Read Online Sabin, A Seven Novel by A.M. Hargrove - Free Book Online Page A

at the bottom of the ocean.
    Where did they put my things? I need to catch up on my emails and correspondence. I find my way back to the bedroom I woke up in. There’s a wall switch, so I turn it on, and the room brightens. Door number one was a closet so I open it up and see if my things are in there, but I only find men’s clothing. So whose room is this?
    “It’s mine. Well, ours now. We thought it best to put you in here. There are only a few bedrooms and this is the only one with a bathroom,” Sabin says from the door. He walks in and closes the door behind him.
    “I’m sharing a room, and a bed, with you?”
    “Yeah.” He grins.
    Um, no. While he is more than appealing, sinfully sexy even, this won’t work.
    “Why not?”
    “How do you do that?” I ask, referring to his ability to dig into my mind.
    “I can do a great many things. You’ll find that out as you get to know me.” The inference isn’t lost on me.
    “Look, Sabin, we can’t share a room. It’s too awkward. I just met you. Sleeping with you isn’t in the cards. You know?”
    He rubs his chin thoughtfully. “I agree; this is not ideal. And if this were any other place or time, this would not be happening. But the fact is, Serena, it’s not. We’ve been sort of thrown together without much choice. Now I believe we can act as adults and treat this as the situation calls for.”
    He makes a solid point. “Okay. You’re one hundred percent right. We can do this. But can you promise me something?”
    “What?”
    “Give me time in the bathroom and warning so I’m not naked or anything.”
    “What if I like you naked?”
    “Don’t practice assery around me.”
    “Excuse me?”
    “An ass. Don’t be an ass.”
    He laughs. “Serena, I’m an ass on most days. You’ll have to get used to it.”
    “Okay, maybe I should stay with Rafe.”
    “Be my guest. But I should warn you, he shares a room with Verus and there is no en suite shower. You’ll be sharing a community bath with six men. How do you think that will go?”
    Hell to the big no I am not doing that. I’ll put up with Sabin’s assery before I share a community manroom. Not happening. The idea even grosses me out. Ew, I bet they never put the toilet seat down. And who knows how often their aim is off. Nope, my ass is staying right here.
    He smirks. “Thought you’d see it my way.”
    “What the fuck is up with that?”
    “Up with what?”
    I put my hand on my hip and tap my toe. “You know what. You always know what I’m thinking.”
    The left corner of his mouth curls up, which I’m finding is common for him. But again, he gives me no answer. This is not a good thing for me. By nature, I’m a very curious person. I like to uncover things I don’t understand or don’t know the answers to. Living in ambiguous or unknown circumstances does not sit well for me. My brain revolts against this.
    “This is not going to work. The better part of my brain is giving me hell for this. You have to understand something about me, Sabin. I’m a research scientist. Or at least that’s what I’m hoping to become. I uncover things. My life’s goal is to seek out answers to previously unknown questions. When you leave me hanging like this, it’s like sticking bamboo under my fingernails.”
    “Why would I want to stick bamboo under your fingernails?”
    “You wouldn’t. Or at least I hope you wouldn’t. It was an analogy. My point is I hate to be in the dark about things. Can you not understand this?”
    “Yes. But there are certain things I am unable to tell you. It’s not that I don’t want to; it’s that I cannot. I wish it were different, Serena. At this point, you’ll have to trust me. Please trust me.”
    He’s so sincere, I find myself nodding, even though I don’t want to. Gone is the irreverent ass that I’ve seen and now this soft-spoken, genuine man stands before me offering me this half-assed explanation. No, it’s not the best, but it’s the best he can