Page 9 of The Editor’s Choice

That’s the bravest thing I have ever witnessed.

As I walk back to my apartment, my head is filled with a million thoughts of her, mostly of reasons why I can’t be falling in love with her. Alas, my heart is unfazed and I know it’s no use. In just this short time, I’ve been completely changed and there’s no going back.

“Fuck,” I voice, barely above a whisper. “I’m so fucked.”

Walking through the front door of my apartment, I strip off my shoes and make my way to the bathroom for a quick shower. I have a lot to do today and I’m going to need a clear head to get through all of it. It’s still the middle of the night, but I’m not going to be able to sleep anyway, so I might as well be productive.

My apartment differs from the others in the building. Since I’ve been working here for several years, the owners have allowed me to change some things and make it more my own style.

Instead of the sterile white of the others, my apartment is darker. Black tile with silver grout in the bathroom, including the walk-in shower I had built. Most of the walls are a medium grey with a few black accent walls throughout. The floors in most of the house have been changed out to a dark grey tile as well.

It isn’t much, but the personal touches I’ve been able to add make it feel more like home than anywhere else I’ve ever been. It’s a small piece of stability in a life that has otherwise been complete chaos.

Once in the bathroom, I turn on the shower, which causes a smirk to slide across my face when I remember my first official encounter with Jade. Stripping down, I step into the shower, feeling the warmth spread over my back. I roll my head from side to side, starting to relax as the hot water melts away the tension between my shoulders.

Just as the soap is being rinsed down the drain, my phone starts to ring in the bedroom, pulling me from my thoughts.

“Who the fuck is calling me this late?” I wonder, caught completely off guard. Although, I’m thankful for the distraction if I’m being honest. I was getting lost in my head and that’s never a good place to be with a past like mine.

Drying off quickly, I wrap the towel around my waist and half run to my phone.

“Hello?” I answer, more than half annoyed at this point. “It’s two in the fucking morning,” I add for good measure.

“Oh. Fuck. Um. Never mind,” a small voice says before I hear the click of the call ending.

“Damn it,” I berate myself before hitting redial in an attempt to fix my fuck up. I didn’t even bother to look at who was calling before I answered. “Answer the damn phone,” I growl, annoyed for a totally different reason now. When her voicemail picks up, I slam the phone down on the nightstand and trudge to the closet. I slip on some pajama pants and am out the door in less than a minute, leaving the phone behind.

With beads of water still dripping from my hair and running down my chest, I make my way to her apartment. I knock once, the door immediately swinging open.

“Can I help you? It’s two in the fucking morning after all,” she spits, voiced laced with venom. I’d be lying if I said she wasn’t cute as hell with that attitude, although I’d love a chance to adjust it for her.

Apparently, the smile that covers my face isn’t amusing to her in the slightest. If this were a cartoon, there would definitely be steam billowing out from her ears right now. A chuckle escapes at the thought, causing her to try to slam the door in my face. Unfortunately for her, I saw that coming and slipped my foot in the door, which will probably have a bruise now. Worth it though.

“Actually, you can. So kind of you to ask,” I soothe, making my voice sweet as candy. “When I left, you were passed out on the couch. I thought you would be out for the night, but I was obviously wrong. Were you needing something when you called?”

Those gorgeous hazel eyes are rolling to the back of her head as I finish my question. “I don’t need anything from anyone at this point,” she spits.

“Okay, okay. That’s fair,” I soothe, raising my hands in surrender. “Was there something you were wanting though?” I ask, trying a new angle.

With a sigh dramatic enough to match the eye roll, she steps back and allows the door to open fully. When I don’t move, she simply turns and walks away, back toward the living room. I take the invitation and quickly follow her inside, closing the door gently behind me.

I pause when I don’t find her in the living room like I had expected. Instead, I see a dim light coming from her bedroom. Peeking around the corner, I find her sitting cross-legged on the bed, watching me warily.

Leaning against the doorframe, I wait for her to say something. The ball is in her court here. I’m not sure what she wanted when she decided to call me, but I’m not going to push to find out either.

Picking up a glass from the night stand, she downs the rest of the alcohol and flops back against the bed and sighs in what I can only guess is frustration.

“I don’t really know why I called you,” she pipes up after a few seconds, hazel eyes finding mine. “I guess I just didn’t want to be alone, and I don’t really have anyone else, if you hadn’t noticed.”

“Oh, so I’m just the person you call when nobody else is available?” I joke, feigning hurt. I even pull my hand to my chest for the dramatic effect.

She’s glaring when she tries to sit upright. Her attempt is inhibited by the alcohol in her system though, so she only makes it about halfway up, resting on her elbow.

“Obviously,” she states, rolling those pretty eyes again. “Come sit down. You’re making it weird.” With that, she collapses back against the comforter again, adjusting the pillow underneath her head. “I fucking hate everything. I really don’t want to be alone tonight, but you’re welcome to leave if there’s somewhere else you’d rather be,” she offers.

Padding softly across the room, I ease down onto the bed facing her, pulling my legs underneath me. “If you want me here, there’s nowhere else I would rather be,” I assure her. “Hell, even if you don’t want my company, there’s still nowhere else I would rather be,” I add, feeling the need to be entirely honest with her in this moment.

She scoffs at that as if she doesn’t believe it before throwing her arm up and across her eyes. “Lay down,” she instructs bluntly.