I Don't Even Know My Last Name-

Chapter Seven

CONNER

“So just make yourself at home I guess…” Conner huffed, unlocking the door and stepping inside, Andi at his heels. Dropping her bag beside the door he kicked his shoes off, gaze casting to the side as she strolled on in, her gaze turning about the small room.

“It’s cleaner than I remember.” She said, taking her backpack off and dropping it on the couch as she flopped back on the couch. That awkward uncomfortable feeling some people get when invited over to someone’s hose for the first time… she didn’t seem to have that. Though in retrospect it wasn’t technically her first time. She still seemed as comfortable here though as she had any place else.

“I do know how to clean.” Conner grumbled as he closed the door and removed his jacket. He wasn’t sure if her comment was just a stated fact or meant as some sort of insult. But it sure as hell hadn’t sounded like a compliment. And his place hadn’t been that messy the last time she had been here had it? It was only a few days ago after all. He may have straightened up a little but he didn’t think it was that different.

“I never said you didn’t… sheesh.” She said with her own little huff in return, eyes narrowing to that familiar glare as she glance back.

“Right…” he mumbled, running a hand through his hair as he walked to the entrance of the hall, pausing a moment. “I’m going to take a shower… Just don’t… break anything.” He said feeling awkward about leaving her, practically a stranger, here alone in his living room. But she had already commented on his appearance once now and in truth it had made him a bit self-conscious. 

“Yeah because that was the first thing I planned to do.” She said snorting and leaning forward to pull her backpack into her lap, kicking off her shoes and folding her legs up under her. “Seriously what are you afraid I’ll break? The coffee table? That grubby old recliner? Short of the TV, there doesn’t actually appear to be much of value. And I should know, you saw my apartment.” She snorted as Conner ground his teeth together trying to ignore the jibe. Was she trying to start a fight and get kicked out? She had barely been here five minutes.

“Just don’t break anything… Kitchen’s that way. There isn’t much in there but feel free to make whatever.” He snapped back turning down the hall again, reminding himself it was just a couple of days. A couple of days and she would be out of his house, and hopefully out of his life.

“Why? Because a woman’s place is in the kitchen? I’m not your cook you know!” She called after him getting his to pause and release a small hissing sigh. Just ignore it and walk away. He didn’t want to deal with this… but no. He found himself turning back anyway.

“No…” he said slowly, a low growl in his voice. “Because if you’re hungry… you can make your own damn meal. You may not be a cook but this isn’t a fucking hotel. And I don’t cook. So make something or don’t make something. I don’t really give a flying fuck.” He snapped having lost his patients as he turned back around to storm into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him. Dear god what was it about this woman that drove him mad so quickly?!

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Turning off the water to the shower Conner stepped out, reaching for the towel that hung just outside, wrapping it around his waist. Letting out a low sigh Conner ran a hand through his wet hair as he stepped toward the door pausing with a hand over the knob, letting out a low curse. He had forgotten all about his little house guest for a moment there. And here he was, nearly walking out half naked in front of her. His gaze drifted to the clothes discarded in the corner. No… he wasn’t about to change back. What the hell. This was his house and it was just from the bathroom to the bedroom.

With a small huff Conner turned the knob, stepping out into the hall and turning down it to his room, resisting any urge to glance back. Changing quickly he pulled on a pair of sweats and a sweatshirt, shaking out his hair some before heading back out to the main house, stopping back at the bathroom briefly to pick up a roll of dental floss. He had said he would help her with the ring…

“Ready to get the ring off?” he asked, stepping out into the main room of the house, pulling the dental floss out to arm’s length and glancing up to where the woman sat on the couch right where he left her, a sketch book open in her lap as she looked up at him rather skeptically. 

“And just how does dental floss get a ring off.” She asked him suspiciously, eyes narrowed slightly, closing the book in her lap as he came to sit on the other side of the couch. 

“You’ll see… let me see your hand.” He said, breaking the floss off and setting the roll to the side. 

As she held out his hand for him he took it gently in his own, noticing the way she seemed to tense slightly at his touch. He tried not to scowl at that and just ignore it. But if she was so uncomfortable around him then why the hell ask to stay a few days? Did she really think he was going to try something with her? Because he really wasn’t interested. Something she didn’t seem to get.

Brushing her reaction off he took her finger, holding down the swelling skin around the ring, pinching it to make just a little room, just enough to thread the end of the dental floss under the ring, pulling it out to rest against her knuckle. Holding the end down with one hand, he began to wind the floss tightly around her finger with the other, compressing the swelling tissue. She sucked in a sharp breath, attempting to pull her hand away but he held it firmly, pinching the tip of her finger to hold the end of the floss as he reached it. 

“And… there you have it.” He said letting go of her hand and pulling the end of the floss he had held against her knuckle, unwinding it toward him, the floss pulling the ring off with it until at the tip of her finger where he was able to slide it off with ease. 

“Oh my god…” she said with something close to awe, sitting up a little and holding her hand in front of here, turning it over for inspection. “That was amazing.” She said getting Conner to chuckle a little, folding the floss up to throw away, one hand closed around the ring as he got up from the couch.

“I do know a thing or two.” He said back to her, heading into the kitchen and tossing the floss in the trash before sticking the ring in his pocket for safe keeping, his thumb running over the ring briefly, mind wandering before snapping out of it.

“Of course you do.” She snorted as though the idea of that was amusing. And the brief moment they shared was now gone… “So mister thing or two… is this couch a pull out, or am I going to have to sleep on it like this?” she asked now as he came back into the room. 

“Neither. I don’t make guests sleep in the living room. I’ll take the couch.” He said simply, getting the woman’s eyes to narrow stubbornly. 

“Oh no you won’t… Your head and feet would be hanging off the ends. I’ll fit perfectly. I take the couch.” She said as though it were already decided, turning to stretch out easily on the couch.

“My house my rules.” Conner said instead.

“But boo bear…” she whined slightly, an amused smirk at her lips.

“No buts pookie. You realize how easily I could just throw you over my shoulder right?” he said with amusement, her eyes narrowing upon him. 

“You wouldn’t dare…” she growled lowly, Conner’s smirk just pulling a little wider seeing it as a challenge.

“Is that a challenge?” he asked chuckling.

“Nope… but if you dump me off in bed I’ll just come back and sleep on top of you. Either you sleep in the bed or no one sleeps in the bed.” She said only getting Conner to raise an amused brow.

“Babe, threatening to lay on top of and sleep on a guy is hardly a threat.” He said with a cocky grin, getting her to flush a little. 

“Shut up…” 

“Make me.” He smirked, just getting her to blush all the more, seeming quite uncomfortable and managing to make him feel a little guilty. Making her uncomfortable had not been the goal. He hadn’t intended on there being any flirting. But she started it. “You can keep the couch. For tonight.” he said leaving it at that, letting the cocky smirk soften a little.

“Thank you…” she said lowly. She should be careful… she almost sounded grateful.