Mandy’s name flashed on the screen.
I groaned, knowing that to answer the call risked being held hostage for a good hour, if not more. Quickly, I glanced at the clock. It was eleven. Given that Mandy was awake before noon, she probably had a disappointing night last night and wanted to commiserate. No doubt, she was calling to complain about some douchebag that had led her on at the club only to leave her high and dry.
In the end, I picked up. She was my friend, after all.
“Hey.”
“Hey, girl.” Her voice sounded crisp and bubbly.
Hmm, strange. No next-day regrets here.
“What’s up?” I asked curiously.
“Nothing. Just calling to check up on you. How was your Saturday?” Mandy chirped.
“Fine,” came my neutral voice.
“Just fine?” she asked, sounding a little disappointed.
“Yeah, why?”
“I don’t know. I thought, maybe, you had spent the night with your handsome next-door doctor since you ignored my texts.”
I glanced at my phone, puzzled.
“What? I didn’t even see them. Are you sure you texted me?”
“Positive. What were you doing last night, missy? Up to no good?”
I blushed crimson. “No! I was in bed by nine.”
“I’m sure you were,” she teased. “How was it? Was Dr. Travis everything you expected him to be?”
“I didn’t sleep with him!” I protested, face turning red with embarrassment. “Mandy, stop it.”
“Ah ha,” came her singsong voice. “So you were with him, after all. Come on Janie. Give me something. Throw a girl a bone. You can’t be serious about spending the night alone.”
I didn’t answer her.
“Wait… you are being serious!” she exclaimed. “Janie, Janie, Janie,” she clucked. “Why didn’t you make a move?”
I bit my bottom lip, remembering my interaction with him the day before. When Travis had offered to help with my groceries, it would have been the perfect opportunity to get him into my apartment, but I’d chickened out, suddenly struck with shyness. As gorgeous as he was, there was something about him that was almost intimidating.
Maybe it was those penetrating blue eyes. The incredible body. Or the charisma that rolled off that broad frame in waves.
Shivers shot down my spine, insides growing hotly moist. Because I didn’t know how to approach someone who was so clearly out of my league. Suddenly, Mandy’s voice interrupted, breaking my reverie.
“Janie, babe, are you still there?”
“Yeah,” I answered, despite my mind being elsewhere, imagining what a night with Dr. Travis would be like.
Mindblowing, that’s for sure. Incredible. A shot to the moon and back because he seemed like the kind of guy who knew exactly how to make a woman feel like a princess. Sweet caresses. Gentle kisses. Making my blood boil as my insides went hot and wet.
It would be perfect.
But this was nothing more than a silly fantasy because Travis was way out of my league, that was clear. Meanwhile, Mandy’s voice chattered on.
“Anyway, as far as I’m concerned, my night was great. I met this amazing dude who drove me back to my apartment – you know, like a perfect gentleman. And, let me tell you –”
“–I’m sorry.” I interrupted her before she could go on her date-night spiel. “I’d love to hear about what happened, but I really need to go.”
“Go? Where are you going? Are you trying to tell me that you actually have plans?”
“Not funny,” was my exasperated huff. “I have a life, you know.”
“Sometimes I doubt it,” was Mandy’s playful retort.
“Why are you even my friend?” I shook my head. “But seriously, I need to go. I have a… hair appointment.”
“On a Sunday?” she asked wryly. “Don’t you usually go on weekdays for the special student discount price?”
“Yes,” I answered, trying to sound as confident as possible. “I mean no,” was my confused answer.
“I think you’re lying,” Mandy clucked. “But, I won’t keep you from your hair appointment, babe. Besides, I bet you just want to doll yourself up for your sexy doctor.”
I groaned. “You aren’t going to let that go, are you?”
“Nope,” she said smugly. “Not until you two start dating.”
“It’s not going to happen,” I whispered under my breath. “He’s way out of my league.”
“Janie,” she chided. “You’re a beautiful girl. You can have any guy on this planet. Trust me.”
“But, what if he’s not into… bigger girls?” The words were hesitant as I looked down at myself. Yep, it was still me with the big Double D chest and generous hips. A sigh escaped my lips.
“Oh, shush. You aren’t that big. You have some curves to you but what’s wrong with that? In fact, a lot of guys dig that. It gives them something nice to hold onto.”
I wasn’t convinced. This time, I spotted my reflection in the mirror hanging on the wall. The spandex material of my work-out outfit hugged every inch of my curves, leaving little to the imagination. I hated it.
Why couldn’t I be thin like all the other girls? The ones who ate hamburgers and milkshakes, yet never seemed to put on a pound?
I sucked in my tummy, trying to make it disappear but the pooch was still there. I sighed. There was no way a guy like Travis could find a girl like me attractive.
“Listen to me, Janie. You’re beautiful, you got that?”
“Yeah,” was my mumble even though my self-esteem had flown out the window. “I have to go Mandy. So sorry, chat another time.” And without another word, I hung up, placing my phone on the coffee table before walking up to the mirror.
It wasn’t fair. No matter how hard I tried, I never managed to lose weight. I could diet, work out, and try every ‘trick’ in the book but it never helped. I was cursed to stay curvy forever.
Lingering by the mirror only made it worse as the frown on my face deepened, brows drawing into an unattractive V. In the end, I had to pry myself away for my own sanity.
Once outside my apartment door, I took a moment to clear my head. It was time for a run. Even if I couldn’t lose weight, at least I could try to have healthy, athletic curves instead of flabby, jiggly flesh. But suddenly, a deep male voice interrupted my train of thought.
“We meet again.” The words alone sent a shiver running through my spine.
“Travis,” I breathed, eyes wide, heart skipping a beat as soon as I laid eyes on him. For once, he wasn’t wearing loose blue scrubs. Instead, a tight-fitting tank top clung to his torso, displaying chiseled arms and the firmness of his broad chest.
Damn.
Just when I thought he couldn’t get any better…
“What are you up to this morning?” he asked, eyeing me up and down, the corners of his lips twitching into a small smile.
Did he like what he saw? I doubted it, given that spandex isn’t my best look.
“Oh… um… just…” I struggled with the words, mind turning to mush in the presence of this Adonis-like man.
He raised an eyebrow, waiting for my response.
“My hair appointment,” I blurted out, unable to say anything else.
“Ah.” He smiled. “That’s nice.”
I nodded, standing there awkwardly, avoiding the man’s gaze. God, I was making such a fool of myself. My foot was already in my mouth after about ten seconds.
“Well, I’m off for a run around the park,” he said, blue eyes gleaming knowingly. “Have a good … um, hair appointment,” he finished.
“Oh.” My voice dropped with disappointment
Damn. If I hadn’t come up with that lame hair appointment excuse, maybe we could have gone running together. But then again, the thought of running alongside Travis was terrifying. He looked physically fit – probably capable of running a marathon – and I didn’t want my gorgeous neighbor to see me floundering like a fish out of water.
; “So I’ll see you around, then?”
“Yes,” was my mumble, staring at my feet.
With that, Travis was gone, that big body moving swiftly and silently toward the stairs.
As soon as he disappeared, I let out the breath of air I had been holding in my lungs the entire time, shaking my head ruefully. Why did I always make everything so awkward? I needed to up my game … big time.
***
Eventually, I left the apartment building and headed towards our small downtown. If I couldn’t go running in the park, then I could at least get some exercise in with a bit of window shopping. Walking counts, right? I’d be well on my way to ten thousand steps per day.
But of course, any type shopping always reels me in because soon enough, I found myself inside a dress store, browsing through the clearance rack.
“May I help you with something?” A friendly salesperson walked up to me with a bright smile.
“No, I’m just looking, thank you.”
“Great, let me know if you need anything.”
I nodded, moving toward the plus-size section. Unfortunately, the dresses turned into shapeless pieces of cloth here. Whereas the rest of the store was filled with beautiful gowns decorated with lace and sequins, the plus size styles were all box-cut and dull. Even the colors were hideous. How was anyone supposed to feel sexy wearing a potato sack?
Unable to stand the sight of them any longer, I left the store, walking down the street. Soon, I passed a walk-in hair salon.
Might as well indulge. Besides, I’d told two people now that I was getting my hair done, so may as well make good on the promise. It’d be weird if either Mandy or Travis saw me with my usual unruly curls.
And the by the time I was done, my confidence was restored. My hair looked fabulous, free of all its split ends. It felt healthy and luxurious. I couldn’t keep from touching it as I made my way back home, a bounce to my step.
Suddenly, a crack of thunder echoed through the sky, making me jump. When I looked up at the sky, it was dark and ominous, clouds roiling angrily. Crap. Was it going to rain? But I’d just gotten my hair done. This was so unfair.
I hurried, but it didn’t matter. In a matter of minutes, it was pouring cats and dogs. I ran through the puddles trying to save my new do, but I already looked like a wet rat that had been abandoned outside, curls plastered to my cheeks. My clothes clung to my body stickily, making me uncomfortable.
Great, this day was just getting better and better.
Breathless, I dashed into the lobby, dripping onto the floor much to the irritation of the security guard sitting behind the desk.
“Sorry,” I muttered, keeping my head down as I headed for the elevator.
“It’s broken,” the guard called out helpfully.
“What?” I blinked in his direction, brows furrowing together in confusion. At this point, the rain had soaked to my bones, making me shiver.
“The elevator is broken. You’ll need to take the stairs.”
I groaned. This was the day from hell. Besides, I hated the stairs. If there was one thing worse than my claustrophobia, it was my fear of heights, and I lived fifteen floors up. “Okay… thanks…” was my mutter, pushing open the door to the stairwell. There, I craned my neck, eyeing the multiple flight of stairs I needed to climb to get to my floor.
Today just wasn’t my day. But there was nothing to do but climb. Taking a deep breath, I started my trek, holding on tight to the railing as I ascended.
By the fourth floor, my calves were starting to cramp up, but I ignored them. At this point, all I wanted to do was get home and take a hot shower. Nothing else mattered.
Finally, I arrived, chest burning with the effort, breathy minty from exhaustion.
Still soaking wet and dripping onto the carpet, I trudged soddenly to the door of my apartment. To my horror, when I reached into my pocket, my keys weren’t there.
Fuck.
Did I lock myself out?
I patted every inch of my body, but they were nowhere to be found. I must have forgotten them in my hurry to end my conversation with Mandy.
Jeez. What did I do to deserve such a shitty day? Praying for a miracle, I tried turning the door handle but, of course, it was useless. The doors locked automatically upon closing.
Great, now I had to hunt down the maintenance man, so that could use his master set to let me in. But another ten minutes in these wet clothes, and I was sure to come down with pneumonia. My teeth were already chattering, shoulders shivering uncontrollably.
What was I supposed to do?
Instinctively, my eyes fell on Travis’ door just across the hall.
Maybe, he could … ?
No, I would only be making a fool of myself if I showed up at his apartment bedraggled and soaking wet. I was trying to up my game, and that would leave the wrong impression.
But still, what choice did I have? I didn’t know anyone else on the floor and he seemed nice enough. Surely, he’d be willing to help.
Taking a stab in the dark, I gathered all the courage in my soul and walked up to his door. My fingers hesitated before knocking. Was this really a good idea? Doubt plagued my mind, nearly convincing me to walk away but in the end, desperation won out.
Knock. Knock.
Butterflies fluttered in my stomach as I waited for him to answer. Maybe he wasn’t even home and I was just wasting my time.
I bit my bottom lip, growing anxious as the seconds ticked by. I was just about to walk away when suddenly, the door swung open. My heart skipped a beat when I saw him standing there in nothing more than his pajama bottoms.
Oh wow. Because without a shirt on, the alpha was gorgeous, hands down. A broad muscled chest narrowed into a perfect V, loose cotton pants draping loosely across what could only be the curve of a a giant shaft. My face flushed hot, but Travis was already grinning.
“Can I help you?” came that deep, gravelly tone. And I melted right there … with no way to stop.
Chapter 4
Travis
To my amazement, Janie stood at at my door, soaking wet. Hungrily, my eyes washed over her perfect body, taking in every inch of that curvy body. I wanted to pull her close, peel off those wet clothes, and keep her warm all night long.
“Are you alright?” I asked.
“I got caught in the rain,” she explained helplessly.
“Here, let me get you a towel.” I ushered her inside.
“I don’t want to make a mess of your apartment.” She nibbled her bottom lip in hesitation. Droplets were already spattering the hardwood floor. But did I care? No.
“Don’t worry about it. I rather get you nice and warm,” was my growl. When she still didn’t move, I was forced to take her by the wrist and gently pull her inside. As soon as I touched the female, a spark of desire flared inside my soul. I wanted this girl. Bad. But right now, the one thing that mattered was getting her dry. “Why don’t you get out of those wet clothes before you get sick?”
Instantly, her cheeks turned red at my comment. “Um…”
“I’ll get you a robe, don’t worry,” were my reassuring words. I left her alone for a moment, dashing into the bathroom to grab a big, fluffy towel as well as my own personal robe. “Here, take this. Make yourself comfortable.”
“Thanks,” she blushed. “I really appreciate it.”
A grin broke over my face.
“Did you need me to call the maintenance man or something? I’m assuming you got locked out of your apartment and that’s why you’re here?”
She nodded. “If you don’t mind, that would help so much.”
“Of course.” Urging her on, I pushed her toward the bathroom, placing my hand on the small of her back. “But you really should hurry. I’d feel terrible if you caught a cold and had to see me at the hospital.”
She smiled in return, cheeks going pink.
“Okay.” And with that, the brunette disappeared into the bathroom.
As she walked away, I couldn’t h
elp but stare at her cute little bum and the way her hips swayed back and forth. Janie really was an amazingly gorgeous woman with plenty to hold.
But these thoughts were wrong. I shouldn’t be thinking like this about my beautiful neighbor. So wanting to make her as comfortable as possible, I headed for the kitchen to make some tea. As the kettle simmered, I grabbed some biscuits, arranging them on a plate. Hopefully, she’d like them.
With everything arranged on a tray, I carried the offering out to the living room, placing it carefully on the coffee table. The sound of the shower running hit my ears, and instantly, my mind imagined what she must look like, naked, under a stream of water. Shit. What I wouldn’t do to be in there with Janie, hands gliding along her body, lips on her neck, making her feel better than ever before.
I wanted to cherish and pamper her. Maybe, just maybe, tonight would be my night. The thought made me smile.
About to call the maintenance man, I picked up my phone but then I stopped myself. If I called him, then my plan would be ruined. She’d be able to get into her apartment, and we’d go our separate ways again.
Almost guiltily, I put down the phone because I wanted to spend time with the beautiful brunette, and an opportunity had opened on this stormy night.
Now, all I had to do was wait.
***
About twenty minutes later, Janie emerged from the bathroom, skin pink and flushed. She looked absolutely adorable patting her hair dry while swathed in my enormous men’s robe.
“Thank you for all this,” the girl murmured, clutching the terrycloth material tight against her body. “It’s very kind of you.”
“Don’t worry about it. What are neighbors for?” Stepping past the female, I grabbed her wet clothes off the bathroom floor, tossing them in the wash. “You’re free to stay here until your clothes dry. I made you some tea.”
“Oh, you didn’t have to do that,” she demurred.
“Of course I did,” I said with a smile. “But if you really want to warm up, I’d recommend a shot of whiskey. It does wonders. I prescribe that to all my patients as a preventative measure,” was my droll remark.
Dr. Travis, I Love You Page 3