Page 148 of How To Not Need You

I raise an eyebrow. She immediately takes a sip of coffee. Too late. Caught you.

“Don’t,” she says. I haven’t said anything.

“Wasn’t going to.”

“Your face was.”

“My face didn’t do anything.”

“Your face is smug.”

“You’re staring at me, of course I’m smug.”

“I’m just observing.”

“Right.” I reply with an arched brow.

“For safety purposes.”

“Of course.”

She takes a long sip of coffee without breaking eye contact.

“Put the helmet back on.”

I grin.

“Fuck off, Reid.”

I put the helmet back on. Because I'm a good boyfriend. Liv rolls her eyes, but she’s smiling when she turns away.

It’s been three weeks since Tilly conned her into coming back to my house.

Three weeks since Liv put my key back on her ring and then, apparently, decided that having access to my house meant slowly moving half her belongings into it.

Her jacket is on my coat hook.

Her charger is back on my kitchen bench, although this time I’m fairly certain she left it there on purpose.

There are three more of her books on my coffee table, a pair of boots beside the front door and enough of her shit in my bathroom that I had to move my shaving stuff yesterday.

I haven't said a word. I'm not an idiot. Tilly, however, has no such sense of self-preservation. This morning she asked Liv if she needed her own drawer. I nearly choked on my coffee.

Liv looked at her for a second, then said, “Probably,” and went back to buttering her toast. So apparently we're getting her a drawer.

“THIS IS MY DAD.” Tilly’s voice carries across the lawn. I turn to find her dragging some poor kid towards the engine by the hand.

“HE DRIVES THE TRUCK.” The kid looks at me like this information is considerably less exciting than Tilly believes it to be.

“Bug, I think they got it.”

“HE CAN MAKE THE LADDER GO UP.”

“I haven’t even turned the ladder on today.”

“BUT YOU COULD.”

Ben straightens from the bumper. “Sometimes they even let him turn the siren on.”