“What?” I growled, trying not to trip over my bag. I jerked my arm from his grip and smoothed out my sleeve.

“You have to admit you’ve been MIA this week. What’s going on with you? You barely know this guy.”

I fidgeted as I tried to think of a believable answer. I knew it appeared that way to him—and everyone else—but I couldn’t defend myself with the truth.

“I didn’t move in with him. My hand is infected, so he’s changing the dressing every night. As soon as it heals I’ll be back at Andrews.” I couldn’t help but frown at the thought.

“He could do that at Andrews,” Ryan argued.

Of course he was right, but Jared and I both knew it had been a flimsy excuse all along. I didn’t like the thought of him spending the night in his Escalade outside Andrews, and Jared was more than ready to make the present living arrangement permanent. Neither of which I could explain to Ryan.

“What is your problem?” I asked, continuing to the dorm.

Ryan shoved his hands in his pockets, following close behind. “I just think you’re getting in way too deep, way too fast. You need to take a step back. Slow down. You just met this guy and you’re acting like an old married couple. You have other friends.”

Feeling slighted, my mouth flew open. “I am not! I know I have other friends. I’ve talked to Beth and Kim every night since I’ve been at Jared’s.”

“You haven’t talked to me,” he said, looking hurt.

I rolled my eyes, glad that we had finally reached Andrews. “You want me to start calling you at night? Will that make you feel better?”

“Maybe it would. Will your husband mind?”

I rolled my eyes, pulling my keys from my pocket. “I don’t have time for this.”

“Mind if I come up?”

“I guess not, since you’re already following me in.”

I shoved the door open and rolled my bag into the closet. Ryan sat on Beth’s bed and watched me, seemingly amused.

“What?” I asked, waiting for a sarcastic remark.

He shrugged, dropping his backpack to the floor. “Nothing. You’re just so funny.”

“How so?” I asked, peeling off my coat.

“You spend so much time pretending to be mad at me when you know why I say the things I do. I don’t get it. You like spending time with me; you like spending time with him; the only difference is that you decided to play house with him this week.”

I raised my eyebrows, anticipating a fight. “Are you insinuating what I think you’re insinuating?” I asked, pulling off my boots.

“It depends. Are you going to throw your boots at me?” he asked, pulling one side of his mouth up into a grin.