14. Zayn
Zayn
Every now and then, I make a decision that seems great, but as time passes, I find out how awful it actually is. This is one of those times.
Annie is everywhere.
She’s in the living room, lounging in her matching pajama set. Shorts so fucking short that I can’t stand to be in the same room.
She’s in the kitchen, wearing the same said outfit, reaching into a high cabinet for a mug to drink tea. Every time my mind flashes to my body pressed up against hers that first night we met. I’ve since moved the mugs to a nice spot on the counter. No reaching necessary.
She’s in the bathroom, showering, and all I can think about is how soft her tits must be and if she’d let me kiss that damn mouth again.
I’m losing my mind.
Every morning, I wake up before her to work out. The gym is conveniently downstairs, so I spend the first hour or so of the day there. When I get upstairs, she greets me in the kitchen with an already-made pot of coffee.
Annie doesn’t even drink regular coffee most mornings. For her it has to be an Americano or tea.
She’s been making it for me since hearing me mutter about having to wait too long for a cup after a long workout one morning.
She was in the kitchen wearing those damn shorts, and I complained about needing caffeine on my way to the shower.
Every morning for the past week, a pot of coffee is on with a mug already set out next to it.
Trying to ignore her is pointless because she’s everywhere I look. And when I close my eyes, she invades my personal thoughts and daydreams.
We have been on “dates” the last two Friday evenings.
Each to the same ice cream spot, which has now been dubbed as “our spot” by the media.
Annie wants us to keep going because she heard they were at risk of shutting down and thought helping a local business might bode well for my public appearance.
She’s also made us go to Flora on more than one occasion, to the point where I also order a damn muffin every time.
This morning, I’m having Kiley over while Annie is working for a few hours. I figured it would be easier to catch up with my sister if Annie wasn’t around, since that would lead to more questions and conversations I’d rather avoid.
“It smells so good in here.” Kiley looks around the living room. She sets her bag on a hook, then struts over to the couch to take a seat. “Are you burning a candle?”
How do I tell her that my roommate just happens to smell like a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie? And that I’m losing my mind over my fake relationship?
“No, neighbors must have baked something.” Choosing to lie is easier. “How’s everything going with the new job?”
“It’s just a new department, but it’s been good. My boss can be a little grumpy sometimes, and I’m not quite sure how to read him. I’m trying not to let his mood swings get to me, but that can be hard when we work together on projects.”
“Well, that’s good.” Suddenly self aware, I realize that’s how I appear to many people. Unapproachable and grumpy.
“Zayn, you wouldn’t believe what—” Annie comes barreling through the front door. “Oh, Kiley!” She walks over to Kiley, embracing her in a hug before walking to the kitchen. Annie grabs a mug, which I can only assume means she’s going to make a cup of tea.
Kiley follows her. “I didn’t know if you’d be here or not. I have to admit, after seeing you two plastered all over the internet, I wasn’t sure if this was real or not.”
“Of course this is real, Kiki. That’s what I texted you last night,” I say, annoyed that she would even think that. I get that I haven’t been the most open and honest big brother, but I feel like this is believable.
“Oh, I know. I’m just kidding. I was just shocked by it all. To see you a year ago with one brother and now to see you with my other brother. Small world right?” Kiley chuckles.
Annie lets out an awkward chuckle. “Right, Zayn and I. We are together.” She looks at me with a raised brow, slightly concerned at the fact that my sister thinks we are actually dating.
I stand up from the couch and meander into the kitchen.
Walking over to Annie, I lean down and give her a peck on the cheek.
It’s the first time I’ve touched her since our interaction two weeks ago.
The hand holding on our dates doesn't count.
I chalk the day of our kiss up to being high on testosterone and unable to control myself.
The extra touches, the glances, the flirting. .. It was all too much.
“I didn’t expect you home already,” I say, walking to sit in a stool on the other side of the island.
“I felt like surprising you on our three week anniversary.” Annie winks at me, and I’m grateful to be sitting down, for that wink alone causes my cock to harden. Not something I’d like to publicize.
“Aw, you two are adorable,” Kiley says, her eyes darting back and forth between Annie and me. “How did you reconnect anyway?”
I look at Annie. Annie looks at me. Neither of us know what to say as we haven’t practiced this before.
“We, um, reconnected at the studio,” Annie says, taking a sip of tea.
“Yes, one day at lunch when she came to meet her sister,” I add, surprised how believable this is.
“And the rest was history.” Annie shrugs and leans against the counter behind her.
“And you’ve been together all this time?”
“Not too long,” I say. I don’t want to act like the two of us are endgame and lead Kiley to believe she might have a new sister-in-law.
“Yeah, we hung out as friends for a while, then he took me out on our first date. And that’s pretty much how it happened.”
“And the gala was an accident?” Kiley asks, looking at me. “Why was that when you two were first seen together?”
“I couldn’t resist not having my hands on her any longer...” I glance longingly at Annie.
“Gross.” Kiley makes a gagging sound. “No offense Annie.”
“None taken.”
They both laugh and I glance between the two, seeing for a brief moment what my life might look like if I had Annie for real. She blends in with my family so well, and maybe before she was attached to the wrong piece of the puzzle.
Kiley stays for another hour badgering us with questions. Annie and I alternate answering, and by the time Kiley finally decides to leave, I’m glad to be done with the interrogation.
“Okay, I’ll let you two have some time.” Kiley walks toward the front door, already grabbing her purse from the hook.
“Oh, you don’t have to do that, Kiley,” I call after her.
“Z, it’s fine. We can catch up during a call this week! Bye love birds!” Kiley yells, walking out the front door.
Annie lightly punches me in the left arm, and I whip around to face her.
“You didn’t tell her this was fake?” Annie demands.
I shrug. “I didn’t feel the need to disclose that information.”
“What the fuck, Zayn? Why not?”
“I do what I want, Princess.” I stare at Annie, begging for a fight, an argument, something to take my mind off the fact that I want to bend her over this island and fuck her from behind. “You should know that by now.”
Annie does the opposite of what I desperately want. She rolls her eyes, signature Annie response, then grabs her second cup of tea off the counter, and she walks away without saying a word.
A heavy sigh escapes my lips. It’s not that I want to fight with Annie.
I just don’t know how to react when I’m around her.
She always has something witty to say to bring out more of my grumpy-ness when I’m trying to be a little better around her.
I want her to be able to tolerate me. We have to live together for the next four months.
But what would tolerating me look like? Shared breakfast? Me making her tea? Friendly conversations in the hallway? That wouldn’t make my attraction to her go away. It would make it worse, which I don’t need.
I need to focus on practicing for the role I’m going to land, not fantasizing about a civil relationship with Annie.
A few hours later, I’m in my room trying to figure out what to wear for our date.
We’re going to Sunshine Scoops and a pumpkin patch.
I can’t remember the last time I was at one of those.
All I can picture is people in flannels, but it’s still warm outside, and a flannel is the last thing I want to wear.
I reach for a plain white tee as a knock comes from my door.
I slip on my shirt as I answer it and find Annie on the other side, her gaze locked on my bare skin.
“Enjoying the view?” My tone is laced with playful curiosity.
“Mhm, it’s quite nice. Are you ready to leave?” Annie takes her time meeting my stare, trailing up my chest slowly. What I’d give to know the thoughts inside her head.
“Are you like this with everyone?” There’s this hidden side to Annie that is revealing itself to me the more time we spend together.
It’s bubbly with a hint of irritability.
As if she’s not letting herself give into what she wants to say, but she’s comfortable enough with me to explore this side of her.
“What do you mean?” Annie trails behind me as I grab a few things from my dresser, shoving my wallet and keys into my back pocket.
Yeah, what do I mean? I want to know the way she carries herself when she’s alone, when she’s around me, and when she’s around a group of people. I want to know who she is.
“You’re just hard to read, Annie Mitchell.
I never know which version of you to expect.
Sometimes you’re optimistic about everything, giving a glass half full vibe to any situation.
Other times, you’re...” My feet move toward her.
I give her a playful shove, and she lands flat on her back on my bed. “Unpredictable.”
Annie sits up, crossing her legs under her like a pretzel. “And which version of me do you like better, Zayn?”
“Neither. I like this version of you. This version of you, full of attitude and excitement, I might like a little bit too much.”
“Well, if we are being honest...” Annie’s feet unravel from under her and plop on the floor.
She stands, walking toward me, and my eyes widen as I wonder what her next move is.
“I don’t not like you anymore.” A wink escapes before she walks past me and out my door.
“We leave in five, Mr. Barnes! Ice cream waits for no one.”