You Ruin Everything by M. Malone

Author:M. Malone [Malone, M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Crushstar Romance
Published: 2024-04-24T18:30:00+00:00

twenty-one

HENDRIX

If there were a contest for keeping it casual, Charlie would be winning. Over the past few weeks, she hadn’t treated me any differently.

When we passed in the hall, she didn’t avert her eyes. She still teased me and pretended to be annoyed when I ate her food or used her body wash. But she also wouldn’t let me sleep in her room anymore, claiming I snored. She would hug me, but she wouldn’t cuddle.

Men everywhere would probably think I was crazy, but I didn’t want a casual thing with Charlie. The sex was out of this world, but I found myself wanting more. I wanted her to look at me the way she did that first night, like she saw something more in me than just a good time. Instead, she seemed to be doing everything possible to take us back to day one: two roommates who could barely tolerate each other’s company.

After dealing with Janelle’s constant demands and clinginess, you would think a non-clingy woman would be right up my alley. It wasn’t.

I hated it.

I hated everything.

Sunday afternoon, I pulled to a stop at the end of my parents’ driveway. My brother’s car was already here and no doubt Tana would arrive thirty minutes late, as usual. I blew out a breath. Sunday dinner was non-negotiable unless you wanted my mom to appear at your door the next day, so I always pulled my shit together enough to show up.

When I’d left the house, Charlie was curled up on the couch watching something on her laptop. She’d finally agreed to take that awful plastic off and had covered the couch with about a million throw blankets. It still wasn’t exactly comfortable, but I would have given anything to dive under one of those blankets with her.

I opened the front door and was immediately hit with the sound of voices. Van and Beth sat on the couch in the living room watching TV.

“Is that Hendrix?” Mom called from the kitchen.

“Yes. He just got here,” Van yelled back, smirking at me.

Mom came into the room, wiping her hands on a dishtowel. “Hey, sweetie. Can you help me get this bowl down in the kitchen? Your father is out back.”

I looked over at Van. There was no point in asking why she hadn’t asked him to do it. Now that he was her best chance for grandchildren before the next century, he had officially hit favorite child status.

“Of course, Mom.” I followed her into the kitchen and inhaled the delicious smell wafting in from the open window behind the sink. “Is Dad grilling?”

She grinned. “He made his famous baby back ribs.”

The prospect of having one of my favorite meals immediately lifted my mood.

Just as I was getting the bowl down, I heard a loud voice coming from the living room.

“Sounds like Tana’s here,” I commented needlessly.

When I walked out into the living room, I paused in the doorway. Van and Beth had moved to the recliner in the corner and Tana and Charlie were on the couch.

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