It wasn’t until I heard the roll of Sadie’s suitcase fading across the marble floors that I felt a small sense of relief, but also a small sense of guilt. I waited a few minutes until I knew she had been taken up to her floor in the elevator, before rolling my suitcase to the row of gold sliding doors. On the ride up to the top floor, I felt an annoying nagging feeling that I hadn’t made the right move downstairs.
I didn’t know what the right move was. I didn’t know what Sadie was, or this thing between us. I wasn’t one to think twice about something like this. I let out a frustrated sigh and slipped my phone from my pocket and opened my text threat to Kevin:Gym?
Kevin:Be there in ten.
I slid my phone back in my pocket just as the elevator doors opened to the familiar entryway of my apartment. I pressed my lips into a tight smile. Home sweet home, as Sadie had said. I fought off the creeping hint of sadness that I was back to reality and no longer tangled in the sheets of a hotel in Dallas with a redhead who tasted like dessert.
Fuck. I needed a workout to clear my head.
When I entered my apartment, I left my suitcase by the front door and padded toward my bedroom. I rifled through my dresser drawer and pulled out a pair of gray sweats and a black t-shirt, sliding both on. The comfort of both made my body melt into them after traveling all day in my suit that was now in need of a good press. Maybe Sadie had a point to wear travel clothes.
I grabbed a water bottle from the fridge and my keycard before heading down to the gym. It was just a few floors down and I felt relieved there wasn’t a chance of running into Sadie there. The apartment building housed two gyms, a luxury gym on the higher floors for top-tier tenants, and another on the lower level for everyone else. It was a fitness hierarchy, but I couldn’t complain. Not when mine had a sauna and steam room.
When I pushed through the frosted glass doors, I spotted Kevin to the left, sitting on a large black mat he had rolled out. He looked up and gave me a nod as he draped his body over an outstretched leg. I walked over and grabbed my own mat, rolling out next to him, my body practically screaming for a good stretch after the plane ride.
“When did you get in?” he asked.
“Just ten minutes ago,” I said, sitting down on the mat and crossing one arm over my chest, pulling it across me with the other hand.
“How was it?”
“Good. We had a successful trip. Signed James Vincent, some big record label guy.”
“We?” asked Kevin, an eyebrow raised, ignoring my business victory.
“My assistant accompanied me.” I quickly avoided his gaze as I switched arms.
“Ahhh,” he said knowingly.
“It’s not like that.”
“Oh, really?”
“Not entirely.” My lips twitched, giving me away.
Kevin laughed out loud and shook his head.
“Iknowyou, man. So, who is this chick?”
“You actually know her. Well, not really. Remember the redhead we saw the other night when we were at the bar?”
“No shit.” Kevin’s eyes grew wide.
“Yeah, she’s my assistant.”
“And plaything.” Kevin smirked.
I shook my head and let out a deep sigh before filling him in on everything that happened. From Sadie’s box of sex toys being delivered to the wrong address to our first night together to her coincidentally being my new assistant. Kevin just sat there with his mouth open as he took it all in. When I finished explaining everything, he let out a loud laugh.
“You met over a box ofsextoys?” he asked, slugging my arm.
“Will you shut up?” I looked around, but everyone was too busy lifting weights with their headphones in.
“If that’s not a meet cute, I don’t know what is.”
“It’s nothing like that,” I said sternly.
“Oh, come on. That’s a hell of an ice breaker. This is like a love story in the making.”
