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Walk it off.
    Dipping my chin, I shift from foot to foot. I don’t look up
when he says, “I like this situation about as much as you do, Lily.
We just gotta make the best of it. I am not a babysitter.” I raise my head at this comment. I’m
close to calling him some choice names when he adds, “Not that I’m
calling you a baby. Because you’re not. I’ve never had a job like
this before, so take it easy on me, okay? We’re both experiencing
something new here and it would go much easier for all of us here
if we got along. We’re gonna be spending a lot of time
together.”
    We’re gonna be
spending a lot of time together? …Well shit.
    His eyes bore into
mine, his brow bunched in a way that I know he’s expecting me to
say something nasty. If I were more myself, I probably would, too.
But right now, I’m so damn tired that sarcasm evades me. That’s
pretty damn tired, if you ask me. My eyes are suddenly heavy, too.
I puff out a long breath. “Whatever, boss man. Can you please show
me where my room is? I need a shower and sleep.”
    He steps towards me
and reaches for my arm. I flinch back and his brow furrows. I tell
him, “Don’t do that. I’m not going to run and I’m sick of being
manhandled. Just escort me, please.”
    His arm still
outstretched, he nods once, and drops it before walking ahead of
me. “Follow me.”
    Following him up the
stairs, I can’t help but look around. All the rooms are open and
immaculate. The beds are made, the bathrooms are sparkling, and the
windows gleam. This place is beautiful and has such a homey feel to
it. I suppose it really doesn’t matter. I’m not fooled. I know what
this place is. You can dress a prison cell any way you like, but
it’s still a prison cell. Speaking of cells, I need to get my hands
on a cell phone and I know Nox has one. Being sly as I can, I ask
innocently, “So where do you sleep?”
    His eyebrows raise
in question. Once I realize how that question could’ve been
construed, I flush bright pink but don’t say a thing. His gaze
falls to my cheeks and he grins. “I sleep in the west wing with the
rest of the guys. You’ll be in the east wing with Boo since she’s
the only other woman here. I should warn you, though, that you
won’t get much privacy while you’re here. If I see your bedroom
door closed, I don’t care if you’re half naked or not, I will open
it. The only place you’ll get some consideration is in the bathroom
and while you’re in there, you’ll be timed. You’ve been warned. I
don’t like closed doors. Locked doors in this house get broken
down.”
    My heart skips at
that statement. Oh, I really don’t like it.
    What choice do you
have?
    I’d say none and
then some. When I walk in front of one room in particular, I stop
and stare with a gaping mouth. Nox walks ahead of me and up the
hall where he announces, “This is your room.”
    Obviously having noticed I’m not behind him anymore, it takes
a few moments, but he clears his throat right at my back. I don’t
look to him. I can’t. Literally. I’m a moth drawn to a flame. This
room is…is beautiful. I’ve found my temporary happy place
. I feel his curious gaze on me and answer
his unasked question. “It’s beautiful.” This comes out
strained.
    Looking over my head
and into the room, Nox sighs. Not an annoyed sigh but more of a
relaxed sigh. “Yeah. I like it too.”
    Books everywhere
. The walls are lined with them. I’m not
talking a couple of book cases, but wall-to-wall books. And it’s
not like it’s a small room either; it could double as a ballroom.
The walls are actually shelved and I can’t see any free space. I
wonder aloud in awe, “How many books do you think there
are?”
    His voice carries a
hint of amusement when he replies, “At least ten thousand.”
    And my ovaries explode
.
    Slightly weak-kneed,
I hold onto the doorframe and choke out, “Wow.”
    I
know it’s highly unusual for people to get this excited over books.
But