Page 24 of Kaine

Chapter Twelve

HIM

“Mr. Ashley?” The doormansays my name, for the... well, I don't know how many times, but I know it's not the first.

“Yes?”

“Are you going up to your apartment?”

“That's a very good question, Clifford.”

“Oh?”

“Yes.”

“And the answer is?”

“I'm going to get back to you on that.”

“Okay, Mr. Ashley.”

And I can almost hear him thinking “they might call it eccentric when they're rich, but crazy is still crazy.”

Is it crazy to be standing in front of my own building staring up at the 31st floor wondering what the woman who's squatting in my apartment is doing right now?

Or crazier to know what I wish she were doing?

Me.

The light flickers on the right side of my apartment.

She's in the kitchen.

And now I can't help imagining her bent over the kitchen island.

Her hips warm and soft in my groping hands as I hold her firm as I...

The phone in my pocket rings saving me from a thought that could have me pushing through the door faster than Clifford can open it for me.

It's Xavier.

"You're fired."

"I'm quitting! Good luck with her!"

"You couldn’t just get her to leave? I need to go home, Xavier."

"So, go up and see her. Let her get in her thanks of whatever and move on. She doesn’t seem unreasonable.”

"She’s squatting n my apartment."

Xavier’s laugh irks me. But it could just be because I've been imagining him being with her for the last few hours. When I was just fantasize about it.

"I said she's unreasonable, not unstubborn."

"Get her out, Xavier. I mean it."

"What are you so afraid of?"