Page 36 of Between Desire and Denial

“Nope.”

“So, who did your bathroom?”

“Just an interior designer, but—”

“Well they should help with decorating the rest then, right?” I told him. “I can’t decorate. Honestly.” Nor did I want to. The idea of making a house a home had me itching to leave it.

“They’ll need direction.”

“Direct them then.” I wasn’t going to.

“You’re here. We’re gonna play house aren’t we? Why can’t you?” The man smirked, and I knew he was trying to irk me. He truly must have enjoyed getting a rise out of me.

“The goal of me being here, for you, is to make people think you’re a part of this town so you can get them to approve your ridiculous plans. Not decorate this home.” Then, I looked in the next room and saw no bed either. “Is there only one freaking bed in this place? How do you have no furniture?”

“Well, as previously stated, I’m not here often.” He shrugged.

I turned slowly to face him. “Where am I supposed to sleep?”

He smiled big now, like he wanted to make a joke. “In my bed, next to me.”

“Absolutely not.”

“Why? You afraid I’ll make you feel good again?”

“Nope.” Instantly, my body tightened. I’d probably indulge with him again if he weren’t friends with Kee. Or if I knew I didn’t need to stay with him and had a separate place to retreat. Things would get messy too fast living under the same roof. He was a bad idea. Yet my heart and body didn’t want to listen to my head. “We can’t sleep next to each other. We need boundaries. I’m here to help you and… there are issues with my brother, so I need to be here. Without complications.” I tried to be honest.

He leaned on the doorframe and stared at me in the white room. “Okay.” His voice was resigned. “I’ll sleep on the couch for a day or two. I’m going to head out of town anyway, won’t be here long.”

“Work?”

“Duty’s always calling, Honeybee.”

“Probably not the best nickname, considering…” I wasn’t going to finish that sentence.

“I have the Bee to make it nice and sentimental, and I coined the honey after I tasted you. I’m not dropping that nickname for anything.”

“Please stop,” I whined. “There has to be some sense of restraint while we’re both staying here. I’ll stay upstairs once we have it furnished, and you can stay downstairs. It’ll afford us some privacy.”

“I don’t really know why we need privacy.”

“Because, Darling D, I like my personal space.”

His eyes narrowed, “Why does that nickname feel like a slight?”

“Because it is one after you started calling me Honeybee in front of everyone.”

“Is the D for my name or for—”

“I don’t know, Dimitri. Do you think it’s darling?” I asked him sweetly.

I knew he wanted to say more, but the doorbell rang.

“Pizza’s here.” I turned and went to the door. I swung it open and smiled when I saw Esme, a blonde sapphire-eyed teenager who was one of Knox’s close friends. I gave her a hug as she welcomed me back and then saw that Jameson and Franny were standing beside her.

“Jameson and Franny came to deliver pizza too?”

“Esme drove with the pizza light on her car, and I wanted to say hi because she never delivers!” Franny announced.