Roommates with Benefits [18+ only]

20. Is sex really all you can think about?

TARA

I was so lost in my book and music that I didn't hear the front door being unlocked. That's why when I felt hands on my shoulders I jumped, ending up on the floor. "Ow." I winced, fixing my glasses on my nose.

"Sorry," Lukas chuckled, "I didn't mean to scare you." He offered a hand to help me stand up, but I was more worried about whether my book had survived the fall or not. Once I was certain it had, I closed it, making sure to place the bookmark where I left off, and carefully placed it on the couch.

"Where is it ..." I looked around for my phone. I could see the earphones, but not the rest.

"What is it?"

"Can you make my phone ring? I can't find it." He did as I asked, and when I felt something vibrate underneath me, I grimaced. "Please, don't be broken, please, don't be broken, please, don't be broken ..." I retrieved the device from under my butt and ... "Fuck, it's broken."

"It rings, though." Lukas laughed, pocketing his own phone.

"Yeah, but the screen is fucked," I showed him, "see? It remains all black even when unlocked."

"It's probably a display issue," he claimed calmly, grabbing my arm to make me stand up, well, more like lift me up in his usual effortless manner, "any repair shop can fix it in a day or two." Before I could reply, with a small smile, Lukas slid an arm around my waist, and pulled me in for a quick kiss. "How was your day?" He asked when he pulled back, as if he hadn't just done the most natural thing in the world ... for a boyfriend, not a roommate.

When he went into the kitchen, I shook my head violently, to shrug off the way too intimate feeling. To him a kiss is nothing, I doubt he meant anything by it, but it's just further proof that without rules I'm gonna be soon in huge trouble. The problem is, every time I bring up any sort of written deal, he visibly tenses up, clear sign that he's not too keen on it, even though he agreed.

I left my phone on the coffee table, making a mental note to take it to a repair shop in the morning, and I followed Lukas into the kitchen, where he was drinking water from a bottle that had been in the fridge. "How did it go with your dad?" I wondered, thinking it went fine, given his somewhat good mood.

"As horribly as you can possibly imagine." Lukas grumbled, closing the fridge once he was done drinking. "Consider I skipped my 4 pm class to go straight to the gym. I've been there the whole afternoon."

I frowned, confused. "That bad?"

He sighed, opening the cupboard. "You have no idea." He started grabbing kitchen tools. "What do you want for dinner?"

I know something about impossible parents and the drama they create, so I didn't pry. He barely talks about his family as it is, actually, he barely talks about himself, which is funny, given the ego on him. Besides, his change of subject was a clear request for me not to poke my nose into his business, which I respected.

"Uh ... nothing," I replied to his question, "after classes Sean and I grabbed some tacos."

It was imperceptible, almost impossible to notice, and I probably wouldn't have seen it, hadn't I been looking right at him, but the way his back squared, the way his muscles tightened told me he was aggravated. I guess going to the gym wasn't enough to relax him after the lunch with his dad. That means that the talk about rules is going to get postponed again.

Sighing inaudibly, I decided I'd head to my room. When I'm in a bad mood, especially when said mood is related to my mom, I prefer to remain on my own, lock everything else outside, so I thought Lukas might want the same. "Okay, um ... well, bon appetit," I half chuckled, kind of nervously, "I'll be in my room reading."