My Billionaire Roommate

Why We Are Here

Looking across from her where Ashton sat, Bree let out a breath, “Rules make sense… What kind of rules do you have for me?”

He made a humming sound in the back of his throat, “The rules are for both of us, not just you, silly.” He motioned around the room with his fork, “You live here now too.”

“But…” He sent her a pointed look, only serving to make her feel antsy, “You have to understand how odd this looks for me to set rules in a place I am only cooking and cleaning in.”

“And living, don’t forget that small part.” He started to scoop out the food onto his plate before giving her the spatula, “I don’t want you to be miserable, Bree, otherwise this will be a long year together.”

“Okay…” She couldn’t help but think it was going to be a long year anyway, “You start.”

He lifted a fork full of food and took a bite, his eyes rolling slightly, “First rule,” He placed his elbows on each side of his plate, the fork dangling downward towards his plate, “More food like this…”

Snorting before she took her own bite, she shook her head, “Be serious.”

The fork twirled upward between the knuckle of his pointer finger and his thumb as the rest of his fingers splayed out in surrender, “Okay, okay,” He went to stab more food onto his cutlery, “If I am not home, my office is off limits. It doesn’t need to be cleaned anyway since I straighten up whenever I use it… but only while I am not here.” He took a bite, his jaw working the food to swallowing pieces before motioning her way, “You have anything?”

“Uh,” She felt super intelligent with her food in midchew, so she quickly gulped it down to think, “Knock before coming into my room?”

“Makes sense.” He bobbed his head gently almost as if listening to music, “I don’t mind if you bring over dates,” He started, a contemplative look coming over his face, “You need to trust and really know them first, please.”

“I don’t plan on dating,” She shrugged, “But noted.”

His brows nearly came together on his forehead, “Why not?”

Lowering her arm, she wished she would’ve just agreed to the rule without the commentary, “I just want to graduate without any complications.” She then looked around the grandeur of the room, “I also don’t want to give them the wrong impression.”

His lips thinned out to a line, “I guess that makes sense.” 

“What else?” She asked, wanting to move on.

“If there is something you need to borrow, please ask first,” He actually looked embarrassed to admit this rule for some reason, “When things go missing, I tend to… freak out.”

Licking her lips of the light sauce, she looked over his pinched features, “I do too, so it’s okay.”

His eyes flashed to hers for a moment before lowering to the food still in front of him, “I guess the only other thing I ask is for communication. If something is bothering you about me or something I am doing, please let me know.”

“I respect that.” She had to admit it to him considering communication within her own family was terrible, “I’ll do my best.”

“Me too.” He reached across the table, his hand open, “Shake on it?”

Her one free arm had been resting on her lap, her hand gripping her thigh under the table, so she stared at it for a few seconds before reaching out to grasp his hand. His grip was soft, but firm in regard to their agreement.

“Perfect!” He beamed, his straight white teeth drawing her attention to his mouth, “What is your major?”

“English language and literature.” She admitted, “You?”

“Finance and Economics.” He replied plainly before setting down his fork to look around the table, “We forgot drinks,” He stood and went back towards the kitchen, “Wine?”

“I-I don’t drink.” She always hated admitting that she didn’t because people tended to think she was a prude, but she just didn’t like the taste of alcohol, “I can get water for myself.”

“I got you.” The shink of him pulling a couple of wine glasses down followed by the clank of ice filled the pause in their meal, “Why English?”

“Why Finance?” She questioned back.

He held both glasses in one hand, his fingers even longer than she realized, before he set her ice water in front of her, “I plan on taking over my father’s company and so he gave me a list of options for what would be appropriate… This is what I chose.” He sat down and took a sip of his drink, “English?”

She pushed the chicken left in her bowl around, “Books have always been a comfort in my life so I want to be a writer or editor.”

“Numbers make sense to me, so I can understand your reasoning.” He took another sip before looking at his plate, finding it clean, “Mind if I have more?”

“Of course.” She eyed the leftovers, “I think I made enough for you to take for lunch too.”

He rubbed his hands together playfully before scooping another serving onto his plate, “Will do, but make sure you grab some too.”

Before she could protest, he put another serving on her plate too, "H-hey!"

"You're thin," He made a waving motion over her body with the scoop for the food, "And you cannot tell me you don't want more of your own cooking?"

Thin?

She had never been called thin before since she was considered more on the curvy side, "I like my cooking," Her eyes drifted to her arms that were crossed, "As for me being thin, I think you need to get your eyes checked."

"Nah," He laughed in a carefree way, making her want to do something stupid to make him laugh again, "I get my eyes checked regularly, so I know I see you quite fine."

Heat sprang to her cheeks and she had to look away from him, "Then you might want a new ophthalmologist, then."

"You're funny." He finished his second helping within a couple of bites, "Well, I'm glad I found you," He rubbed his stomach dramatically, "I think I need to get some work done before I decide to vegetate with food coma."

This time, she was the one who laughed, "I'll clean up," All of this seemed unreal to her, yet she was relaxing already, "Don't work too hard."

"Yes, dear." He mocked, playfully as he stood, "If I don't see you before I go to bed; goodnight."

"'Night." She murmured, looking down the to helping that he served her before discreetly watching him leave the dining room.

Clearing the table and wiping it down to make sure it was clean, Bree couldn't help but admire Ashton, yet be suspicious of him at the same time. The men she had previously encountered never complimented her looks unless they were expecting to get something out of it.

And that something she wasn't willing to give up to just anyone and if Ashton thought he was going to just because he was being generous with her was going to be sorely disappointed.