Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 61591 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 308(@200wpm)___ 246(@250wpm)___ 205(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61591 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 308(@200wpm)___ 246(@250wpm)___ 205(@300wpm)
I paused the video when it started to turn into a sales pitch and studied the smiling image of my new roommate, which was frozen on my screen. He came across as bubbly, energetic, and extremely positive. Frankly, it seemed exhausting.
When I got home a few minutes later, Ever was shirtless, splayed out on the couch, and sound asleep. His socks and sneakers were strewn across the floor, and his phone was still in his hand.
As I retrieved a blanket, I frowned at the additions to the apartment. The formerly pristine space was dotted with random, colorful pet beds and toys. Also, the stuffed cactus had “bloomed,” and he’d moved it in front of the windows. It now sported three round, hot pink perches for the cat, one at the top of each of its posts. My guess was that they were meant to look like cactus flowers. Like it wasn’t tacky enough before.
After I covered Ever with the throw blanket, I hurried out of the room. He probably already thought I was a weirdo, so I didn’t want him to wake up and find me hovering over him.
When I reached my bedroom, I sighed and rubbed my forehead. There was a plush pet bed on my dresser. It looked like a cartoonish shark with its jaws wide open, so the cat could curl up in its mouth. But instead, Phil was nesting right in the center of my pillow and staring at me with those huge, alien eyes.
“Come on. Really?” He went right on staring at me. “Your room is at the other end of the apartment, and there’s a king-size bed in it. Ever’s not even using it, so you could have the whole thing to yourself.”
What was I doing, reasoning with him? Like that was going to work. I gave up and went into the bathroom to get ready for bed.
Not surprisingly, the cat hadn’t budged by the time I returned. I decided to wait him out rather than convincing him to leave, so I put on my reading glasses and took a book from the drawer in the nightstand. Then I sat on the bed, leaning against the wall for support.
I’d been reading for about five minutes when I felt a gentle tap on my thigh. The cat was standing right beside me. He tapped me again with his paw, as if he was testing his footing. A moment later, he hopped onto my lap and tucked his feet under himself.
I ran my hand over his T-shirt and down the exposed part of his back. Even though his gray fur was patchy, he felt incredibly soft. He shifted and got more comfortable as I petted him. It showed a lot of trust when he shut his eyes and started purring.
“You’re pretty cool, Phil,” I told him. “I have no idea what to make of your owner, but you and I are going to get along fine.”
The next morning, my back was stiff and sore as I got out of bed. This wasn’t a surprise. Phil had slept in the center of my mattress, so I’d had to contort myself into a C-shape around him.
I got dressed in my workout clothes and went to fill one of my water bottles. When I reached the kitchen doorway, I stopped short and whispered, “Damn.”
Ever was standing at the messy counter, beside a very fancy blender. He wore nothing but a pair of tight, red shorts, and I couldn’t help but check him out. Anyone would have, literally anyone—young, old, gay, straight, it didn’t matter. That body didn’t just draw attention, it demanded it.
He turned to me with a smile and asked, “Did you say something?”
“No. I mean, yes, but I was talking to myself.” Wow, really? Apparently I couldn’t help but be awkward around him.
He took it in stride, though. “I finished my blueberry-kale smoothie, but I have plenty of ingredients to make another. Would you like one?”
“No, thanks. I just need to grab something from the cupboard in front of you.”
Ever moved over, but in the wrong direction, so he was even more in the way. I was acutely aware of his proximity as I reached around him to grab a bottle. Was it my imagination, or could I actually feel his body heat without touching him? Then again, maybe I felt warmer because the color was rising in my cheeks.
I quickly stepped away, and as I filled the bottle at the sink, he asked, “Are you on your way to the gym?”
“Yeah.”
“Would you mind if I tag along?”
“You can if you want to, but I’m not sure it’s your kind of place.”
“Why wouldn’t it be?”
“Because it’s no-frills, and your gym in L.A. looked pretty fancy.”
The smile was back. “Do you follow me on Instagram? I’m guessing that’s where you saw it.”