Before I can think about it, I ask “Have you seenthe marvel series?” He shakes his head, and I laugh. “And you actually live on planet earth.”
“Last I checked, like ten seconds ago, I haven’t taken a trip to mars since I was born.” I roll my eyes at him with a chuckle.
“Very funny.”
He finds the Disney plus app on the TV. “To be honest, if you want to watch the marvel collection, I don’t think you should start with Shang chi, but since I like Shang chi, that’s my pick.”
“Your pick it is.”
I smile. Fucking Teni wouldn’t have asked me; he would have just picked one and expected me to enjoy it or not with him.
I take my seat next to him on the loveseat sofa and feel his proximity more than I have with any man in my life.
The movie starts to play. I instinctively curl up with pillows on the sofa and I notice he’s relaxed as well. About thirty minutes into the movie, he turns to me.
“Do you mind if I pause for a second? I need to get a drink.”
“Sure,” I say, getting up to stretch my legs. I follow him to the kitchen. He takes the wine bottle out of the fridge and pours some.
“Have you decided on your date yet?”
“No. Are you worried or eager to go out with me?”
“Not worried, and not eager but…”
“But?”
“I’m looking for a male roommate, so please, let me know if you know anyone.” I blurt out, not sure why. Maybe it’s just to make conversation or shift conversation away from the fact he is hanging on tight to this second date, and I don’t have an answer to hisbutquestioning tone.
“Really? Did your roommate move out, and must it be a male roommate?” he asks.
I didn’t expect the questions. I just expected a nod, like most people would do, or questions like “how much is rent?” or “for how long?”
“Yes, it must be a male person. I want to give the illusion that I have a live-in boyfriend to my dad, so he can stop arranging dates for me from the UK,” I scoff. He smiles. “It’s not funny. My father is trying to marry me off and keeps sending eligible bachelors to my door like I can’t find a guy on my own. It’s a bit annoying, so a live -in boyfriend might make him back off for a while. Plus, lately, I’ve started to feel like someone is watching me. It’s kind of weird”
His frown is immediate.
“Is someone stalking you?” Concern is written all over his face.
I shake my head, as much to convince myself as to convince him. “I’m not receiving any weird notes or stuff like that, I just have this gut feeling like I’m being watched.”
“Do you have requirements for this roommate?”
“No, just someone that doesn’t mind being my fake boyfriend.” I chuckle at my crazy idea.
Chapter 18
Daniel
“I could be your roommate.” I answer without thinking. I face her even as my heart races at the words I’d just spoken, and my mind spirals. I live alone and that’s how I like it, yet I can’t help but take this opportunity that just presented itself.
I watch her chuckle.
