that it was not only black—he’d remembered—but that it was piping hot. “I’m surprised,” I said instead of a thank-you. Loren seemed like the type to take a mile if I gave him an inch. “I didn’t know you made coffee runs.”
“That’s because I don’t. Rich does, apparently. I snagged yours when he wasn’t looking. Thought I’d take the credit.”
Figures.
I glared at Loren over the top of my cup, and he beamed at me in return. He was an ass, but man, he was gorgeous. It was hard to ignore when he flaunted it so shamelessly. As strong as this coffee was, the phantom taste of cherries easily overpowered it, so I started for the bus that I caught my bags being loaded onto moments ago. Two steps in, I felt someone following, so I peeked over my shoulder.
Loren was hot on my heels.
He was engrossed in his phone as he walked, so sure that water would part for him that he wasn’t at all worried about bumping into someone or something.
Climbing the steps onto the bus, I stopped when I came to a barrier separating the living area from the helm. It was a floor-to-ceiling glass door with blackout tint that slid open with the push of a button.
“Mi casa es su casa,” Loren said after reaching past me to push the button on the wall next to the door.
I wasn’t sure what I expected, but I knew this wasn’t it. Living on a bus for several months didn’t exactly sound like a day spa, but this was close to it. This bus was decked out better than my crappy apartment.
Upon entering, I was standing in a living room with a U-shaped sectional that could easily sleep three grown men comfortably. Hanging above the brown couch was a painting of what I guessed was downtown Portland near the riverfront. Directly across was a sixty-inch flat-screen built into the wall. A black rug even covered the wooden floor spanning most of the living room. It looked so plush that I fought the urge to lie across it. I bet I could sleep there all night and not feel a thing in the morning.
Next to the space was a kitchenette complete with a stove, microwave, sink, dishwasher, and…was that a goddamn full-sized fridge? I gaped at it, forgetting that I wasn’t alone.
Yup.
These boys had it made in the shade.
When I ventured deeper, I even found a little nook built into the bus’s side, between the sectional and the refrigerator, that could seat four people on the booth-like seats.
This might not be the nightmare I imagined.
The moment the thought entered my mind, the door in front of me slid open, revealing the rest of the bus and an angry-looking Houston. He wore a clean white T-shirt and dark-blue sweats as if he were relaxing at home. I guess, in a way, he was. This was only new to me.
“You’re late.”
His favorite goddamn phrase even when I wasn’t.
“I’ve been standing outside for twenty minutes. If you were so concerned, you would have looked for me yourself.”
Houston jerked his head over my shoulder. “Why do you think he found you?”
“Hey, I would have gone,” Loren objected. “Eventually.”
I rolled my eyes and tried to pass Houston, but the doorway was too narrow, and he filled it too easily. I didn’t even know where the hell I was going or what I would do once I got there. I just needed to be away from them.
“Excuse me,” I forced myself to say when he refused to move.
“Did Loren give you a tour?”
“He didn’t need to. It’s not like I could get lost walking a straight line. Excuse me,” I repeated when he continued to block my way.
Reaching past me, he wordlessly opened the door next to me, which forced me to back up or be hit. “This is the bathroom we use for guests.”
“Which we never have,” Loren added. Houston ignored him.
Barely sparing a glance inside, I found a clean half bath and nodded, prompting him to close the door and turn back the way he came.
“This is where you’ll be sleeping,” Houston said as I followed him.
There were four bunks built into the bus, two on each side, with curtains for privacy. Houston slid back the curtain of the top one perpendicular to my right shoulder. The bed was narrow but long, and the bunk tall enough to sit up fully without bumping my head. It was already covered with bedding even though I’d brought