Roommates

Chapter 24

Pouring her first cup of coffee the next morning, Evangeline looked out the kitchen window. It was dark out, but the golden moonlight cast enough light to navigate the kitchen to grab her creamer. Her sleepy body collapsed onto a stool at the bar after pouring half the bottle of French vanilla creamer into her mug.

Coming up behind her, Trey planted a kiss on the back of her head. "Good morning, beautiful," he chirped. There wasn't a hint of exhaustion in his voice. But the cracking in his spine as he stretched was evidence enough of his night on the couch.

Evangeline gave him the middle finger and stared into her coffee, her eyelids struggling to stay open under the weight of her eyelash extensions and thick mascara. If there is a God, she prayed, Trey would shut up. It was too goddamn early for his nonsense.

"I presume you slept well." He poured himself what was left of the pot of coffee, selfishly dripping every last drop into his mug.

Evangeline sighed. "Careful. haven't decided if today is the day I commit homicide yet."

"It's still early."

"I actually slept really well." Contrast to her words, her body swayed toward the counter, slumping over.

"I can tell." He pressed his thumb into her forehead, pushing her posture up so she wasn't dipping her wavy hair into her drink.

"I had an amazing dream." She huffed. "Too bad it ended."

"Your performance last night was enchanting, if it's any consolation. It gave me plenty to dream of." He wiggled his eyebrows and blew her a kiss.

She, again, flipped him off, without words. She at least broke a smile this time. It was all in good fun.

Trey sat beside her and wrapped his arm around her. He rubbed her bicep rapidly, trying to jumpstart her energy manually. "So, Aurora and I got to talking last night."

She shrugged him off of her and groaned, "Jesus, Trey. Can I finish my damn coffee before you get into gossip?"

He stuck his finger in her white drink and tasted it. The vanilla creamer was the only thing he could make out. "That's not even coffee, you basic white bitch."

"I'll drink it black the day hell freezes over." She nudged him. Her tone and word choice may seem coarse, but Trey interpreted her actions as playful. She's doing her best for it only being a quarter past five am.

Trey swirled his coffee mug, creating a screeching echo throughout the house. "You know, I think Aurora is pretty great."

"She's not half as annoying as you are," Evangeline agreed. "And, she's a lot prettier than you."

"Sticks and stones, my love."

"What are you getting at, Trey?" With a grunt, she forced herself to look at him. She studied his smug grin, calculating his intentions. He was setting her up for something, but she couldn't make out his aim. After all, he'd never been described by anyone as predictable.

He shrugged. "I just think she's good for you, that's all. She's good company to have around." Putting his mug to his lips, he blew breathy words into the liquid, "she's obviously in your sights."

"I'm not going to lie and say she's not," Evangeline admitted. "She's damn beautiful."

"You're not talking about her body," he speculated.

"I mean, she has something about her that makes me feel like I can't help but talk to her." She recounted her second day with Aurora. The prospect of discussing anything about the holidays made her uncomfortable, yet she so openly talked with Aurora from the very start. "I don't know what kind of witchy magic she has, but I don't think I could kiss-and-run from her."