Page 13 of The Roommate Game

“Oh. You’re still here.” Rafe paused in the doorway, cradling a “Go Figure” mug with a figure skater’s silhouette to his chest.

“Yeah, I’m on my way out, though. I’m gonna have to swing by the market later today. Did you want me to pick up anything for you?”

“You mean for the party? No, that’s not necessary. Just bring your charming self.” His smile was a little too tight, but he seemed more stressed than insincere.

“What party?”

“The party I told you I was having. It’s tomorrow. Here. And…well, okay…I have to admit it’s not going according to plan, but it’ll still be a rip-roarin’ good time.”

“Rip-roarin’?” I chuckled. “I’m sure it’ll be a blast. Have fun.”

He frowned. “I…you’re invited too.”

“Thanks, but I’m gonna sit this one out.”

“What? You said you’d be there. You asked how you could help and even offered your friends’ assistance. Don’t you remember?” Rafe stepped into the kitchen, set his mug on the counter, and continued speaking with expressive hand gestures. “Yes, my big idea of pulling an all-nighter is a bust—Penny has a date, so she’s only available till seven o’clock, and I hadn’t taken the age gap of her clientele into account. Turns out one of her best pupils is a seventy-five-year-old grandma of six who could kick my ass in an arm-wrestling match. She sounds incredible, so I’m inviting her anyway, but…I still need you.”

Okay, that was a mouthful of confusing.

I cocked my head curiously. “Someone’s grandma is coming to your party, and it’s rip-roarin’ till seven p.m.? Did I get that right?”

“Yes…sort of. But there’s more to it. Obviously. Great food, amazing tunes, and you will not believe the beverage selection.” Rafe plucked the pair of glasses hooked on the collar of his “Axel Me This” T-shirt and pushed them onto his nose. “Crazy good.”

Huh.Was it me or was my roommate giving hot nerd vibes?

“You wear glasses?”

He pulled them off immediately, squinting like an owl. “I…yes. I take out my contacts to sleep, and use these as necessary.”

“Are they new?”

“No.”

Fuck. He’d been wearing glasses for months, and this was the first time I’d noticed?

I cleared my throat. “Oh. Can you see without them?”

“No, not at all. You’re a big blur, but?—”

“Put ’em back on.” Unbelievably, Rafe complied without making a federal case about it. He immediately looked softer, more approachable…and really fucking cute. “I like them.”

“Uh…thanks.” He tucked his hair behind his ear.

“You’re welcome.” I dried my mug and returned it to the cupboard as heat pooled south to my groin.

Chubby alert.

What the hell?Yeah, Rafe was attractive—if you were into hedgehogs or porcupines. Seriously, the dude was prickly as fuck.

I didn’t think I was hard up, so I wasn’t sure what was going on with my dick. Nothing good, that was for damn sure.

“I should get ready,” he said, shaking me from my internal freak-out session. “See you later…and whatever you do, don’t forget tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow,” I repeated, holding his shifty gaze like a champ. “What time does this banger start?”

“Four o’clock?”

My brow creased so hard, I gave myself a mini headache. “In the afternoon?”