Read Echoes of Us for Free Online Page A

muscles were in a major uproar over this workout, especially since I hadn’t been doing much running the past week. The ninth mile almost killed me. I finally made it to our lawn and collapsed in a sweaty heap at Maggie’s feet.
    “Feeling better?” she asked hesitantly.
    “Marginally. A shower would improve my mood greatly.”
    “Mine too,” Maggie said, holding her nose. “You stink.”
    “How about I take a shower and make dinner for all of us,” I said.
    “Really?”
    I swiped a wet strand of hair out of my eyes. “Yes. I’m taking your advice. I can’t live like this anymore. I need to have some fun. These last few days have drained me.”
    Her smile lit up the entire yard, and she squealed so loud, Mrs. Morgan opened her front door. Maggie waved and Mrs. Morgan shook her head.
    “I’m going inside now,” I said. Maggie moved to hug me, but when sweat dripped on her shoe, she backed away, leaving me to grope the air.
    She was still talking a mile a minute when I opened the front door and almost ran into Jade.
    “Hey, I’m making dinner after I shower. Would you like to join us?”
    Jade smiled widely. “Yeah, that would be great. I’m sorry if I said something to upset you.”
    “You didn’t,” I lied. Our eyes locked, and I felt a flash of something deep in my gut. It made me squirm and back into the wall. I quickly schooled my features and lifted my shirt to wipe the sweat off my face, pretending not to hear the sharp intake of breath from Jade. It was probably my imagination anyway. I was still on an endorphin high from my run.
    Once in the bathroom, I tried not to think of those brown eyes and pretty lips. I desperately wanted to touch my dick, but I wasn’t going to go there. I’d just met the guy, barely talked to him. A cold shower was the best thing for me right now, and I welcomed the frigid water.
    It was absolutely nuts to be thinking about him. He might be delicious, but I had to live with him for the next year, and I had solid evidence that fucking around with your roommate was a terrible idea.
    “Friends,” I told my reflection. “Pretty sure he’s straight anyway, and even if he isn’t, you aren’t going to use him as a sex toy.” I shook my finger at my reflection, but all I got for my trouble was a dick twitch. Thinking about Jade as a sex toy was not a very smart thing.
    I tossed my towel at the mirror and styled my hair, making it look messy on purpose. When I opened the door, I could hear Maggie and Jade in Jeff’s old bedroom. They were laughing and hammering something into the wall.
    My stomach reminded me I was starving and I was the one who volunteered to cook dinner.
    After several cupboard inspections, all I managed to find was an open package of noodles and one jar of spaghetti sauce. I couldn’t remember the last time Maggie and I had made a trip to the grocery store. There was nothing else to do but order pizza, and since I didn’t know what Jade liked, I settled on ordering one pepperoni and one cheese.
    “I don’t smell any food cooking,” Maggie hollered.
    “Nothing to cook. We need to hit the grocery store, so I ordered pizza.”
    “Did someone say pizza?” Jade asked. He strolled into the kitchen looking like a god artists should worship by creating marble statues and paintings to hang in the Louvre. If I kept this up, I might have to check myself into the nuthouse.
    “There’s nothing in the house to eat,” I repeated to Jade.
    “You guys should make a list and I can run to the grocery store after we eat. You’re both exhausted, and I’m a little wired. I think I drank eight cups of coffee waiting in the driveway,” Jade said.
    “We’re keeping him, Rylan. He’s the sweetest,” Maggie said. She yanked open a drawer, pulled out a piece of paper and pen, and started scribbling as she went through all the cupboards and fridge.
    Maggie suddenly stopped writing and eyed Jade. “Hey, you’re not one of those guys who would freak out if I