The Exception(32)

I sighed. “Oh yeah. She came storming into my office the other day begging me to take her back.”

“Did you?”

“Of course not. I told her that she deserved someone who could love her because I didn’t. The thing is everyone is happy I broke up with her. She wasn’t very popular with my friends and family.”

“I can understand why.” She laughed.

“It’s good to see you laugh, Jillian.”

She held up her glass to me. “Thank you again, Mr. Westbrook, for making my shitty day a little less shitty.”

“It’s my pleasure.” I winked. We talked a little more while we ate and then I called Roland to bring the car around.

“Let me drive you home.”

“I can catch a cab. I don’t want you going out of your way.”

“It’s not out of my way and I want to.”

Roland pulled up and I opened the door for her.

“It’s not an option. I’m taking you home.”

“Well, if you insist.” She smiled.

Fuck. I couldn’t even begin to explain the feelings that soared through me. I was happy and I didn’t want to say goodbye. All I wanted to do was tell her that I really liked her and that I wanted to spend as much time with her as possible. But I couldn’t. I didn’t want to cause any waves or rock the boat, so to speak.

“Where to?” I asked.

“The Ellington on West 52nd Street, please.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“No reason. That’s a really nice building. They have some great apartments.”

“I know. I just moved in a few days ago and I absolutely love it.”

There was no way. No way at all she was the one who rented my apartment. It was just a coincidence. When Roland pulled up to the building, I opened the door, climbed out, and held out my hand to her.

“Would you like to come up and see my apartment?” she asked.

Perfect. I was hoping she’d ask so I didn’t have to.

“I’d love to.”

As we stepped into the elevator, she pushed the button to the twenty-eighth floor. It was her. The woman of my dreams was the one who rented my apartment.

“Well, here it is.” She smiled as she opened the door.

“Nice furniture. I like the color scheme.”

“Thanks. My mom hates those colors.” She grinned.

I walked around the space that I once called home. Telling her that I was her landlord was going to be fun.

“I like the way you placed your furniture. If it was my place, I would have put my couch this way and the chairs over here. But the way you did it looks great too.”

I walked into the bedroom. “My bed would have been placed here. Not where you have it, but it looks good there.” I winked as she stood there, narrowing her eyes at me. Walking out of the bedroom and over to the balcony door, I opened it. “Make sure that you have the lock on the knob unlocked before stepping onto the balcony. It’s one of those that doesn’t feel like it’s locked from the inside, but if you turn the knob from the outside, it’s locked. See.” I smiled. “You wouldn’t want to get locked out there. It’s not fun.”

“How did you know that?” She shook her head in confusion.

With a grin, I held out my hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Miss Bell. I’m Drew Westbrook, your landlord.”

“Huh?” Her eyes widened.

“No handshake for your landlord?”

She gently placed her hand in mine. “Wait a minute! This is your apartment?!”

I chuckled. “Yes. This is my apartment.”

“And you used to live here?”

“Yes, before I bought my townhouse. I kept it for an investment.”

She placed her hands on her head. “This is literally f*cking crazy, Drew.”

“I know.” I laughed.

“So you knew I was here in New York?”

“No. Everything is handled through my realtor. Rick just called and told me that a nice young woman rented it. I had no clue it was you.”

Placing my hands on her hips, I spoke, “Weird, right?”

“I have no words right now. This is totally crazy.” She smiled.

All I wanted to do was feel the softness of her lips again. As I stared into her blue eyes, she stared back at me. Should I risk it? Maybe she didn’t want me to kiss her? But I’d never know until I tried and I wasn’t about to let this opportunity escape me. Brushing a strand of hair from her face, I tucked it behind her ear and leaned in, brushing my lips against hers. She returned my kiss and placed her hands on my chest. Our tongues softly tangled as our lips gently touched. Nothing hot and heavy yet. I needed to respect her boundaries.

“I couldn’t stop thinking about you since I left Hawaii,” I quietly spoke in between kisses.

“I couldn’t either.”

I broke our kiss. “You couldn’t stop thinking about you either?” I smirked.

Her hand lightly smacked my chest.

“No. I thought about you all the time.”

“Then why didn’t you call?”

She sighed and turned her back to me. “I did.”

A smile crossed my lips. “The other night? That was you?”