The Keys to Jericho

by Ren Alexander

  “Are you fucking kidding me? You were in that house when it was on fire?” Shit. He’s mad about this? Maybe I should’ve said I’m in love with him instead.

  “Yes, but I didn’t smell anything and I wasn’t there long.”

  “Jesus Christ! You could’ve been killed!”

  “I was closer to death after my accident.” Jared rubs a hand over his face and sighs. I say, “I want to tell my mom, but I feel Pete should. I’ve already caused her enough grief by killing her mother.”

  “That was not your fault!”

  I glower at the passenger seat. “Still. I can’t give her more horrible news like that. Maybe it is my fault since I didn’t call her about Pete.”

  “No, Kat. Don’t do that. He’s responsible. He was there, doing shit when he shouldn’t have been.”

  “I’ve been pushing Pete to tell her, but he said she’s had enough shit to deal with in her life, and he doesn’t want to cause her more. So, I’m torn.”

  “Jesus.”

  I look over at him, seeing the anxiety building on his face. “I’m telling you this because it’s only fair, since you just spilled your guts. I want you to trust me. I won’t say a word. It’s up to you if you ever do.” Jared sorrowfully smiles and I say, “Just know that I… don’t think less of you. In fact, I feel closer to you.”

  “Me, too, Kit Kat.”

  Before returning to the front seat, I lean over, putting my arms around Jared, hugging him, and I feel his sigh blowing into my hair. He says, “We’ll leave for Philly Saturday morning. Sound good to you?”

  I nod, wondering how I’m going to feel being in Jared’s apartment for the first and last time.

  As I take the kitchen tiles out of the box to inspect them for broken pieces, Dash stops at the table. “Hey, Merrick. Have you seen Jericho?”

  Looking up from the glossy, white tile, I say, “No. Why?”

  “I haven’t seen him and he hasn’t texted. I thought you would know where he is.”

  Setting down the tile, I pull out my phone to check the screen, but no missed calls or texts. “He didn’t say anything last night about not being here.”

  He laughs as I return my phone to my pocket. “Last night? Whoa. What did I miss?” Shit.

  I shake my head and move to the next piece. “We ate dinner and went over driving test questions.” These lies are making my head hurt, but it’s not something I’d share with Dash anyway.

  Dash frowns when I glance at him. “Are you for real? That’s pretty lame.”

  “It was informative.” Very.

  “You didn’t discuss…you know…with him?”

  I sigh. “No…”

  “Kat, come on!”

  “It wasn’t the right time or place.”

  Dash looks around us before asking, “Are you going to Philadelphia with…us?”

  I smile. “Yes.”

  “Perfect time.”

  “No, because if he doesn’t like it, then I’m stuck there. I can’t escape.”

  “True, but that won’t happen. You should do it soon. He’ll be leaving Annapolis in a few weeks. You’re just going to keep putting it off.”

  “So? He’ll leave, but he’ll also keep coming back. Torturing me.”

  “No. I think it’ll change things for him.”

  “Like what? I wouldn’t want him to quit his job to stay here. So, don’t you see? No good can come out of this.”

  He huffs a heavy sigh as he crosses his arms, watching me inspect a tile. “Jesus, Kat.”

  “Enough.” I take my turn to heavily sigh. “After this, Tony actually wants me to oil door hinges. How insulting.”

  “Tell him you want another job.”

  “Grout and tile work. Get real.”

  “Okay... Go oil those hinges with pride then.”

  I roll my eyes and finish looking over the last tile, before heading upstairs with a can of WD-40 and some paper towels. Starting in the bathroom that Jared and I nearly christened, I pull open the closet door, and take the cap off the can, but the closet door suddenly slams shut. Peering up, Jared grins at me.

  Putting my hand over my chest, I laugh. “Hey. Dash was looking for you.”

  “Yeah. I know. He found me.”

  “Where’ve you been? Everything okay?”

  Jared’s greenish eyes shine. “Forgot to set my alarm. I was worn out for some reason.” His smile is still sleepy, and so sexy.

  Looking past him for witnesses, but seeing none, I set down the can and move closer to him, smiling. “Really? You’ve been rather busy lately.”

  We don’t touch, but his eyes fall to my lips. “No complaints here. In fact, I’d like even more work to do.”

  “I’m sure that can be arranged.”

  “I hope so. It’s a rewarding job.”

  “Is it? I heard it’s complicated.”

  “No. You just have to know how to push the right buttons.”

  “Oh. So anyone can do your job?”

  “Nobody does my job. Only me.”

  Peering over his shoulder, I push up the bill of his hat, and then put my hands on his chest, whispering, “Kiss me, damn it.”

  Jared obligingly angles his head, meeting me for a quick kiss. Or so I thought.

  He disapprovingly whispers, “You call that a kiss?”

  I give him another kiss, but this one, I don’t want to end, and apparently, neither does he. When I grip his T-shirt, he pulls me closer, and we stupidly lose ourselves on a whim.

  “The vent fan in this bathroom isn’t—”

  “Holy shit.”

  “Well, I’ll be damned.”

  Jared and I jump away from each other, but it’s too late. We stare at Dash, Tony, and…Adam.

  Adam’s face is a combination of confusion and…glee? “What’s going on?”

  Folding in my guilty lips, I point to the side and reply, “I was oiling a door.”

  Dash laughs, and Tony actually joins him. Jerks.

  Jared tugs down his hat and clears his throat. He asks his dad, “Why aren’t you at work?”

  Adam answers with, “Since when are you and Kat dating?”

  Jared crosses his arms and looks toward the ceiling above their heads. “We’re not.” Still hurts.

  Dash says, “Yeah. That looked like not dating.” I narrow my eyes at Dash, and Jared steals the words out of my mouth.

  “Shut up, Calder.”

  Dash counters, “Stop hiding it already then.”

  Adam looks from Jared, to Dash, and then back to both of us, appearing more confused. “What? You’ve been hiding that you’re a couple?”

  Putting his hands on his hips, Jared says, “Don’t worry about what we are. Now if you could let us out of here, I need to take Kat driving.”

  Dash laughs, but the glare Jared gives him, shuts him down immediately. My brother just watches, thoroughly entertained.

  Adam doesn’t move out of the way. “Jared, what’s really going on?”

  “If I wanted to tell you more, I would.”

  Dash melodramatically sighs, shaking his head. “This will make Philadelphia awkward.”

  Jared chooses not to answer him, instead, grabbing my wrist and plowing us through the small ambush.

  We don’t talk until we’re in the Nissan. When I shut my door, he says, “Goddamn it. I’m sorry about that.”

  I remorsefully shake my head. “It was my fault.”

  “No. It was my fault. I should’ve stopped, but…” He sighs and looks out the window to the house, shaking his head.

  “When the word spreads, everyone is going to assume that we’re dating, so I suppose we don’t have to pretend Dash is going with us now.”

  “Fuck it. We’re adults. Jesus Christ. Again, we shouldn’t care what everyone thinks. Even our parents.”

  I smile. “Really?”

  “Really, Kat. It’s too much shit to deal with.”

  “Oh. So, you want us to stop?”

  “Fuck, no. I told you.
I’m obsessed.”

  My smile is instant. “I am, too.”

  Jared licks his bottom lip and tilts his head. “So, you still want to go to Philly with me then?”

  I nod, even though it’s going to be hard to be there. “Your apartment probably needs a woman’s touch.”

  Jared smiles and says, “Not just any.” His eyes light up and he whispers, “Fuck. I can’t wait to have you all to myself this weekend.” He leans over and kisses me in the open, not that we just didn’t, but it’s still shocking.

  I keep the kiss short this time. “We have work to do, though.”

  His gaze drops to my chest, rebounds to my lips, and then to my eyes. “Only in my bed, the shower, the couch, the balcony... Wherever else we fucking feel like it.”

  “We don’t have that much time. Balcony? Holy hell.”

  “Yep. We’ll find the time, Kit Kat.” I giggle and start the car. Leaning away, Jared says, “After your driving, we’ll come back here and I’ll head to my dad’s so I can pack.”

  “I need to pack, too, so I’ll just drive to my apartment first.”

  His smile fades and he says, “Okay. Both hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.”

  Ugh. Playtime is over.

  Since traffic is somewhat light, and because Jared brought the Nissan to torment me, he has me drive on the interstate for most of the two-hour drive; however, when we get close to the city, we switch places, which is a good thing because light traffic doesn’t exist in Philadelphia.

  The city is so much everything, just as I had feared, but Jared seems to take it in stride, even occasionally kissing my hand that he holds during his turn at the wheel. His driving the Nissan definitely has its perks.

  Walking through the lobby, we pass the common area that boasts a huge TV hanging on the far-end wall, many comfortable-looking couches, tables and chairs, and a kitchenette. We also see the gym on our way to the concierge desk.

  While Jared registers the Nissan with his building for parking, one of the women behind the desk compliments the purple in my hair.

  I smile. “Thank you.”

  She says, “I wish I were brave enough to do that.”

  Jared looks up from his paperwork, and kisses the side of my head, saying, “She is brave. Gorgeous, too.” He thinks I’m gorgeous?

  “So, sweet!” the woman coos.

  I beam at Jared, but since he’s looking down as he writes, he doesn’t see my reaction. God. I want to hurry this along so we can go up to his apartment already.

  She asks, “Are you two married?”

  I answer before he can, “No.” It seems to hurt less that way, when I don’t have to hear him say it.

  “Well, don’t let this one get away!”

  I smile, but don’t comment that I’m trying not to, because he’s already gone. I only have him on loan for a short time.

  Once he’s finished, we return to the car, so he can move it to the parking garage. Jared opens the trunk, seeing the large plastic bag I stuffed into it, and asks, “What’s that?”

  “It’s mine.”

  He rolls his eyes with an impatient nod. “Well, what is it?”

  I grab the bag and frown at him. “I’ll show you when we get upstairs.”

  Jared fights a smile, as he keeps up his tough act. “Should I be scared?”

  I raise an eyebrow. “Absolutely.”

  We make our way to the elevator, where we’re alone. Twice, I catch him trying to look into the bag. Swinging it out of his way, I laugh. “You can’t stand it, can you?”

  He turns to me, putting his hands on his hips. “Nope. It could be a grenade.”

  So, I do the same thing. “It’s a rocket launcher.”

  “Of course it is.”

  “You might not even like it.”

  “Why does it matter if I like it?” Shit.

  “No reason.”

  “You got me a gift when I told you not to, didn’t you?”

  “Uh…”

  He sighs. “You didn’t even hear a damn word I said.”

  “Nope,” I say, mocking his reply.

  Taunting him with a grin, he swoops down for a kiss. His hands go to my waist, pulling me to him, and I hold onto his shoulders, not wanting him to let me go. Ever.

  When the elevator dings, we end our kiss and gather our luggage. The walk isn’t far, and when he unlocks 1509, he pushes open the door, ushering me into the room.

  Looking around, I say, “Wow, Jared. This is nice.” It is a decent apartment, but when I see the large windows along the back end, I gasp, “That view is fantastic!”

  “Just wait until you see it at night. The windows are the same in the bedroom. You can go out on the balcony, too.” He walks past me and unlocks the balcony door, and I go out to the glass and metal railing, leaning onto it, as I peer around us. There is a balcony above us, so it creates a roof overhead.

  From behind me, Jared’s arms go around me to hold onto the railing, alongside my hands. He says, “There’s an outdoor pool on the other side of the building, next to a small park. Each of their buildings is similar.” I nod as I take everything in, and he asks, “What do you think?”

  “It’s breathtaking.”

  He bends to kiss my neck, and I notice he took off his hat. “That describes you, Kit Kat. I meant about the apartment.” Wow.

  Astounded, I watch the traffic from the nearby highway, as his slow kisses move down to my collarbone. His lips drag heavily over my skin, and I close my eyes, wanting him to kiss me like that everywhere.

  Swallowing, I ask, “Why should it matter what I think? You’re the one who has to live here.”

  “Because it does matter to me.”

  “It shouldn’t. I probably won’t be here again.”

  His kisses immediately halt. “Why not?”

  “Jared. Let’s be realistic. Once we go back to work, our time together is over. We’ve talked about this.”

  His lips move against my skin. “Kat…”

  “What? I’m not stating a fact that you don’t already know.”

  “That’s somewhat negotiable.”

  I turn around to face him, and see his hair is tousled, making me want to rough it up some more. “What does that mean? You said you don’t want a long-distance relationship, let alone a relationship to begin with. I’m not going to play some kind of game with you, where you go back and forth, not knowing what you want in your future or with me.”

  His frown is instantaneous and he throws out his hands. “So, you’re willing to run off and marry some random fucker just so you can get pregnant?”

  “No. It’ll take some time for me to find someone I want to settle down with and marry. I want to share my life with someone I love. It’s not all about getting pregnant. Damn. I’m not some desperate old maid!” Just desperate for Jared to love me, and for him to want us to have a future together.

  He crosses his arms and sighs. “I didn’t say you were.”

  I lean my back against the railing, and the breeze whips at my loose hair. “You do know that since you don’t use a condom, you run the chance of knocking me up, right? Birth control is not 100 percent.”

  Jared rolls his eyes. “Kat, stop.” It infuriates me that he doesn’t take this seriously.

  “We should probably use condoms. Just like you normally do with random women.”

  He scornfully says, “Yeah. Maybe. Or we should just stop fucking altogether, since you plan on doing that soon anyway.”

  “Fine. I just hope you’re not mad if someday I send you a picture of a kid who looks like you.”

  His eyes suddenly amplify and he yells, “I’d want to know sooner than someday! Jesus Christ! I’d want to know the minute you found out!” Not the reaction I had expected, which is a good thing, but I’m still thrown.

  I stare at Jared in incredulity as he glares back at me, before looking out to the area around the building. I hear his angry breaths and feel remorseful for agitating him. However, it needed to
be said.

  Feeling frustrated, even though I just got here, I sigh. “I’ll start working in the kitchen so you have that done before you start work.”

  Not waiting for him to answer, I go into the apartment and stay in the kitchen, unpacking the boxes, while I notice he takes the living room and his bedroom.

  After a while of getting caught up in Jared’s paltry kitchenware, I devise ways for him to make his morning routine easier, as well as his everyday tasks. I also grab a pen and paper from my purse to make a list of things he needs.

  Before I know it, we’ve spent hours away from each other in the same apartment, lost in our duties, without taking breaks to even eat. Only bathroom breaks and then back to it.

  As I reach up to put a box into the cabinet above the stove, his hand reaches higher, pushing it for me. “Thanks,” I mumble.

  “It looks great in here, so thank you.”

  Not turning to look at him, I stack the empty boxes and say, “I want your kitchen to be ready for your morning routine and then your evenings after work. I’ll show you where I put everything and why, but you can move it all if you want. At least they’ll be unpacked.”

  “I think you did a hell of a job. I’ll leave it the way it is.” He sighs and says, “I should’ve made reservations earlier for dinner somewhere. It’s too late now for a Saturday.”

  “That’s okay. You have spaghetti, and cans of soup. No big deal.”

  “I wanted to take you out for dinner while you’re here.”

  I finally look at him with a weak smile. “Not a big deal. We got a lot done. You’ll have to go grocery shopping when you finally move in here. I also made a list of kitchen supplies you need.”

  “Wow. Thanks.”

  I nod and say, “I’ll make us some spaghetti.”

  “I can help.”

  “It’s spaghetti, not designing a building’s skeleton.” I limply smile, but his smile is even frailer before he leaves the kitchen.