Rowan waved this off. “I know this is hard to believe, but even my clumsy arse doesn’t dirty enough clothes in a week to fill that monster. I’m happy to wash our things together if you don’t mind. Especially if you’re cooking when you’re home.” He paused and then backtracked. “I mean—not that I’d expect you to cook for me—”
“No point in both of us having to cook.”
“Right.” Rowan rubbed the back of his head. “Sorry, I’m trying to figure out where the line for roommate-slash-babysitter crosses into something else. Bit difficult as I’ve never had a roommate.”
“I did, when I was a rookie. Lived with the captain for a bit. He didn’t just cook for me, he told me how much more I had to eat.” Jordy paused. “Maybe that’s not a good example of setting normal boundaries.”
Rowan smiled. “Guess we’ll have to use our words. Don’t tell Gem.”
“Cross my heart,” Jordy said, keeping a straight face.
Rowan snickered and opened his mouth—
“Daddy, is it dinnertime?” Kaira stood in the doorway to the butler, rocking slightly and staring up at him with soulful eyes.
He glanced at his watch. “Uh, you know what, peanut? I think it is.”
Jordy led them both into the kitchen and opened the fridge to find the leftovers from last night. “How does curry sound?”
“Delicious!” Kaira bounded forward and looped her arms around his thigh. “The one you made yesterday?”
“Yup.” Jordy pulled containers out of the fridge, set them on the counter, and shut the fridge, only to discover his barnacle was semipermanent. Feigning ignorance, he turned toward the microwave and let out an exaggerated groan. Kaira giggled.
“Jordy,” Rowan said, “are you okay?”
“I don’t know,” Jordy gasped. “There’s something wrong with my leg.” He slowly dragged it, and Kaira, forward, Kaira giggling like a maniac. “It’s so heavy,” Jordy groaned.
Rowan stepped closer, his face the very picture of concern. “Let me look.” He leaned down, then gasped. “Jordy! There’s some kind of strange growth clinging to your leg!”
“My leg?” Jordy made a show of looking down and gasping with surprise. “Oh goodness! There’s a girl on my leg!”
Kaira snorted and gasped. “No, I’m not a girl!”
“You’re not?”
“No. I’m a sloth.”
“A sloth? Rowan, did you let a sloth into my house?”
“Who, me? Let in a sloth? No, I don’t think so.”
Kaira gasped out some pathetic animal noises between giggles. Rowan didn’t remember the sloths at the zoo making any sounds, so he couldn’t attest to their accuracy. Jordy huffedand puffed, pretending to drag her a few steps before asking Rowan for advice.
“Hm, well, I have heard that the best way to un-cling a sloth is….” He stepped closer, hands out. “Tickling.” Kaira shrieked, but Rowan didn’t make contact. He was looking at Jordy, eyebrows raised, asking if he could—or should. Jordy nodded—Kaira would be cryingNoif she didn’t want to play—and Rowan reached in to gently wriggle his fingers along her ribs.
Kaira squealed in laughter, hugged Jordy’s leg tighter, then let go to flop onto the floor. Rowan hesitated to follow, and Kaira caught her breath enough to say, “Tickle me, Tickle Monster!” Rowan obeyed.
Jordy’s heart melted.
Kaira pulled Rowan into a game of chase that kept them both occupied while Jordy warmed up three plates of food and set the table. This small blessing was followed by another—Kaira was hungry enough to abandon the game the moment Jordy called, “Dinner!”
Rowan refused a beer but accepted a can of Bubly.
“I thought pineapple was the devil’s fruit,” Rowan chirped as he popped it open. He took a long drag, then sighed dramatically and smacked his lips. Kaira giggled into her milk.
“It is. That drink is devil’s brew.” Rowan gave another cheeky smirk, and Jordy sighed. “I guess the pro of having you willingly work through Janice’s untouchable stash will be outweighed by you wanting more. And here I thought I’d finally be able to get it out of my house for good.”
Rowan smirked. “This is the drink of angels. It tastes of fairy dust and unicorn magic.” He winked at Kaira.
