The Roommate Pact(45)

He tried to lift up into her to ease the pressure building, and a bolt of pain shot down his leg.

He groaned, and not in a good way.

She pulled back. “What? Did I hurt you?”

“No.” He gritted his teeth, trying not to let it show. Because fuck his broken leg and the throbbing pain of putting even a tiny bit of weight on it—he did not want to stop where this was going.

“You’re lying.” She jumped off his lap, concern marring her brow. “Graham, stop staring at my chest and focus. Is it your leg?”

“But you have very, very nice breasts.”

“I know, but they’re not more important than your broken leg.”

“I disagree.”

Claire growled in frustration. “Graham Scott. Look at me right now or I’ll never take my top off for you again.”

His gaze snapped to her face.

“Men,” she muttered and crossed her arms. “Seriously, what happened?”

“I just put my weight on my feet for a second. Both of them. I wasn’t thinking. There was a sharp pain but it’s already fading.”

“Are you sure?”

“Promise.” He reached for her hand and tugged her close. “Get back over here.”

She shook her head. “I won’t risk you hurting yourself.”

“I lost my head for a second. I’ll be more careful.”

She lifted one hand and threaded her fingers through his hair, giving him a sad sort of smile. “Isn’t that the whole point? To lose your head? Maybe we should wait until you don’t have to worry about your leg.”

He ran both hands up her sides, his thumbs caressing each rib. Their gazes locked again and he swallowed. “Please, Claire. I’m going out of my mind over here. We don’t have to have sex if you think it’s too risky. But for the love of my sanity, please let me kiss you, and touch you, and make you feel good.”

She shivered beneath his palms and leaned into him. “Are, um...” He’d never heard her voice so breathy. More of that, please. “Are you sure?”

“Very.”

She hummed out a sigh when his hands moved higher still. Her chin lifted and her eyes slid shut. “Okay. But we’re going to your room where you’re off your feet.” She seemed to regain focus and grabbed his crutches, handing them over. “And I want to make you feel good, too.”

“I’ll allow it,” he managed.

She tossed him a saucy wink over her shoulder and crossed the room, hips swaying as she reached back to unclasp her bra before disappearing into the hallway.

“You’re gonna kill me, woman,” Graham said, nearly crashing to the floor in his haste to follow her.

To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

Subject: Thought

You’re asleep next to me and we just had the best non-sex sex I’ve ever had. And you know what I’m laying here thinking about?

My bed smells like you when you’re not here.

And I like it.

That should probably concern me.

Graham

PS. Remember when we were at that restaurant and you told off the guy on his phone? I didn’t want you to give him your number.



15

“I have a date tomorrow night.”

Graham’s head snapped up. They’d been on the front porch for an hour, and after spending the first half hour talking, had both allowed the warmth of the sun to lull them into states of half consciousness.

TrueChemistry alerted her of the match two days ago, and after reviewing the guy’s profile, she’d sent him a message. They’d spoken back and forth through the app several times, and this morning she woke up to a request to meet.

Seeing it on her phone while curled up in Graham’s bed, with his large, sleeping body pressed against her, felt a little strange.

Hence it taking her half the day to bring it up.

“You do?”

She searched for any hint of discomfort or jealousy in his voice and found none.

“Yep. We’re meeting for coffee.”

“Coffee, huh?” Graham leaned back and laid his head against the chair, the picture of ease. “Should I come?”

Claire snorted. “No, thanks.”

“What do you know about him?”

“He’s in real estate. Born and raised in Colorado Springs. Likes photography and checking out the Denver restaurant scene. Last show he binge-watched was Stranger Things.”

Graham scratched at his chin, which sported a several-day layer of scruff. “Okay, sounds decent. How old?”

“Thirty.”

He made a noncommittal sound. “Are you excited?”

“Yeah. I mean, I’m a little nervous. I feel like with all the prework to make sure we were compatible first, this could be the real deal. But what if...?” She trailed off, tucking her bottom lip underneath her teeth.

Graham’s gaze was shrewd, as if he knew what she was thinking. But still, he asked gently, “What?”

“I haven’t been very successful on the dating front. What if he doesn’t like me?”

Despite Graham’s voice returning to near normal volume by this point, she barely heard his soft reply. “He will.”

She laughed humorlessly. “History would suggest otherwise.”