I keep my hand around her wrist, holding her to me, and wondering if she feels my heart beginning to race with excitement.
“This one’s furnished. There’s been a mix-up, you guys; we need to go back downstairs. I’m sorry.” Sarah pulls her hand away and glances at me apologetically through her lashes.
My lips part to reply, but before I can speak, our attention is drawn back into the apartment. I put my hand on her elbow, pulling her gently into the doorway where we see Christopher leaning against the peninsula in the kitchen, holding a white piece of paper, and Jerome next to him, picking through a huge gift basket of stuff.
“No, it says 5-D,” Christopher calls. “They left you a note with your name on it, along with a bottle of some fancy wineandsome snacks. Damn, woman, that’s cool!” Christopher begins reading the note out loud.
Sarah,
Please enjoy this fully furnished apartment, courtesy of friends seen and unseen. Enjoy the wine as well! And welcome to Lanore Estates development.
-Shelly
“Hmm.” Christopher hums, sneaking a peek at me, but I studiously ignore him. “Wonder what Shelly means byunseen.”
I clear my throat, arching an brow and giving him a tiny head shake. I don't want her to know it's me. I'm not important in this.
Sarah steps tentatively into the space and I watch her carefully, following a few steps behind. She glances around cautiously, eyeing Jerome who's now making himself comfortable in a chair in the living room. She advances to the peninsula where Christopher holds the paper out to her with a rather wicked grin on his face.
"You got the hook up, babygirl."
"Seems so…though, I don't know who'd do this for me. It couldn't be my parents, they don't know I'm here…" She takes the paper slowly from Christopher and reads it silently.
“Wondering who you aren’t seeing?” Christopher eyes her before turning confidently, padding into the hallway and disappearing into the master bedroom. “Oh, my fucking God.Look at this bathroooom!”he shouts excitedly, making her jump in surprise.
"Don't take the Lord’s name in vain,"Sarah calls loudly, still eyeing the note. I chuckle, suddenly reminded of my mother.
"That's why she picked this one, baby," Jerome shouts back, pulling his phone out and turning on what sounds to be a football game.
But Sarah stays still, looking down at the note without moving. I walk farther, circling around her until I'm facing her front, needing to see her expression for myself. She's biting her lip, and her eyes are full of tears as she sniffs and looks up at me. I resist wiping a tear away when it falls onto her cheek.
“I guess it’s a good thing because Ireallydidn’t want to give up my air mattress,” I joke, a grin tilting my lips as I stare down into her dark eyes swimming with tears. I don't want her to cry, but she seems overwhelmed with gratefulness.
“Who would do this for me?” she whispers, laying the paper down and swiping carefully under both eyes with her fingers.
It breaks me, and I step into her and wrap her into a big hug, uncaring if it's improper or not.
Instead of stiffening, this time Sarah melts into my embrace. Her nose nuzzles into my neck gently, and she takes a breath so deep it makes my arms flex. My body reacts, warming up instantly with pleasure so acute that it momentarily sets me off course, and I work hard to prevent myself from taking the deep breathIneed.
I don’t want to be too obvious at how badly I needed a hug as well, how much I want to wrap her into my arms.
Sarah stiffens suddenly as a rhythmic squeaking sound comes from the bedroom, effectively yanking us back from our moment. She pulls back fast, her eyes flickering to and away from mine in embarrassment. The loss of the feel of her against me is paramount. I eye her warily when it suddenly hits me like a ton of bricks that I've never felt this way before about anyone.
I haven't known her any length of time, but she just feels so right…soperfectthat it scares me.
“Christopher, get off my bed!The least I can do is take care of the furniture!” she half-shouts, turning away from me to walk down the hallway and peek into the bedroom where she disappears.
“Sorry, girl. I think this might be a problem for you.” I hear Christopher tease and her say something back in reply, followed by a muffled smack that makes Christopher laugh good-naturedly.
He comes through the doorway and back to the kitchen and lounge area, rubbing his shoulder with a playful look on his face. I shake my head as he tosses a teasing grin my way before he digs back into the basket, grabbing one of the snacks and tearing it open then shoving a handful of chips into his mouth.
I settle on the barstool next to the peninsula and grin back at him.
Stop, I mouth, seeing him grin even harder. A slight rustling noise brings my attention back to the short hallway where Sarah's busy meandering around.
“It most certainly willnotbe a problem for me, thank you very much,” Sarah admonishes before reappearing, looking into the spare bedroom curiously. Her foot pops up behind her as she balances herself against the doorframe. “Oh, it’s anoffice! It’s socute!” she gushes, coming back into the kitchen with a big smile on her face.
Christopher scoffs. “Uhm, I actually think it’s going to be a huge problem for you. Bed’s going to break if it’s rocked too hard. What doyouthink, Alexander?” he inquires with a husky laugh as he shoves more chips into his face.
