Chapter Five

Leo came home late that night, looking like he'd been worked over by a bottle of Jack. He grabbed some water and went straight to bed.

I was relieved to see him, but he'd never ignored me like this before. Not even during our worst fights. Where had he even stayed last night?

Wanting to give him space, I slept in the guest room, which was the only other bedroom with a working bathroom. We'd replaced the basics, like the toilet and hardware, and there was a big shower that flowed into a pedestal tub. With the small, black-and-white-checkered tile, it was my second favorite room in the house after the kitchen.

When I woke the next morning, I found Leo in his study—just off the foyer—typing away and not in a talking mood. Better to let him do his thing and recover.

I brought him coffee, kissed his head, and wished him luck on the job search. He grunted in response.

I got to washing clothes in the laundry room we'd set up in the original pantry just off the kitchen. It was Sunday, so that also meant grading papers and planning for the week ahead.

Over the next several classes, I'd be covering ancient Minoa, which was really Greece, starting around 2000 BC. It was my favorite period to talk about with students, mostly because of the magnificent ruins, which still stood today in Crete. Someday, I hoped to go.

Sitting at the kitchen table, I was typing up comments on a student's paper when the doorbell rang.

"Leo! You got that?" A moment passed, but I didn't hear him respond. "Leo? Honey?"

The doorbell rang again.

I got up and walked down the main hall. The living room, guest room, and the study were just off there.

I passed Leo's study, finding him snoring away on his sofa.

"Okay." I shut the door and went to see who was out front. In this neighborhood, we had our fair share of everything—political activists, charity workers, and crazy people who wanted to talk about aliens.

I peeked through the sidelight.

On the porch was a man with thick black hair down to his chin. He was tall—maybe six two or three—with broad shoulders. His outfit—a hoodie and jeans—reminded me of one of my students, but he looked about my age, possibly in his late twenties or early thirties.

I unlocked the door and opened it. "Can I help you?"

"I'm here about the room for rent."

That was fast. The ad request had only gone in on Friday, and I hadn't even seen a confirmation of it posting yet.

I frowned, thinking. "I didn't put my address in the ad." It had the neighborhood, rent details, and my number. But no address.

"My friend works at Craigslist. I asked him to tell me the moment anything affordable came up. Rent's expensive in this city. Early bird and all that."

I didn't appreciate my info being given out, but I could understand. My students were always complaining about finding affordable housing. Still, it was pretty rude to show up like this. I had work to do, and Leo was asleep. I'd have to give this guy my number and tell him to set up an appointment during the week.

I opened my mouth to speak, but something in his pale eyes tripped me. He looks so familiar. He was the same guy from the café.

"I saw you yesterday," I said.

"Did you?"

"Yeah, I was wearing a pink scarf, getting coffee with a friend."

He shook his head, indicating he didn't remember me. "I was checking around the neighborhood's bookstores and coffee shops. Sometimes people post roommate-wanted stuff."

I didn't want to come off too creepy, because I very much remembered him, and he didn't seem to remember me, so I dropped it.

"Aren't you going to invite me in?" he asked.

I didn't feel comfortable allowing a stranger inside without knowing the slightest thing about him, but then I gazed into those pale gray eyes and suddenly felt relaxed.

"I'm already here," he added, "so you might as well let me in."

Yes, I'd like that."I'd be happy to show you the room." I stepped aside. "Just through there." I pointed to the bedroom door, instantly remembering I forgot to make the bed. I rushed in ahead of him. "Sorry. I slept in here last night." I straightened out the down comforter.

He looked around for a second, peeked in the bathroom, and then went to the window, which faced the side yard. "How old is this home?"

"Oh, uh, that depends on which yardstick you're using. The original house was built in the 1800s, but that was partially destroyed in a fire. The home was rebuilt in the late 1800s but was significantly remodeled after the turn of the century. We don't know the exact dates." The records about the house and the prior owners were scarce. I knew because I'd tried to research them. The only public records I found said the last owner had also owned a building downtown and a warehouse by the docks.

"It has character."

"Yep." I suddenly noticed that the guy was wearing a Rolex. He might look a little casual, but he had money. "There's access to a laundry room and a full kitchen for you to use. The bathroom is fully functional and filled with all the charm one would expect for a house this age—rumbling pipes and squeaking sounds—and the room comes with all the construction noise you can take. Thus, the price. Though, I will mention we've put a pause on renovations for a few months. Thought you should know anyway. This is not the place for, say, a writer or people with ears," I joked.

"Beautiful." He gazed deeply into my eyes, and my heart fluttered, followed by a rolling sensation in my stomach. And not a pleasant one. It was the sort of roll you got when dropping down the steepest part of the roller coaster, when your mind said you were about to die.

I sucked in a big breath and took a step back.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"Yeah. Sorry. My breakfast doesn't agree with me," I lied, lightly tapping my chest with a fist.

He nodded slowly, like he didn't quite believe me. "I'll take the room."

That was quick.Suddenly, I caught myself staring at his lips. The man was very good looking, maybe the most handsome guy I'd ever seen in real life. His cheekbones alone made me want to reach out and trace my fingers over their beautiful lines. Where was he from? With genes like his, he probably came from an incredible bloodline.

Leo will definitely not appreciate having him here.

Looking for an excuse to shut this down, I said, "I need you to fill out an application first. And you'll have to meet Leo, my fiancé. He's sleeping right now, but you could come back after I check your cred—"

The guy pulled a wad of bills from his pocket. "I only plan to stay for two weeks. How's ten thousand?"

I eyed the roll of cash. That was drug-dealer-type money. That, or he stole it. Either way, he could definitely afford to rent a hotel room if he only planned to be in town for a few weeks. "I'm sorry, but we don't want any—"

"I know what you're thinking: I stole it, or I sell drugs, but I assure you that is not the case."

Strange how he'd guessed my exact thoughts. On the other hand, most people would make the same assumptions.

I folded my arms over my chest. "So why are you walking around with that kind of money?"

"Cash is convenient for people in my situation. No credit card."

I raised an expectant brow.

"Also," he added, "I have people looking for me."

"I'm sorry, but I don't want to get mixed up in your business. We just need a little extra money, not extra problems."

"Then why not list the room on that short-term rental app?"

Because I would have had to pay all sorts of fees. This was supposed to be a temporary thing for quick cash. "I'm sorry, but the answer is no."

"I'll only be here for a few weeks doing research," he said, his voice deep and smooth with rich seductive notes.

All apprehension drained from my mind.

He added, "After that, you'll never see me again."

He stared deeply into my eyes, lulling me into a warm, relaxed state. Suddenly, I didn't want him to leave. I'd never felt so safe, so needed, so totally calm. He should stay…

"Okay," I muttered. "The room is yours."

He took my hand and shoved the wad of money into it. A wave of pinpricks rushed up my arm from his fingertips.

I jerked my hand away, gripping the money. "Can you come back later so I can introduce you to Leo?"

"I'll be back tonight. May I have a key?"

"I have a spare in the kitchen." I headed down the hall, feeling trapped in a dream where I was observing myself but not in the driver's seat. Was I really letting this man stay in my home? It was a mistake. And yet, I couldn't say no.

"By the way, what's your name?" he asked.

"Piper. Piper Spiros," I replied, stopping in front of the kitchen drawer containing knickknacks and keys.

He bowed his head, his pale eyes locked intensely on mine. "Nice to meet you, Piper. I am Draco."