“Why? It’s not like anyone cansee us.”
“Me being here right now has nothing to do with our deal.”
“Technically, there is no deal.” I take another sip. “Not yet, anyway.”
Rowan gives me a soft smile. “How about you go take a shower, and when you’re done, we can talk it out?”
I look up into his hopeful eyes and fucking melt.
“Ugh.Fine. I guess we can do that.”
Setting my coffee next to my phone, I stand up. When the room sways, I feel a warm, firm hand grasp my elbow, steadying me.
Before I can even think about what I’m doing, I shove his hand away. “I’m good.”
Placatingly holding his hands up, he takes a step back.
As I make my way to the bathroom, I suddenly remember I have a pet to take care of.
When I turn around, Rowan’s eyes are on my ass.
“Hey!”
His gaze flicks up to mine. “What’s up?”
“Can you feed Slash for me?”
“Slash?”
I wave a hand toward the terrarium that houses my pet iguana. “Yeah. There’s a bucket of dried crickets in the top drawer. Just use the measuring cup.”
The look he gives me almost makes me laugh. Almost. His face has gone a little green.
“For crying out loud,” I sigh, rolling my eyes. “He’s not gonna bite you.”
“You don’t know that,” he mumbles, throwing my pet a suspicious side-eye.
The snort that escapes me is a little more condescending than I mean it to be, which causes a flare of guilt. Rowan stayed over to make sure nothing happened to me in the middle of the night. I can’t remember the last time anyone did something likethat for me. But instead of the feeling softening my resolve, self-preservation kicks in, guilt quickly shifting to annoyance.
“I should’ve helped you get over your aversion to reptiles a long time ago,” I grumble, stomping across the room to open the cabinet drawer and take out the crickets.
Bucket of insects in hand, I start to open the container and get a sinister idea. Reaching into the enclosure, I gently pick up Slash and hold him up.
“Hold out both of your hands, palms up.”
Rowan takes a step back. “Uh,uh.”
“Come on,” I say, taking another step toward him. “You big chicken.”
“Fine,” he huffs, reluctantly holding out his hands, wincing like he’s about to get punched in the face.
I gently place Slash in his palms. “There. See? He’s not going to?—”
A clear, yellowish stream of liquid trickles between his fingers and onto the floor.
“What the—!” Rowan yelps, eyes wide with horror as he holds Slash as far away from him as physically possible. “He’s peeing! Hurry! Take him back!”
Doubling over, I burst into laughter, tears springing to my eyes. “Oh my god, you should see your face!” I wheeze, clutching my stomach with delight.
