The Do-Over (The Rooftop Crew #5) - Piper Rayne Page 0,45
Jax, let’s say you like a girl. And you help her out with a place to stay. Things are going well. You flirt with her. She flirts with you. You look at her every morning like you want to rip her clothes off, and she looks at you like you’re her personal lollipop she wants to suck on when you come out of the shower.”
“Just so I’m clear, this is you two we’re talking about, right?” He points two fingers between us.
“No,” Knox says at the same time as I say, “Yes.”
“Okay, carry on.” Jax sits down where I was sitting.
“You go on a fake date, but during the course of the night, you admit you have feelings for her. And you kiss her. And it’s a really amazing kiss. But then you say you can’t do anything more because she’s a loser who doesn’t have a place to live and you gave her a place to live and if you guys act on those feelings, then she’ll think she has to be with you to continue to stay at your place.”
Jax laughs and clasps Knox on the shoulder. “Welcome to Whelanville. Full of morals and rules. He knows best and don’t try to change his mind.”
“That’s unfair. Tell her this is legit. A good reason for this.” Knox stands.
“We’re cut from a different cloth, man, you know this. I would’ve fucked her the first night she was here.” Jax lifts his wrist to look at an imaginary watch. “We’re, what? Day I have no idea, but you should’ve fucked her already.”
“He should have last night,” I say.
Knox stares at me for a second. “I agree with Jax. Who are you and what have you done with our sweet Kamea?”
“I think she’s buried under the animosity of you denying her an orgasm last night.” Jax holds up both hands and backs up. “At least that’s what it seems to me.” He goes to the bathroom, and we hear him peeing a second later.
“Jesus Christ, shut the fucking door.” Knox walks over to the bathroom, grabs the handle, and slams the door.
I grab my computer and head to my room. “Have a great shift today, Knox.”
He says nothing, but his eyes convey he doesn’t understand what’s going on.
Once I’m behind my bedroom door, I regret being so forceful, but I hate when people think they know what’s best for me. The fact he’s holding me behind velvet ropes pisses me off. I won’t admit this to him, but I’m pissed at myself too. I put myself in a position where some guy thinks he can’t be with me because I’m too vulnerable. It’s about time I do what I’m designing on these new shirts—I need to be a girl boss.
I lift the screen on my laptop. Time to make some money and get the hell out of here. Regardless of where things go with Knox.
Chapter Twenty
Knox
It’s seven thirty in the morning when I step off the elevator of my apartment building. I had a shitty shift since Patrice called in sick—something about the fertility medicine not agreeing with her. It’s another reminder that once she’s pregnant, I won’t have her as my partner and how much I really want that detective position. Interviews start next week.
When I enter my apartment, something feels off, but I can’t put my finger on it.
I make myself some eggs, mentally telling myself we’re low on groceries. Neither Jax nor Kamea come out, which is odd. Usually Kamea is up and working on her computer when I get home. But maybe it’s for the best, since she’s pissed at me. Hopefully she’ll calm down after a few days. I know I’m right about what I said.
After cleaning the kitchen, I go into the bathroom and take a shower. It looks so bare in here. Maybe Kamea ran out of her shampoo and conditioner because her bottles are gone.
I dry off afterward and notice that her robe is no longer on the back hook of the door. Walking out of the bathroom, I spot Jax rounding the kitchen area with his mug of coffee.
“Morning,” he says and presses the button on the TV remote.
I thumb toward the bathroom door. “Hey, the bathroom seems pretty empty.”
“Yeah. Kamea moved out.” He sips his coffee, his attention on the television.
My stomach drops. “What?”
“Across the hall to Rian and Dylan’s.” He turns his head to look at me. “It’s your fault. You and your rules.”