Page 61 of Roommate Wars

I snorted. “Why would I? I hate shopping.”

“Yet you went shopping with me…”

“Because you suck at wearing nice things. Your taste in clothes makes mine look good.”

“I’m going to try to not take offense at that.” Considering how she was shoveling in food while she spoke, I took it that she wasn’t at all offended.

“Feel free to take offense. It’s a fact.”

“Rude.” Her mouth was pursed, but her eyes were smiling.

I poured more wine into her empty glass. “Now that we’re sleeping together—”

She pointed her fork at my head. “In the same bed! No one said anything about boning.”

I held back a laugh. “Boning? Is that what you call it?”

“That’s what Sophia called it.”

“I have no interest in boning. You’re merely a good pillow.” I gestured to her chest. “Nice and soft.”

She shook her head slowly. “I can’t believe you, Jackson. When did you use my breasts as a pillow?”

“Let’s see…” I looked up, pretending to consider it. “Every chance I got?”

“And what was I doing during all this?”

I gobbled down the last of my steak because it was delicious. “Stroking my hair while I was half awake.”

She blinked a couple times as though she hadn’t known she’d done that. “You have good hair,” she said grudgingly.

“Feel free to run your fingers through it anytime you like. Or you can use it to direct me where you want me.”

Her face pinkened. “I said no boning.”

“Who said anything about sex? Get your head out of the gutter, Hot Stuff.” She eyed me suspiciously. “But since you mentioned it, maybe we should kiss. You know, get it out of the way, in case you can’t hold back and your lips land on mine tonight.”

“Hah! As if that will happen. More like the other way around.”

I took a swig of wine and refilled. The alcohol was loosening my tongue. “Pretty sure your lips were the first to cross the demilitarized zone way back when.”

“I have no idea what that is, but if you mean to say I kissed you first that night—well, maybe. But trust me, these lips are on lockdown. I have them well under control.”

“And yet you rolled into my bedroom last night like it was your own.”

Her eyes turned to liquid fire. “Do you want your breast pillow back or not?”

I held up my hands. “Want. Definitely want.” I studied her a moment. “Let’s say, for argument’s sake, our lips connect in the middle of the night. Would that be crossing the line?”

“Depends. Whose lips are in control?”

“Yours. Mine are at your disposal but won’t cross the line without permission.”

She snorted. “You think you can hold yourself back?”

I laughed. “Not if you don’t. That’s the signal everything’s a go. But I think we should revisit the kiss. I barely remember locking lips the night you seduced me.” A lie. I remembered every detail. “We wouldn’t want anything awkward.” Another lie. Being with Elise was the opposite of awkward. It felt weird to consider her not in my bed. Hence why I’d suggested we keep up the habit. “How about a kiss to get it out of your system? That way, if it happens, no one is surprised or horrified.”

“Horrified! And what do you mean, you don’t remember kissing me?”