“What about coaching?” She’s watching me as I pull out a pair of lacy underwear and fold them once before adding them to her stack. “Or sports management? Or commentating?”
“Nah,” I shake my head. “If I’m not playing, anything else just feels like…settling.”
She’s quiet long enough that I finally meet her gaze.
“Settling?” she asks.
“Like admitting I failed.”
“You know that’s not true, right? It’s not failing, it’s evolution. You love the game more than most people who are still playing.”
“Maybe. But I’ve wasted enough time on a game that isn’t loving me back. Taxes feel more…predictable.”
“And boring as hell,” she says, handing me the last t-shirt in my basket. “When was the last time you felt excited about a spreadsheet?”
“I don’t know, Soph.” I put the stack of folded clothes back in the basket and place her little stack on top. I’ll drop them off in her room later. “Are you hungry?” I say, walking to the fridge. “I was going to make those chicken fajitas you liked for dinner.”
“Uh…” she’s looking at the pile of her underwear on top of mine, like I think we’re some goddamn couple and I’m doing her laundry.Fuck
“I mean, I’m going to make chicken fajitas, you’re welcome to some.”
“Maybe,” she says, getting down from the stool. “I might see if Liv and Andy want to go grab something.” She takes her clothes off my stack and retreats to the bedroom.
A disappointed breath leaves my lungs. We’re roommates, not partners. We’re fucking, not dating. We’re just two people sharing space…and swapping orgasms.
And I can’t let myself forget that.
Chapter 18
Sophie
I’m running out of daylight, but I want to finish the skyline on my current painting. I’ve been up on this roof almost every day painting, and it feels good. Like finally finding that one puzzle piece that’s been staring back at me for days—maybe weeks—and it just clicks into place. I’ve wanted to invite Liam up here to join me, just to hang out. But that’s not what we do.
This is not a relationship. He might have folded my underwear like it was no big deal, and I might be dying to show him my most recent painting. But that’s the problem. This isn’t what we agreed to. This isn’t what he wants.
I pack my brushes and paints back into my grandmother’s art box and pause at the door, listening so I don’t bump into Cal’s neighbor, who always seems to be yelling at someone on her phone. Man, do I feel sorry for whoever her assistant is.
When I’m sure the coast is clear, I go down the stairs, wondering if Liam's home, then chastise myself. He is not my boyfriend, he does not owe me his whereabouts.
When I open the apartment door, I freeze. Liam’s leaning against the hallway door, holding my purple vibrator, a wicked smirk tugging at his lips.
“Whatcha doing with that?” I tease, setting down my art supplies.
“I was restocking our condom supply in the bathroom, and you left this in the shower. Am I not leaving you satisfied?”
“You were on a run,” I shrug. But the truth was that vibrator couldn’t come close to satisfying me the way Liam had over the past three weeks. In fact, the only way I was able to finish in the shower this morning was picturing Liam in there with me. But in my daydream, it wasn’t his impressive length that got me to climax…it was imagining him washing my hair.Shit, this is not good.This is what I can’t let happen. This is just about sex.
“You couldn’t wait for me to get home?” Liam muses, smacking the sex toy against his hand.
“What?” I goad him. “You think you can do better than that thing?”
He stalks towards me with a look in his eyes that means I’ll soon be utterly satisfied and also unable to walk. But I’m not expecting it when he hauls me over his shoulder and smacks the vibrator against the exposed line of my ass under my cutoffs.
“I think I can do betterwiththis thing.”
I squeal in delight…until I realize he’s taking us to the bedroom.
“No.” My voice comes out sharper than I intend, and Liam freezes. I’m having a hard enough time keeping my feelings separate, and the bedroom feels like something I can’t take back. I force a low, teasing edge into my voice. “Let’s do it right here.”
