“Whatever. You are crazy!” Sadie screeches and everyone at the table cracks up.

“Then come over and prove it.” Brady’s chair slides out from the table and Sadie wastes no time straddling him. When Brady’s hands land on her ass, she jolts in his arms as he picks her up.

“We’ll see you guys later.” He swiftly steps out the back door. “Oh, it was nice meeting you, Paige. Stop by whenever,” he hollers.

“You too, thanks for the help,” I scream back as the screen door slams shut.

“Sit,” Chrissy demands like I’m a child being reprimanded. She stands back up and Dex groans.

I hand her the bills for a portion of the pizza. “Here’s some money.”

She pushes my hand back. “Nonsense. It’s on us as a welcome.” I continue to hold it out, not wanting something for free. “Really, Paige. Rob covered it anyway. That happens so rarely, we are all taking full advantage of it.” She laughs, grabbing a piece of pizza with more meat on it than cheese and strides back to Dex.

“Thanks, babe,” Dex says, with his eyes glued to a spiral notebook in front of him. Taking the pen, he scribbles across it.

When I sit down, I peer over, wondering what he’s working on. “What’s that?”

He holds up the notebook in his hands. “A new song that Brady just wrote. We have a show tonight and he wants us to perform.

“Yeah, Paige. Do you want to come down to Aces?” Chrissy plops down next to me.

“Oh, I really have to unpack and get settled. Plus, classes tomorrow.” Chrissy’s lips turn down in a pretend pout and the word okay is about to slip from my lips when the number-one reason I shouldn’t go swaggers into the room.

His jeans are swung low on his hips, and a white T-shirt strains across his shoulders. His presence alone causes goose bumps to scatter up my arms, and I suck in a deep breath at how gorgeous he looks. My heart races watching him make a beeline my way with his eyes glued to mine.

“Let’s go, Hulk.”

“Okay, but Brady just carried Sadie out of the house. I’m thinking we have about a half hour now.” Dex shrugs, and Rob throws himself in the chair.

“More like five minutes, but that just gives me more time to get to know our new roommate.” A slow smirk slides across his mouth and I look down trying to hide the flush creeping up my neck.

“Rob,” Chrissy warns, but when I sneak a glimpse from the corner of my eye, Rob’s eyes are completely on me.

“Don’t worry, Chrissy, I’m pretty sure hot guitarists aren’t Paige’s thing.” I remain quiet, not wanting to lie because they are completely my thing.

When Chrissy and Dex begin talking plans for tonight, I stand up. While I’m at the stove, grabbing another slice of pizza, Rob ventures over. He leans over my shoulder and reaches for the Parmesan cheese. “Heads up, I may have just lied. I’m one hundred percent positive you’re into hot guitarists because I bet if my hand slipped down your pants, I’d feel your panties that soaked through, when I walked into the room.”

Inhaling a deep breath to calm my nerves, I face him and whisper, “Joke’s on you, I’m not wearing panties.” His head rears back and desire floods his crystal blue eyes.

His tongue clicks off the roof of his mouth. “I’ve underestimated you.” He chuckles and then walks away back to the table.

I’m silent for the rest of the meal while Rob and Dex discuss the songs Brady wrote. Chrissy asks me a few questions about my Economics class and if I’m struggling because she’s heard rumors about how hard the class is. Rob glances over to me from the corner of his eye, as though Econ class piques his interest. Does Econ pique anyone’s interest? I think not.

Suddenly, he flies up in his seat. “I’ll be out in the garage until it’s time.”

He doesn’t look back and the screen door shuts with a bang.

Chrissy places her hand on my shoulder. “He’s kind of . . .” She shrugs, looking at Dex.

“Temperamental?” Dex fills in.

“Moody,” I clarify and they both nod.

“I gotta go.” Chrissy springs up, kissing Dex on the cheek. “Ten minutes, babe.”

Then she turns my way again.

“You sure you don’t want to come? It will be a lot of fun.” I see the hope in her smiling mouth.

“Next time, I swear.”

She nods. “Okay. I’ll keep you to that.”

“FUCK!” I FLING the lid to the pot across the room. The flame sizzles out once the water pours over the side. I was positive I could nail this new recipe tonight. This is my consequence for watching a cooking show at three in the morning half asleep. Every time I dream about the damn dish and then wake up craving it. Stupidly, I try to recreate it from memory and fail miserably.

Go figure, me fail at something.

“Sounds like the dinner’s winning.” Paige sails through the back door, her backpack swung over her shoulder and a smile in place as always. The girl is definitely posing a cheery act, because no way can one person be so damn nice and happy as much as her.

“I got it, just wait and see.” I grab the potholders and pour the pasta into the strainer. “Dinner is in fifteen,” I call over my shoulder and she scurries behind me, stealing a noodle.

She sucks the long noodle through her lips, and I watch her, imagining a specific part of my body in that delicate mouth. “Ummm . . . good.” She smiles and then sneaks past the doorway. Man, she’s got me wound tighter than a guitar string.

Paige is easy, not requiring a lot of effort on my part to be around her. She allows me to sexually entice her, and she politely shoots me down even though I’m positive her insides scream for me. Not sure if she’ll ever allow me to show her exactly how fucking should be done, but I’m enjoying this chase of come and get me. It’s like an adult game of hide and seek, except my prize will be a hell of a lot better.

My phone vibrates in my pocket as I try to save the spaghetti sauce in the pot before it all burns to the bottom. I place the spoon back down as Hulk’s name flashes across my phone.

Hulk: Sorry man, Chrissy and I are hung up. We won’t be there for dinner.

Well, damn. Chrissy’s the one who organized this whole chart of who makes dinner and when. She said something about us being a family and we should have dinner together at least three times a week. I’ve tried to be at every one and the first time it’s my turn to prepare it with Paige here, they bail. A sly smile crosses my lips figuring Chrissy’s probably shitting herself thinking about Paige and I alone. I can’t allow this moment to go without some torture.

Me: I wanted some “quality” time with Paige, anyway.

That should build a rise out of Chrissy. I wouldn’t be surprised if they ran through the door panting in the next ten minutes. Splatters of red dots fly to every surface of the white stove and I quickly twist the knob of the burner off. Taking two plates out, I scoop two spoonful’s of pasta and then pour my homemade sauce over. Right as I place them on the table, Paige comes in with her long hair up off her neck and another T-shirt and pajama pants outfit. I swear this girl has more pajama pants than I have guitar pics.

Taking a sip, I catch the words on her pajama pants and almost spit out my beer. “Is that a fact?” I ask, eyeing the Satisfaction Guaranteed stamp, printed from waist to feet.

“I thought you’d like these.” She laughs, wiggling her ass a little as she opens the fridge to grab a drink. My eyes ransack her perfect apple ass and I examine closer when I don’t spot any panty lines. Then I wonder what she’d do if I cornered her against the fridge and my hands slipped into her waistline, molding her flesh in my hands. She pivots around and I quickly step to the left as nonchalant as I can. “Don’t steal them,” she giggles and then moves over to the table.