Bereft (Seven Year Itch #2)(42)
“Are you being serious, or joking around?”
“Serious.” He reached his hand over and brushed my chin. “It’s too bad we can’t get freaky anymore. I had high hopes for our next encounter.”
Imagining it was all I needed to feel winded. Chad knew it too. He snickered and turned in another direction to hide his amusement. “You’re not being very fair. You know I have a ton on my plate.”
Chad put his arm around me playfully. “I’m playing around, Rach. Calm down. I’m cool with us being friends. I’m even cool with you sleeping over, even if we won’t be in the same room. I know you’re going through a tough time. I shouldn’t joke about it. The truth is I want you. I want you more than once. If you change your mind let me know. Until then, I’ll be the guy you can turn to. We’re associates. We’re partners. I know you didn’t like me before.”
“I never said that.”
He laughed. “Yeah right. You never had to. It was blatantly obvious. You hated my guts. You think I didn’t notice the looks you gave me?”
I started to giggle. “Okay fine. I thought you were a spoiled prick. That was before.”
“Before what? Before I blew your mind?”
I rolled my eyes. “Among other things. Honestly, I think you’re a nice guy. I do hope we can be friends. I don’t have many of them right now.”
“You mean the world to my grandfather. I won’t let you down.”
I was nervous about staying with Chad, but he was right about being able to sleep in a bed. I had no idea who lived in the apartment before me, and without that knowledge I wouldn’t have been able to get any rest on dirty carpet. I’d call in the morning and arrange for it to be cleaned thoroughly before the furniture got delivered.
“Thank you for helping me get some furniture for my place. I was prepared to wait it out until I had the cash.”
He opened his apartment door and I was shocked. It was like a studio, but I could tell there were more rooms along the walls. Large wooden doors on sliders were hung from some kind of antique looking mechanism.
Chad sat his keys on the granite kitchen counter and started showing me around. “This is obviously where the meals are prepared, when I get a hair up my ass and crave mac and cheese.”
I laughed and followed behind him. We came to the living room. He had a video game chair in the center closest to the TV., and a sectional around the rest of the area. “This is where I binge on porn. Be careful sitting. You never know where it’s sticky.”
When I acted like it disgusted me he shook his head, obviously understanding I took him seriously, when he’d been joking the whole time. “That’s where I’ll be sleeping, Rach. Your room is over here.” I lingered behind him, taking my time checking out everything he’d decorated with. Most of the house was in gray hues. He had black furniture, including his barstools at the counter. His bedroom was exquisite though. A four poster bed sat in the middle of the large room. Layers of fabric were draped at the tops, hanging down each corner. A red comforter was crisply spread across the mattress, with a large amount of pillows surrounding. The dresser and armoire were supersized, and I knew these weren’t purchased at a local dealer. “Where did you get this set? It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen.”
“It was my mothers. All of it, including the bedding. It’s one of the only things I have of hers, aside from her ashes.” He pointed to a fancy urn in the middle of the dresser. “Before she died she made sure my grandparents knew I was to get this. They’d had it stored until I moved out.”
“It’s amazing,” I said as I ran my fingers over the fabric. “It looks brand new.”
“I don’t sleep with it. When I knew you were coming I had my cleaning lady stop by and change the sheets. The cover always sits folded on the chaise, but when she cleans she puts it on to make it look fancy. I’d hate myself if I ruined it. It was one of my mom’s favorite things. She had some lady custom make it.”
“It is amazing, Chad. You’re sweet to keep it displayed.”
“I was a momma’s boy. Maybe that’s why I have a habit of dating women with children.”
“Are you sure you want me to sleep in here?”
“Positive. Make yourself at home. I was raised to be a gentlemen. Since you thought I was a douche, it’s important I prove you wrong. I can’t have you working at my side and whispering to the employees how much of a dick you think I am.”
“I wouldn’t.”
“You would. It’s fine. Anyway, I’m just going to grab some of my things and get a shower. You’re welcome to stick your bag in the closet if you need more room. Did you want to look at menus while you wait?” He ran out of the bedroom and came back with a handful of them. “Pick what you’d like. I’ll be done in ten.”
I sat down on the memory foam mattress and started buzzing through the take out menus. Then I heard something that made me giggle. Chad was singing, not just a popular song, but one from the show we’d seen the other night. I held my hand over my mouth and listened for a second before getting up and following the sound to the bathroom. The door was cracked open, and I wasn’t prepared for his shower door to be so crystal clear. Most have scum or buildup, but not his. Displaying everything God blessed him with, Chad continued belting out tunes as he washed his hair. I stood there admiring him like a peeping tom. It was terrible, but I couldn’t stop. Every inch of him called me closer. I yearned to feel his hands on me again, touching me, and giving me pleasure that took the pain away.