“I don’t think I’ve ever had a boy get my door and walk me to my apartment before,” I tell him.
James tucks me in close to keep me warm on our short journey to my apartment building. “Like you said. You were with boys. Men take care of the women around them.” He pulls open the door to my building and we start up the endless stairs. My cheeks are on fire despite the cold temperature outside.
Maybe he’s right. Maybe I haven’t been with a man.
I glance at him out of the corner of my eye. “Just how old are you?” I probably should have asked sooner, you know before he walked me to my apartment, but it never seemed like it mattered. Everything has felt so natural.
He smirks. “I’m twenty-eight.”
I scoff. “Well, that isn’t much older than me. You made it seem like everyone I’ve been with is an infant compared to you. I thought you were going to say mid-thirties or something.”
We make it to my floor and I stop to look at him.
James places a hand on either side of me boxing me in as he looks down at me. “And what if I was mid-thirties? Would that scare you away?”
My stomach flips and heat spreads down. I have to fight hard to resist the urge to rub my legs together. I lift my head higher, taking in his green eyes flaked with gold as he holds my stare, waiting. “No. I didn’t even know how old you were before I got in the car with you.”
He tilts his head at me. “And what would make you run for the hills?”
I think for a moment and hum. “Probably if you were the type of man my mom tries to set me up with. Rich and pretentious. Flaunting wealth at every social event in the vicinity.”
He laughs, unboxing me. “We’d better get you inside.”
“Why?” I ask.
“Because if I stay in your orbit any longer, I’m definitely going to want more, and I don’t think you’re quite ready for that.”
There goes my heart again. He backs down the hallway, never breaking eye contact.
“Wait! You forgot your jacket.” I start to shrug it off but he holds up a hand.
“Keep it. It looks better on you anyway.”
I slide my hands down the expensive jacket and can’t help but smile.
James stops at the top of the stairs, waiting.
I smirk. “I’m safe. You can go home now.”
He leans against the wall like he has all the time in the world. “I’ll stay until you’re safely tucked in your apartment with the door locked. I’ll sleep better this way.”
I shake my head and slowly open the door, slipping inside even though I’d rather stay in the hallway all night. My front door snicks shut and I lean against it, sighing.What the hell just happened?
I pull the pizza out of the oven as the timer continues to beep. “Ugh Shut up! Stupid thing.”
I reach over, silencing it. I open every drawer in my small space looking for a pot holder, but can’t seem to find one.I just can’t win lately.
I grab a dishrag off the counter using it to grab the hot pizza pan. “FUCK!”
Throwing the sheet across the counter, I rush to the sink and throw cold water on my aching hand. I hiss as the water hits the growing red mark and rest my head on the cool metal ledge of the sink. “Why?”
I look over my shoulder at the offending pizza. It seems to have survived the throw only bouncing slightly on the pan. Pulling my hand out of the water, I take a good look at it. The redness has gone down slightly. It looks like I’ll live to survive another attack from the world.
I slide my too-hot-to-eat pizza onto the chair I dragged next to the bathtub, with my large wine glass and glass of water. It’s called balance. A sigh slips from my lips as I slide into the water and lean back.
My phone starts buzzing its way dangerously close to the edge of the tub, and I contemplate letting it fall for half a second before grabbing it.
“Hello?”
