My sentence was cut short when I was wrapped up from behind, and I squirmed in Leo’s grip pointlessly as he carried me back toward the bedroom.
The fact that he could even lift me like this made it hard to say a word — I was not tiny the way Riley and Giana were — but the fact that I was pressed up against every inch of him with his arm porn wrapped around me sealed the deal. I felt those biceps like a straitjacket and a warm hug all at once, his chest and abs pressed against my back and ass in a way that made it impossible not to blush.
“Relax, roomie. We’re just giving you a hard time.”
His voice was right in my ear, his breath warm on the back of my neck, and I hated how chills broke out over my skin at the combination.
“Not as hard of a time as that guy in your hand, I imagine, but— oof!”
I cut his smart-ass remark short with a drive of my elbow into his gut.
“It’s how we show love,” Kyle added with a grin when I was carried through the threshold of my room against my will.
“Put me down,” I said through my teeth.
Leo carefully set my feet back on the ground, my backside running down the length of him in the process. I ignored the heat crawling over me as I put distance between us and crossed to where my new nightstand was. I opened the top drawer and shoved the hot pink monster in there before slamming it shut and turning to face the room.
“If this is going to work, we need rules,” I said.
“Rule number one: No hitting roommates with supersized sex toys.” Leo held up his pointer finger with a mischievous smirk on his lips.
I ground my teeth, fingers curling into fists. I was ready to pull my toy back out and hurl it at his head before calling a moving company regardless of whether I could afford it or not. There had to be a seedy hotel in this city that could serve as a makeshift home for a couple of months without bleeding me dry.
Anything was better than this.
It was a mistake, one I made in a moment of desperation when it seemed like there were no other options. I was already moving to grab the first box off the floor and hike it back across the street when Braden put a hand on my shoulder, stopping me.
I looked up to find his soft blue eyes under bent brows, and I couldn’t explain how or why, but just that one look made me release a slow, easy exhale.
“Hey,” he said, squeezing where he held me. “Don’t let these clowns get under your skin. Their humor off the field is almost as bad as their game on the field.”
That earned him a snort from both the guys.
“We want to help,” he said loudly enough to drown them out, and at that, he stood and pinned his roommates with a glare. “And if setting some ground rules will make you feel more comfortable, we’re all ears. Right, guys?”
Kyle’s cocky grin faltered a bit, and he nodded. “Of course. He’s right, Mary — we don’t want to make this any more difficult for you than it already is.”
I relaxed a bit, and then all eyes were on Leo, who was watching me with an unreadable expression. It was almost like… studying me.
Like he just realized I looked familiar, but he couldn’t place why.
“Leo,” Braden scolded.
Leo shook his head, like he’d been snapped out of a daze. But his eyes wouldn’t leave mine. He cleared his throat and then swept his hand over the room. “The floor is yours.”
I straightened, smoothing my hands over my jeans. Then, I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose as I closed my eyes. “I’m sorry. I know you guys were just joking around. And normally I’d be firing it right back, but I’m just… a little stressed.”
“Understandably so,” Riley pointed out.
I nodded, dropping my hand to my thigh. “We don’t need rules. Well,” I amended. “Maybe a couple. Like… just don’t come in my room without my permission. Don’t touch my stuff. Don’t hit on me, even if it’s a joke. Clean up after yourselves, especially in the common areas.”
“Looking at you, Robbins,” Braden chirped.
“Fuck off, I pick up after myself.”
“Tell that to the pile of clothes by the front door that’s started growing its own habitat,” Riley chimed in.
“Hey, this is a roommates-only discussion, Novo,” Kyle snipped. “Why don’t you go play with your boyfriend.”
“Gladly,” she said, hopping off the bed. She crossed the room and wrapped me in a hug. “Please call me if you need help wrangling these guys. I’ve had plenty of practice the last three years.” When she pulled back, she leveled her stare with me, dropping the joke. “Seriously. I’m here if you need me.”
“Me, too,” Giana piped in, and then her arms were around me and Riley both. “I left some new books for you on the shelf. They’re my favorite comfort reads. Thought they might be nice for the adjustment period.”
I sighed on a smile, hugging the two weirdos back. I wasn’t really used to having friends — at least, not more than the ones I made playing games online. But I was really glad in that moment that Julep had changed that, and had introduced me to Riley and G.
“I’ll be fine,” I assured them.
“Yes, you will be. And this will all blow over soon. You’ll be back across the street in a fixed-up house before you know it,” Giana said.
Riley nodded toward the room. “Until then, feel free to use whatever means necessary to set these guys straight.”
“We are still here, you know,” Braden teased.
Riley smiled at him and leaned up on her toes to kiss his cheek before looping her arm through Giana’s. They waved goodbye with a few more digs at Kyle on their way out.
My gaze snagged on Leo, who was unusually quiet, his arms folded as he watched everything take place. When the girls were gone, I cleared my throat.
“I think I just want to start unpacking.”
“No more rules?” Kyle teased.
“Basically, she’s saying be a decent human being. Think you can manage?” Braden asked, socking Kyle’s arm as he passed. Kyle jumped up and started chasing after him. They were barreling down the stairs when I heard Braden call out, “Welcome to The Pit, Mary!”
And against all the stress wound through my body, I cracked a smile.
Until I remembered Leo was still in the room.
He pushed off the wall to stand, crossing the room and tucking his hands in his pockets. I resisted the urge to look down at where his pockets were in those dark gray joggers because they should have been illegal, for what little they left to the imagination. Why was he even wearing joggers, anyway? It was seventy-five degrees outside. He was sweating.
Don’t think about his sweat, Mary.
“Hey, I’m sorry if I made this harder on you. I meant what I said the other day when all this went down. You’re our friend, and we want to help.”
I snorted a bit at the word friend, which only made Leo furrow his brows more.
“I’m serious.”
I hated the sincerity in his eyes more than I hated him teasing me with my bright pink dildo.
“It’s fine,” I said, waving him off and crossing my arms over my chest. I looked around at the room so I didn’t have to look at him. “I just want to get started unpacking.”