𝐌𝐘 𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐄 || 𝐆𝐎𝐉𝐎 𝐒𝐀𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐔 𝐗 𝐅. 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐑

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧

LAST NIGHT WAS PURE TORTURE. Y/n paraded around the primary bedroom wearing nothing but a lace tank top and booty shorts while she unpacked. Her long legs and generous curves were on full display, and it took all my willpower to keep my hands to myself. I swear she did it to mess with me as payback for not having another room ready for her.

This morning, I woke up to her clinging to me like a second skin, resulting in a raging hard-on. I resorted to taking a cold shower and another long run. The time change must be messing with my head. Plus, it's difficult to sleep when the woman next to me plays the starring role in my fantasies but is off-limits.

If the past two days have been any indication of how the rest of this arrangement is going to go, I may need to reconsider my stance on sharing a bedroom.

Y/n left for work before I finished my run, and after a second cold shower, I walked to the office, wanting more time to clear my head.

I've been so distracted with thoughts of her that I haven't been able to get much done, and it's already mid-afternoon.

My inbox is overflowing. I have a backlog of projects due this week, and several calls have been scheduled with Tomoe and Akira. Not to mention the massive stack of résumés Tomoe sent via courier for several open associate positions in our London office.

Fortunately, I have Mei Mei to help me sort through them all. She's a retired real estate manager in her late sixties who re-entered the workforce when she found my job posting for a temporary assistant position. Her industry knowledge is impressive, and she doesn't miss a thing.

I've been staring at the same cover letter for ten minutes when my phone pings with a text.

Mom's Favorites Group Chat

Mom: Did you and Y/n make it back to London?

Ari: More importantly, has Y/n had enough of you yet?

Satoru: Yes, we made it back.

Ari: You ignored my question.

Satoru: It was a lame question.

Mom: Satoru, apologize to your sister this instant.

Ari: Yeah, Satoru, listen to Mom.

Satoru: At least now we know who Mom's favorite really is.

Mom: I don't have favorites.

Satoru: That's not what the name of our group chat says.

Mom: Ari, I thought you changed that. I told you before that Tomoe and Akira will be upset if they see it.

Ari: They're big boys, they'll get over it. It's their fault for not wanting to be a part of our conversations.

Last year Ari started a group chat for our siblings and parents. My dad didn't join because he never checks his phone. Tomoe left the group after his phone went off one too many times during a board meeting, and Akira followed suit after we teased him about his nonexistent dating life before he and Mia got together. Now, I'm the only one Mom and Ari have to pick on.