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“Maybe I shouldn’t drink anymore. I’ve already reached the ‘saying stupid things’ portion of the evening.”
“Maybe not.” I turned off the lights in the main room, preparing to lock up. “But if you do want to drink more, at least don’t do the irresponsible thing and stay here by yourself.”
“My ex won’t be out of the house until morning.”
“If you can deal with my four-legged roommate, I’ve got a bedroom no one’s using tonight.” Their eyes widened, and I held a hand up to let them know I wasn’t finished. “No funny business. Just a safe space to do whatever you need to do.”
They hesitated. “You’re sure?”
“You don’t have to be alone unless you want to be.” They followed me down the hall as I turned the lights off one by one. I popped into James’s office to grab my jacket and hand theirs over, then we made for the back door. “I know I talk a lot of shit, but I’m not a bad guy.”
Shi thought it over, then smirked. “Just a guy with commitment issues?”
I stared at them in stunned silence. Their mouth widened into a full smile and they brushed past me to walk out the back door.
I set the alarm and exited after them. “You’re getting the Carlos treatment.”
They turned to look at me, walking backward to my car. “That’s not some freaky sex thing, is it?” They barely managed to say it with a straight face.
“Get in the car,” I said, giving them a playful shove on the shoulder.
Ten minutes later, we made it to my place. I was relieved to see the windows were dark. I had half feared James would be waiting for me.
“Brace yourself,” I said, unlocking the front door. Shi only got a single step in before I heard the inevitable scream and crash. Carlos had cleared the baby gate.
Shi fell to one knee and had enough time to get out, “Hi, sweet angel face!” before the rambunctious hound leapt, knocking the unsuspecting person to the ground—not that they seemed to mind. They laughed while Carlos gave them a precursory sniff before licking every part of them he could get to.
It was safe to say that Shiloh crying was something I never wanted to see again. Hearing their laughter was like a soothing ointment on a burn, so I was happy to let Carlos go on for a while. Only when they started gasping for breath did I move to the back door and open it, letting Carlos bolt into the backyard.
I helped Shi to their feet. “Should I apologize for him?”
“Please don’t,” they said, righting their clothes. “I really needed that. Can I rinse off my face though?”
After directing them to the bathroom, I began mixing us more drinks in the kitchen. They raised their brows when they walked in and saw a mojito waiting for them. “You just happened to have the ingredients for a mojito lying around?”
“It’s my party trick.” At their confused look, I chuckled. “I’ve been a bartender most of my adult life and I have a boyfriend who loves to cook. I have a lot of ingredients around here that most people wouldn’t.”
They gave the glass a suspicious sniff. “You didn’t dilute this one, did you?”
“Ah, busted.”
“Don’t baby me.” Shiloh took a sip, and if their satisfied hum was anything to go by, I did it right. “That’s the last thing I need right now.”
“Noted.”
Chapter 17
Shiloh drank three more mojitos,becoming progressively tipsier. Combined with the two from the bar, they quickly fell over the line and into drunk-off-their-ass territory. Their inhibitions lowered with each drink, and I started to see glimpses of the real Shiloh peek through.
I loved it.
As they babbled about anything and everything, I realized I’d never heard them talk so much. I happily sat back and let them. The night wore on, but eventually they ran out of things to talk about and the conversation lulled. Shiloh and I sat on one couch while Carlos curled up on the other, having grown bored of our new houseguest who would no longer let him lick their face. How dare they.
Shi snuggled into the plush cushions. With their head resting against the back, they closed their eyes. I muted the TV that had been playing some nonsensical90 Day Fiancéepisode I’d seen a hundred times. Their breathing slowed, and I thought they’d fallen asleep. Even in the dim light, I could see their dark lashes tickle the freckles across their cheekbones. I shook my head,wondering why the hell their ex wouldn’t be going to the ends of the earth to make them happy.
Shi cracked an eye open. “You perving on me, Clark?”
“Can’t help it.” I grinned. “You’re too pretty.”
