“The best reason,” he agrees. “So, about what I mentioned earlier.”
I cross my arms and notice when his eyes drop to my chest. They divert quickly, but it was there nonetheless. That glance and the slight flare of his eyes. “You were saying?” I hedge, even though I know where this conversation is going.
Colton clears his throat. “Right. So, uh, anyway, I want you to take my bed. I’ll sleep on the couch. I insist.”
I stare across the kitchen at the man before me. He’s tall, muscular, and has a body built for your wildest dreams. A few years ago, I’d have taken him up on his offer to take the bed, and maybe even asked him to join me, but not now. Not since I gained my independence back. This is my life, to live the way I see fit, and if that means I sleep on the hard floor with only a few blankets to pad me, then so be it. I can do this my way, and don’t need his charity, despite it being appreciated. He’s clearly a gentleman, but I already know I have to turn him down.
Swallowing over the lump in my throat, I shake my head. “I appreciate the offer, Colton, but I can’t accept it. I won’t. I’ll be just fine until my bed comes.”
“Hollis, I can’t let you sleep on the floor.”
I take a step forward. “Let me ask you this. If I was a male roommate, would you be offering your bed to me?” He swallows hard. “That’s what I thought. I truly do appreciate it, but I’ll be okay. I’ve slept on the floor before, and it’s only temporary.”
He’s silent for a few seconds. “I don’t like it.”
Shrugging, I reply, “I guess it’s not really for you to like or dislike.”
Those blue eyes watch me. “I guess you’re right, but please know the offer stands.” Colton takes a step forward, almost invading my personal space.
Needing to break the tension, sexual and otherwise, I reach forward and slip my finger inside Milo’s hand. He tries to bring it to his mouth and gnaw on it, but I keep him from doing so by tickling his little Buddha belly. “Thank you. I do know the offer stands, and I appreciate it.”
Colton exhales and looks like he wants to argue with me, but instead, glances down at the boy in his arms. “I was just about to get Milo here in his bathtub. For someone so small, he sure makes a big mess,” he says, pointing to the big wet spot on his chest. I’m guessing formula… or possibly spit-up. Either way, I smile.
“I’m going to head back to my place. I have a site I’m working on,” I tell him. As I pry my fingers from Milo’s grasp, I throw his dad a wave and head to my door. “Thank you for dinner. Tell your mom they were the best enchiladas I’ve ever had,” I add, glancing at him over my shoulder.
“I’ll tell her,” he says with a small grin.
“Goodnight, Colton.”
“Night, Hollis.”
I shut the door behind me, flipping the lock into place. I double-check the outside door as well, though I did that earlier. Call it a habit, I guess. Flipping open the notepad on the counter, I check my list of upcoming purchases. Curtains to cover the miniblinds on the windows, a small bookshelf, a couch, and chair, though both may not fit. I add waffle maker and Crock-Pot to the list, two things I’d love to own again since I enjoy cooking. I cross off lamp as it was one of the few things I picked up today at the secondhand store, and toss the list back onto the counter. I have a long way to go before this place has that homey vibe, but I know I’ll get there. With each job I take, I’ll earn more money to buy the things on the list. It’ll take time, but that’s okay. The end result will be worth it.
In the bathroom, I get ready for bed. I pop out my contacts and place them carefully in the case. I don’t have that many pairs left, so I need to be cautious with the ones I have. After washing my face and moisturizing, I slip on warm, comfy pajamas, pull my hair up in a high ponytail, and return to my makeshift bed. I add an extra blanket to the padding and slip under the covers.
It’s still early, and I’m not quite ready to sleep, so I grab my laptop and pull up the site I’ve been working on. I immerse myself in my work, adding the stock market widget to the main page, and grain and livestock on another. I scroll through the landing pages and make sure the images are right, based on specifics the company provided me. When I’m certain those are good, I click through a few other pages, working on the text and adding buttons for social media. I spend a good hour reading every line, looking for spelling errors and missing punctuation. Before the site goes live, I always send it to my client for a final set of eyes.