Page 28 of Sinful Sharing

Roman glances up, staring in my direction. For one frozen moment, neither of us moves. His jaw clenches. He looks me up and down. Without a word, he turns and heads down the hallway toward his room. A moment later, his door closes softly behind him.

And for some reason, I’m not thirsty anymore.

17

Jude

This goddamn cold is determined to make my life miserable today. My fingers are numb despite the thick gloves I’m wearing. The wind keeps cutting through my jacket, and the damn replacement window refuses to sit properly in the frame. I balance on the ladder, glaring at the pane as if I can intimidate it into cooperating. Reopening is in a little over a week, for fuck’s sake.

“Taylor,” I call. “Hand me the drill.”

Nothing.

I grit my teeth.

“Taylor.”

Still nothing.

With an impatient growl, I look over my shoulder. He’s standing a few feet away, staring at me with a strange expression.

“What?” I snap.

He blinks, as if I’ve interrupted some deep thought, then finally hands me the tool. “I saw Roman coming out of your room last night.”

I take it from him. “And?”

He’s trying very hard to look casual, but failing miserably. “Are you and Roman sleeping together?”

“That’s what grown folks do, Taylor. They fuck.”

The words come out rougher than I intend. I turn back to the window. A few seconds pass, and he doesn’t respond. The silence stretches long enough to make me look around. Taylor is walking away—no, storming. His shoulders are stiff, hands tucked in his pockets. He disappears around the corner of a building, and for a moment, I consider letting him go.

Cursing under my breath, I climb down the ladder. I soon find him in the barn, pacing. He stops when I enter and turns his back to me.

Closing the distance, I spin him around. “What’s your problem?”

Taylor stares at his feet. “Forget it.”

Like hell I will. “No. Tell me.”

“It’s nothing.”

I tilt up his chin with my index finger. “You’re such a terrible liar.”

He exhales sharply. His shoulders slump. “Like I said, it’s nothing. I was just being an idiot.”

“That’s not an explanation.”

Another sharp sigh, and then he winces. “I thought...” He shakes his head. “Never mind.”

“Taylor.”

His gaze meets mine. “I misread the signs.”

And now I’m confused. “What signs?”

“The ones where you flirted with me. I thought you were interested. Obviously, I was mistaken.”