Chapter 403 - Our Furniture

Chapter 403: Chapter 403 - Our Furniture

Roxie had one piece of chicken halfway to her mouth when Zac turned from the stove and caught her.

"Seriously?"

She froze with the fork still raised. "What?"

"That’s like the fourth one."

"It is absolutely not."

"I cut twelve pieces. I can count."

Roxie shoved the chicken into her mouth before he could take it and stepped away from the counter, chewing while Zac stared at her.

She reached for another piece.

Zac caught her hand and playfully bit her fingers.

Roxie screeched and yanked her hand back, staring at him while briefly wondering how carefully she had washed it earlier. "What are you, a dog?"

Zac looked at her with a grin. "Then we both are."

She narrowed her eyes and went for the chicken again.

This time Zac grabbed her around the waist before she reached the pan, and Roxie laughed as he dragged her backward from the stove.

"Zac, let go."

"Stay away from the food."

He tightened his arm when she tried to twist free. Roxie grabbed the edge of the counter to keep him from pulling her farther, but that only made him lift her enough for her toes to slide across the floor.

"Put me down. The chicken is going to burn."

"You care now?"

"I care because I’m eating it."

"That’s exactly my point."

Roxie elbowed him lightly until he finally released her. She moved fast before he could catch her again, circling the kitchen island while Zac followed.

There was plenty of room for both of them to cook comfortably, but chasing each other around it was another matter. Roxie nearly bumped into one of the stools tucked beneath the island, grabbed it and held it between them.

"Come closer."

Zac stopped. "You’re threatening me with furniture now?"

"Yes."

"That chair cost me almost two hundred dollars."

Roxie blinked. "Why would you tell me that while I’m holding it?"

"Because now you know to put it down."

She lowered it carefully.

Zac immediately laughed.

"Shut up."

"You got scared."

"I was protecting our furniture."

"My furniture."

Roxie stared at him.

Zac caught the look and corrected himself. "Our furniture that I paid for."

"That sounds worse."

"You know what I meant."

Roxie put the stool back and made a run for the living room before he could grab her again, but Zac caught the back of the oversized shirt she was wearing.

His shirt.

She squealed when he pulled her backward and caught her against his chest.

"Caught you."

"Your food."

Zac immediately looked toward the stove.

Roxie slipped out of his arms and ran back into the kitchen.

"You’re such a nuisance," he said, following her.

"You fall for it every time."

Zac muttered something under his breath while checking the pan. Roxie leaned against the counter beside him, still smiling, and stole a slice of bell pepper instead because apparently that was less offensive.

The apartment had only been theirs for a little over a week, but Roxie had already started thinking about what else she wanted to put in it.

There was nothing shabby about the place. Zac had found a newer apartment close enough to campus that he could walk to the athletic facilities in the morning, and the moment Roxie saw it she had liked the tall windows, the open kitchen and the balcony off the living room. The floors were warm wood, the walls were light, and the kitchen had stone counters, pale cabinets and appliances that still looked almost new.

The living room already had a large cream couch, a low wooden table and a television Zac insisted was necessary before they even had curtains. Their dining table sat beside the windows, and the bedroom had enough closet space that Roxie had only taken most of it instead of all of it.

She still wanted more things.

A rug for the living room.

Curtains.

Lamps.

Plants.

A bigger mirror for the bedroom.

Maybe another chair near the balcony.

Zac had told her to wait.

Roxie had offered to buy everything herself.

He said no.

She offered to split it.

Still no.

The third time she brought it up, Zac had looked at her while they were standing in the middle of a furniture store and said, "Roxie, let me pay for our place."

She had been ready to argue again until she saw his face. She didn’t know why but Zac insists on paying for everything. She just gave in cause that was easier than losing to every argument.

She still chose most of the things.

That seemed fair.

She glanced toward the living room now and pointed with the bell pepper. "We still need the rug."

Zac groaned without turning around. "Here we go."

"What?"

"You’ve talked about that rug every day."

"Because the room needs one."

"The room has a floor."

Roxie stared at the back of his head. "That might be the stupidest thing you’ve said this week."

"That’s a strong competition."

"I found one yesterday."

"How much?"

Roxie hesitated.

Zac turned slowly.

"It’s nice."

"How much?"

"Why do you always ask that first?"

"Because you say things are nice right before telling me something costs eight hundred dollars."

"It was six."

"Six hundred?"

"It’s big."

Zac looked at the living room. "Are we carpeting Tennessee?"

Roxie laughed. "It would look good."

"Send it to me."

Her smile disappeared for a second. "Really?"

"Yeah. When the next payment comes in, we’ll get it."

"I can just buy it."

Zac gave her the same look he always gave her now.

Roxie sighed. "Fine."

"Thank you."

She watched him turn back to the stove.

Roxie had enough money that paying for a rug meant almost nothing now. She could have furnished the apartment herself if she wanted. Zac knew that too but he wanted their home to come from him.

Roxie could let him have that.

She reached toward the pan again.

Without looking, Zac slapped her hand away.

"How did you even see me?"

"I know you."

"That’s creepy."

"Sit down."

"I’m helping."

"You’ve helped by eating."

"That counts."

Zac shook his head and started filling their plates.

Roxie carried them to the dining table while he brought the rice and drinks. The sun was already dropping outside the windows, leaving the apartment warm and bright enough that they still had the lights off.

From where Roxie sat, she could see part of campus between the neighboring buildings and trees. Students moved along the sidewalks below, some carrying bags, others already dressed for whatever they planned to do that evening. She liked the constant movement outside. Even when she and Zac were alone, the area never felt empty.

Zac sat across from her and barely got two bites in before Roxie reached for one of the vegetables on his plate.

He moved his plate away.

She stared at him. "Seriously?"

"You have your own."

"I wanted that one."

"They came from the same pan."

"That one looked better."

"You’re insane."

Roxie leaned over farther.

Zac gave it to her.

She smiled and ate it.

"That’s what I thought."

"You’re horrible to live with."

"You love living with me."

"So far."

Roxie kicked his foot under the table.

They ate while she told him about orientation and the two girls she had met that morning. Madison apparently talked enough for three people, while Elise barely spoke unless somebody asked her something directly.

"They’re in one of my classes too, so at least I won’t sit there looking stupid alone."

"You’d make friends anyway."

Roxie looked at him. "That sounded suspiciously supportive."

"I’m trying something new."

"Stop. It’s weird."

Zac laughed and kept eating.

Her phone buzzed near her plate.

Karen.

Roxie picked it up immediately.

It was a picture of a plain bedroom with a narrow bed, dresser and window.

The message underneath read:

Still alive. Everyone here is obsessed with feelings.

Roxie laughed.

"What?" Zac asked.

She showed him.

"Karen?"

"Yeah."

"She okay?"

"I think so."

Roxie typed back.

You’re in treatment. What did you think they were going to talk about?

Karen replied:

Anything else. Weather. Taxes. Murder.

Roxie smiled.

How is it really?

The typing bubble appeared, disappeared, then appeared again.

Weird. Group sucked. Food is surprisingly okay. My mom cried during family stuff and I wanted to crawl out the window.

Roxie’s smile faded slightly.

You staying?

Karen took longer with that one.

Finally:

Yeah.

Roxie exhaled and leaned back.

Zac looked at her. "What?"

"She said she’s staying."

"That’s good."

"Yeah."

Roxie typed:

Okay. Proud of you.

Karen answered almost immediately.

I told you to stop doing that.

Roxie sent a heart.

Karen sent a middle finger.

She laughed and put the phone down.

"She sounds normal," Zac said.

"For Karen, that’s probably a great sign."

After dinner, Zac started clearing the table while Roxie gathered the leftovers. She opened the refrigerator, shifted a few things around until she found enough space for the containers, then shut the door with her hip.

"You bought too much food again."

"You eat half of it while I cook."

"That happened once."

"That happened tonight."

"Allegedly."

Zac looked at her. "I literally watched you."

Roxie only smiled before carrying the plates to the sink. She turned on the water, pushed the sleeves of his shirt higher on her arms and started washing while Zac brought over the last few dishes.

"I’ll do those," he said.

"I already started. Go sit down."

"You sure?"

"Yes. Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Because you telling me to go relax sounds suspicious."

Roxie bumped him aside with her hip. "Then stand there and watch me wash dishes. I don’t care."

Zac laughed and walked away, although he apparently lasted less than a minute before coming back. Roxie was rinsing a plate when his arms wrapped around her waist from behind, his chest pressing against her back as he rested his chin near her shoulder.

She glanced sideways at him. "That was fast."

"I sat down."

"For what, twenty seconds?"

"Long enough."

Roxie tried to continue washing, but Zac kissed the side of her neck and immediately ruined her concentration. She kept her eyes on the plate anyway, scrubbing harder than necessary when his mouth moved lower.

"You’re in the way."

"I’m behind you."

"You’re still distracting me."

"That sounds different."

Roxie felt him smile against her skin before his hands moved slowly over her waist and settled across her stomach. He pulled her closer, and the teasing answer she had been about to give disappeared when she felt how hard he was against her back.

Her hand stopped in the water.

Zac noticed. "What?"

Roxie turned her head enough to look at him. "Seriously?"

His face was completely innocent except for the grin he was failing to hide. "What did I do?"

"You know exactly what you’re doing."

"I’m standing here."

"Yeah. I noticed."

She tried to face the sink again, but his mouth returned to her neck while one hand slipped beneath the hem of the shirt and rested warm against her stomach. Roxie sucked in a breath and gripped the edge of the counter with her wet hand.

"Zac."

"You want me to stop?"

The question came quieter this time.

Roxie looked down at the half washed plate sitting in the sink, then felt him press closer again.

"No."

That grin came back immediately.

"Don’t."

"I didn’t say anything."

"You didn’t have to."

Roxie put the plate down before she dropped it and turned around in his arms. Zac stepped between her and the sink, and she leaned back against the counter while his hands settled at her hips.

"You’re washing those later," she said.

"Fine."

"You say that now."

"I’ll wash them."

"You said that last time too."

"And I did."

"The next morning."

"They still got washed."

Roxie rolled her eyes, but Zac was already leaning closer. She barely got another breath before he kissed her, and her wet hands automatically landed against his chest, leaving dark marks across his shirt.

She pulled back and looked down. "Now your shirt is wet."

"I’ll survive."

"You’re going to complain later."

"Probably."

Roxie laughed, but he kissed her again before she could keep arguing. His hand slipped around her waist beneath the shirt, warm against her bare skin, and Roxie moved closer without really thinking about it. The pressure of his body against hers made her stomach tighten, and when Zac kissed along her jaw and back toward her neck, her fingers curled into his shirt.

"You’re distracting me," she murmured.

"That was the point."

"I was actually being useful."

"You were stealing my food twenty minutes ago."

"That has nothing to do with this."

"It started everything."

Roxie started laughing, but it faded when his mouth found the sensitive spot below her ear again. Her eyes closed for a moment, and whatever argument she had been planning disappeared with it.