Cole caught up and placed himself in front of her, jogging backwards. “Seriously, what do you have against me? What have I done to piss you off? You don’t say more than two words to me, so I know it’s not something I’ve said. I’m just trying to be your friend.”
Tori came to an abrupt stop, and stared at him. Her eyes narrowed and everything she had been thinking about him welled up and before she could stop it, the words exploded from her mouth.
“My friend? Do I look like a fucking idiot? That’s insulting in itself! You’ve been trying to get into my pants since day one. Let’s not pretend like you’re into me for my mind. You don’t know anything about me!”
“Yeah, you got that right.” The stone look on Cole’s face couldn’t mask the pain in his glazed over eyes. He turned and headed back in the opposite direction without a second look.
Tori closed her eyes and inhaled, letting out a long breath. She couldn’t believe she had been so spiteful and rude. She had to admit that he was right. He had never done anything wrong to her. Yet, she couldn’t bring herself to let her guard down. She didn’t have it in her to deal with a relationship. It wasn’t worth the inevitable pain waiting at the end. All good things come to an end eventually.
Cole
Whoever fucked over that girl did a damn good job. She was a fucking head case.
He threw his sweaty t-shirt in the laundry basket. He looked for something to eat and slammed the cabinet door when he found it empty.
“Dude, who pissed in your Cheerios?” Jellybean shuffled into the living room still half asleep from rolling in two hours earlier.
“That would have to mean we had some fucking Cheerios in the house!” Cole tripped over a duffle bag on the floor by the couch, and kicked it across the room, knocking over a CD tower.
“Shit, man! What the fuck?” Jellybean’s eyes widened. He stared at Cole and broadened his stance.
Cole looked at his friend. His shoulders sagged and he started cleaning up the mess. “Shit, sorry. Just had a fucked up morning.”
Jellybean clutched Cole’s shoulder before kneeling down to help clean up the CD cases. “No worries, man. Let me guess, something to do with the uptight chick next door?”
The two men had been friends since they were zipping up and down the sidewalks on Big Wheels. They eventually moved on to skateboards, and then motorcycles. After both got jobs a couple of years ago at Teasers, they decided to share an apartment to help save on living costs and put some change back. Of course, Jellybean spent more than he saved, but it all worked out. He was gone a lot and Cole has some space to himself. They respected one another and always had each other’s backs. They were like brothers.
He huffed in response to Jellybean’s assumption. “Man, that chick has seriously mind fucked me! It’s like I’ve got the fucking plague or something.”
“I guess the question is why do you even care? You have tail thrown at you day and night. Why does she get under your skin so fucking bad?”
Cole hung his head. He had asked himself the same question a thousand times. “I don’t know. I can’t figure it out. I can’t figure her out. I like the way she carries herself. She’s not like all the other fake girls around here. She’s smart and independent. Not to mention, fucking gorgeous.”
Jellybean smirked. “Sounds like you’ve thought about it some.”
“Yeah, maybe a little.”
“Alright, dude. Quit beating up the poor, innocent duffle bag and get your head on straight. I’m going back to bed. It’s too early for this shit.”
Cole thought about what his friend asked. Why her? He was right; there were women everywhere he turned in Los Angeles. He worked as an exotic dancer. His days were filled with strip-o-grams, lap dances and private parties. But to him, it was just a job. He didn’t go to work looking for someone to fall in love with, and since meeting Tori, he hardly thought of anyone else.
His friends set him up on a few dates. And it’s not like he was a damn monk. He never had any trouble getting laid. That wasn’t the problem. He wanted more.
He wanted her.
Chapter 4
Tori
Tori spent her morning running errands for her boss, Kel. Every day held something different in this line of work. She was still working her way up the ladder, but after a year, Kel was finally giving her more responsibility.
Today she was picking up fabrics and materials for an upcoming show. Tori was excited because she would finally be the point person behind the scenes.
She had a salad waiting for her when she got back to the office. It was nice not having to be the one grabbing lunch for Kel and the assistants. She tried to remember that when the new runner, Abigal, got on her nerves. The girl was meek and looked like a drowned rat. She didn’t know what potential Kel saw in Abigail, but she didn’t dare question her decision.
Tori plopped down into her chair. She had been restless ever since her run with Cole.
“Problems, sunshine?” Sally was Kel’s right hand. She had been working for the design firm for years, and thankfully, had decided to take Tori under her wing.
“Don’t ask.”
“Too late,” she said and rested against the desk.
Tori filled her in on the excruciating details and was surprised to see all the color drain from her usually poised friend’s face. “Wow, you look like you’re gonna throw up or something. I didn’t know you would be so affected by my dismal personal life.”
“Hon, it’s not that,” Sally replied.
“It’s not what?” Katie Bell rounded the corner at the tail end of her girlfriend’s words. She was head of Kel Reynold’s marketing department. She leaned against her partner’s leg.
“Tori had a run in with the guy from her apartment building this morning. You know, the hunk from next door.” Sally raised her eyebrows.
“Oh, really? How’d that go?” Katie Bell asked in Tori’s direction, who was now watching her two friends act as if they were hiding the key to Fort Knox.
Sally’s eyes grew wide. “Well, turned out she reamed the poor boy and sent him packing with his tail tucked between his legs.”
Katie Bell swallowed hard and tightened her lips.
Tori threw her hands in the air. “Ok, what the hell’s going on? You two are up to something!”
“We kind of gave him a hint. We told him what time you go jogging and it might play in his favor to tag along.”
“You, what?” She shot up out of her chair, glaring at her two doe eyed friends.
Katie Bell looked as if she wanted to run and hide, leaving Sally to explain. “Come on, hon. He looked so pathetic. Anyone can see the guy has a giant crush on you. He’s always hanging around, asking if he can help carry stuff. It wouldn’t kill you to have a damn cup of coffee with the poor soul.”
“You two had no right to interfere.”
“You’re right. We didn’t, but we love you. It’s not like we told him what you keep hidden in your bedside table. Shit, we just gave him a little nudge, not like it did him any good.” Sally cried out as her girlfriend elbowed her in the ribs. “Fine, maybe we crossed the line, but the guy looked pitiful. He’s carrying a pretty serious torch for you, and we just want to see you happy. Come on, don’t be mad.”
Both women started batting their eyelashes until Tori gave in and smiled.
Katie Bell pulled her into a group hug making her giggle.
“Ahem”
The three of them quickly turned to find their boss standing in the doorway.
“This looks like it could be entertaining, but I don’t pay you the big bucks to entertain. Back to work, shall we?” A smile tugged at the corners of Kel’s lips. She was a great boss, professional, but still one of the girls. She cared about her team and always took the time to check in on how things were going.
She winked at Tori, leading her to believe Kel had been listening in and was actually coming to her rescue.
Katie Bell and Sally quickly made themselves s
carce and Tori shot Kel a thankful smile. She couldn’t stay mad at her friends, but she didn’t want to talk about Cole either. They didn’t understand. They didn’t know about the slut in his apartment last night, or how all of the dancers from Teasers slept around every chance they got, and they got plenty.
Tori was relieved when five o’clock rolled around. She had a glass of wine with her name on it. Her stomach knotted as the image of Cole’s distorted face flashed in her mind. She tried to forget the way her heart thumped against her chest when she thought about him. She tried to forget the way her body sprang to life as she imagined his lips on her skin.
It was going to be another long night.
Cole
Work was going to be a real bitch. Cole didn’t usually mind working on a weeknight, but he just wasn’t feeling it today. It was difficult to perform when your head wasn’t in the game. He spent the afternoon working out and studying for an upcoming exam. It took all he had not to throw on a sports channel and drain a bottle of Fireball.
He grabbed his duffle bag and locked the door behind him. He had been wondering all day what would happen when he ran into Tori again. It looked like the wondering was over as he watched her enter the courtyard. Her arms were full of bags and what appeared to be endless rolls of fabric.
Cole’s insides knotted and his heart raced at the mere sight of her. She was breathtaking, even with her long hair piled high on top of her head. She looked as if they had shared the same kind of shitty day.
He tried not to look as she dug into her bag, fumbling around, not even noticing he was there. But he thought it might be worse if she caught him gawking. Whatever this girl was doing to him was really fucking with his head.
“Ahem” He cleared his throat to get her attention. “Need some help?”
She snapped her head upright, her eyes round. She shook her head and continued digging in her bag while attempting to readjust the packages in her arms.
“You sure? No strings attached.”
She sighed and looked at him. “No, thanks. I can manage.” She started up the stairs, still fighting with the oversize load. His gazed followed the movement of her body with every step.
That’s why he saw it coming before she did.
Cole darted in her direction and raced up the stairway; lunging for her as her body spiraled backwards. He caught her just before her head made impact with the concrete rung. He cradled her in his arms and could feel her heartbeat thumping throughout her body.
“Are you ok?” He asked, peering down into her ashen face. Her huge green eyes full of fear and confusion.
“I don’t know. My leg hurts.”
Cole swooped her up into his arms and carried her up to the walkway. “Keys?” He followed her eyes as they moved to the mess on the stairs. He gently sat her down against the wall and quickly retrieved his own gym bag and all of her spilled contents, clutching the key ring in his hand.
Tori winced as she tried to get up.
“No, hold on,” Cole said as he slipped the key into the lock. He set her belongings on a small table by the door before turning around and moving into to pick her up again.
“Seriously, I can get up. This is unnecessary.” He lifted her in the air as if she were weightless, embracing her close to his hard chest. He placed her on the couch, propping her feet up with the fancy couch pillows.
He slipped off her shoes and surveyed her foot. The ankle was already swollen and showing signs of a nasty bruise.
“You’re going to have to stay off that leg. You may need to go have it checked out.” He opened her freezer and cracked the ice trays. “Bags?”
“Um, the bottom drawer.”
Cole made an ice pack and positioned it on her ankle. “How’s that?”
With an absent expression on her face, she followed him with her eyes, and simply nodded.
“Good.” He checked his watch, realizing he had already missed the beginning of rehearsal. “I have to get to work. You need to stay off your feet. Do you need anything before I go?”
She shook her head slowly.
“I’m gonna stop back in after work to check on you. It’ll be pretty late, but I just want to make sure it’s not broken or anything.” Cole grabbed his bag.
“You don’t have to do that, really. I’ll be fine.” She smiled, causing his heart to skip a beat. It was the first time he saw the way her lips curled at the corners, making the roundness of her cheeks a soft, pink tint. Her eyes were warm, almost sparkling when she wasn’t frowning or angry.
“I’m not taking no for an answer. I live next door, it’s not like I’m going out of my way. Leave the door unlocked so you don’t have to get up.” His heart hammered against his chest. He wanted to touch her, to sweep the hair back from her face. To kiss her rosy lips.
“Here,” she snatched the keys from the coffee table and tossed them in his direction. “Just take these and lock the door behind you.”
Cole tried to hide his shock, but he stared at her before looking at the keys. “You sure?”
Her face fell and her eyes grew serious. She nodded, making every hair on his body stand on end.
Chapter 5
Tori
The door closed, and Tori heard the lock click as Cole turned the key. Her pulse had yet to steady since the moment his skin touched hers. The fall was nothing compared to adrenaline from being so close to him. Close enough to smell the masculine scent of his aftershave. His skin was softer than she had imagined; smooth and radiating heat.
His massive arms hugged her body to his chest. She felt the change in his heartbeat. The way he looked at her made her stomach flutter. When she fell, Cole sprang into action without a second thought. Tori had been alone for so long now, she couldn’t even recognize what it looked like to have someone take care of her.
Her head told her to protest when he mentioned coming back to check on her, especially after he had been at work with women pawing on him all night. However, something in her shifted, embarrassed by the fact that she had behaved like a shy schoolgirl. The way his fingertips lifted her throbbing ankle with ease sent goosebumps across her flesh.
Lost in thought, Tori jumped when her phone rang. Unfortunately, it was still in her bag by the front door.
Shit!
Pushing herself up off the couch, she managed to hop across the room. She checked the caller ID and decided she didn’t have the energy to talk to her mother at the moment. Since she was already up, Tori hobbled to the kitchen and opened the bottle of wine that she had designated for another night alone.
Pain radiated from her ankle up her leg. She popped some Tylenol and hopped to the bathroom. The thought of Cole seeing her in the same disheveled work clothes and rat’s nest of a bun made her push through the pain and take a quick shower. By the time she toweled off and threw on a pair of running shorts, her foot was starting to resemble an eggplant, round and purple.
She poured another glass of wine and placed the bottle on the coffee table. She knew she shouldn’t drink so much. She knew all too well the way it turned her into someone she hated, someone she spent years running away from.
Dragging her bag across the room, she decided to do some work to keep her mind off Cole. She was checking the time on her phone every two minutes and it was driving her insane. She wanted to slap herself when she realized she had been fussing with her hair. What the hell was happening?
Tori had finished the first bottle and started on the second by the time she began to get drowsy. She had managed to finish up the sketches she had brought home from work, although they would need to have a sober touch up in the morning. She channel surfed for a minute before landing on a late night rerun of Magic Mike on HBO. She giggled and tossed the remote on the table.
The wine was messing with her head. She had never watched the movie, but couldn’t seem to bring herself to flip the channel. Some of the acting was mediocre, but the dancing made up for it. The bodies moving on the screen to the club music captivated he
r, leaving her to wonder if it was anything like Teasers.
For the first time, Tori thought about Cole outside of being an exotic dancer. Did he have goals? A family? What was his past like? Of course, those thoughts were short lived as she allowed her mind to drift back to thinking about how he moved on stage.
Cole
With shaking hands, Cole slipped the key into the lock. His entire night had been excruciatingly slow. All he could think about was the fact that he had the key to Tori’s apartment in his locker. He couldn’t focus on anything but finishing his shift so he could rush back and see her.
She took one hell of a nasty fall. He knew she was going to be in pain, and he wanted to do whatever possible to make it easier on her. She didn’t have anyone else around to help. She had a few friends, but now that he thought about it, he didn’t know anything about her family.
The room was dark, with the exception of a small table lamp. He noticed papers and fabrics all over the coffee table, along with the two empty bottles of wine. Tori was sleeping, one hand thrown over the top of her head and the other resting on her tiny abdomen, clutching her cell phone.
He watched the rise and fall of her chest. The small part in her lips made him stir. She was wearing tiny running shorts and a snug tank top. ARMY tank top. Suddenly, the thought that she might have a boyfriend made him stop in his tracks. If he was in the military, that might explain why he had never seen him around.
He scanned the room. There was no sign of a boyfriend, no photos or romantic mementos. Actually, now that he was able to take a look, it resembled a sewing room. There was a sewing machine, long tables, and clothing racks. Clearly, she was passionate about what she did.
He lifted the shade on the lamp to get a better look at Tori’s ankle, trying not to wake her. The bruising appeared deep, but it didn’t look broken. He slipped a blanket off the back of the couch and lightly draped it over her body.
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