His eyes narrow just the tiniest bit, and I pretend it’s really important to look into the fridge. It takes me a second to find the lunchmeat and cheese, but I set it out on the counter with the lettuce and mayo.
When I look up, I realize Memphis is gone, and my heart falls for just a second before I see him walking out of the pantry with a loaf of bread. Oswald is smirking when I glance over at him. Crap, he caught me looking for his brother. I spin back around and grab the pickles out of the fridge and look for anything else we could use.
“Why are you just sitting there? Get some plates,” Memphis instructs. I can’t tell if I like how he just takes over everything, or if I’m just too intimidated to do anything about it. He’s so sure of himself and confident.
“Where are the plates, Waylynn?” Oswald asks, already rounding the island.
“Right there. I would have grabbed them,” I tell him, pointing to the cabinet next to the sink.
“Do you have paper so we don’t make a mess?” He looks over his arm at me after opening the door, and I get stuck looking at the ropes of muscle along the back of his bicep for a second too long.
I drop my eyes to the sink and turn on the water to wash my hands. “No, but I have a dishwasher, so no worries.”
Memphis nudges me to the side with his body and reaches past me to get to the soap. It smells like strawberry poundcake, and there’s something amusing about knowing he’s going to smell like my soap.
“Oh.” I hit Memphis’ shoulder when Oswald comes up from the other side and shoves his hands into the water, sandwiching me between them. I pull back after the suds are gone and stand there with my hands dripping instead of reaching for the hand towel on the bar in the tiny space left between them.
As soon as Memphis turns around, he looks at my dripping fingers and steps forward with the towel. I reach for the fabric, but he just wraps it over my hands and gently massages my fingers, drying them for me. It’s strangely intimate. Hell, even sharing the sink with them felt like a big deal.
“Thanks,” I mutter when I don’t have an excuse to let him continue.
“Got any mustard?” Oswald asks, and it gives me a reason to step away from Memphis. Damn, he’s distracting and so forward, and I’m a little worried about how much I like it.
“I’m sorry, I don’t,” I answer with a small wince.
“It’s okay, we can get some next time.” He shrugs and untwists the tie on the bread to open it. Thenext timepart gives me little butterflies in my stomach.
MIND GAMES
Sandwiches made, I lead the guys into the television room. I haven’t hung out in here much, since I spend a lot of time in my room. I think I’m still getting used to having the whole house to roam, either that or I can forget I’m alone when I’m in my room.
I walk to the curve of the sectional and take a seat. It’s not until my legs are folded under me that I realize I’ve taken the center of the couch. It’s probably weird that I’ve put myself between them. When I lean forward to get up, Oswald stops me by asking, “Where are you going?” He falls back on the sofa, keeping his plate level and secure as he drops down right next to me.
“I just wanted to make sure there was room,” I say, pretending I was just getting comfy.
Memphis walks past our legs and takes a seat on the other side of me. He’s not as close as Oswald, but he’s still near enough that I can smell his cologne and reach out and touch him if I wanted.
“The remote’s right there. You can turn on whatever you want.” I pull a piece of bread off the corner of my sandwich and place it in my mouth.
Oswald is the one to snag the remote from the table in front of us. “What have you been watching down here?” he questions with a smirk right before hitting the power button.
“Nothing, I haven’t even turned it on.”
“What?” He snaps his head to the side and looks at me like I’m crazy. I shrug, not really having an explanation for him. “I would kill to have this much space to stretch out and watch the game and not have to see KJ’s hairy ass.”
I’m really hoping KJ is his roommate, a male roommate, or that would be unfortunate for so many reasons. “You’re welcome to hang out anytime,” I offer and take my first real bite of food. I’m so hungry, I’m kind of past it, and the turkey doesn’t taste nearly as good as I’d hoped.
“Now you’ve done it,” Memphis says on a sigh. “He’s going to be here every day. You’ll never get him to leave.
“I don’t mind the company,” I reply, telling the truth.
“Well, Memphis, you know where to find me.” Oswald sprawls back on the sofa, placing his arm behind me on the top of the couch while keeping the other hand on the sofa with the remote.
“Yeah, well, she already told the meerkat next door I was her roommate, so I’ll be right here with you.”
“Do what?” Oswald sits forward so fast, his empty plate tips to the side on his lap, spilling tiny breadcrumbs on the floor and couch. “Shit, sorry.”
“It’s okay, I’ll get it.” I take both his plate and mine, hoping to escape the room so Memphis can explain while I’m gone. I’d really like to avoid that conversation.
