The Roommate Complication

Chapter 3

Azriel was on the couch reading a book when she got home. His feet were up on the coffee table, one ankle crossed over the other.

"Hey." He greeted her with a warm smile.

Az likes you.

Gwyn's heart pounded wildly in her chest as she fought to maintain a neutral expression.

"How was shopping with the girls?"

"Fine." She couldn't remember the last time she had given Az a one-word answer.

"I made homemade falafel from that recipe you really like and I saved you a plate. I didn't know if you'd be hungry."

Az likes you.

"I - ah - I ate a lot at Nesta's."

Gwyn felt like she was sweating. Was she sweating? It was entirely possible. She didn't feel that she had complete control over her body at the moment. She knew she should be moving into the apartment, and not just standing in the entryway. She knew she should be saying something - forming words with her tongue - but barely any would come. She knew she should look away from Az, however, every time she tried she heard Cassian's voice in her head again.

Az likes you.

"Want help with those bags? It looks like you have a lot." Azriel snapped the book shut and stood from the couch before she had time to react.

Gwyn studied him closely as he came toward her, feeling like she had read everything about him - everything about this situation - wrong. How much of his behavior was Az simply being nice, simply being a good roommate, and how much of it was because he had feelings for her?

She'd tried to get more information out of Cassian. But he had refused to say anything beyond those three words; telling her to go home and talk to Az if she wanted to know. Well, that was not entirely correct. Cassian told her that if he thought them living together had been a bad idea, he would have never asked Nesta to pass along the offer. Az liked her, but he was not about to scheme to win her affections.

Az likes you.

Mentally screaming at Cassian, Gwyn tightened her hold on her shopping bags at the same moment Az reached for them. So, instead of being able to take them from her, Azriel found himself tugging on them instead.

"Everything alright?" His face was etched with concern.

"Absolutely," Gwyn lied with a smile. "Why wouldn't it be?"

Az likes you.

"Well, for starters, you've said less than ten words since walking in here. You turned down my cooking. And you look wound tight enough to snap." He ticked these three pieces of damning evidence off on his fingers as he spoke.

"I'm just tired."

"Even 'Tired Gwyn' is still bubbly and friendly," Az countered, cocking his head to the side.

He had learned her moods. Of course he had learned her moods. Just because Azriel was quiet, didn't mean he wasn't engaged. He saw everything; learned everything he could about a person.

Az likes you.

"Maybe you haven't met "Bone Deep Tired Gwyn' yet."

"I'm pretty sure I met her on your first night here." He grinned at her.

"What about you?" she asked, quickly changing the subject. "Did you have a good day?"

He shrugged. "Can't complain. Met Cassian for a workout and then had some time to myself to relax."