26. Ryan
I come home from work to a living room littered with shopping bags.
“Did you know how cold it is in Alaska?” Connor exclaims, holding up a fleece sweater. “Even in summer?”
“Compared to Miami? I had an idea, yes. I guess you’re packing?”
“Won’t have time tomorrow.” He stuffs it into his duffel bag. “So, I’ve written down a bunch of things that you need to do. Bills to pay, that sort of thing.”
“Connor, I do that stuff ninety-five percent of the time now.”
He shrugs. “Figured it can’t hurt to have a list.”
“You’re right. Thanks.” At least he’s making an effort rather than taking off and assuming everything will magically take care of itself.
“I’m sorry, excuse me, what was that? Did I hear you say, ‘Connor, you’re such a smart and handsome big brother and I’m going to miss you’—”
“Enough.” I hold up a hand but cap it off with a chuckle.
He grins. “You know, you’ve been in a way better mood lately. Who’s been getting into your pants? ”
I screw up my face to try to hide my panic. Our roommate and your partner in crime. That’s who . “Not everyone’s life revolves around getting laid.”
“Yes, it does. They just don’t have the guts to admit it.”
“Whatever.”
His lips purse. “I’m glad you and Ronan are getting along better.”
Mention of Ronan’s name stirs a flutter in my stomach. “Like I had a choice. But only two more days.” I duck into the fridge so he can’t read the lies in my expression.
“Either way, I was worried for a bit.”
“ You , worried?” My fake laugh comes out extra forced.
“Yeah, fine, I wasn’t, really.”
Grabbing a water, I head for my room, itching to change out of my staff uniform before class.
“Oh yeah. Some guy came by. Kent, I think he said?”
“Kyle?”
“Yeah, that’s it.”
“Really?” I frown. “Did he say what he wanted?”
“Something about tomorrow night. Where’d you meet him?”
“In the elevator. He lives on the second floor.”
“That’s it. Get it , baby sis.”
“I’m not—” There’s no point. “You’re ridiculous.”
Connor drops a heap of socks into his bag. “Glad to see you’re moving on from Dickface.”
I roll my eyes at his crassness. “Kyle’s helping me study for my exams.”
“Uh-huh. Call it what you want. Smart move to be out of here tomorrow, though, because it is gonna be lit.”
I hold a finger up in warning. “If anyone goes into my room?—”
“Relax, Ronan put a lock on it when he got home.”
I peer down the hall to my door. Sure enough, there’s a shiny new handle with a key sitting inside. “Oh, thanks.” I guess Connor paid for that. A rarity.
“Uh-huh.” Connor salutes. “New guy seems decent. You have my seal of approval.”
“You barely met him.” He couldn’t remember his name!
“Don’t forget to rubber up.”
“Great brotherly advice.” I hesitate. “Is your sidekick in his room?”
“He had a few last-minute things to pick up at the store. Everything’s so expensive in Homer, we’re better off flying up with it.”
“Okay. Have fun packing.” I wander down the hall, stealing a glimpse to see Ronan’s black duffel bag packed and sitting on the floor beside his bed. Unexpected sadness fills my heart. He’s only been here two weeks, I was a bitch to him for half that time, and yet I’m going to miss him terribly.
With an unexpected heaviness in my chest, I head into my room.
A scrap of paper sits on my nightstand. I recognize Ronan’s neat scrawl.
On it is Kyle’s phone number along with a message:
Go get him, Tiger.
A naked Ronan slips into my bed at midnight, bringing with him a pleasant scent of mint tinged with a touch of tobacco.
“Hey.” My voice cracks over the word as I study the hard lines of his face in the dim light of my lamp.
His warm hand slides around my waist to my back. He pulls me closer until we’re both lying on our sides, our chests pressed against each other. It’s unexpectedly intimate, and we stay like that, quiet, for a long moment. “Hey.”
“You ready for Alaska? ”
“Fuck …” He rolls onto his back. “I still don’t know why I’m going.”
“Because my brother lured you there with tales of beautiful, loose women?”
He fits an arm under my head and then pulls me in to rest on his hard chest. “How did you know?”
“Wild guess.”
“Does that bother you?”
“A little?” I’m not ready to say goodbye. “But we knew what this was when we started, right?”
“Right.” He skates a finger across my cheek. “I met Kyle today.”
I swallow, trying to read his thoughts in those four words. “Yeah.”
“Could there be something there?”
“Nah.”
He sighs. “Ryan.”
“What?”
“I’ve spent the last week fucking you in every position I know. I can read your body language. And your bullshit.”
I smile sheepishly. “I’ve run into him a few times in the elevator. He offered to help me study. That’s all.”
“Is that what the kids are calling it these days,” Ronan says dryly, staring up at my ceiling.
“He was an economics major. I think he actually means to help.” Partly, anyway.
“I’m only teasing. I think it’s great.”
I rest my chin on his pec and study his face for anything that says otherwise. “You do?”
He smiles softly. “Yeah.”
“Does it bother you?” I echo his earlier question.
“A little,” Ronan admits, sending a thrill through my body. Whatever I’m feeling for him seems to be mutual. “But he seems like a good guy, and I like the idea that you’ll know someone in the building. That you won’t be alone.” His fingertips skate over my bare shoulder.
I shiver beneath his touch. “He invited me to his place tomorrow night.”
“I know. You should go.”
“What if he tries to kiss me?”
“Do you want him to kiss you?”
“I don’t know.” A beat later, I confess, “He’s hot.”
Ronan chuckles. “Then he’s one lucky motherfucker.”
“But I can’t start something with him and then come back here and do this with you.”
“No, you can’t. That’s not your style.”
I sense that he’s given this thought already. “That would mean tonight’s our last night.”
“You’re right. It would have to be.” He slides one of my nightgown straps down. “What a good run it was.”
I inhale the scent of Ronan. It’s odd, how addicted I’ve become to him. “I’m going to miss you.”
“You and Kyle will hook up and you won’t miss me at all.”
“And you’ll hook up with half the women in Alaska and forget about me too,” I tease.
“Connor will take the other half.”
“And then you’ll swap.”
“Probably.” Ronan flinches as I smack him, but then he chuckles, the deep melody of it comforting to my heart.
“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m happy you moved in here, even if it was only for a couple of weeks.” I’m not sure I loved David. How could I have gotten over him so quickly if I did?
Ronan hesitates. “I still love Tash and miss her like crazy, but you’ve made it easier for me.” Pain glints in his eyes but only for a second and then it’s gone.
I stretch up to kiss his jaw, a hint of stubble tickling my lips. “You know, you’re a decent guy. In your own twisted way. ”
“Thank you.” He presses a kiss against my forehead. “I hope you still feel that way after tomorrow night. I don’t know what your brother has planned, but he’s up to something.”
I groan. While I know Ronan will be with other women at some point, and soon, I don’t want to bear witness to it. “I should crash at Jean’s.”
He hums. “Probably a smart idea. So … friends?”
“Yeah.” I smile. “Yeah, friends.”
He reaches over to rummage in my nightstand drawer where he tucked several condoms. Holding one up, he says, “Once more for shits and giggles, friend ?”
“Fine, friend , but make it good.”
“Don’t I always?” He readies himself.
I straddle his hips and close my eyes, reveling in the feel of Ronan as he sinks deep inside me one last time.