“I told you it wasn’t exciting.” He sprawled out on his bed, propping himself up with a pillow.
“Are you just going to watch me search for your dirty clothes?”
“Yes.” He put his hands behind his head.
“Great,” I mumbled.
“Would you rather be cleaning up down there? Do you want to have a room full of guys hollering at you while you scrub a floor?”
I turned to him. “No. I’d rather be home sleeping.”
“If you’re tired, you are welcome to join me.” He patted the bed beside him.
“Really? Oh my god, I can’t believe you’d be so generous.”
“I like you, Juliet. You’re feisty and fiery, and I just know we’re going to be good friends.”
“Friends? That’s likely…but what are the rules today?”
“I can’t force you to do anything of a sexual nature.” He grinned wickedly. “But you know, if you really want to, it’s fine if it’s your idea.”
“Oh yes, because I’m just dying to rip my clothes off and have sex with you.”
He laughed. “I was just putting it out there.”
“Don’t put anything out there. I already have enough on my plate trying to figure out one frat guy—”
“Another one? My, you’ve been busy in the week you’ve been here. Who is he?”
“None of your business, and it didn’t happen this week. Ugh, why am I even telling you this?”
“I don’t know. Why are you?”
I laughed, not sure what to say. “I’m going to take care of your laundry.”
I searched his floor for dirty clothes, careful to avoid bending over in front of him. I refused to make it any more enjoyable than I had to.
After a few minutes of silence, Reed spoke again. “Who is he?”
“Why do you care?”
“I don’t, but I’m bored.”
“Then go do something.” I finished putting the last of his dirty clothes in a hamper. I was careful to make the most minimal contact possible with his underwear. “Where’s the laundry room?”
“The basement. I’ll take you.” He hopped off his bed and opened the door. “After you.”
I hoisted the overflowing hamper. Couldn’t he at least lug it?
“I believe in equal rights,” he whispered in my ear from right behind me. He was enjoying this way too much.
“Equal rights. Sure.”
“What? Don’t girls like that?”
“No comment.”
I groaned and headed downstairs. I quickly realized I had the good job. Reed wasn’t exaggerating. My friends were cleaning with a bunch of guys watching, making obscene comments, and drinking beer. Yes, drinking beer at ten a.m.
“This way.” Reed opened another door.
I thought about how I could be walking into a torture chamber, which made me think about walking into Christian Grey’s playroom. I laughed. I was sure plenty of girls would like doing that with Reed, but I wasn’t one of them.
“What’s so funny?” He flipped on the light.
“You don’t want to know.”
“I bet I do.”
I put his hamper down on the floor. “Do you usually separate your darks and lights?”
“Why would I do that?”
“Okay… I’ll just do lights.” Most of his boxers were dark, so I wouldn’t have to touch them.
I sorted through the hamper and threw clothes in the washer.
“Where are you from?”
I figured it couldn’t hurt to make conversation. “Maryland. Right outside D.C.”
“Yeah? I have cousins there.”
“Where are you from?” I poured in detergent.
“I went to high school in Charleston.”
“Cool, where?” I turned on the washer. It was an old model and extremely loud.
“West Ashley.”
“Oh, that’s cool.” I leaned back against the dryer.
“Ready for your next job?”
“Sure. I can’t wait.”
“We’re going back to my room.”
“Why?” I wasn’t worried this time. If he was going to try something, he would have done it already. He’d been surprisingly well-behaved.
“I need to change.”
“I’ll wait downstairs.” I definitely didn’t need to watch him change.
“Not a chance. Let’s go.”
“Fine.” I followed him back upstairs. It was quiet. “Where is everyone?”
“Out back, hanging out.”
“What?” Maybe I did get the bad job.
“You didn’t really think they were going to clean all day, did you?”
“Then can’t I go?” I started to head toward the back door.
Reed gently touched my arm. “Nope. I’m not done with you yet.”
“This isn’t fair.”
“Life isn’t fair.”
I followed Reed upstairs where he promptly pulled off his shirt. Wow, the guy was in incredible shape. He could have been on one of those exercise equipment commercials where you know the guy wouldn’t be caught dead using the stupid equipment he’s selling. Every inch of his chest and abs was perfectly sculpted. It wasn’t my fault—it was impossible not to gawk at him.
He grinned when he caught me staring. “Like what you see?”
“Nope. I’m not into the ‘roid look.” I preferred my men fit but not too built—like Dylan.
“It’s all natural, baby.”
“Do you live at the gym?”
“Funny you ask that…”
“Why?”
“That’s our next stop.”
“We’re going to the gym?” I took a step back, nearly tripping on a sneaker.
“Yup, you’re spotting for me.”
“What? I can’t spot you.”
“Sure you can. You kick ass at laser tag and can carry tons of dirty clothes. You’re capable.”
“Oh, this is going to be fun.”
He smiled. “It will be.”
I followed him out through the house. The streets were fairly empty as we headed to campus. I guessed most people were sleeping off their hangovers. I liked the emptiness, though. There was something relaxing about it. “What year are you?”
“I’m a junior.”
“Oh, I thought you were a senior.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.” A car raced by. I took a step closer to Reed to move away from the street. In the dorms, it was easy to forget we were in a city, but if you left campus at all, you got the reminder real quick.