Page 5 of Their Little House Boston (Five Little Roommates #3)

Elliot

What a fun and relaxing day. I’d played video games in my room most of the time. I loved the cozy games. Stardew Valley was my favorite. Farming games were the best.

Tonight was movie night, and I wanted to get something real into my stomach before my obligatory handful or three of Scottie’s popcorn salad, so I shut my console down and headed for the kitchen.

When I got there, someone was standing in the middle of the room, looking lost. He had short, wheat-colored hair and beautiful eyes. His hands were on his hips. He wore gray lounge pants and a navy-blue hoodie.

Attractive didn’t even begin to cover how gorgeous he was.

“You must be Boston?” I asked.

He snapped out of his daze. “I am. You are?”

I barely quelled my giggle. “Elliot. It’s nice to meet you. Monroe said we had a new roommate. I’ve been in my room all day.”

He nodded. “Just moved in today.”

The nervousness came off this man in waves. His gaze darted around the room, and bare toes tapped on the linoleum flooring. Being the new guy was never easy, and I wanted to help him feel at ease, welcome. “Have you seen the playroom? I have some time if you want to play before the movie starts.”

Boston nailed me with a stare. “I don’t know.” Poor guy. Maybe he was new to the little life or he’d never been able to play before.

“That’s okay. We don’t have to. I was about to make some mini chili dogs on Hawaiian buns. Are you hungry? Wanna share?”

“I am hungry,” Boston answered. “But I hate to take your food.”

I waved him off. “Eating with friends is more fun anyway. Besides, we all share around here. It’s not just a house, it’s a community.”

“That’s nice. Can I help?”

We made mini chili dogs together, and I cut up some cucumber spears because vegetables add fiber. When we took the hot dogs out of the oven, Boston was practically drooling.

I had a strong urge to care for him for some reason. He was beautiful and nice. But he was a little like me. Others had throupled up before, but I didn’t know if that was my fate. Besides, there wasn’t a daddy to share. Or, at least, I didn’t have one.

Maybe Boston did, but I needed to stop overthinking and making up futures with someone I’d just met.

While we ate, he answered some basic questions. Where he worked. Things he liked to do. I avoided the little subject because he seemed wary of saying anything about it.

I picked up our empty plates and started toward the sink. “Do you want to watch the movie with the others?”

His gaze went to the living room where the others were gathering for the show.

Scottie would be in to make popcorn salad any minute.

Littles didn’t just sit on the couch and watch a movie.

They brought out blankets, pillows, sleeping bags, and stuffies for the comfy community event.

Most of them dressed in jammies as well.

“I don’t know.”

His unease made me anxious. I knew how it felt to be that nervous.

“Maybe I should go and unpack instead. It all seems overwhelming.”

Poor Boston. We could be a lot. I didn’t want to assume things about him, but his trepidation made me think more than ever that he was new to this life.

He would be okay around here. We didn’t judge, and everyone lived at their own pace.

It was the one place I knew of where we could be ourselves.

Of course there was Chained, but as far as a place to call home, this was it.

“Can I see your room?” I asked. I didn’t want to push him, but the urge to get to know him better guided my thoughts.

“Oh, sure.”

We walked up the stairs together to his room. Boxes and totes lined one wall.

“How about I help you make your bed? That way, you at least have a comfy place to sleep tonight.”

“That would be nice. Thank you.”

He pulled out a neatly folded comforter and sheets, along with standard pillows.

Some of us had cartoon or character bed sheets and comforters, but his sheets were plain baby blue and the comforter a basic white with thin navy pinstripes.

We made the bed together, laughing over the messed-up corners of the fitted sheet.

We got it wrong three times. This was why I insisted on stripes on my sheets. The stripes never did me wrong.

“Well, good night, Boston.”

“Good night, Elliot. Thanks for…thanks for tonight.”

“You’re welcome. See you around.”

I really, really hoped I saw him around.

Not wanting to spend the rest of the evening in the house, I skipped the movie and got dressed to go Chained. They had the best little room and had gotten a lot of new toys.

But, tonight, I didn’t go to play, just to hang out.

I met my friend Sammy there, and we had a drink.

I was tempted to go to the little room, but I hadn’t dressed for it, and I had a hard time getting into the right headspace without the clothes.

The conversation area with its comfy couches and chairs was relaxing enough.

A few drinks in, I was ready to get home. I had split days off and a shift in the morning.

This little liked his sleep.

I took off and went back to the house but, before retiring in my bedroom, I stopped at Boston’s door. The light was off. I sent a wish up to the gods that he was sleeping well and being here would somehow heal all of his nervousness.

I also wished we would be good friends.