Chapter 3
Korie
Anticipation fluttered in my stomach as I stood at Riah’s door, shifting the brand-new espresso machine I bought for her in my sweaty palms. I didn’t know why I was bringing her a gift if I was the one helping her move things…
but the girl did weird things to my brain and I decided that I just couldn’t come empty-handed.
Shuffling sounded on the other side of the door and I quickly straightened out and stilled my fidgeting fingers. I couldn’t help the smile that split my face as she peered through the door.
“Korie! Hi!” Her voice was at least two octaves higher than normal. She must have noticed too, as she cleared her throat. “You’re early.”
“Yeah, I uh, finished up a project early and figured it would make more sense to come early than go home for a little.”
I followed her gaze down to the gift in my hands. Her eyebrows rose as she smirked up at me. I was caught, but she did me the mercy of not calling me out. Instead, she widened the door and stepped aside to let me in.
“Is that for me?”
“Yeah.” I placed the machine on the brand-new, marble countertop. The beige and white appliance I chose matched perfectly.
She smiled, almost stopping my heart, before running her fingers over the box. She twirled it around on the counter, reading all the details and specs.
“This is amazing, you really didn’t have to. Or you could’ve waited until my housewarming party next week.”
“Oh, am I invited?” I knew I didn’t get an invitation, that’s something I would’ve remembered.
“Of course! I’ve just been so unorganized lately that I haven’t really gotten around to sending out actual invitations and I didn’t have your number, so…” She looked around, her cheeks pinkening. “Anyway, yes. You are invited…if you want to come. You totally don’t have to.”
“I’ll be there. It’ll be an excuse to get you another gift.” I winked and the rapid rise and fall of her chest didn’t get past me.
“So…how about a tour?” She asked, her voice breathy.
“Lead the way.”
Riah led me around a tour of the house, but as she pointed each room and detail out, all I could focus on was her.
She was beaming with excitement and pride.
It reminded me of when we were kids and we’d all go around in a circle and talk about what our dream houses looked like.
Riah’s always included a giant backyard with a garden and a cute, cottage core feeling interior.
It filled me with warmth to see she had gotten everything she had dreamed of.
I wanted to bottle the feeling and keep it close to my chest at all times.
“The only thing that sucks about having an old home is, while it’s cute, I’m not sure how secure it makes me feel, ya know?”
I snapped back into reality as she spoke.
“Well, if you want, I could install a security system for you. Cameras, alarms, smart locks…all the safety you could want…on the house.”
“What? No. Two housewarming gifts, helping me move appliances and a brand-new security system is too much.”
“It’s really nothing. It’s one of our newest systems that we haven’t had a chance to test out yet….you can be like our guinea pig. Win-win.”
“Okay, fine. But if you try to do anything else for me, I’m taking out my checkbook.”
I crossed my arms, cocking a brow at her. “Checkbook? What are you, 80?”
“Excuse me?!” Her mouth gaped open as she stepped forward, slapping my bicep playfully. “I am a year and a half younger than you!”
I couldn’t stop myself. I stepped closer, grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards me. Her breath caught as our eyes met. A jolt of electricity shot through my chest and spread through my veins. This close, I could feel the rapid pounding of her heart knocking into my chest. Or was that mine?
With my brain short-circuiting, I leaned in. I could smell the morning’s coffee on her breath. She didn’t pull away. She just stood there. Frozen. Eyes locked on mine. This isn’t how I planned our day going, but I was about to say fuck it and take her right here on the dining room floor.
Knock knock knock.
A pounding on the front door dragged her warmth away from me and scurrying across the house. I was left panting and hot in the same spot, my hands still in the air where they held her, as she let the delivery guys through the door.