Her office is more or less next door to the kitchen as she likes to keep a close eye on everything. I follow behind her into the small room. It feels wrong calling it an office, it’s more like a small landfill site. There’re files and papers everywhere, the bin is overflowing with garbage and I’m pretty sure… yep, that’s a half-eaten sandwich on her desk. I recenter myself and try not to judge, I know how hard Stevie works - so what if she’s not the cleanest person.
“These were dropped off for you earlier.” She plonks herself into her desk chair and points towards the bunch of red and white roses that sit placed on a side table.
“Thanks…?” My curiosity gets the better of me. I move closer and pick up the small note that’s sticking out. Clear as day it has my name printed on the front.
Who would send me flowers? I’m pretty sure no one has ever sent me flowers. I don’t even know what I’ve done to deserve flowers. Maybe they’re for a different Natasha. I’d still keep them, they’re far too pretty to give back to their actual intended owner.
In the weirdest of ways, I’m not even surprised that the note is signed from Luke. He’s so sweet and charming, and probably the only guy on the planet to still send a girl flowers. I mean, we girls like diamonds but flowers are a close second, especially roses.
‘I’ve missed you.Please forgive me. - Luke’
It’sa little bit suspicious that I get these only a couple of hours after talking to Gabby about the man in question. Maybe I should just get over myself and quit ignoring him. The truth is, despite the naked spectacle and the jerking incident, I’ve missed him too.
And I can’t deny that maybe Gabby’s words have gotten to me. Luke’s very impressive dick aside, I do really like him. Plus, who am I to deny his too-big-for-this-conversation dick?
* * *
“Tash?”I hear Luke call out as soon as I swing open the apartment door. It’s late and I hadn’t expected him to still be up.
I guess what I had planned for tomorrow can now happen tonight. My whole shift I couldn’t stop thinking about him and all the different ways this could go. All the scenarios played on repeat in my head. At one point, I thought of just going up to him and kissing him. Then I blushed and continued my job with my head down hoping no one would see the dirty thoughts plaguing my mind.
I drop my keys on the side table and my coat on the hook. The apartment is warm and smells amazing.
I wander around the corner into the kitchen where Luke is cooking up, what looks to be, chicken stir-fry. He sets the wok back on the stove and turns around handing me a glass of white wine. It’s all too much. I almost feel like I’m going to burst into tears at any moment. I rush forward to wrap my arms around Luke’s torso.
“I’m so sorry,” I whisper as I bury my head into his chest.
We stand there for a minute and Luke just holds me. It’s the hug I’ve needed and longed for all damn day.
After a while, Luke pulls back holding me at arm’s length. “You have nothing to apologize for. I’m the one that’s sorry.”
“But you have nothing to be sorry for, it’s me that’s been acting silly,” I shake my head and argue.
“I’m sorry that I’ve been acting so weird around you. And despite how much it rocked my world, I’m sorry you had to see such an intimate thing. I only rang Gabby because I knew you probably wouldn’t have talked to me ever again after this morning. You wouldn’t even let me apologize for walking in on you in the bathroom. But Natasha, you have to know how badly I want you. I haven’t been able to stop picturing you naked.”
This would be the scene in the movies where I would sharply inhale and then it would cut to the end. And I’m not just talking about Twilight - loads of movies do that. But instead, my mind feels numb and overwhelmed. So, I let my body react instead, by reaching up and pressing my lips against his.
Neither one of us moves until finally, I realize my mistake and pull away. “I’m so sorry. Again.”
“It’s fine. Just in shock, that’s all.”
“Luke, I don’t want things to be awkward between us - despite me just kissing you. I just want things to go back to normal.”
“Okay.” His mouth may be saying okay but his eyes are telling a different story altogether. They’re saying ‘for now’. “How about you sit down and chill out, I’ve made us some dinner.”
I nod along and do what he says. It’s been a very long day and I don’t think I’ve got any fight left in me. But I can’t help smiling knowing that everything is back to being okay between Luke and I. I don’t know what will happen in the future but for now, I’m just happy to have my friend slash roommate back.
10
Hayden
It’s fucking cold. It may only be March here in Aurora, but the last few days have been unseasonably sunny and warm. I had begun to think that the weather was on the rise. Maybe not.
I walk through the door of the apartment and thank the lord that Natasha has the fire on. The apartment has central heating so the electric fire that sits below the mantle is more decorative than anything else. But tonight, I feel warmer from just looking at it. It also means that Natasha is home and after all that’s happened, I’d like to spend some more time with her. Even if it’s just as friends and I’m horny the entire time, I’ll take whatever I can get right now. And, the thought of ‘friendly’ snuggling into Natasha sounds irresistible right now.
“Natasha?” I call out, dropping my bag and coat at the door. I flop onto the couch ready to relax after a long day at work.
“Yeah, in here.” After a few seconds, she reappears from around the corner. A smile takes over my face when I take in her appearance.
