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Chapter Fourteen
Holly
“How many times are you going to check those bags, Holly?” Noel sat on the vintage black velvet sofa in my living room with her bare feet propped up and dangling from the end as she sipped on a mimosa mid-morning on a Monday.
Where in the hell did she get champagne?
I guess writing novels has its perks. Her laptop sat open and discarded on the glass coffee table to her right as she watched me with curiosity, no doubt contemplating whether or not she would use any of our interactions in her next book. It’s not her fault, she just can’t turn the writer brain off. She’s been up since four this morning writing because of the jet lag she’s still experiencing. Guess that’s what happens when you spur of the moment decide to hop a plane to the other side of the world.
Talk about perfect timing. When I got home from my date with Duke on Saturday night, I found Noel sitting on the floor in the hallway of my apartment building. She was wearing an oversized sweatshirt with a pair of leggings and was asleep, drooling on her hot pink suitcase.
When I woke her up, she mumbled something about needing to ground herself and cleanse her chakras as she stumbled into my apartment and made herself comfortable. She passed out in my bed before I even had time to get undressed from dinner.
The dinner that leisurely fizzled and died a slow and painful death after I returned from the…um…powder room with wild hair, smelling like a damn cedar tree, and my lady bits still tingling.
“I just need to make sure that I have everything I need to work remotely. I’m not so much worried about my wardrobe. I can’t imagine needing to impress anyone on an active construction site, other than possible meetings with the client. But, according to my conversations with Laurel Chesire, Sylvester Wilks’ personal assistant, it’s highly unlikely I will need to meet with him. I pretty much have free reign over the entire renovation.” I spoke without looking at her as I checked my laptop, tablet, and supply of no less than fifty ink pens for the fifth time before zipping that bag closed and moving on to the next one.
I’m leaving within the hour to head out to Anderson House for the first time. It’s not like I’m flying or anything, the drive is only forty minutes or so, and that’s with traffic. I can come back as much or as little as I would like, but I want to be prepared for any situation I might encounter. What if I get out there and I’m really feeling it? What if actually living on location feeds my creativity, and I don’t want to leave the bubble I’ve created?
I’m definitely not checking and re-checking my bags because I’m nervous. I’m not at all worried about moving onto haunted property for six to eight weeks.
This is one of the most in-depth projects I’ve ever had the opportunity to design, and it’s all mine. I’m about to rock the hell out of this renovation.
“Girl, you better rethink the words that just left your mouth.” Noel stood from the couch and strode past me in nothing but a tank top and a thong, pulling back the curtain that acted as the door to my extended closet next to my bed in my loft style apartment. That’s one downside to historical properties, closet space was never a priority. You would think that petticoats and formal gowns would have required more storage.
“Let’s see...you definitely need these, oh, and these too.” She scoured my hangers and drawers pulling out lingerie that I’m certain still has the tags on it and threw it at me as I stood in the middle of my living space.
“There is absolutely no reason why I would need lace or lingerie. Do you really have no concept of what I do Noel?” I questioned her as I dangled a pair of black lace garters from my hand.
“Oh no, I know what you do, and I heard you say something about construction crews. You don’t think those men know what to do with lingerie in the bedroom? They use power tools for a living. They have thick calloused hands and worn-in muscles. They sweat and build shit with their bare hands. Please, you need to take lace. If you don’t, you’re wasting a golden opportunity. Trust me on this one.”
I thought back, just two nights ago, to Reid’s words about playing games and exploring. I haven’t heard a single word from him since he walked out of that elevator with not even a second glance. Not a missed call, or unanswered text, and trust me, I would know. I’m ashamed to admit my phone has been glued to the palm of my hand. I’ve checked and rechecked, and every single time someone calls or texts me my heart races, only to stutter to a halt and crash land in the pit of my stomach when I realize it isn’t him.
I’ve played out our conversation from the elevator over and over again, still unable to make complete sense of everything he said that night. What was he talking about, my past and the future? Maybe he was just as disoriented as I was, and his words weren’t meant to make sense at all. It’s highly probable that I’m overthinking the entire thing, but every time I shut my eyes or allow my mind to wander, I’m back in that elevator, allowing him to touch and take, fighting him, needing more.
“Wait a minute, I know that look, Holly Adkins, you’re blushing. Is there a reason you would willingly pass on sweaty man sex? A specific reason? I’ve talked to Til, and I didn’t think there had been anyone since that asshole we shall not name.” Noel walked back into the living space, but instead of sitting her bare ass back down on my sofa, she sat on the floor, crossing her legs in front of her and leaning her back against the wall. I’ve seen her do this before, it has something to do with opening her mind to the vibes of the atmosphere or some nonsense.
“Other than the obvious? You just said the words sweaty man sex and it really didn’t sound all that appealing to me, Noel.”
“Don’t knock it ‘til you try it.” She shrugged and leaned back into the wall, taking a deep breath and closing her eyes.
“For your information I was coming home from a date on Saturday night when I found you asleep literally at my doorstep. Remind me again why you’re here?” Why am I even bringing up my date with Duke? Oh yeah, right, so I don’t open my big mouth and say something about Reid.
“And yet you came home alone?”
“Til set me up with one of Kris’ friends.”
“Enough said.” Her lips quirked up into a half smile that told me she knew exactly what that meant. Even if really in the grand scheme of things Duke wasn’t really all that bad. for the obvious defect, he wasn’t Reid and didn’t attempt to kidnap me and make me come in the span of ten minutes.
“Really Noel, what happened? How long are you planning to stay?” After that first night, Noel really didn’t say much about why she flew here in the middle of the night and landed in front of my door. I didn’t push, hoping she would willingly offer up that information, but I’m about five minutes from walking out the door for weeks and here she sits, half-naked in my living room.
She took a deep breath, preparing herself for whatever her explanation might be. “I was just getting ready to release my latest novel, and gah, it is so freaking good, Holly. I was handling the marketing and promoting the hell out of the release, not to mention I was already getting started on my next book, which will be a new series for me. I had a ton going on, and I was still living with Pablo. It wasn’t serious or anything, but I kind of liked him, a little.
We were playing around, and yeah, so, maybe we did have shared visitors in our bed sometimes, it was fun, you know how much I like experimenting. But apparently Pablo was having a little too much fun while I was busy working. It just wasn’t working out anymore, and the whole thing was messing with my head. I needed space. Tilly has the kids and the dog and the husband that studies feet, and I would rather watch Pablo fuck a giraffe than stay with mom and dad, so I came here.” She shrugged as she hummed a mantra under her breath that I couldn’t quite make out.
“And you’re sure that you’re going to be okay here? You can stay in my apartment as long as you want, barring you don’t burn the place down or have an orgy in my bed.” I shoved the random pieces of lingerie that Noel threw at me down into the side of one of my bags and zipped the last zipper closed. If I don’t walk out that door in the next thirty seconds, I’m going to be late, and I despise being late.
“Dammit man, I was totally planning to film porn scenes in here later. The lighting through the windows in here is perfect for audiovisual.” Noel laughed under her breath without opening her eyes.
“I love you, Noel. Call me if you need anything. I might be in and out, or I might not. I’m not entirely sure how this is going to shake out, but I will have my cell with me.” I grabbed my keys up from the entry table and put my backpack on, pulling my luggage behind me to the door.
“Remember what I said about the sweaty man sex, and wear the lace. Even the gruff men like a little midnight snack every once in a while. Love you, Holly.” I rolled my eyes even though she couldn’t see me and shut and locked the door to my apartment behind me for what could very well be the last time in weeks.
Or ever. You know, if I don’t make it out alive.
