“Um … Chinese?”
“Perfect. I love Chinese. Let me see …” She trails off as she opens her phone and looks up the nearest place that delivers.
I take the time to stare at her. This girl is completely different than me, an enigma but so fascinating. I can’t put my finger on what draws me to her, but there is an attraction, which is bad news for me. I need to keep this relationship directly in the friend department and not screw this up, considering she’s my coworker’s little cousin.
“Earth to Benjamin.” Pepper’s voice brings me back to the present.
I blink a few times before I see her frowning face looming in front of me. Well, not actually directly in front because I’m a foot taller than her, but she’s standing there, waving her arms.
“What?”
“Can I call you Benjamin? Is that even your name? Or did your parents just go straight for the nickname and name you Ben?” she prattles on.
I furrow my brow in confusion.
Weren’t we just talking about food?
“Uh, yeah, my full name is Benjamin, if you want to use it,” I say, shoving my hands in my pockets.
“I like it,” she says with a smile. “You look like a Benjamin. Now, I ordered three different things, so hopefully, you like one of them. You didn’t exactly answer any of my questions. My favorite is General Tso’s chicken, but everyone makes it different, so this will be a trial to see if it’s the kind I like—oh my gosh, you have a dog?” Her excited squeal cuts off the paragraph of words exiting her mouth as she picks up a picture sitting on my end table beside the couch that I was trying to get rid of.
“Oh, yeah, that’s Danger. He’s with my parents, but I’m picking him up this weekend. He usually stays here with me.” I gesture to the dog bowls shoved in the corner, next to my entertainment center.
“Danger? What a funny name. He’s so tiny,” she exclaims, still gazing at the picture. “I never had a pet, growing up.” She frowns before setting the picture back down and turning toward me, clasping her hands together. She bounces on her feet with a grin. “I can’t wait to meet him.”
“He’s a rescue I got about three years ago. I think he’s got some dachshund in him,” I say, grinning.
“Where do your parents live?” Pepper asks.
“Oh, here. About twenty minutes away. I grew up in Arkansas until I was twelve, and then my dad was transferred here with his job, so I consider myself a Nashville native.”
Pepper sits down on the couch and tucks her legs underneath her, leaning on one of the pillows as she nods. “And you work with Mason at the station?”
“Yep,” I say, nodding, and she grins.
“A man of few words,” she says, and I rock back and forth on my feet, a little uncomfortable with being called out. “That’s okay. I’ve been told I talk a lot.”
I don’t know whether I should agree with her or tell her that she doesn’t. So, I just end up grunting like a Neanderthal, feeling a little ridiculous.
“Are you only a firefighter?”
“No, I do construction work with a friend too.”
“And you like doing that?”
“It’s okay. I enjoy the firefighting more. I like helping people. But the construction is what really pays the bills. I’d like to go back to school though.”
“Oh? For what?” Pepper asks.
I flush. I don’t know why I told her that. I guess all her talking is rubbing off on me.
“I’d like to eventually get a degree in some sort of therapy, but I’d have to go back and get my master’s to be licensed.”
“I think that’s really neat,” she says, smiling.
I return the smile. I haven’t told many people about that particular dream of mine.
Pepper continues to carry the conversation until I’m saved by the bell—er, knock—as the takeout arrives. I breathe a sigh of relief that the attention isn’t on me anymore.
We can’t sit at the table since it’s covered with boxes, so we tuck into the couch, and we shovel food in our mouths, the apartment silent for the first time since Pepper arrived. I never would have dreamed this morning that I would have a roommate by the end of the day, but here I am. Utterly fucked since I kinda, sorta, maybe think my roommate is hot as sin and just as tempting.
Just roommates, I remind myself.
“W’nna t’n the TV ’n?” comes from beside me.
I whip my head around, trying to remember the signs of a stroke as I stare at Pepper.
“What?” I watch as she swallows the large bite she was chewing and wipes her mouth with a napkin.
God, those lips. I can feel my pupils dilate to take it all in.
“Want to turn the TV on?” She points toward the entertainment center with her spoon as she grins at me.
A small piece of rice clings to her chin where she missed wiping it away with the napkin. Without thinking, I lean forward and wipe it off with my thumb, and then we both freeze.
“Sorry,” I say quickly, looking away as I sit back against the couch before leaping to my feet like a crazed animal, searching for the remote.
Anything to avoid looking at Pepper. She has to think I’m a creep.
“Hey, it’s okay,” I hear her voice say somewhere in the background, but I’m focused on finding the damn remote.
Why is it never where I think I left it?
“The remote is over here, if that’s what you’re looking for,” Pepper says with a laugh.
I hear the familiar sound of the TV switching on, and I sit back down, breathing heavily like I might pass out from whatever weird feeling just clenched me to my core.
“What do you like to watch? I have a strange fascination with doctor shows—you know, the ones that follow a doctor who helps people with medical problems. I’ll search for one of those … unless you hate
