2B or Not 2B (Roomies Series) (5 page)

"What are you thinking about
, Bridge?"

His voice startled me. He sounded tired, but not as detached as I was used to. I looked at him and gave him a little smile, making him frown. It darkened his blue eyes. "My crazy parents. I guess it explains why I'm the way I am. Yet, my little sister is normal, so
…" I trailed off, not feeling it in myself to just make light talk after the fiasco.

"They are something else, but I think it's because they're thinking it's
not a good idea for you to live with an older guy."

"My mom thinks I want to jump all the guys I cross path
s with. When I was fourteen, she even thought I wanted to kiss my tennis instructor."

He chuckled and tilted his head on one side, assessing me. "Did you?"

I glared at him and shrugged. "He was handsome, but I wasn't interested. And I was never foolish enough to think a twenty something guy would want to kiss a teen who was always out of breath and sweaty."

"You've got issues with your mother?"

I lay my head on the back of the couch and closed my eyes. I fought a yawn and sighed. "With both parents. I think they are still not used to my personality. They expect me to be a certain way, but I don't budge; I do as I please."

"Well, it must be quite hectic when you have family din
ners."

I opened my eyes and laughed
, thinking again about my mother's birthday last summer. She tried to push me toward the son of a man my father worked with, and I made a scene in front of everyone, calling the guy an idiot who probably didn't even know what to do with his hands, tongue, and dick. "You have no idea. Sydney tends to find it very entertaining."

"I can see why. Next one
is with my family."

I wiggled my eyebrows at him. "Not too afraid of what I can do?"

He chuckled and scratched his head. "A little." He looked at me and smiled crookedly. "My mother doesn't really need to know about my private life."

"You mean about the skanks you have your way with."

He shook his head and glanced at the ceiling that really needed a good paint job. "You're more dangerous than a lethal weapon."

"Thank you, Byron," I replied in a yawn and pa
t his shoulder. For once he's not gaping at me, but he clearly was unsettled. He waved at me and turned on the TV, still on a news channel.

Chapter Five

DAY 5

When I thought again about last night and how my parents behaved with Byron, I cringed. I barely slept and was like a zombie in my classes today. And seeing Ryan again from afar did nothing to lift my mood.

"What's going on between you and Byron?" Sydney asked as she perused through my shelves to find a good romance to read.
Fallen Too Far
was calling her name; I knew it because I had talked about that one the other day with her. Our mother was against Sydney reading anything except the classics and young-adult books. It was like she thought reading about sex would push Sydney to lose her virginity with the first idiot she crossed paths with.

"Nothing at all. He's my roommate." I walked next to her and gave her
Fallen Too Far
with a knowing smile. She would love this Rush guy.

She took the book without looking at it. Her big green eyes were resolutely focused on me, making me squirm. Sometimes she was more the big sister than I was. "Come again."

"He's just … you know." I turned around and sat on my bed next to my open textbook for my pre-law class. She didn't say a word, giving me some time to think. "He's just hot."

S
he giggled and hugged the book against her thin chest. That's when I remembered my sister was just sixteen, on her way to celebrating her seventeenth birthday. There were some things I couldn't tell her about, like the very intense wet dream I had last night. No need to corrupt her at such a young age.

"You'd be blind to not see it. He could make a virgin strip naked with
just one of his light blue eyes."

And I was left open-mouthed. I blinked four times. Opened and closed my mouth as many times and cleared my throat once. "I think I influence you too much, Syd."

She rolled her eyes and put the book in her white, oversized purse. "Please, London. You sound so much like mom."

"I do not!"

"Oh yes you do." She sat next to me on my bed and bumped her shoulder against mine. "Though, I wonder how you haven’t ended up in his bed already. Byron is one hell of a real man. You know what I mean?"

I nodded reluctantly. I was all game to talk with her about fictional hot and alpha male characters, but talking about Byron was something else. And it was borderline annoying to hear everyone talking about
his sex appeal when I was trying my damnedest to ignore it as much as possible. Didn't they realize I was on probation in his place? I couldn't break down and beg him to take me. "But that doesn't mean there's anything between us."

"So
, it's normal for you to look at guys like they are some candy you want to suck and lick?" She brought a hand to her mouth and blushed deep red.

I laughed loudly, unable to mutter a word. Not only
was what she said true, but it also let me know how obvious I was. "Syd, you're killing me."

She recovered
, put her long blonde hair in a messy bun and fanned herself with her right hand. It was very hot in my room, but her embarrassment was obvious. "Well, at least you're not the only one drooling. He's not any better."

My eyebrows shot up so high on my forehead that I was pretty sure I
would be wrinkled younger than I should. "Yeah, right."

She crossed her thin arms and scowled at me, her little nose,
an exact copy of mine, wrinkled up disdainfully. "Don't believe me if you want, but be sure to share the details once you’ve opened your eyes." She stood up and put her bag on her left shoulder. "I have to go. Mom is going to be pissed if I'm not at the library when she gets there."

"She doesn't know you're here?"

"No." She waved her hand. "I think she has a little crush on Byron and is afraid her youngest daughter is too impressionable for this piece of hunk."

"Oh my
God! What's gotten into you?" Where was my slightly shy little sister?

"Hormones. All my friends have boyfriends
, and some are having sex. And I’ve only kissed three guys, but every time it was for a dare. I'm horny."

"So?"

“So, I want to live vicariously through you."

I stood up and hugged her. We were both out of luck with guys
, and I couldn't give her any advice. Not with my track record. "I'm sure you'll find a sweet guy very soon."

"And hot. Don't forget hot, London."

I laughed with her and led her out of my bedroom. Sydney froze. Her eyes widened for a second. I followed her gaze and saw Byron chilling on the couch with a younger version of him; a younger version looking softer and more open. The boy had the same light brown hair as Byron, but his was longer, curling over his ears and forehead. He didn't have a scruff like his brother, but his jaw was as strong looking. The main differences were the absence of a scar on his baby smooth looking face and his dark brown eyes.

I elbowed my sister who looked at me with a new spark in her green eyes. "But not him."

She bit her upper lip to fight her building laughter and waved at the guys before she walked out the apartment. Byron elbowed his brother to stop him from ogling at Sydney and brushed his mouth like he got drool falling from his mouth, which was slightly ajar.

Byron and I exchanged a look. We were both thinking exactly the same thing. We're all screwed. I cleared my throat and smiled at the young version of Byron. He was slowly recomposing himself. He stood up and extended his hand to me. I shook it.

"You're Byron's brother. What's your name?"

"Logan. And you
rs is London, right?"

I nodded and glanced at Byron who was frowning at the exchange. "Your little brother is really more polite than you are."

Logan laughed and sat back next to his brother on the couch. The only other space available on the couch was very close to Byron, and I wasn't up to it. Being glued to him and my body pressed against his wasn't the best idea while we waited for the Davis boys' parents.

"What can I say? After they had me, my parents knew what to do
, or not to do, with this one."

"Please! We both know you're the favorite with the parents and girls." Logan's eyes widened. He looked back at me like he said something bad. "I'm sorry."

"What for?" I shrugged and sat on the arm of the couch next to Logan. "I know how your brother is with the girls. Didn't he tell you what happened when I came here to visit the apartment?"

"I thought you'd try to be good with my family tonight,’’ Byron butted in before I could add anything else.

"Because you didn't enjoy making my little sister blush yesterday?"

He mumbled something
, and Logan punched him playfully on his shoulder. Byron glared at both of us and focused on the TV where an episode of Criminal Minds was running. Logan texted on his phone, barely watching TV, while Byron and I couldn't help ourselves but comment during every scene.

Before the end of the episode, just before we could know if they arrested the guy who killed these teenagers, knocks at the door forced us to turn off the TV. Byron glared one last time at me, his blue eyes menacing
, shooting daggers at me of a thousand horrible deaths, but I just flipped him off.

"Byron wasn't kidding about you," Logan said with a smile as he stood up, ready for the parental unit
s to walk in.

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

"He told me that he had never met a girl like you."

I shrugged and smiled as a middle aged couple walked in with food in their hands. "Good. One of my goal
s in life is to be unique."

The woman, Mrs. Davis was a petite thing, so thin and fragile looking
that you'd never believe she gave birth to two healthy, big boys like Byron and Logan. Her light brown hair was in a high ponytail and was the same shade as her sons’. Her brown eyes sought me out. As soon as she saw me, she smiled brightly, showing her perfect white teeth. Small lines appeared in the corners of her eyes, softening the angles of her face. She wasn't wearing much make up; only a little touch of mascara on her eyelids that made her eyes pop.

She gave the two bags full of food to Byron who tried to embrace her
, but she barreled toward me. "It's so nice to know there's a girl living here now!" she said and hugged me. Her sweet scent made me think about sweet candies.

"Mom," Byron sighed and rolled his eyes. He brought the bags to the open kitchen.

"It's good for you to spend some time with a girl instead of all these boys. Some female influence is good for males."

Logan snickered while he helped Byron put some of the food on plates. Suddenly,
the smell of all kinds of spices invaded the apartment, making my mouth salivate. I put a hand to my stomach, anxious to hear a rumbling in there.

Mr. Davis hugged his wife sideways with a soft smile on his face. He looked a little older than her, his eyes more wrinkled and his hair showing some grey near his temple. I would never understand why
grey hair looked so sexy on men when it almost always looked bad on women. The older we get, the more we lose our beauty; while males would often develop a new sex appeal in their features. It was freaking unfair and Mr. Davis could be a prime example. His lips were round, plump and turned up in what appeared to be his natural expression. His blue eyes, the ones he gave to his older son, were warm and laughing. His thick dark eyebrows were arched elegantly above his eyes, softening his look even more. His nose was probably broken at one point in his life, but it gave him an interesting feature, less polished than the rest of his face.

Both Davis parents weren't wearing brand clothes like my parents and sister
were the other night, but they were perfectly put together, showing they were upper middle class.

"Believe me, he doesn't lack female presences," I mused with a big smile, making a show of my fake innocence.

Behind his parents, Byron flipped me off, but his young brother saw him and coughed to hide his laughter. Mrs. Davis was squinting at her sons over her shoulder, her mouth in a straight line. I could imagine how full her hands were with these two when they were all living under the same roof.

"Indeed, I have many friends," he said before his parents could ask anything else. He brought the food to the table and gestured to the empty chairs for us to sit.

We all took our places, and Logan sat next to me. I helped myself happily with some of the food―I loved tacos―and took a big bite. I barely reigned in a moan of pleasure. I was so hungry.

"What is your major, London?" Byron's father asked between a bite and a sip of his sparkling water.

I swallowed and straightened on my chair. "Law. I want to be a lawyer."

"That's wonderful! Does it mean you've got the same classes as Byron?" Mrs. Davis asked, her voice rising with a delightfulness I couldn't
really grasp.

"No, she
probably took some of the ones I have this semester last year. She's a sophomore, Mom," Byron stepped in, barely looking up from his plate. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Mr. Davis tensing.

"Lucky for you, I kept all my notes."

He looked up and narrowed his eyes on me. "I never asked for your help. I'm capable enough to succeed, Bridge."

I gritted my teeth, but said nothing as Mr. Davis tensed even more and Logan stopped eating altogether.

"Byron! You could be nice. It's really sweet of you, London," she said and patted my hand clenching the knife.

Byron rolled his eyes, but said nothing. Silence fell around the table until Byron's brother broke it with a bomb, taking all of us by surprise. Not the good kind though.

"I know what I want to do next year," he said with a shaky voice. That got my attention.

Their father perked up, the tension leaving his body fast. "Wh
ich colleges will you apply to?"

Logan swallowed loudly, glanced at his older brother who was mesmerized by his plate, his eyes looking far away. "I'm going to enroll in the army."

Byron shook his head, very pale. Their father was holding his knife and fork so hard that it was likely they'd break in two. Their mother's eyes were moist, and she was shaking badly.

"That's fucking not gonna happen!" Byron yelled. Throwing his knife and fork on the plate in front of him. He shook from head to toe
, and I would lie if I said that it didn't freak me out. I could feel it; feel and see his control slipping away as desperation could easily be read in his darkening eyes.

"I want to be a soldier, Byron. It's my decision," Logan replied evenly, not one bit taken aback by his brother's harsh tone of voice. His resolution was obvious.

My eyes travelled to and from every Davis family member. I was often out of line, but for once, I felt like I should shut my mouth and try to make myself scarce.

"I'm telling you, it won't happen."

"You enrolled the day after your high school graduation, and I can't? You’re a fucking hypocrite," Logan spat, crossing his toned arms over his chest. I didn't know him at all, but even I could see he wasn't about to budge.