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A little sliver of guilt plants itself into my subconscious. There are so many ways this could blow up in my face. Up until now it’s all seemed so easy, but that’s not real life. That’s storybook or movie life. That’s the main character storyline, and I’m not a main character. Right?
Chapter 25
Mark
“What do we want to do for dinner? We can go out? Order in? I think I have something in the freezer, but that didn’t go so well last time.”
“How about we order in?” Millie suggested. I’m liking where this is going. “Then you can give me a tour.” I’m really liking where this is going. Millie swats at me. “Get your mind out of the gutter.”
“It wasn’t.” It wasn’t in the gutter, but rather—places it still shouldn’t be.
“I need to know the full layout if I’m going to help you fix up the place.” She gives me a coy smile, “And we never got past the living room last time I was over.”
“No, we didn’t.” I grin back as I think about that kiss. Was that really just two days ago? So much has happened since then. So many kisses. Many, many kisses. The best kisses of my life. “You really don’t need to fix anything up. My place is fine.”
Millie scrunches her face like she smells something bad, pointing all around her she says, “This is not fine. You’ve lived here for over a month, and you still haven’t unpacked everything.”
I know I’m beaten. Not that I’m fighting her too hard. I’d find a way to give her the moon if she asked for it.
“Fine. But we don’t need to work on the whole place. I’d feel guilty having my girlfriend doing all that work.”
As soon as it came out, I knew what I had said. Her eyes are as big as I have ever seen them. Her jaw drops open. She’s never been silent for this long before. I don’t know what to do. Was it too soon? It doesn’t feel too soon. In fact, it feels very, very right. I really need her to say something.
“Did you just say girlfriend?”
I lean in towards her, backing her against the kitchen counter. My hands are on her hips, and I dip my head to whisper in her ear. My voice is low and husky as I say, “Yeah. I did.”
Millie shivers in my embrace. Her lips part as she places her arms around my neck and starts to twist her fingers in my hair along the back of my neck. I’ve grown very addicted to this feeling. I can’t take my eyes off of her. I start to lean my head down as she lifts her head to meet mine, our breaths have intertwined. Our lips are just about to brush when there is a knock at the door. I groan. Whoever it is, it better be an emergency.
“It’s probably the food.” Millie slides her hands down to my chest and stays there for a moment before giving me a slight shove.
“We haven’t ordered anything,” I whisper. Not ready to back away from her just yet.
“You’re right.” She quirks her eyebrow. “Who do you think it is?”
I have a couple of guesses, but I don’t like any of them.
Another knock.
“Guess I better answer.” I look through the peephole, and it’s my neighbor, Krystal.
“Just my neighbor, she’ll go away.”
“Just answer it.” Millie all but shoves me towards the door. I give her a skeptical look. “What?” She shrugs. “You’re already standing there. She can probably hear us through the door talking. Just answer it.”
I really don’t want to. Ever since I moved in, Krystal has been coming by for help with random things. Sometimes I help her, but I usually try to stay clear. I definitely never go into her house, and she never comes into mine. I want all the witnesses I can when she is around. She’s the type of woman I assume would be the perfect match for Troy. Then again, that’s an insult to any woman.
“Are you sure?” I give her one last chance to change her mind before I reluctantly open the door. Mentally bracing myself for whatever is about to happen.
“Hey, Mark,” Krystal coos. She’s dressed in a sports bra and something that can barely be called shorts with how little fabric there is. Let’s just say there is little left to the imagination. Even if Millie wasn’t standing three feet away, I would be feeling uncomfortable. “I was just getting back from my workout, but I seem to have locked myself out of my place.” Sure, she did.
“That’s too bad.” Thanks to the last unwanted conversation with this woman, I know she lives in the section of condos that are rentals. “Have you called your super? I’m sure he has some extra keys.”
“He didn’t answer. And it’s getting cold. And dark.” She tries to enter the doorway. I fill the doorway and block her from entering. “Can I just come in for a minute? Then I can call him again.”
I continue to block her. Her eyes gleam up at me, making me even more uncomfortable. She’s a snake stalking her prey. And I’m her prey. She pouts and runs her hand along the top of her bare chest. At least that’s what I assume she’s doing. I’ve firmly planted my eyes on the spot between her eyebrows. For a brief moment I wonder how offended she’d be if I told her her eyebrows aren’t even, then I think better of it. She might make me uncomfortable, and her visit is entirely unwanted, but I’m not a jerk.
Krystal starts to make another advance towards the door when Millie shows up next to me holding a blanket out toward Krystal.
