= CHRIS POV =

Of course Jenny would choose that very moment to wander out of my fucking bedroom, barely covered in that damn robe.

“Hi Sarah,” Jenny said in that sugary sweet voice of hers as she made a little wave to Sarah, who was standing awkwardly in the doorway.

“Hi, Jenny, long time no see-” Sarah started, but I grabbed Sarah by the elbow and dragged both her and her suitcase to the guestroom.

 The last thing I needed was for these two women to talk, I couldn’t deal with that right now. 

I needed Sarah in.

I needed Jenny out. 

“Unpack. We will talk in an hour. I have to send Jenny back home,” I told Sarah as I shoved both the suitcase and my new “tenant” into her room and slammed the door behind her. 

My hand itched to go find the guestroom key and lock it from the outside, but there was a fucking unlock mechanism from the inside because this was a regular apartment with standard fittings. 

I might change that one of these days.

I put my head on the door and just stayed there for a second. 

What the hell was I doing right now? 

Why was I so worked up? 

I needed to get a grip!

Was I really thinking about locking her up like some kind of maniac?

“Umm… Chris?” I heard Jenny say behind me.

“Right, sorry, umm, I think you better go. I’ll send you back,” I said and pushed myself off the guest room door.

Jenny looked from me to the door, then she smiled.

 “I think I’ll just call my ex. She’ll be here in no time. You… You need to sort this out. And also have a bath. We both have a… sheen,” Jenny said and grinned, then turned around and went to my room to get dressed.

I looked at myself. Wifebeater stained with sweat and black pants. A thin layer of sweat on my skin.

 This was not how I wanted to look in front of Sarah, and I touched her in this state!

I turned back to the door and knocked on it.

“SaSa… I’m gonna go have a shower. Let’s umm… Let’s talk over dinner. K?” I said in a raised voice, to make sure Sarah could hear me through the door.

“Yup!” I heard a soft reply from the other side of the door.

I put my hand on the door and closed my eyes. 

I wanted to apologize. 

I wanted to act like the usual cheerful, happy-go-lucky Chris that I usually was in front of her.

However, the thought that someone else, anyone else, was to see that damn contract of hers, no matter how silly it was, drove me down right insane.

I would rather play into her charade than know that someone else would be touching her, holding and taking advantage of her… for the sake of goddamn housing.