Dear Roomie (Rookie Rebels #5) - Kate Meader Page 0,59

of big bro.

“You could play goalie for the Rebels and you would be amazing at it,” his brother said, his tone gentle. “Whatever you put your mind to.”

“Are you seeing Kennedy?” The words had left Reid’s mouth before he could stop them.

Bast didn’t even look surprised at the sharp change in conversation. “I’ve seen her. I stopped by yours yesterday, but she had to leave for one of her gigs. Busy, busy girl.” He let the beat hang for long enough for Reid to get really pissed. “Bro, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you like this. You’re, like, glowing!”

“No, I’m not.”

“You are! This is so fuckin’ cute. Reid’s got a crush.”

Damn, he had, from the second he walked into that coffee shop.

Then said yes to his crush living with him.

While he was on a sex fast.

Stupid, stupid Reid.

“She likes you,” Reid muttered, not knowing if it was true, but needing to say something to leech this tightness from his chest.

“Sure, as a friend. She’s gorgeous, I grant you, but I wouldn’t do that to you. I might have before you came over and spilled your guts—”

“How exactly did I spill my guts?”

“Reid. You. Here. With your cute-as-fuck dog. Asking me if I’m seeing Kennedy. That is like a full-scale admission of your infatuation with this girl.”

Reid offered up his darkest scowl.

His brother merely laughed and pointed. “Now I know you’re crazy about her.”

“I’m not. I’m …” He reached for Bucky and rubbed behind his ears. “She’s not the kind of person who sticks. I have to figure out a plan for Bucky.”

Bast considered that for a second. “You know I’m glad you’re here in Chicago. Maybe you’re not but I think this is a good place for you. The Rebels is a good fit for you, center is a good position, and Kennedy likes you. Trust what your gut’s telling you.”

“She’s attracted to me and I’m attracted to her. It’s just a physical thing, nothing more. And she won’t be around for long anyway.”

His brother snorted. “So go for it! Lock her down. Plant your fucking flag, bro, before someone else does.”

Could he do that, knowing it would throw his regimen off course, but worse—and he couldn’t believe he was even thinking this—that it was only short-term? He already liked her. A lot. He liked how easy it felt around her. She might be the key to unlocking some part of him he didn’t know existed.

The not-Henri part.

To taste that potential—for himself, for them—and have it ripped away was a risk he couldn’t afford to take.

21

Kennedy reread the email from the school she had contracted with for her work visa in Thailand. They still hadn’t received the documentation from the consulate and now, heading into the busy holiday season, her plans might be delayed.

She could still head back by New Year on a tourist visa and see more of the country, but her placement in the school would be pushed back to the next semester. Luckily she was saving money because of the free room and board and the additional dog-walking clients, as well as some personal errand gigs. She could afford to bum around Asia for a few months except …

She was starting to like the current situation.

With Bucky.

With Reid.

So used to being on the move, she had forgotten the pleasures of sitting still for a moment—and not just with yoga. Sharing a meal with someone whose company you enjoyed, watching TV and looking over to see if he got that joke, leaving Post-its and texts for each other about the most mundane things … the comfort in it was tempting.

Too tempting.

It would be so easy to get attached. The root of all suffering, right?

And they hadn’t even banged yet!

She heard the TV come on, which meant Reid must have returned from one of his twenty thrice-daily trips to the gym. She headed out, needing to talk to him anyway, determined not to be swayed by his thick thighs and awesome pecs and blue-on-blue eyes.

“Reid, could I have a word?”

“Sure.” He gave her his full attention from his spot on the sofa.

“My car is outside in the residents’ parking. And it … works.”

His look was so fucking what? Also known as Reid Scowl No. 5.

“Did you take my car to the mechanic and pay to get it fixed?”

“Oui.”

She had planned to pay for a tow-truck this morning. It would bite into a chunk of her savings but she needed that car to get around for the next few