She takes another drink and then stares at her can for a moment before answering. “That sounded pretty silly, if you think about it. Some random guy offering to pay me a couple hundred dollars to do two rooms? When a deal looks too good to be true, it’s probably a scam.” She sets the can down and gets up. “Thanks for the coffee. Sorry for using your space without asking. I’m going to get to work now.”
“The place was cleaned earlier today by new staff. We’re having a party tonight.”
She stops at the bucket of cleaning supplies that she dropped near the door. “New staff? As in new staff just for today or for always?”
“For always but not this place.” I knock the remote off the coffee table. “It’s a disaster in here at all times, so I’ll need you to clean it probably every day.”
She arches her eyebrow. “I could eat off the floor in here it’s so clean.”
The floor starts vibrating underneath our feet. The boys downstairs have turned on the sound system in anticipation of the party. Pretty soon there will be a half a dozen guys at my door to drag me downstairs.
“The party is starting,” I tell her. “You can hang out here or come down with me.”
“I heard you never attended these parties.”
My lips twitch at the news that she’s been checking up on me. “Never had a reason to before.”
“I also heard that you pick some girl and spend all your time in your room with her during the party. Is it my turn tonight?” Her chin comes up. She doesn’t want to be one of a crowd, and I don’t blame her.
“People say a lot of shit that they don’t know anything about. You can ask any one of my brothers about what I do during parties, and you’ll hear the same answer. I’m not interested in them because it’s the same scene every weekend, every year. A few guys will get drunk doing beer bongs, and they’ll puke in the bushes. A couple of girls will get wasted and have to be carried out of here back to the dorms. There will probably be at least one fight over a girl and at least one couple breaks up because one or both are caught making out with someone they aren’t dating. The police will be called around midnight, and I’ll have to go down to pay them off because me and maybe two other guys are the only ones sober enough to do so. If that sounds like something fun, then by all means, let’s go.” I walk over to the door and open it. Outside, I see Fleming and three other guys about to knock. Their eyes shift from Autumn to me and then back again.
“Is that a girl in your room, Noble?” Fleming says in surprise.
I turn to Autumn and spread out my hands. “See? I’m not the devil you think I am. What’s it going to be? Here or downstairs?”
CHAPTER6
AUTUMN
I turn aroundand bolt back into Noble’s room. All the guys out in the hallway stare at me with surprise. I guess Noble wasn’t lying.
“Here it is.” Noble closes the door behind us. The lock clicks into place. I still can’t believe he caught me pretty much naked. I swear I have the worst timing. He’s not being pervy about it either. A lot of boys would have made a few remarks.
“I can’t go to a party dressed like this.” I motion down to my worn short and ripped jeans.
“You can change back into what you were wearing previously.” I chew on my bottom lip. My other clothes aren’t much better.
I’m not sure if I’m up for a party, but being alone with Noble sounds scary. The man wreaks havoc on all parts of me. I still have no idea what to make of him. He’s nice—a little too nice—and that freaks me all the way out.
There is always a catch. I’m not sure what his is yet. It can’t be purely sex because I don’t think it would be hard for him to get laid. Not with how I heard the girls talking in class earlier. Then again, it could be the thrill of the chase for him.
“I don’t know.” I worry my bottom lip between my teeth.
“You don’t know if you want to change or you don’t know what you want to do?”
“All of the above?”
“All right.” He gives me an easy smile. “Then we’ll hang out here.” He walks over to me. His hand reaches out to wrap his fingers around a piece of my hair. “Don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. Just as long as whatever you pick includes the two of us hanging out.” He releases my hair, and his eyes drop to my mouth, but he quickly turns away. I let out a puff of air I didn’t know I was holding in.
I watch as he walks over and flicks on the TV. He flips through the channels, stopping whenThe Officepops up. Then he heads back over to the sofa, sitting down. I stand there like a dumbass.
“Shit, are you hungry? I should’ve offered you something already. I can have something delivered.”
“I’m fine.” I shrug. The coffee will hold me over for a little.
“When did you eat last?” I think for a second. “It shouldn’t take that long to answer.” He pulls out his phone and starts tapping away.
“I think I’ll change.” I grab my bag from off the floor and head over to the bathroom, needing a second to think.