Mister West by R.J. Lewis (animal farm read .TXT) 📕

got a beautiful view here.” He moves to the blinds and opens them. “The sun isn’t as oppressive on this side in the morning.”

Why is he sounding like a salesman?

“What’s going on?” I ask, feeling silly because I don’t want to make assumptions. “Are you giving me the room for the night?”

He turns to look at me. He appears…determined. “Not just the night, Ivy. For as long as you need.”

I feel confused. “I’m not going to just crash your place, Aidan.”

“Why?”

“Ana is more than happy to take me in.”

“You’ve mentioned her sister’s been giving her a lot of shit lately.”

Oh, my God. He remembers that? I said it in passing forever ago. “Well…”

“Or has that changed? Is Ana’s sister still there?”

“Yeah, but I would have crashed her couch.”

“That’s not necessary,” he says, shaking his head. “You’ve got a perfectly good room right here.”

“Good room?” I repeat, baffled.

He frowns. “Is it not good enough?”

My eyes are wide. “This is too much, Aidan.”

“Mr West sounds good too,” he returns, eyeing my lips again.

I resist smiling. “Mr West.”

“Even Sir.”

Now I can’t stop the smile. “I’m not going to call you Sir.”

There’s a ghost of a smile on his face. “Not yet, but you will.”

My face burns as I walk around the room. He watches me poke my head into the closet. I let out a laugh. He called this room decent-sized. It’s bigger than my freaking living room. It’s the poshest looking bedroom I’ve ever been in. I don’t tell him that, though. I pretend to look like I’m considering his offer. Of course I’m not stupid and I’m going to freaking bask in this space like a motherfucker, but still. Aidan likes when I play. I walk into the bathroom. Like everywhere else, it looks like it’s never been touched, and yet it’s filled to the brim with the nicest bathroom products.

Is this real life?

I step out of the bathroom and stand there, feeling like a rock is in my throat. The emotion overwhelming me is sudden. I swallow it down, but it’s not working.

“Ivy?” He sounds concerned, but he’s not moving to me. He’s standing stiffly now beside the window, hands back in his pockets.

“This is sort of a lot to take in,” I explain, plastering a fake smile. “One minute I was…back there…getting screamed at, and the next I’m here, with you, being offered a room. It’s a lot, Aidan.”

He nods once in response. His eyes are soft as he regards me.

“I don’t want this to be an impulsive offer on your end,” I begin. “It’s why I resisted before, the night in the rain –”

“I’m not being impulsive,” he interrupts, sounding certain. “I know what it means having you here.”

“Are you sure?”

He doesn’t waver. “Yes.”

I believe him.

I walk to the window and notice the way he shifts away as I draw near. It’s strange considering he was dancing with me just minutes ago. I look out into the night sky, still processing.

“I know it’s a penny in the ocean for you, but I want to pay rent while I’m here,” I tell him. “I’m not a sponger.”

“Whatever you want.”

“You can turn me out if you ever feel like I’m a burden to you. All I ask is you give me fair warning.”

“You’re not a burden.”

“I can clean up, too. Pull my weight around here.”

“Do whatever you want to the place.”

“If you’re ever unhappy about something I do –”

“Stop, Ivy,” he cuts in, whispering, staring at me like…like I’m everything. “Stop.”

I look back at him, my heart beating fast. “Thank you, Aidan.”

His face looks so gentle, it’s still not an expression I’m used to seeing on him. “You’re welcome.”

I bite my lip and return my gaze outside. I need to pinch myself.

I’m going to be living with Aidan fucking West.

It’s not the name and what he stands for that I’m excited about. After all, I have strategically avoided the internet so I don’t look him up like a stalker.

I just really, really like him.

He’s been the center of my world for a few months now, ever since I met him on that plane. I haven’t gone a single day without thinking about him, and now I’m not going to go a single day without living with him.

“Is this going to end in disaster?” I wonder aloud, looking over my shoulder at him.

He’s so fucking serious, it’s doing crazy things to my heart. He’s watching me like I’m a wonder to him. I swallow hard. I’m burning, burning, burning.

“No,” he tells me like it’s a vow. “I’ll do everything in my power to make this work, Ivy.”

Why do I have a feeling he isn’t talking about our living arrangement?

I make my rounds again, peering into drawers, all the while Aidan stands by, hands in those pockets, watching, waiting.

Yeah, we’re both waiting, aren’t we?

Twenty

Ivy

I can’t sleep.

I’m in a bed fit for royalty. I’ve had the best shower of my life. Aidan even got Gaston to drop me off a new set of pajamas because in my frenzy to leave Derek, I had only shoved some work clothes in my bag.

Speaking of Derek, zero messages from him. Nothing even from my mother who would have known about this as soon as possible. Derek’s a talker. He would have turned to his mother, and his mother would have turned to my mother, and it would have been a zoo right now of family drama.

I wonder if he’s okay.

Stop thinking of him, Ivy. He’s fine.

So, I stop. I focus all my energy on myself. I’ll get a journal tomorrow. I’ll write my thoughts down because my head is firing in all directions. Maybe if they’re on paper, I’ll understand where I’m at.

Yeah, that’s an excellent plan.

I shut my eyes. I should be able to sleep. I’m comfortable, I’m tired, and I have to get up super early for work. But…I can’t stop thinking of Aidan.

The cocky man I have begun to know so well was not present tonight. He