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I flip him off

He smiles, victorious

"Traditionally, when you tell someone they can sleep on it, you let them wake on their own," I say "You don't show up at their apartment before noon"

"Traditionally, maybe" He sips his coffee Sets the carrier on the counter Motions to the main room

Liam wants to enter my apartment

Okay, technically, he's in ht now But this is a studio This tiny room is my bedroom The place where I sleep, dream, undress, fuck myself

It's private

Personal

"I don't have a couch" It's the only thing I can think to say

"I went to college I kno this goes You have a desk?"

"Yeah"

"You want the desk chair or the bed?"

"Bed" There's no way I can let him into my bed That's a can of worms I will not open

He motions after you

It's three steps to my bed I kick a discarded bra under the frame, but I'm too slow

He notices Raises a brow Sits at my Ikea desk "Nice place"

"We don't—"

"I' sincere"

"You're capable?"

"Rarely" He looks around the roohts, the wine red sheets, the black desk "It's you"

"What does that mean?"

"It feels like a place you'd live" He motions to a shelf on the wall packed with literary fiction "Down to the depressing books"

"They're not depressing" Okay, they're a little depressing

His eyes flit to hs His pupils dilate

Is he thinking about how easy it would be to lay s apart?

Or a?

Ahem

"My lawyer's at the office," he says

"I didn't agree"

"You did, actually And a verbal contract is—"

"Isn't valid for a deal with this high a price tag"

"Daht you too well" He shakes his head Sips his coffee "Hituntil we have a deal"

"Will you tell me why?"

"I did"

"You left so out"

His gaze goes to the sky "For a reason"

"Which is?"

"You're better off not knowing" His lip corners turn down "Trust me"

Trust Liaood intentions?"

"For the first time in my life" He looks back tohis usual spark "I do"

"The seed funding for the app in exchange for seven percent" I try to recall all the negotiating tips Lia fast enough

"As agreed"

"And I'm there for a year With my current salary Plus twenty percent"

"That's a substantial raise"

"And a signing bonus" I want that better apartment Or at least a nice vacation "I think thirty percent is fair"

"Of your yearly salary?"

"My new yearly salary"