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With my right arm high in the air, I do what I did when we first met. I give him the finger. I can’t hide the wide smile that appears on my lips even if I tried.
* * *
DAMIAN
What are the chances she’d be my new neighbor? Of all the people in the city and of all the buildings, she’s the one. I thought my mind was playing tricks on me, but once I locked in on those blue eyes again, I knew she was real. She’s even more beautiful in the daylight, if that’s even possible.
I have to stop myself from thinking of her that way. She’s my neighbor and completely off limits in every way possible. I grip the back of my neck and try to rub the tension away.
Erwin chuckles and shakes his head. He walks further into the apartment as I follow him in. “You like her.” It’s not a question, but rather a blunt statement. Am I that obvious?
Clearing my throat, I try to find the right words. “Oh no, it’s not like that. I don’t even know her.”
“You can’t kid an old man. I’ve been around the block a time or two.” A flicker of a smile passes his lips. “She’s a nice woman, Mr. Prescott, but she has a boyfriend. I can’t say I like him very much though. He seems like a prick. A real smug you know what. Barely even says hello. When she’s around him, her smile never reaches her eyes. That tells me everything I need to know.” My jaw clenches as he continues. “I don’t know what a sweet woman like that sees in a man like him, but it’s not my place to judge.”
An unsettling feeling washes over me. “I see.” So far that makes two people who’ve mentioned her boyfriend is a cocksucker. The anger churns in my chest and I take a deep breath. He isn’t my father and she’s not my mother, I have to keep telling myself. This isn’t the same situation.
Finally, a little calmer, I continue looking through the apartment, but it’s her whom I think about. Now that I’ve seen her again, there’s no doubt my heart recognizes her, even though my mind forgets. The first time I saw her I felt it too, but I put off those thoughts, too blinded by her beauty to see anything else, to feel anything other than how painfully hard she made me.
But now, there’s no denying I know this beautiful woman. You know how sometimes you meet a complete stranger and feel as though you’ve known them all your life? Yeah, that’s what happened when I saw Lilah for the second time.
Chapter 3
Lilah
Aweek passes before I see him again. I’m waiting in a long line, about to get my caffeine fix, when I catch a glimpse of him a few people behind me. Hoping he hasn’t noticed my frantic gaze, I spin back around, facing the front. The café is loud and busy, so hopefully he hasn’t noticed me. I hear footsteps approach.Please don’t be him.
“Ignoring me?” His warm breath feathers my neck and my lips part instinctively. The proximity of his body, mere inches from mine, sends a shiver of pleasure to my core I haven’t felt in forever. I whip my head around toward him, the movement sends a twinge of pain down my neck.
“Oh hey, I didn’t see ya there,” I mutter. I take a passing glance as he crosses his arms and can’t help but notice how the fabric of his turquoise V-neck stretches over his bulging muscles or how the color makes his brown eyes pop. And those distressed jeans accentuate powerful legs too well. He’s just so unapologetically masculine and sexy. I do my best not to stare and fail miserably.
“Promise I wasn’t stalking you,” he says. The corners of his mouth curl upward into a wide grin just as his hands rise in defeat.
“Uh-huh, sure you weren’t.” A nervous smile plays on my lips. “So, ah, did you get the apartment?”Please say no. Please say no.
He gazes at my mouth like it’s his favorite meal but quickly looks up, trying to recover. His brows knit together like he’s shaking off the lust-induced fog.
“Yeah, I did. That’s why I’m here. The guys who were with me at the bar are helping me move in, so I popped out to grab us some coffee. I still have all the furniture and a crap-load of boxes to unpack.”Damn it.I bite the inside of my lower lip. How am I supposed to live next door to that man?
The line finally moves some more, and I notice there are only a few people before us. “That sounds fun. Oh, and welcome to the neighborhood.”
“Thanks.” He taps his foot as he brushes a hand over his brown hair while we wait to be served. We’re frozen in an awkward silence, the tension so evident we may as well have a neon sign blazing above our heads announcing it to the world. I can’t be around him for long periods of time. He brings out feelings in me that have been long since bottled up and locked away. And from the way he just looked at my lips, I know I affect him too.
We finally order our drinks, and as I reach for my wallet, he places his hand over mine, causing every cell in my body to spark to life.
“My treat.” The mischievous twinkle is back in his eyes.
“Well, thank you,” I blurt out, still feeling a tingle where his skin touched mine. Silently, we grab our drinks and make our way outside. He looks like he’s about to say something but stops himself.
And cue the awkward silence, the tension is so thick around us, it has me swaying side to side uncomfortably. I’m saved by the ringing of my cell phone. “I’m sorry, I have to take this.”
“Yeah, of course. It was really good seeing you again. I’m sure I’ll see you around.” A ghost of a smile flashes on his lips, and then he walks away.
I turn around and rush down the street, increasing the distance between us. A huge part of me wants to run after him, grab his arm, and pretend I want to help unpack, all the while just wanting to spend more time with him.
The other part worries about the tumultuous emotions he brings out.I have a boyfriend. But do I really? Sometimes I don’t know what I have anymore. Ash claims he loves me, but I know what we have isn’t love. It’s more of a life sentence without the possibility of parole. The bars on my cage tighten even more as each day goes by. I take a deep breath, trying to staunch the tears that are burning my eyes.
I look down at my phone. The missed call from Ash glares at me accusingly. I immediately call him back. He has very little patience, especially when he feels ignored. He answers on the first ring. No surprise there.
