"I'm just going away like you guys had requested not dying!" Her eyes widened as she noticed Jasmine's and Jessica's tear-streaked faces. "Besides it is a temporary arrangement, once the worst is over which is soon, I'll be back."
They both nodded still sulking childishly.
"Are you ready?" Xavier asked standing up.
Even though she had protested all her things, except a change of clothes had been moved by a moving van to his house yesterday.
She knew it was a temporary move, if everything goes according to her wants she should be out of his house in three days, but as he carted all of her belongings ignoring her, it had felt so permanent, so final.
She shook her head at her crazy thoughts, then smiling at him she nodded.
"Let's go home then."
***
"If we are going to be housemates__" The name Housemate sounded so foreign in his ears, not only because he never thought he'll want to willingly share his space with anybody but also because, he wondered how though he wanted to share his bed with Maya desperately, so much that it eats at him, he should be staying away from her, so why the fuck was he bringing her into his house?
It was for her safety he tried to convince himself, even though he knew that was partly the truth. It was the scary urge to see her every day, have her with him, under his roof, a front-row seat to all that he wanted but couldn't have any time he wanted.
"We ain't roommates," she frowned, "We are just sharing a space until my life flips back to normal."
"Whatever," he mumbled.
"You need to first understand that before you go out, you need to submit a letter of approval to me three days before the intended day on my desk," he enjoyed the disbelief in her eyes and satisfied with the reaction he continued, "If I think it is a dire need you'd be allowed, but if not you can't leave this premises."
He knew that he'll never approve of any of her letters, that is if she ever gives him any because he knew how proud and fiercely stubborn Maya could be.
"Of course only you can come up with such ridiculous rule."
"I'm not done yet," he stated with a smirk, "You are also not allowed to bring in any male guest in here__"
"How about Alex?"
"Is he male?" He raised his brow, "if yes, he isn't exempted."
"But he is my close friend!"
"The more reason why he should not see you."
Her lips were in a tight line as she glared at Xavier, not believing that she couldn't even see her only male close friend.
"Besides you have me, I can be your male close friend," he suggested cringing inwardly as he pronounced the word friend.
"You wish," she hissed and then walked out while he watched her behind encased in her denim shorts until she entered her room, shutting it behind her.
"You have no idea what I wish for Kitten, you sweaty and underneath me is one of them." He muttered to himself.
Realizing how silly he looked, talking to himself in the middle of the lobby, he shook his head, walking away. "The things Maya makes me do"
She was a paradox of conflicting emotions she invoked in him, how he wanted her so far away yet so close to him, how the obsession he had for her scared him yet gives him bolt of courage when he feels like she is in trouble, how she made him helpless yet strong.
And as he walked back to his room, he already had his conclusion. He had not thought things through when he had offered that Maya could stay in his place, yes she had been in danger, yes he had enough security but she disturbed his sanity even while she lived miles away every night and now, he knew she was just in the room next to his.
His self-control is going to be tested in many ways than one as he had to think of an effective way of keeping his hands to himself when he was around her and not thinking of her warm soft mouth whenever she was talking, he had to forget how her waist fits perfectly into his arm and how their bodies were a smug match else he feared he just might act out of line and what worst? He had a feeling that doing all that will be the most difficult feat he had ever embarked on.
***
Maya groaned, frustrated that she couldn't sleep a wink. She tossed, turning in her bed sighing. She had tried everything in her books to sleep including transporting herself back in time to one of the most boring classes she ever attended in college.
That was her tested and trusted most efficient trick and she felt her face falling as she realized her eyes were still so wide, with no hint of sleepiness.
She sat up, looking out of the window. She looked around the big room, which looked so cold and terrifyingly big just like the owner. She wanted to blame her inability to sleep on the pristine white floors and walls that made the space seem like a private hospital room but she had more honesty than that.
Because few feet from her was the man who undoubtedly she knew would be sleeping soundly was the cause of all her problem. As the thought that he was just so close to her was enough to keep her eyes hyperactive and her heart pulsing in anticipation of only God knows what.
She knew this was a bad idea. She would have insisted, stood her ground if she wanted to stay away. But she knew deep down inside, living with Xavier had also appealed to her.
And now, all it landed her in was a sleepless night, erratic heartbeats, and sweaty palms.