by Reilly, Cora
Don’t think about sex, I chided myself. “What did you just call my dog?”
The smile fell and he frowned, looking at me as if I'd just spoken a foreign language. “I was just...” he began but then shook his head. “Never mind.”
I narrowed my eyes.
“There's a nice Italian restaurant you should try. I have nothing planned tomorrow evening, so we can go together.”
I was rendered speechless by his audacity. He'd done it again. I bit the inside of my cheek to stop myself from lunging at him and ripping his beautiful hair out. Amy was right. He didn't deserve to go out with me. Arrogant bastard.
“Listen. I don't know what's wrong with you, but there's definitely something wrong, so maybe you should get some help. You can't tell me to go out with you and just assume I would agree. I've never met such an arrogant, self-absorbed bastard like you before and I hope I'll never see you again!”
When I was done with my rant, I was out of breath and my face was glowing with a deep blush. I grabbed Bruno, walked past Adrian and put Bruno into his basket. Adrian didn’t take his eyes off me and it was starting to seriously unnerve me, and yet I couldn’t stop myself from wondering if he liked what he saw. Of course, my coat covered up most of my body, so there wasn’t much too see unless he had a foot fetish. I mounted my scooter and my coat parted, revealing my upper thighs. Adrian’s eyes slowly traveled up my legs. I could practically feel his gaze like a butterfly’s touch on my skin. Heat gathered in my stomach at the look on his face. “Stop staring!” I snapped. I quickly started the engine and hit the gas, shooting out of my narrow parking slot. Adrian took a few steps back so I wouldn’t hit him. I sped off before I could do something I would regret. Like kiss him. Or kill him. Both were possible.
He was infuriating.
I'd never been so rude to someone before, not even to Chris.
On my way to the bar I stopped at a store to provide myself with some stress-relieving food. Cookies. I had a short six-hour shift to look forward to, and I knew Adrian’s expression as he stared at my legs would haunt me the entire time. Nobody had ever looked at me like that. It made me feel powerful and desirable.
When I pulled up in front of the bar, one packet of cookies was already gone, thanks to Bruno and myself. My beloved dog was as much of a cookie addict as I. If the police caught me eating cookies while meandering through traffic with my scooter, I’d probably lose my license. But it was either that, or drive back home, find Adrian and do something very regrettable.
I stuffed another cookie into my mouth as I hurried into the building, Bruno walking beside me like the well-mannered, cute pug that he was. I waved at Mona and she smiled at me but there was still a hint of worry in her eyes. I tried to ignore it, since I wasn't in the mood to talk about my life, especially Adrian. This man was so infuriating. Sadly he was also infuriatingly sexy.
I stifled a groan and another cookie disappeared in my mouth.
At the end of my work day, not a single cookie was left. In my frustration about Adrian, I'd eaten three packets of cookies. Now I wasn't only angry and frustrated, but I was also feeling sick.
It was really time for the day to be finally over.
Bruno pressed against my chest, I hurried up the stairs toward my apartment, almost bumping into Jared in my haste. He steadied me with his hands on my shoulders, preventing me from tumbling down the steps and probably breaking my neck.
“Careful,” he said with a grin as I regained my balance.
I gave him a grateful smile, feeling myself blush. “Thanks. You just saved Bruno's life, I would have probably crushed him if I'd fallen down the stairs.”
Jared chuckled, shaking his head. “You're thanking me for saving your dog? What about yourself?”
I smiled sheepishly and shrugged. I really hadn't thought about it.
His eyes darted to my black high heels. “How can you even walk in these things?”
“Desperation. My tips would probably drop by half if I wore flats, or anything but a miniskirt.” But now that he’d mentioned my shoes, the pain in my ankles and toes returned with full force.
He stared at his watch and his eyes widened a fraction. “I'm running late,” he said more to himself than to me before he gave me an apologetic smile. “Amy should be home any minute now. I’m sure she’d love to have some female company. I’ll be gone until the morning.”
I smiled and waved him good-bye as he hurried down the steps, his dark locks disappearing from my view. Maybe I'd pay Amy a visit later. She would certainly want to know about my encounter with Adrian this morning. On the other hand, I should probably go to bed early. It didn’t happen very often that I had an early shift in the bar and was home before ten. I wasn’t sure how much long I could bear working at Jack’s.
I ascended the remaining steps and crossed the corridor before unlocking my door. Bruno wiggled in my arms and I set him down. He ran toward the kitchen as if the devil was after him; expecting to be fed as usual. For a moment, I stood in the doorframe, the yellowish light from the corridors spilling into my small apartment. I considered turning around and leaving New York for good. Maybe I could be happy somewhere else, find a nice guy, get a college degree, become a vet like my dad. I shook my head, pushed the switch and stepped inside. I followed Bruno into the kitchen and gave him some dog food before preparing myself a salad. I'd eaten so many cookies today, more than a salad was out of the question for dinner. If I kept eating dinner so late, I’d probably start gaining weight soon.
The silence in my apartment was starting to weigh down on me and I knew I had to do something about it. I grabbed my mobile and dialed my parents’ number, hoping they weren’t already in bed. After a moment my father picked up and his deep voice rang out, sounding drowsy. “Clark.”
Guilt shot through me. “Hello dad, did I wake you?” I was happy to hear his voice again. I hadn’t called in too long, from fear of the questions that always came. Do you have a boyfriend? Have you sold a book? A short story? Why don’t you come home?
“Nora! And don’t worry, I fell asleep in front of the TV again, so it’s a good thing you woke me. Your mom hates it if I don’t come to bed.” He sounded happy and relieved, and my smile widened. “Has anything happened?” His tone turned worried.
“I'm fine, dad. I just wanted to hear your voice,” I said softly, realizing how pathetic that sounded. “So how's it going? Is mom already asleep?”
“Yes, she went to bed a couple of hours ago. She had a glass of red wine with her dinner, and you know it always makes her tired.”
I leaned back in the kitchen chair and listened to Dad's story about his fishing trip. Apparently he'd been quite successful and our freezer was stored to the brim with fish.
Dad paused and cleared his throat nervously and I knew he had something to say that I wouldn't like. “Chris asked me to send you his greetings and he said...” Dad hesitated and I dreaded what else he had to say. “Well, he said he's missing you.”
I groaned and closed my eyes, shaking my head. Why couldn't Chris leave me alone? We'd gone out twice and I was still haunted by nightmares because of it. “I hope you didn't tell him that I miss him, too.”
Dad laughed. “No, no. I didn't really know what to say to him. The boy is odd.”
I grinned. “He is.”
“He isn't bothering you anymore, is he?”
“No, dad. You don't need to run him over with your car or anything.”
“Tell me if you change your mind.”
My grin widened even more and I relaxed further. I told Dad about my newest manuscript and about Amy. I knew better than to mention the bar. It would only lead to an argument and I simply couldn’t stomach that right now.
I also chose to leave out my encounters with Adrian and my habit of spying on him, since I didn't want Dad to freak out. He'd probably suffer from a cardiac arrest if I told him about it, and then Mom would tell me that her worst fears about the 'dangerous' city had come true. Mom and Dad h
ad never been fond of New York and would probably try to talk me into returning home if they found out how bad my situation really was at the moment.
I was sad when I ended the call eventually and decided to pay my parents a visit this month. I'd just have to be careful not to meet Chris.
Bruno was lying on his back next to my feet, snoring loudly. I patted his tummy gently and he purred like a cat. Sometimes I wondered if Bruno was a dog. I smiled to myself as I rose from the kitchen chair and headed toward my wardrobe. I grabbed sweatpants from the top drawer and walked into my bathroom. I took my time showering before changing into the clothes that I'd taken with me.
Bruno was waiting in the bedroom for me, sitting expectantly in front of my window. We'd spent most of the evenings sitting on the windowsill, watching Adrian, and apparently Bruno thought we should continue to do so, but I knew we needed to stop. After what I'd said to Adrian today, I couldn't keep spying on him. That would be kind of hypocritical of me.
“I'm sorry, Bruno,” I said as I walked toward him. He waggled his tail, his little pink tongue poking out of his mouth.
I was about to grab the curtains to pull them shut when my eyes flickered toward Adrian's window and the air left my lungs in a whoosh. His window was illuminated and he stood behind it, gazing up toward the night-sky absent-mindedly. He was dressed in black trousers and a white shirt, the upper buttons open, revealing his muscled chest. I wanted to run my hands over it and unbutton his shirt completely. I shook my head. Why couldn’t I stop swooning over him?
I grabbed the curtains, determined to forget about Adrian, but then he looked in my direction and as soon as he caught sight of me, he held up a sheet of paper. I frowned in confusion. I couldn’t make out the words but he kept the message up. I grabbed my binoculars and directed them at his window, expecting to see an insult on the poster, but I was surprised when I read the words written in bold letters.
Your dog isn't ugly.
I stared at the sheet of paper, fighting a smile that was tugging at my lips. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach. I wanted to be angry at Adrian, but it was impossible when I looked at him.
Adrian turned the sheet and revealed more words.
Am I forgiven?
He was looking at me expectantly, eyebrows raised, smiling charmingly.
I turned my head and looked around in my bedroom for something to write on. I hurried toward my desk and grabbed a few sheets of paper and a black marker. My heart was pounding in my chest. I took a few calming breaths, then returned to the window and wrote on the paper hastily, my hand trembling a little. I was glad that Adrian was too far away to see how nervous I was.
I wrote the word as fat as possible, so it'd be visible even from the neighbor house. I held the paper up. A grin spread on my face when I saw Adrian holding up binoculars to his face. He wiggled them with a teasing smile before lifting them to his eyes. I nervously showed him what I’d written, waiting for him to read it. Suddenly I regretted my choice of clothing. I looked like a slob. I should have worn a sexy negligee or a babydoll.
It didn’t take Adrian long to read the one word I’d written:
Maybe
Adrian cocked his head, grinning slightly. He looked incredibly handsome and his hair was beautifully disheveled. He lowered his head and scribbled on the paper again.
My heart pounded even faster. I waited excitedly, curious about his next words. After a moment he lifted the sheet of paper.
Go out with me?
At least this time it was posed as a question, though I'd wished for a bit more pleading. I tilted my head to the side and chewed on the back of the marker, thinking about how I should reply. Should I go out with him? Amy would probably say no, but she wasn't seeing him now. He was charming and cute and absolutely irresistible. And if I was desperate enough to call my parents and visit them, then I really needed some action in my life.
Adrian was smiling his crooked grin at me, which made thinking straight quite difficult.
I didn't know what to say. I scribbled down a single word on a new sheet.
Hm...
Adrian read my uncertain reply and started writing after another moment.
Your dog can come too.
He grinned at me and winked, causing my heart to skip a beat. I couldn't help but chuckle and rolled my eyes at him, though I wasn't sure if he could see it from the distance.
Say yes?
I bit my lip nervously, my eyes scanning his body, how he was leaning against the windowsill. How could he look so relaxed when I felt like I was going to faint any moment?
Taking a deep breath, I quickly wrote my reply before I could change my mind.
Okay
He smiled at me brightly and started scribbling again. I waited excitedly, shifting from one foot to the other.
Tomorrow. 6pm?
I bobbed my head up and down simply because I wasn't sure if I could write properly right now. My pulse throbbed in my veins as if I’d run a marathon, and my cheeks felt so hot, it was a miracle I hadn’t burst into flames yet.
I'll pick you up.
I nodded my head again, not able to stop smiling. Stop acting like an idiot, I told myself. I tried a more confident, sexier smile, and hoped it didn’t look like a grimace.
Sleep well.
My sleep would definitely be filled with tantalizing dreams…
I gave him a shy smile and grabbed the curtains, pulling them shut slowly. I stumbled over to my bed and plopped down on it, letting out a small giggle. Who knew that Adrian could be charming like that? I tilted my head to the side and caught Bruno staring at me like I'd lost my mind. I reached out and patted his head.
I couldn't wait to tell Amy about what had just happened. This was better than I could have ever imagined it. I jumped up from my bed and rushed through my apartment toward the entrance door. I ripped it open and hurried toward Amy's apartment before knocking. Soft steps came closer and after a moment the door swung open. Amy, dressed in another one of Jared’s boxershorts and a flimsy pink camisole, stood in the doorway, a steaming cup in her hands. She beamed at me. “Nora,” she said with a smile, then her expression turned into a frown. “Why are you grinning like a maniac?” The smell of freshly roasted coffee beans flooded my nose.
“That smells delicious,” I said, suddenly wanting to put off telling her about what just happened.
“Want a cup? I ground too many beans anyway,” Amy said, stepping back so I had room to enter. I slipped past her, feeling like I was going to burst any moment. I followed Amy into her cozy retro kitchen corner but didn’t sit down. I was too fidgety. Amy handed me a cup of coffee, then leaned against the counter, her skinny ankles crossed and expectant look on her face. “Now spill.”
I took a sip from my coffee, then the words bubbled out of me, “I'm going out with Adrian tomorrow.” My face flushed and I quickly drank the rest of the coffee to have something to blame it on.
“You what?” Amy's eyes widened and she didn't look nearly as excited as I felt. Slowly she uncrossed her ankles and set down her cup with a noisy clank. “Nora, didn't you listen to a word I said yesterday?” She rested her hands on her hips, looking at me reproachfully.
I rolled my eyes at her and told her about Adrian's written messages. “It was really cute. I didn’t think he’d do something like that. Nobody has ever done something sweet for me,” I concluded my story. “I honestly want to give this thing between Adrian and me a try.”
While I’d been talking, Amy's face had changed from a look of disapproval to surprise. Well, there was still a flicker of disapproval and worry in her eyes but I chose to ignore it. “He can be quite the charmer if he tries. I guess that's how he's getting all the women.”
I scowled, not wanting to think about his other women. I wanted to be the only woman for him. I knew it was ridiculous of me to even play with that thought, but if I didn’t, I’d never be able to enjoy my evening with Adrian, and I desperately wanted to. So much was going wrong in my
life right now, I needed something that went right and I wanted Adrian to be that thing. “I really want tomorrow to be perfect, Amy. I know it’s a risk to go out with Adrian, but it’s my decision.”
Amy walked up to me and put her arms around me from behind, resting her chin on shoulder. “Sorry. I know you can make your own decisions. But I care about you and don’t want you to get hurt, that’s all.”
“Don’t worry, Amy. I won’t get hurt. As you said, it’s just lust.” We both knew that wasn’t entirely true. Amy nodded against my shoulder, then straightened.
“We need to go shopping tomorrow and I'll help you get ready. You need to look absolutely hot,” she said resolutely.
I peered over my shoulder at her. “Shopping?”
“Yes. I don't need to work tomorrow, and you?”
I shook my head no. I’d been working pretty much every day for two weeks straight. I finally had a day off.
Amy clapped her hands happily, an excited glimmer in her eyes. I was glad to see the worry gone. It was starting to rub off on me. “Wonderful. It'll take us most of the day to get everything you need and to prepare you.”
I just nodded my head. It was useless to argue with Amy about shopping, and I was actually grateful for her willingness to help me. I wasn't experienced when it came to dating and needed every bit of help I could get. I didn't want to embarrass myself in front of Adrian. A wave of excitement washed over. I was really going out with Adrian. Would I be in his bed tomorrow night?
Chapter Ten
At point six, a sharp knock rang through my apartment and tore me from my peaceful sleep. I sat up, rubbing my eyes. I'd thought I could sleep in today, since I didn't have to work, but obviously Amy had other plans. There wasn't a single doubt in my mind that she was the crazed person almost taking my door down to make me wake up. Bruno was peeking at me with half-closed eyes from the end of my bed, lying on his back, his feet sticking out toward the ceiling. I untangled myself from my blankets, slipped out of bed, shuffled through my apartment and toward the entrance door in slow motion. Another yawn parted my lips as I opened it.