Read Online Roommate Wanted (Sharing Space #1) by Nina Perez - Free Book Online
Authors: Nina Perez
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walked in from my treasure hunting through flea markets and I was hot and tired. Earlier my hip hugging low cut jeans and green tank top seemed appropriate, considering how warm it was outside, but after hearing the words of this sweaty, huge white boy in my living room, I felt completely underdressed. I wanted to hold my shopping bags in front of my goodies but realized how ridiculous that was. They were my goodies and this was my living room. Well, technically it was now our living room.
In our living room were three sweaty and stinky white boys. I dropped my bags on the recliner and quickly walked over to crack a window or two, never mind that the air conditioner was going full blast. This was an emergency. Patrick looked appropriately embarrassed.
"Hi, Chloe. Umm, these are my friends, Max and Paul."
"Hi."
The buffoon that had been dry humping the air when I walked in stayed in character. He was eyeing me with something that was a cross between surprise—I'm sure he didn't know the piece of ass was brown—and lust. Perhaps he'd never seen such a fine brown ass? I didn't know and I didn't care. I wanted him out. Now. He had the nerve to stick out his sweaty hand.
"Wow. Nice to meet you, Chloe."
There are many things I didn't want. I didn't want my mother to remain single forever and die alone without knowing again the love of a good man. I didn't want to lose my friendship with Myra over a silly argument; we hadn't spoken all week. I didn't want to get stretch marks and have my hips spread like cottage cheese when I finally had a baby and, perhaps most of all, I did not want to shake this man's hand. Though he'd given me good reason to throw him some shade, for Patrick’s sake and the sake of our new living arrangement, I took the high road. I tried not to shiver noticeably as I shook the beefy hand. I think I was pretty slick, and no one noticed that I’d wiped my hand on the back of my jeans. I turned to the quiet, brown-haired one. He rose and wiped his own hand on his pants before taking mine.
"Hi. Paul, right?"
"Yup. Nice to meet you, Chloe. This is a great apartment; I like what you've done with it."
"Thank you." This one I liked. He was polite and, more importantly, he didn't take up as much space as the dancing ox. He damn sure hadn't been flinging his sweat around my furniture.
"Well, Patrick, we'll let you get settled in."
"Whaddaya mean, Paul? We’re not gonna stay awhile?” asked Max.
Paul said, "It's getting late and I have to get Tim’s van back."
"Paul's right, I have a lot of unpacking to do. I'll call you guys later. Thanks a lot. I owe you both big time."
"Yeah,” said Max while eyeing me. "You do."
They exchanged hugs and a few of those complicated male-bonding handshakes, and then they were gone. It was just me and Patrick, my new roommate. There was a long silence as I looked around at the boxes and crates that held his belongings and he watched me.
"I'm just gonna take a quick shower before unpacking all this stuff. Most of my things are in the bedroom; this is for the kitchen and living room."
"You don't have to explain. Take your time."
Now that Max was gone the air was suddenly fresher. Maybe it was his attitude. I shut the window and glanced at Patrick as he made his way to the back of the apartment. I noticed he was in great shape and the sweaty t-shirt only added to his appeal.
Chloe, what are you doing?
I suddenly felt like a pervert, secretly checking out my roommate that way. Kicking off my sandals, I decided to put away the knickknacks I’d purchased. I tried not to think about how weird it felt having a man other than Lawrence showering in the other room. As I placed the blue glass dolphin on the bookshelf, I noticed it: right between my framed painting of two little black girls sitting on a porch, laughing and whispering—I loved it because it reminded me of
In our living room were three sweaty and stinky white boys. I dropped my bags on the recliner and quickly walked over to crack a window or two, never mind that the air conditioner was going full blast. This was an emergency. Patrick looked appropriately embarrassed.
"Hi, Chloe. Umm, these are my friends, Max and Paul."
"Hi."
The buffoon that had been dry humping the air when I walked in stayed in character. He was eyeing me with something that was a cross between surprise—I'm sure he didn't know the piece of ass was brown—and lust. Perhaps he'd never seen such a fine brown ass? I didn't know and I didn't care. I wanted him out. Now. He had the nerve to stick out his sweaty hand.
"Wow. Nice to meet you, Chloe."
There are many things I didn't want. I didn't want my mother to remain single forever and die alone without knowing again the love of a good man. I didn't want to lose my friendship with Myra over a silly argument; we hadn't spoken all week. I didn't want to get stretch marks and have my hips spread like cottage cheese when I finally had a baby and, perhaps most of all, I did not want to shake this man's hand. Though he'd given me good reason to throw him some shade, for Patrick’s sake and the sake of our new living arrangement, I took the high road. I tried not to shiver noticeably as I shook the beefy hand. I think I was pretty slick, and no one noticed that I’d wiped my hand on the back of my jeans. I turned to the quiet, brown-haired one. He rose and wiped his own hand on his pants before taking mine.
"Hi. Paul, right?"
"Yup. Nice to meet you, Chloe. This is a great apartment; I like what you've done with it."
"Thank you." This one I liked. He was polite and, more importantly, he didn't take up as much space as the dancing ox. He damn sure hadn't been flinging his sweat around my furniture.
"Well, Patrick, we'll let you get settled in."
"Whaddaya mean, Paul? We’re not gonna stay awhile?” asked Max.
Paul said, "It's getting late and I have to get Tim’s van back."
"Paul's right, I have a lot of unpacking to do. I'll call you guys later. Thanks a lot. I owe you both big time."
"Yeah,” said Max while eyeing me. "You do."
They exchanged hugs and a few of those complicated male-bonding handshakes, and then they were gone. It was just me and Patrick, my new roommate. There was a long silence as I looked around at the boxes and crates that held his belongings and he watched me.
"I'm just gonna take a quick shower before unpacking all this stuff. Most of my things are in the bedroom; this is for the kitchen and living room."
"You don't have to explain. Take your time."
Now that Max was gone the air was suddenly fresher. Maybe it was his attitude. I shut the window and glanced at Patrick as he made his way to the back of the apartment. I noticed he was in great shape and the sweaty t-shirt only added to his appeal.
Chloe, what are you doing?
I suddenly felt like a pervert, secretly checking out my roommate that way. Kicking off my sandals, I decided to put away the knickknacks I’d purchased. I tried not to think about how weird it felt having a man other than Lawrence showering in the other room. As I placed the blue glass dolphin on the bookshelf, I noticed it: right between my framed painting of two little black girls sitting on a porch, laughing and whispering—I loved it because it reminded me of
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