Scarlett was on my right. She was facing me when I put down my fork, wrapped my arm around her waist, and leaned in for a kiss.
I gently sucked on her lower lip before giving it a playful nibble and pulling away.
Scarlett gave my butt a light pat and said, "Hey, you're supposed to be getting your hair done!"
"Doesn't mean I can't kiss you," I shot back, leaning in for another kiss, but she dodged.
"Stop messing around! Ryan's home!" she warned.
'Fine, fine. I'll keep it PG so Ryan doesn't catch us.' I wondered.
I munched on some fruit while Scarlett blow-drying my hair.
By the time she was done, I had polished off my fruit.
Scarlett put down the blow dryer and was about to leave, but I grabbed her hand. "Wait, Scarlett, don't go yet. I need to tell you something."
"What is it? Let's go to the room and talk," she said, leading me by the hand.
She sat on the computer chair, and I plopped down at the foot of the bed.
"What's up? Spill it," she said.
"Well, I'm thinking about moving out and renting a place with some colleagues," I said, watching her face for any reaction.
"Why?" she asked, surprisingly calm, different from what I had imagined.
"A colleague of mine is struggling financially and needs a part-time job. The job requires three people, and the rent is pretty steep. Another colleague suggested we share a place together and work part-time."
"Are these the same colleagues who joined the company with you?" Scarlett asked.
"Yeah."
"So, you'll be living with another girl?" she asked, her expression turning serious.
Was she jealous?
"Yeah," I admitted. Her face darkened, so I quickly added, "But don't worry, there's nothing between us. I agreed to help out a male colleague who likes her. I'll move in with them, but I'll come back to you at night. We can still have our fun. It'll help their relationship and keep ours spicy."
Scarlett didn't look too happy. "But Ryan's home every day. How will we manage?"
"If I move out and don't come back at night, you can stay in my room, right? When Ryan falls asleep, I can sneak back in. If he hears anything and knocks, I can slip out again, and you can pretend you were just, you know, taking care of yourself."
I leaned forward, holding Scarlett's hand to comfort her.
After thinking it over, Scarlett nodded. "Alright, but you need to talk to Ryan. And you have to give us the address of the new place so we know you're safe."
"Sure, but I wanted to tell you first. I'll talk to Ryan when he's done with work, okay?" I said.
"Okay, but when you talk to him, don't mention that I already know and agree. He's sensitive about relationships, and I don't want him thinking we're plotting something behind his back."
"Got it, I won't say a word."
Scarlett didn't say anything else. She pulled her hand away, got up, and headed to the bathroom door, grabbing a plate and fork before heading downstairs.
I grabbed my phone, flopped onto the bed, and started texting Mia.
She was bugging me to come over to her place.
I texted back: [Chill, my family's still up. I can't sneak out just yet!]
Mia: [You're 20 and still letting your family control you?] she replied, clearly not getting it.
David: [Yeah, give me a break. We've got the whole night, we can wait.]
Mia: [No, my little hole is already craving your cock. I need to talk to Scarlett and ask her not to control you so tightly.]
I freaked out. If Scarlett found out about Mia and me, she'd definitely flip out and probably nix the whole moving out plan.
David: [No! Scarlett and my brother don't know about us. You can't tell her. I've already told her I'm moving out to make things easier for us. If you spill the beans now, she'll think I'm up to something and stop me for sure!]
Mia: [Alright, but hurry up. It's 9 now. If you're not here by 10, I'll talk to Scarlett myself.]
Mia was giving me a chance to fix this, and I had to take it.
Waiting for Ryan to finish work could take forever, so I had to act fast.
I went downstairs to the kitchen, grabbed two apples from the fridge, and cut them into small pieces. I put them on a plate, poured a glass of milk, and put everything on a tray. Then, I knocked on Ryan's study door three times.
"Come in," Ryan called out.
I opened the door and walked in. He was still at his computer, brainstorming ideas with a bunch of notes on the screen. I didn't look too closely, just set the tray down in front of him.
"Ryan, take a break and have something to eat. Don't overwork yourself," I said, placing the milk in front of him.
Ryan took a sip and set it aside. "Thanks, David. Why the sudden food delivery? Did Scarlett put you up to this?"
"No, I came on my own. I wanted to talk to you about something."
"What's up?"
"I'm thinking about moving out and renting a place with some colleagues. I wanted to get your take on it."
"Why so sudden? You've only been home for a few days."
"It was a last-minute suggestion from a colleague. It seems like a good opportunity for growth, so I agreed. But don't worry, I'll take care of myself."
"What kind of part-time job are you talking about?"
"Just a gig at a bar, serving dishes."