Chapter 13
Janice looked around Warren’s apartment curiously. It was the first time she’d been in a person other than Sascha’s apartment. Especially a man’s.
It wasn’t as messy or dumpy as she’d been expecting.
She’d been prepared for something like what she’d seen in the movies she’d watched with Sascha.
Sports paraphernalia, baseball mitt and bean bag chairs, mismatching furniture.
She’d even been ready for a stack of dirty porno mags and crusty tube socks with a slew of dirty laundry on the floor.
She saw none of that. Actually, Warren’s apartment was nicer than the house she shared with her brother.
Cleaner too. Like the man took the time to wipe down and dust every surface habitually.
All his furniture matched, the living room a nice ash gray for the couches, the throw pillows and blanket a nice coffee brown.
All the tables were a nice tobacco color and he even had a tidy little bar off to the side, making an island between the kitchen/dining area and the living room.
His TV was huge and his entertainment center built up around it with surround speakers and glass cases, housing what she was pretty sure was a series of entertainment options behind their dark facades.
“Would you like a drink?” He asked uncertainly.
“Sure.” She nodded lightly, turning her attention to him as he walked over to the bar and started pouring himself something out of a fancy crystal bottle with a matching cork.
“What do you want?” He recorked the bottle and replaced it in the empty spot among the assorted bottles on the top of the bar.
“Something fruity?” She asked thoughtfully.
“How strong do you want it?” He took a sip of the amber liquid he’d poured himself.
“Strong enough to forget that horrid dinner,” she grumbled.
“I can take that two ways, young lady.” He shook his head lightly and took another sip of his drink. “You’ll need to be more specific than that.”
Janice laughed, delighted that he thought she was young. “I haven’t been a young lady for ten years, young man.” He was obviously younger than her. She grinned at him. “I thank you for the compliment though.”
He smiled lightly at her. She could see in his eyes he had more to say, but he held his tongue. “I’ll still need you to be more specific.” He said gently. “Do you want to get shitfaced on one drink or do you want it over several drinks and a movie?”
She thought for a moment. It was a serious question. She’d still have to go to work in the morning and a Monday morning with a hangover wouldn’t be preferable. But she also wanted a good couple hours sleep where she wouldn’t remember what Ansell’s stupid face looked like.
Honestly, she was tired of seeing it. During the day, he’d stroll into her job looking for Sascha to give her these huge bags of food.
And at night, she’d dream about him. They would always sit on opposite sides of various rooms with different scenarios playing in the world around them.
Always dressed for the occasion. And he’d always be taking up as much space as possible with his legs, while slouching in his chair, arms folded coldly across his chest and expression bitter as he stared across the room at her.
As though she were at fault for his presence there.
. . It wasn’t like she wanted to dream of the ass hole either.
She would always doze off thinking about Warren.
About how much she liked him and how she could see them getting old together and adopting kids.
. . Imagining what it would be like if she could be with him and finally lead something of a normal life. . .
She supposed that’s why the Ansell in her dreams was so bitter as well. Because for some reason her brain couldn’t push him out, so her mind’s way of dealing with it was to remind her that the man hated her and that they’d never be close enough to even try to be friends.
Tonight, Janice really didn’t want to see the man’s face.
She hoped that a night in Warren’s arms would do the trick.
. . but something nagged at her in the back of her mind.
If she always dreamt of the man recently, would Warren’s body really be enough to stop her from seeing the other man in her dreams tonight?
A memory of the black darkness that had followed her first night with Warren and this past Friday where she’d gotten so drunk at home she’d blacked out surfaced temptingly to her mind.
Those were the only two times Janice hadn’t dreamt about Ansell since she’d met the asshole in the cafe with Sascha.
She wasn’t sure how to recreate the first time, but she knew what she’d done on Friday.
Sighing heavily, she decided. “Give me two of the strongest things you can make. When it kicks in, just give me water.”
Warren shifted, watching her doubtfully. “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”
She answered him honestly. “I don’t want to dream tonight and I’m a lightweight. If I drink water, I should be saved from a hangover, but I want to sleep in your arms tonight.”
Warren watched her solemnly for a long time. Then he sighed heavily, shot back his amber liquid and got to work rummaging through his collection of glass bottles. “I just hope your brother won’t have my head for this.”
“He’s going to love you when he meets you.” She said optimistically, knowing she was lying to them both. But she really wanted to believe it.
Warren scoffed. “Do you want to watch a movie while you wait for this to kick in?” He began pouring various liquids onto ice in a shaker. “I’ve got a couple of those streaming sites on the TV.”
Janice shook her head. “No. I want to have sex with you.”
Warren froze in the middle of uncorking a bottle. His eyes finding her slowly, a look something between distress and concern crossing his face. “Janice. . . What exactly do you want from me tonight?”
She swallowed, taking a deep breath and settling into her resolve.
“I just want to be normal. . . For one night.” She said solemnly.
“No weird, creepy dreams, no feeling like a freak, and no waking nightmares.” She glanced over at him to find him staring at her uncertainly.
“I just want to be a girl who is lucky enough to have sex with her boyfriend,” she finished hesitantly.
She was really taking a big leap here with the whole boyfriend bit. Not once had they talked about anything beyond their casually meeting up, hanging out and having mind blowing sex. She honestly had been afraid to bring it up and depending on his reaction, she might never bring it up again—
Warren was moving before she’d even closed her mouth fully, letting the word tumble into the air.
And then he was pulling her against and almost over the back of his couch.
He growled once, “I’ve been waiting for you to ask all week.
” Then his mouth crashed into hers like a tidal wave, devouring all her distress and uncertainty, all the memories of what had happened earlier that evening.
There was just him. Just Warren. The broad smile that pressed against her mouth as he broke the kiss ignited the desire that had been simmering for him to a strong flame.
“Are you sure you still want those drinks?” He growled hungrily.
She nodded slightly, chest heaving against his as she breathed him in. He smelled like desire, like lust. His scent wrapping around her, tempted her with memories of what his talented body could do for her. . . To her.
She shifted her legs together uncomfortably, suddenly able to forget the persistent stinging in her back side.
“Give me a second.” He let her go, turning abruptly to stalk back over to the bar where he quickly finished making her drink and poured it into a large, tall glass, forgoing the two smaller glasses he’d set out originally.
Then he was bringing the huge glass over to her.
“Here. Drink it and I’ll go set some water by the bed for you. ”
Janice took the glass. “Why?” She frowned up at him, but took a sip. It was delicious. Strong, but it tasted distinctly of blueberries.
He leaned down, taking her chin between his fingers and pressing a quick kiss to her mouth. His smell enveloped her in his closeness, teasing her. “Because you won’t be leaving my bed until it’s time for me to drop you off with your brother.”
Janice tried not to react, but knew she was making a weird face that broadcast her embarrassment. She could feel the heat filling her cheeks as she set her jaw, trying not to clench it. But she could feel how wide her eyes had gone at his statement.
“We have ten hours and you’ll need to get some sleep at some point tonight.
” He leaned down close to her shoulder, taking a deep drag of her scent, the action sending tingles running through her body, before he whispered greedily in her ear.
“I suggest you finish that quickly. Because you won’t be coming back for it.
” Then he was walking away into his kitchen.
Janice turned her attention to the large glass she held and swallowed hard as a thrill went through her.
She didn’t know why, but she was starting to find the man smelling her more and more arousing.
It was almost like he could smell the arousal seeping from her and the idea excited her more than she thought it should.
Taking a deep breath, Janice huffed a determined sigh before she began to chug the drink he’d given her.
It was hard. The more she had in her mouth and throat, the harder it was to ignore the alcohol taste and smell that undercut the blueberries.
And then there was the burn. It was like sticking her nose in a vat of blueberry scented isopropyl alcohol.
She was relieved when she finally finished the drink, allowing the strong shudder she’d been suppressing to finally run through her.
She didn’t drink often because she wasn’t fond of the taste.