“Well, clearly whoever processed your application didn’t read it properly. Killian’s deathly allergic to cats. Or maybe he just hates them. One or the other. I forget.”
“Who’s Killian?”
“Our other roommate,” Bearded Guy shrugs. “You’d better get things sorted out. And what the hell? Are those my undies?” He snatches them from Jonah, who narrows his eyes and puts a paw out in a lazy attempt to take them back.
No Beard speaks up. “I guess we should introduce ourselves. You don’t know our names either. I’m Noah,” he says, and then gestures at Bearded Guy, “and this here is Jayden. And I suppose it doesn’t really matter for you, but Killian is out of town right now, and it sounds like he’ll be back in the next few days.”
Bearded Guy nods. Neither makes a move to shake my hand or anything. They just stand there awkwardly.
“Nice to meet you, I guess?” My voice squeaks like two balloons rubbing together.
I can’t believe it. Of all the apartments in this entire city, I land myself in a place with two more rugby jocks. Great, just great. My perfect living situation has been ruined before I even unpacked my bags.
“Listen,” says Noah, glancing at his watch. “The housing office has closed for the day, so you’re not going to be able to change anything until at least the morning. There’s obviously a room available, so you can stay here the night so you don’t have to worry about getting a hotel or anything. And then the housing office is just down the road, so you can go there first thing when they open.”
Still feeling overwhelmed by the situation, I sigh and nod. While it wasn’t the night I had planned, and I’d really hoped to be able to start making myself at home in my new room, he’s right. The thought of searching around for a hotel with vacancies—one that’s pet-friendly at that—seems like a step too far right now. And a room’s a room.
“Thank you,” I say. “And don’t worry, Jonah and I will be out of your hair in no time.” I blush. “And I’m so sorry about… that.” I gesture at the boxer briefs. “He’s got a thing for underwear. You should see what he does with my bras.”
At the mention of bras, Jayden and Noah’s eyes flick toward my chest as if on autopilot, and I find myself blushing yet again. I cross my arms protectively over myself.
They give me a spontaneous tour of the apartment which, while slightly awkward, thankfully goes off without a hitch. It’s a little more leisurely than my earlier snooping, so this time I have an opportunity to take it all in. Aside from the mess, the space is exactly as I remembered from the photos—spacious and well-lit. Noah and Jayden are surprisingly considerate, albeit a bit flustered, as they show me around, making sure to point out the finer details of their bachelor pad that might’ve eluded my notice.
“This here’s the gym,” Noah gestures, in what I assume was once a garage. “Got everything you might need for a good workout, including a pull-up bar and some handy dumbbells. And over there,” he continues, leading us back upstairs, “is the man cave, uh, I mean, uh, common room.”
We return to the living room. “Okay, well, that’s it!” Noah exclaims, visibly relieved that the tour is over. “If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask, alright?”
“Yeah, we’re here to help, man—er, I mean, you know,” Jayden stutters, elbowing Noah in the ribs.
“Thanks, guys, I appreciate it.” I give them a genuine smile. “I’m sure we’re all adults here, and we can make this work for one night.”
“Absolutely,” Noah nods. “Alright, well, we’ll leave you to get settled in. We’ve got some errands to run, so take your time.” He gives me another once over and I find myself blushing again under his intense gaze. “You know, if it weren’t for the cat, we might get you to stay.”
Chapter 5
Dylan
Iheadtotheempty room we saw on the tour—the same one I thought was going to be mine—and set down my suitcase and Jonah’s carrier. I glance around, a wave of confusion and what feels like sadness washing over me.
The room itself is clean and spacious, as if someone put effort into making it nice for whoever claimed it next.
I walk to the window and glance out. It’s dark out now, but it looks like this room will get a ton of natural light.
A little ensuite bathroom sits off to the side. Unlike the main shared bathroom, this one is immaculate, with gleaming surfaces and a nice shower.
It’s a pity I can’t take this entire setup with me wherever I go next.
Sitting down on the bed, which is made up with some generic sheets and a couple of pillows, I sigh. This isn’t meant to be how this new chapter started. But as exhaustion hits me, I realize a good night’s sleep will help to make things feel better.
As if reading my mind, Jonah jumps up onto the bed and curls into a ball beside me. I need to be more like this furry creature, unphased by uprooting his entire little life.
I lie back on the bed and find myself drifting away into the comforting arms of slumber…
The bedroom door creaks open and a shadowy figure slips inside. Even in the dim light, I can see the outline of broad shoulders and muscular arms. I immediately notice the figure is wearing a scrum cap, the rugby headgear that protects forward players in a scrum. It obscures his face, contouring around his head with a protective chin strap wrapping around his chiseled jaw. It’s the rugby equivalent of wearing a mask, especially in the dark.
My heart pounds. Who is it?
As he steps closer, the moonlight illuminates a familiar smirk. “Miss me, Dylan?”