Four Years Ago
Keep your eyes open today, Cancer! Something good is coming your way.
“I can’t believe it! Our own place.” I drop the first box onto the empty living room floor.
Dakota pulls her hair back into a ponytail and fans her face. “I should have waited to break up with Miller until after we moved in. Could have really used a hand carrying all this.”
“Who needs boys?” I ask. I’m feeling too excited to care about the sweat dripping down my back. “There’s just one more box. I’ll get it.”
I head back out and lift the box from Dakota’s trunk.
It’s so hot. I’m exhausted, arms quivering from carrying all of our belongings up a flight of stairs, but nothing is going to make this day less awesome.
For the first time in my life, I’m living in a place I picked out all by myself.
Nothing but good things to look forward to.
I maneuver awkwardly, closing the trunk with a foot and holding tight to the box. When it slams shut, I breathe out a sigh of relief. I did it! Wow. I might need to start exercising again because I am weak.
I come up short when I spot him. He’s getting out of a black Jeep. The white T-shirt he’s wearing clings to his upper body like Rose holding on to that door in Titanic. Sweet, sweet mercy.
My heart races as his gaze slowly lands on me. A small smile tugs at the corner of his lips, and he lifts a hand in a quick wave. I look around to make sure he’s waving at me. I don’t understand. Why is he waving at me? Probably because I’m staring. But I can’t seem to stop.
Awkwardly and about three seconds too late, I return the gesture, carefully lifting my fingers from one side of the box. He heads toward me, and it feels like a dream.
“Hey.” He tips his head in greeting.
He’s even more gorgeous up close. Sandy blond hair that falls past his ears. Hazel eyes and a hint of a smile that comes off somewhere between cocky and genuine.
“Can I give you a hand?”
“With what?” I’m staring up at him dumbly.
He laughs quietly, and holy smokes, that sound—I feel it all the way to my toes. He steps forward, and I hold my breath as his hands brush mine. He gets a grip on the box and steps back.
“Oh right. Thank you.” I tuck a wisp of hair behind one ear. Getting air to my lungs has never felt like such a chore.
“Moving day, huh? Coming from the dorms?”
“Yeah. You? I mean, do you live here too?”
“Yeah.” He motions with his head. “You wanna lead the way?”
I’m sweating through my shirt, and I think it has little to do with the blazing sun sitting high in the late afternoon sky.
Walking feels like a major feat as I move toward my new apartment.
It’s a big complex, and all the units look alike.
I scan the numbers on the buildings until I find it and then manage to lead us up the stairs without tripping.
“You live here?” he asks, staring at the only door behind me.
“Umm… yeah.” I double-check the number to be sure.
He shifts the box to one hand and jabs a thumb behind him. “I live just there. We’re neighbors.”
“No way.” My heart flutters.
“I’m Adam, by the way.”
“Reagan.”
He grins. “This is awesome. I’d invite you over to meet the guys, but we’ve got training in thirty minutes.”
“Training?”
“Hockey.”
Also known as my new favorite sport. What I wouldn’t give to see him slam someone into the boards. My sex clenches. Woah. Yeah, okay, maybe that’s me I just pictured being slammed up against a wall by this guy. Any old wall will do.
“We’re having a party at our place tonight. You should come.”
“I wish I could.”
“Hot date?” he asks.
I’ve never regretted having plans more in my entire life.
“Got it. Of course. Makes sense.”
“Another time. You can meet my roommate Dakota, too.”
“Can’t wait.” He hands the box back to me and then reaches around to open the door for me. “Guess I’ll be seeing you.”
He looks over his shoulder once more before he goes into the apartment across from ours.
I let out a long breath, walk inside, and drop the box on the floor.
“Oh, good. I hope that one has toilet paper in it.” Dakota lifts the flaps and rummages around until she pulls out some of our bathroom supplies.
I stare back toward the doorway.
“Reagan? Hello? Are you okay? Did you get too hot? I turned the air conditioning on, but it’s going to take a few minutes to cool down in here. One hundred and ten degrees. Ugh.” She’s going on and on, and I’m still standing staring toward my new hot neighbor’s apartment, a little stunned.
“Rea? Can you shut the door? Otherwise, the AC is kind of pointless.”
“Sorry.” I shake my head.
“Take a seat and cool off. I got it.”
I’m burning from the inside. Holy hell. My heart’s racing and I can’t seem to catch my breath.
“Rea? You’re scaring me.” Dakota steps in front of me and places a hand on either shoulder. “Did something happen?”
I nod.
“Whose ass do I need to kick?” She glances back at the doorway and then to me again.
Opening my mouth, I can’t find words.
She gives my shoulders a shake. “Call the cops or grab my switchblade? What kind of situation are we dealing with?”
Well, that snaps me out of it. “You have a switchblade?”
“Focus.” Another gentle shake.
“I’m fine. Don’t cut anyone and definitely don’t call the cops.” I fan my shirt away from my chest. Sweat trickles down in between my boobs.
“You scared the crap out of me. Did you get too hot or what?”
“No. I met a boy. A very cute one.”
“Already?” She glances toward the still open door, walks to it, and looks out. “No one. I see no one. Hot boys!” She holds her hand up to her mouth and calls. “Where are you?”
“Shh.” I pull her inside and shut the door. “Oh my gosh, quiet. The neighbors will think we’re crazy.”
“I swear, wherever you go, hot boys manifest in front of you. Poof! Hot attracting hot or something.”
“Please, you’re hot too.”
“Yeah, I’m okay. You look like you belong on the freaking cover of a magazine. Even sweaty.” She looks me over. “It’s really not fair.”
“I don’t have your winning personality, though,” I say sarcastically.
“True.” She smiles. “So, tell me about the boy. Hot enough to invite in and christen your new room or just average, hope you’ll bump into him again hot?”
“Neither.”
Her brows scrunch together.
There are no words to describe the man I just talked to. I feel warm all over again just knowing he’s ten feet away. Maybe naked. He said they had training. Is he in there changing?
Dakota snaps. “I need details.”
“Way hotter. Hot like I think I just found the man I’m going to marry.”
Thank you so much for reading Bad Crush.