by Lauren Wood
But I am not a gentle man and with her right downstairs, I knew it was only a matter of time until I had her bending to me. She can’t resist me for long.
I don’t care that I shouldn’t have her. She was too good for me, but that didn’t matter.
She was warned about men like me for a good reason.
I was going to take it all.
Wrong or not, I would have her and I was never going to let her go.
***
Chapter 1
Carlos
“Hey man, what are you doing up this early?”
I shook my head and shrugged. I didn’t know why I was up with the sun. I hadn’t even slept but a couple of hours. Something loud coming from underneath me was what woke me up and as I took a drag off of the cigarette in my mouth, I went to the porch to see what it was. I wasn’t above cursing someone out first thing in the morning if I couldn’t get some peace and quiet while I woke up.
“Looks like someone is moving in downstairs.”
I wanted to tell Joel that he was being Captain Obvious, but I didn’t. Instead I just kind of looked at him and then to the moving truck that was parked downstairs. I wasn’t too thrilled to have new neighbors because it took me so long to get rid of the last ones that had called the police on me several times before. Every time I had a party, I was sure to get the cops called and I didn’t want to go through that again. I didn’t want to be quiet, I wasn’t a quiet person, but I knew that I didn’t have a choice. I was too stubborn to rent out the apartment below. Why would I when I could just make the people leave?
“So who do you think it is going to be?”
Again it was a moronic thing to ask. I didn’t know and there was no point in imagining who it would be. It was better to wait and as I flicked the cigarette, watching the ashes float down to the pavement below, I stopped when I saw the tiny blonde that reemerged from the inside and went back to the moving truck to get another box. I could tell she was struggling with it. It looked like it was as big as she was, but I didn’t feel moved to help. I felt moved to watch her and her jiggling breasts as she tried to get it in without dropping it.
“I think I’m going to go help her. You know, be neighborly and all of that.”
I sighed at Joel and reminded him that he didn’t even live in the building. “She isn’t even your neighbor, Joel.”
“Yeah, but you are my cousin and you live here, so that technically means that I live here too.”
“I don’t think it works that way.”
He disagreed and really wasn’t listening to me anymore. To him, he was already downstairs with the blonde lovely and I could tell just by looking at him what he had in mind. I didn’t blame him. She was beautiful, but I learned not to mess with anyone that I was going to have to see every day. She may have been pretty now, but after a few times with her and after I get bored with her, she wouldn’t be quite so attractive. Not when she would no doubt hate me for whatever it is I would be blamed for doing. No doubt I would break her heart.
The idea made me smile and then I saw Joel talking to her. I couldn’t hear what he was saying, but whatever it was, she must have thought it was funny because I could hear the melodic sound of her laugh from where I was. For a moment I regretted not going down there with Joel, but part of me knew that it was for the best. I didn’t need to get involved, especially with a neighbor, no matter how cute she may be.
Going back inside, I didn’t want to hear the two of them any longer and I crawled back into bed. I shouldn’t be up before noon and I didn’t plan to be. Ignoring the sounds of the moving going on downstairs, I went back to sleep without worrying about a thing. Joel would tell me all about her later when he got back upstairs. I could wait to get the low down on the new neighbor. I was hoping that she would at least be okay with me and my life style. The last thing I needed was some uptight woman that was going to give me a hard time.
***
“So, what is she like?”
Joel just smiled and then poured himself a drink. It was almost one when he came back upstairs and I had been up for a while, wondering what in the world he was down there doing. I didn’t hear any noises like he was getting it in, so I had to guess.
“Her name is Eve and I have to say, I don’t think I have ever met anyone like her before.”
It was his tone and the way he said it that made me look at him a little sideways. Why was he acting like he was in love with this chick or something? It didn’t make sense. He had only been down there a few hours and I didn’t see how anyone could feel anything for someone else when no time had passed. I slept with the same girl for a week and I was bored, so I didn’t get what it was that he was smiling like an idiot for.
“What is wrong with you Joel?”
My cousin shrugged his shoulders and took a drink of his glass, looking off in the distance a bit too much for comfort. What was wrong with him?
“Nothing man, she is just perfect. I can’t believe you didn’t go down there. I told her that you lived up here and Eve thought it would be good to meet. I told her that you would go down there later for an introduction.”
“Why the hell would you tell her that?”
“Because you should. You are going to regret it if you don’t. I’m telling you Carlos, there is something about her that you are going to want to see.”
I thought he was talking about her physical attributes. I had seen a bit of them from my place on the porch earlier, but then he started talking about her personality and her likes. What had gotten into my cousin? It was like he wasn’t himself all of a sudden and I knew that it had to have something to do with the new neighbor.
“I didn’t see anything that special about her Joel. I think it has just been too long for you.”
He tried to look like he was offended, but he wasn’t. Joel was a one-woman man and after his divorce, he was even more so now. I kept trying to get him involved and looking for other women, but he was still in love with his ex-girlfriend Lisa. For him to actually like a girl in that way had me sitting up and taking notice. It also made her off limits in a way. If there was someone that was going to make him forget Lisa, I wasn’t going to mess with that.
“You just have to meet her.”
“I think I’m good. You can chase after her if you want to.”
Carlos didn’t say anything, but I knew that was what he was thinking about. It didn’t take a genius to really get it. “I don’t think we have much in common. If you went down there with me, then it would be less pressure.”
“Are you actually nervous around her?”
He wouldn’t admit it, but it was pretty clear that he was. I didn’t know what to think about his reaction, but it did make me want to see what all of the fuss was about. What was it about the woman that had acting so strange?
“Well, all I know is that I hope she isn’t like the last ones, always banging on the door when it gets too loud.”
“I don’t think she is much of a partier. I think she is some kind of journalist or something.”
I sighed and blew out a breath. If she was one of those types, I was sure that it was going to be hard to keep it quiet for her. Not that I cared, but I had a feeling that I was going to hear from her whether I wanted to or not.
Chapter 2
Eve
I was trying to concentrate, but it was almost impossible. I got a couple of hours in the morning that were silent and peaceful, but once noon rolled around and the man upstairs woke up, there was no more quiet to be had. He was loud with everything that he did and at one o clock, it was back to me trying to ignore him. It was impossible though, everything about this apartment felt impossible. Why couldn’t he be like the nice man that had come down and helped before?
Getting up from my seat, I tried to think of something else to do that didn’t need quiet, but it was work that called to me and that was more important than anything else. That was the reason that I had moved to the city in the first place was to work for the paper, but I was missi
ng my small town more and more. I liked the excitement of the work and I liked having my name in print, but was it worth it? Everything felt so different here and it felt like I didn’t belong.
Carlos was the name of the guy upstairs and I couldn’t help but wonder what it was he did. He didn’t work in the day time like most people and he was gone until late in the night, but after he got home there was usually a party going on. A couple of times I had heard a knock at my door, but there was no way that I was answering at one o clock in the morning. It couldn’t be that important.
So I sighed to myself and left the apartment. I wasn’t going to get any work done until around five when the loud man upstairs went to work or wherever it was that he was going.
I almost ran into a woman that was going into the building.
“Sorry about that.” It wasn’t my fault, but it just seemed easier than arguing with her. Moving out of her way, I almost wanted to ask her a question about the man she was going to visit, but I didn’t have the guts to do such a thing. What I really wanted to know was what in the world he did all day, but that wasn’t something I could ask.
“Does Carlos live here?”
Her voice overturned the one in my head that had been musing about what it was he did all day. When I turned back around, she was looking at my door and then to the stairs that led to Carlos’.
“I think the guy that you are looking for lives upstairs.”
The redhead smiled and thanked me before making her way up there. She was certainly in a good mood to be seeing him. All I could think about was the noises that came from his apartment when he had women over. It was enough to make me blush.
Putting the Ipod ear buds on, I started down the street in a slow jog. I had already gone earlier that day, but I needed some fresh air and time away from the loud music and soon to be moaning that would be coming from the neighbor’s house. It had only been a week and I was already debating how plausible it would be to find somewhere else to live. I would lose all of my deposits, but that might be better than losing my sanity.
Stopping at the crosswalk, I was surprised to see Joel coming out of a restaurant. He spotted me and waved, crossing the street to say hello. I didn’t really know him all that well, but since I knew almost everyone less, I talked to him for a few minutes and eventually invited him over for dinner. It was supposed to be to thank him for helping me move in, but if I was honest it was more about some kind of buffer for the neighbor. Maybe I could have Joel talk to him. I seem to remember him telling me that they were related.
“I have to stop by the grocery store to pick up a few things. I’ll have dinner ready around seven or so if you aren’t busy.”
“Eve, I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
I smiled back at him and I couldn’t help the draw of his dark eyes. He looked a lot like the man that lived upstairs, even though I had only seen him from the distance a couple of times. I could tell that there was a resemblance.
After telling him goodbye, I did as I was planning to do and picked up a few things for dinner. It was something that I missed, having someone to cook for. I didn’t see Joel as a potential mate, but I did look at him like he could be a friend, something I needed far more.
When I got home, the music was loud and the moaning was louder. I looked over at the clock and saw that I only had another hour of the racket before he would have to leave for the night. It was my favorite time of the day and I couldn’t wait for the time to change so that he would leave. Then I would be able to hear myself think again and possibly get some work done.
***
“Sorry I am a little late.”
“Don’t worry about it. I was just getting some work done. It’s hard to do when it is usually so loud, so I try to squeeze it in when it is quiet like this. Come in.”
“I take it that Carlos is a bit louder than you had thought.”
I pressed my lips together, not really sure what I was supposed to say. I didn’t want Joel to say anything to him, but in a way I did.
“I’m just not used to living so close to everyone. I think my last neighbor was almost a block away in my hometown.”
“The city is a lot different. I don’t know if I would like the slow pace of a small town, though I didn’t know that there were girls like you there. Maybe I would have moved a long time ago.”
He made me blush and it was the first time I realized that he was attracted to me in that way. Joel had been nice and for some reason I hadn’t looked at him in that way. He wasn’t my type, if I had one.
“I am sure there are plenty of small town girls here in the city to choose from.”
“None like you.”
My face was red, I could feel the heat, but I didn’t want to give him any ideas. I wasn’t after all looking, but I didn’t know what to say to let him down easily. I didn’t want to hurt his feelings, so I just kind of laughed it off.
“How do you like the city so far?”
My mind went to my crazy neighbor and I once again just kind of shook my head, not saying anything one way or another. It was clear to me then that I was just going to have to keep that to myself.
“It’s been okay. It just takes a little getting used to.”
“Has Carlos came down and introduced himself to you yet?”
I shook my head that he hadn’t and Joel didn’t look so surprised about it. It was easy to see that he knew exactly what kind of guy his cousin was. I was already pretty sure I knew what kind of guy he was and I had only met him in passing from a distance.
“Carlos is just hard to get to know. Once you know him, he has a heart of gold, but he can be a little aloof at times. I was hoping that the two of you would hit it off.”
There was nothing to say and I just kind of smiled back at him. I saw my mistake rather quickly when his eyes had darkened and he as looking at me in such a way. I realized then that it wasn’t the best idea to invite him over. Not now that I knew what he wanted from me.
“Well you are nothing like him, I can see that. You are a good man Joel.”
“We are cousins, but not too much alike after that. I always looked up to Carlos, but we never agreed on how to treat women.” He looked away like he had said too much. “So how is your writing going?”
I shrugged my shoulders. I wasn’t getting near enough done because of the noise upstairs. “It’s going. I am just used to more quiet. It can get loud around here at night and early in the morning.”
“I bet. You can always come by and write at my house if you want. I stay upstairs sometimes, but even I need a break from all of that. Carlos just has a certain kind of lifestyle that is fun, but exhausting if you are not used to it.”
My mind went to the moaning that I heard almost always on a daily basis. It did sound exhausting.
“What?”
My smile faded and I told him that I was just thinking about something. I wasn’t going to tell him what, but Joel didn’t push and I was thankful for that. The rest of the evening I tried to keep my mouth shut on his cousin and keep him from thinking that this was a date. It was just dinner. It was just a dinner between friends.
The differences between the two men were stark and I was glad that I had gotten to know Joel. It didn’t help me understand his cousin any better, but it did make me feel a little less lonely in a city of strangers.
Chapter 3
Carlos
The pounding on the door had just started, but it was messing up my rhythm that I was already struggling to keep. Cassie was underneath me, screaming as she always did over the music blaring, but none of that was loud enough to drown out the hard knocks that I heard at the door. I couldn’t concentrate and after yelling at whoever it was to go away, there was a moment of silence that made me think that they had gone away.
When it started up again after a few moments, I cursed and got up, not even bothering to cover myself with more than the sheet that had fallen off of the bed.
Cursing to anyone that would listen,
I told whoever it was that there better be a good damn reason that they were disturbing me. It was almost three in the morning and the last thing I wanted was someone there to visit.
“What?”
I opened the door quickly with a hard jerk and it made the person on the other side almost jump out of her skin. I hadn’t ever seen her before up close and all of the anger left me when I stared into her bright blue eyes. Eve’s face was alarmed and I could see her taking a step back from where she had knocked from. I was making her nervous and I didn’t like the reaction I got from her.
“Um, sorry, I…”
“Sorry I was so short. Can I help you with something?”
I leaned against the edge of the door on the frame and took in the small woman in front of me. She was petite, but curved in all of the right places. It was hard to not to smile in a suggestive way. It didn’t matter that I already had a girl in my bed. I would have easily traded her out right then if I could have.
“Yes Sir, I uh, live downstairs.”
My demeanor changed because it finally clicked. It was the blonde that I had seen from the balcony and I realized then that she was something special like Joel had said. How could I have not seen it? This woman was living beneath me the whole time and I never even knew it. She was absolutely beautiful and the way her eyes kept leaving mine to look down like she was bashful just made her even more so.
“Yes, I was meaning to come down there and say hello. Been busy though.”
It was then that I saw how stiff her expression was. She was not looking up at me with coy eyes. She was tired and upset by the looks of it and I knew that it was because of me.
“I can tell you are busy Sir and I won’t keep you long.”
Her voice was loud because of the music and I told her that I would shut it off so that I could hear her better. When I got back, she was avoiding my gaze and asked her what was wrong.
“You are out.”
“Out?”
Covering her eyes a little, she pointed down and I saw that it was part of my body that was out, having slipped between the tan sheet that I had pulled around me to answer the door.