Forever With You (Silver State Series) by Renae Kelleigh Read Free Book Online

me living with a female might arouse questions from the girls I brought home.
    We walk up the steps to the screened in porch and cross to the front door.  I turn my key in the lock and swing the door open, then stand aside to let Tawny pass into the living room.  She kicks off her sandals next to the doormat before crossing barefoot into the house.
    I follow her inside and watch her while she looks around, taking in the scuffed hardwood floors and matching cream colored couch and loveseat.  Most of the furniture is Shelley’s; she had already added the feminine touches before I got here.  I have to admit I like it though – the curtains in the windows, the pictures on the walls.  Makes the place feel homey.
    “It smells good in here,” Tawny says, turning back around to face me.  Suddenly I feel like I’ve been caught staring at something I shouldn’t.  I smile, rolling my shoulders back in an effort to relax.
    “I should probably check to make sure it isn’t burning.”
    I walk back to the kitchen and switch on the oven light, then crouch down to peer through the window.  The red sauce on the meatloaf is bubbling; there are ten minutes left on the timer.  I open the cabinet to the right of the oven and take out a sauce pan, run some water in it and turn on the burner to boil the water.  I turn around, wiping my hands on my jeans, just as Tawny appears in the doorway.
    “What are you cooking?” she asks.
    “Meatloaf?” I say, watching her face for any sign of distaste.  She only smiles though. 
    “I love meatloaf.”
    “What about mac and cheese?” I ask.
    Her eyes light up like those of a little kid who’s just heard the ice cream truck go by.  “My favorite,” she says.  She crosses the tiled floor to sit at the kitchen table and curls one foot up underneath her while letting her other leg dangle over the side of the chair.  I cross my arms over my chest and lean back against the counter.  Her body is actually perfect , I think to myself, admiring the lean length of her legs, her toned arms and the arches of her small feet – not to mention those tits.  How could I have missed this in high school?   The desire to walk over and kiss her is almost more than I can take.  Oh God, what am I doing ?
    Tawny blinks up at me expectantly, and it occurs to me I’m being a pretty shitty host.  “Can I get you anything to drink?” I ask.  I open the refrigerator and scan the shelves, a little embarrassed at the lack of options.  “There’s orange juice, beer and water.”
    She giggles and seems to think on it for a minute.  Finally she lets out a breath and says, “I’ll take a beer.”  She says it like she isn’t sure, but who am I to argue?  I pop the top off a Fat Tire and set it in front of her.
    “You want a glass?”
    “No thanks.”
    She takes a pull from the bottle and presses her moistened lips together as she swallows, like she’s afraid it might come back up.  I grab a second bottle and open it for myself.  Noticing the water is boiling, I grab a box of Velveeta from the cupboard and dump the shells in the pot.
    “Need any help?” Tawny asks.
    “Nope, I’ve got it under control,” I reply as I crouch down again to check on the meatloaf.
    “So…” Tawny begins, but her voice trails off as if she doesn’t know how to proceed.  I stir the pasta, then turn back around to face her.  She clears her throat and takes another swig of beer, then presses on.  “So you said last month was a weird month for you.  Do you mind if I ask why?”
    Shit .  This wasn’t a conversation I wanted to have tonight.  Not that it’s her fault… I could just make up some vague excuse, but something tells me she’d catch on, and I don’t want her to feel slighted.
    I sigh and scrub at my eyes with the heels of my hands.  “You know how I live with my grandparents, right?”
    She nods.
    “I’ve lived with them since I was – shit, I don’t even know – as long as I can