Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 87078 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87078 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
I rub my chin. “Do you think he’d be more pissed off at that or that we hooked up while we were in Palm Desert?”
“You must have had some crazy-ass dreams about me because the way I recall it, nothing happened.”
His words throw me for a second before he smiles.
“Oh, I get it. Denying it until you believe it, huh?” I ask.
“Have to.”
“Why is that?”
“Don’t fish for compliments. It’s not a good look on you. Come on, let’s get this showing out of the way. We both know you’re going to hate this one too.” He gets out of the car and goes to a lockbox to get the key.
He has a point. I’ve hated everything we’ve looked at.
I’m used to living in unideal places, and on the salary Trav’s paying me, I could afford something better than any of the shitty apartments we’ve seen today, but I’m yet to trust this job. That I’m ready for it or that I could keep it.
While technically Trav hired me months ago, I’ve only had a few days with the actual team, and I’ve already broken a major rule. My faith that this is going to be a long-term gig is small, and if I do lose this job, I won’t have any way to pay rent on any of these places.
Iris lets us into the small one-bedroom apartment, and I immediately turn around to walk right back out.
Iris grabs my shoulder and pulls me back in. “Give it a chance.”
The wallpaper is peeling, the floorboards barely feel like they’ll hold my weight for much longer, it’s old, it smells, and how can they be charging any money to live here let alone the exorbitant prices they are?
“California sucks, man,” I say.
“You can afford a better place than this,” Iris says.
“Not if I lose my job.” I don’t mean to say that out loud.
“Why would you lose your job?” Realization crosses Iris’s face. “If you’re worried my big mouth will say anything, you don’t have to be. I’m at as much risk as you are.”
“It’s not that. Well, it’s not only that. It’s also obvious I need a lot more work to be physically ready to do any kind of missions you guys normally do.”
“There are plenty of boring jobs. Exhibit A.” Iris holds out his hands. “And you’ll get there. Trav has sent you to lay down roots. You know who stays in safe houses? Temporary people.” He makes a good point, but I’m still hesitant.
“You think I should take this place?”
“Fuck no. It smells like cat piss and Indian food after it’s already been digested.”
“That’s what that smell is. I couldn’t pinpoint it.”
“Let’s get out of here.” Iris leads me back out where the smells of LA are welcome.
Never thought I’d like the smell of car exhaust, but there it is.
“If you’re still not comfortable with signing a lease, you could ask Trav to stay where you are a while longer,” Iris says.
“I could. Though I get the impression he needs the safe house for someone else.”
Iris’s brow scrunches. “Who?”
“I don’t know.”
“Knowing Trav, he probably just doesn’t like his backup plans to be tied up.”
“Should we go back and look at that first place?” I ask. “It was an immediate no, but … then I saw what else is out there, and I’m thinking it wasn’t so bad now.”
Iris bites his lip. “We could. I guess. Or …”
“Or, what?”
“Never mind. I’ll take you back to the first place.”
Yet, as we get back into his car, I sense him watching me more than the road.
“What is it?” I ask.
“What’s what?”
“You’re staring at me weird.”
“I’m …” He shakes his head. “Nothing.”
Forty minutes later, we pull up outside the small block of condos that … is as underwhelming as it was earlier.
“How do you feel about having a roommate?” Iris blurts.
“I dunno. I told you I kind of suck at making friends.”
“I’ll rephrase. How would you feel about having me as a roommate?”
“Ooh, bad idea. Really bad idea.” The worst. I couldn’t think of anything more tempting.
“I know we snipe at each other, but I have a decent-sized place. We won’t be living on top of each other or anything. Besides, there’ll be times where I’m gone for months at a time and vice versa. It’s an option anyway if you want to consider it.”
There he goes trying to make me comfortable again even if it’s not in his best interest or what he wants.
Iris shifts. “Okay, now you’re staring at me weird.”
“Weird how?”
“Like I’m doing something surprising.”
“You being nice is surprising.”
Iris flips me off.
“That’s better. All is right with the world again.”
“Think about moving in. I have the space. We’re … friends.” He gags on the word.
The more I think about it, the more I realize it could be the perfect solution for me. It’ll just be harder to keep my promise that I won’t try to suck his dick again.