by Low, JA
“We’re friends, aren’t we?” Chloe asks.
“Yeah. I’d like to think so.”
“Good. I know this might sound weird after what just happened earlier.”
“When I gave you the best kiss of your life.”
She rolls her eyes at me. “Okaaay,” she emphasizes the word. “But, I kind of don’t want to mess up this friendship that’s developing,” she confesses.
“Me either.” I nod, agreeing.
“So, just friends?” She holds out her hand.
“Yep. Just friends.” Taking it, I give it a firm shake, even though I can feel an electric undercurrent between us. I push that aside for the sake of our friendship.
“Okay. Let’s be neighbors.”
“Welcome to the neighborhood, Chloe.”
11
Chloe
“Are you fucking serious right now?” Emma stares at the beautiful brownstone. “And you seriously didn’t suck dick for this.”
“Emma,” EJ shouts at her.
“Hush it, EJ. I’m sure you’ve had your dick sucked more than Chloe has sucked dick.” That shuts my brother up but also gets us dirty looks from the people in the street.
“Would you two stop talking about dicks on the street? I don’t want to get kicked out before I’ve even moved in.”
Emma apologizes and helps by bringing in one of my bags from EJ’s truck.
“This is beautiful, Chloe,” Stella adds as we step inside the foyer which leads into the living room and out to a back terrace.
“Where’s the kitchen? I need to check it out,” EJ adds.
“Downstairs,” I tell him.
We follow EJ downstairs to where the kitchen, dining, and another living room is located, which opens out to a garden area.
“Seriously, Chlo… two garden areas,” Ariana moans. “This garden is the same size as my apartment.”
“The kitchen’s okay,” EJ reports after opening and shutting everything in the kitchen.
“Lucky, there’s lots of restaurants” He’s not amused but my comment.
“I’ll send you food, Chlo. You know it’s the best anyway,” he adds. I ignore his ego.
“We’re going to have so many parties.” Emma claps her hands together in excitement.
“Not too many, remember my landlord’s just next door.”
“A damn, sexy landlord at that.” Emma wiggles her eyebrows, and EJ shoots her a glare that could kill.
“You can’t date my friends,” he adds.
“Firstly, he’s my boss and now my landlord, there will be no dating. And secondly, if I want to date one of your friends, EJ…” I look at him firmly in the eyes and continue, “… I can and will.”
“Hell, yeah.” Emma gives me a high-five while the others snigger.
“Don’t you worry, I’ve already warned all my friends if they touch you, they die.” EJ gives me a smug look.
“You’re such a cockblock, EJ,” Emma tells him.
“Exactly. She’s my little sister.”
“This is all hypothetical. I’m not in the mood to date. Period.” Urgh, my brother is so annoying.
“Good,” EJ tells me, and I flip him off.
“So, which room is yours?” Lenna asks, steering us in another direction.
“Not sure yet. The master is on the top floor, but really, who wants to climb four flights of stairs every night to go to bed.”
“True. But then you won’t have to go to the gym,” Lenna tells me.
“That’s a good point. Come on, let’s have a look.”
The girls follow me up to the bedrooms which are on the top two floors. The brownstone has four bedrooms, which really is three too many, but at least I have space for a ton of sleepovers.
“This is the master,” I tell them as I push open the door.
“I’ve died and gone to room heaven,” Stella states.
The master’s gorgeous. There’s a king-size bed, ensuite bathroom made out of Calcutta marble with an enormous tub, bigger than anything I’ve ever seen, and the most gorgeous walk-in closet. I was fortunate with this home, especially as it’s fully furnished. Noah had it set up for executive leasing, so everything I will need is here, and it’s all top-notch.
“This closet…” Emma runs her hands over the cabinetry. “Seriously, Chloe, I wish I had a boss who looked after me like this.”
“It’s not like that.” But as soon as the words leave my mouth, I can see my friends aren’t convinced.
“What does he want? I mean he can’t be doing it out of the goodness of his heart,” Ariana adds.
“Noah’s not like that.”
“Logan and Noah do a lot for their employees,” Lenna begins to back me up. “But… usually, it’s free holidays,” and then she drops me right in it.
“They’re friends with EJ.” Why am I defending myself? I can see on their faces they still don’t believe me. “He doesn’t want anything. We’ve agreed, friends only.” The room’s still silent. “Noah’s not my type, anyway. I like more rugged men.”
“Knock, knock,” I hear someone say and close my eyes. Seriously, this can’t be happening. “Sorry to interrupt…” Noah walks into the room, “… but I thought I’d pop in and see if everything’s okay.”
“It’s perfect, thank you.”
Did he just hear what I said? Fuck my life, right now.
“Okay, great,” he says awkwardly. “Well, I’ll leave you all to it.” He spins on his heel and walks back out of the room.
“That was awkward,” Emma adds.
“No, shit.” I give her a death glare.
“Maybe he didn’t hear what you said.” Stella tries to make me feel better.
“Maybe it’s for the best,” Ariana adds. “He won’t think you’re after him.”
“Maybe.”
The thing is, Noah is my type in every single way. That kiss we had in Vegas a couple weeks ago, I haven’t been able to get it out of my mind. I catch myself staring at him when he walks into the office after his morning run before heading to his executive bathroom. I’ve turned into one of the office groupies, swooning over my boss.
Maybe it’s for the best that he thinks he’s not my type.
And that there’s no chance a kiss can happen between us again.
* * *
I’ve been in my new place for a week now, and I love it. Having my own space has been great. I’ve set up one of the bedrooms downstairs as an office, so I can work from home or after work on separate projects. I’ve even used the kitchen a couple of times to make dinner, nothing fancy just some stir fry, but I did it.
It’s Friday night, and I’m curled up on my couch watching Netflix. I want to chill by myself this weekend. Explore my neighborhood. Find a farmer’s market. Maybe some retail therapy at the luxury boutiques which surround my home.
What I could use right at this moment is some ice cream, but I’m so comfy on my sofa I don’t want to move. I muddle over this decision, but the need for ice cream wins in the end, so I untangle myself from the blanket, grab my slides, and head on down to the corner store. I’m dressed in an old t-shirt and some track pants, with no make-up, but thankfully I do have a bra on. New York is still busy at this time of night, and that’s what I love about it. There are always people around—tourists taking photos, people enjoying Friday night drinks, or some poor souls who have just finished work. Thankfully, the shop on the corner isn’t far, so I hurry toward it subconsciously hoping I don’t run into anyone I know while looking like a mess.
´
As I enter the shop, the bell rings overhead. The bright florescent lights shine, and the smell of fried food fills the air. Heading to the back area of the shop where the freezers are located, I scan the brightly colored packages until I find the one.
Then I notice the selections of wine staring at me. Calling to me. Screw it. I grab a bottle of rosé too.
Making my way back to the cash register, I’m distracted by some gossip magazines. Why not. Grabbing a coup
le, I place my haul on the counter—the cashier silently judging my selection. I’d probably judge me too, it’s totally the single anti-social girl’s diet. I grab a couple of chocolates and some Chex Mix to add to my collection. He rings it up, and I pay, taking my bag of goodies in my hand and head off for home. My footsteps are slow as I watch a sleek, black car pull in front of my brownstone. The driver opens the door and a gorgeous woman steps from the car, looking like a damn angel, dressed in a white evening dress, her blonde hair curled around her shoulders. Then the other door opens, and a man dressed in a tuxedo steps from the car.
He looks up and right at me.
Noah.
Shit.
He flinches for a moment upon noticing me. Those green eyes roaming over me, but a slight frown forms across his brow. The beautiful blonde says something to him, which makes him smile. He joins her on the sidewalk, linking their arms together as they stride confidently up his stairs and to his home. He holds open the door, and before he closes it behind him, his eyes meet mine, but then he’s gone.
Thank fuck I bought wine, I think. I’m going to need it.
Not like I haven’t seen Noah with other women before, just this was the first time I’ve seen him take one inside his home. There’s a tiny bit of something gnawing away at my insides, but I know wine is going to get rid of it. As soon as I enter my home, I head downstairs to the kitchen to grab a glass from the cupboard and pour myself a large glass of rosé.
Taking my first gulp of wine—ah, that feels better—the crisp, dry liquid goes down smoothly. I still feel a little jittery and unsure about what to do next. Stupid men. I shouldn’t let him get under my skin like that.
A light catches my attention—it’s shining right onto the hot tub in the back garden. I haven’t had a chance to enjoy it yet, so I grab my bottle of rosé and head out into the rear garden. Placing the bottle on the table, I take off the hot tub’s cover, then press the button to turn it on. Slowly, the bubbles rise to the surface, and the water starts to heat. It’s a beautiful night, a little on the cooler side, but still the bite of winter has passed.
Quickly looking around, I check no one can see me. Thankfully, the back garden is covered with beautiful trees. Stripping off down to my underwear, I jump in, sinking down into the bubbles, the warm water easing my tense muscles. This is perfect. I lean over and grab my bottle of rosé and take a sip, letting my head lay back against the edge of the tub and closing my eyes, letting the water do its magic.
Opening my eyes, the lights of the city come back into focus, the noise of the traffic, the sirens, the car horns, all sounds that I’ve slowly gotten used to. Feeling more relaxed, I look around my surroundings, I notice the tall buildings that dominate the skyline. Squinting my eyes to see if I can see into anyone’s apartments—that’s probably creepy, but still I do it. My eyes travel down until they land on the home next door.
Shit! Straight into Noah’s kitchen.
There’s only a couple lights on in his home, so I can’t see too much, but I can most definitely see two people making out. Noah has the beautiful woman pushed up against the wall, kissing her, hands roaming all over her fully-clothed body. Fuck, the rosé feeling like acid rising from my stomach.
I know I should look away.
You need to look away, Chloe.
But I don’t. I can’t.
Something’s wrong with me.
I continue watching my boss and his date get hot and heavy in his kitchen. I don’t stop watching as her hand runs down his tuxedo-clad back gripping his ass, pulling him closer to her. I’m jealous. Taking another sip of rosé, hoping this feeling will subside if I keep drinking, I watch her fingers dig into ass. The man has a really nice ass. If you’ve seen him in his suit pants, you appreciate the tight buns.
Leave, Chloe.
You need to leave now.
This is wrong. It’s also creepy.
Her hand tries to disappear down the front of his trousers.
Nope. No. You need to leave now.
I stand in the tub, my eyes still focused in on them. I watch as he pulls himself away from her, and I sink back down into the water.
What just happened?
He waggles his finger at her, which she ignores and tries to grab his crotch again. He pulls himself away, which makes her mad. They have a heated conversation whereby she throws her hands in the air and storms off.
Noah doesn’t follow after her.
The sound of a door being slammed echoes through the night sky. His forehead falls against the wall his fist thumps against.
What just happened?
Why would she leave after being denied the D?
Why did Noah deny her the D?
I watch as Noah moves from the kitchen to his living room where he shucks off his tuxedo jacket and throws it against a chair. He undoes his bowtie and adds it to the pile. Kicking off his shoes, he makes his way to the couch.
His living room is bathed in the faintest of light, and I can only make out an outline. I move to the other side of the hot tub to get a better look. He begins to undo his white shirt and throws it to the floor, and a belt follows soon after. He must turn the television on because I can make out his face. Looks like he flicks between a couple of channels as I can see the light change across his face then stop. Leaning back against his couch, he lets his head fall back. Actually, he looks exhausted. Scrubbing his face with his hands, I watch as his lips move as he mutters something. He stays like that for a while.
What’s he thinking about?
Why does he look so stressed out?
I notice his hand move down his body and over his trousers, fisting himself. His brow crinkles in a frown. He fingers begin to unzip his pants. The steam starts to rise around me. Am I sweating? Because the hot tub feels like it’s increased in temperature by a hundred degrees.
My heart beats wildly in my chest, the heightened beat feels loud enough that the world could hear it. I need to look away, I’m invading his personal space, but I can’t.
His palm rubs his crotch again, making me bite my lower lip. I take a sip of my wine, hoping it will cool me down. It doesn’t. Actually, it makes me worse.
He reaches inside his pants, readjusting himself. Must be painful. He continues this for a couple more strokes, then stops all of a sudden. His eyes pop open, his head lifts off the couch, and he looks out the window directly at me.
Fuck.
I quickly duck under the water, holding my breath. My heart’s pounding loudly in my chest.
Did he see me?
I’m totally fired.
He’s going to kick me out of this house. He might even go to the police and get me arrested for being some sort of creeper or something. Stupid rosé.
When I can’t hold my breath any longer, I slowly lift my head out of the water and peer over the edge of the tub. His curtains are now pulled, and I can’t see him anymore.
I’m relieved, but also a little disappointed. Shame, it would have been a spectacular show.
What are you saying, Chloe? No, it wouldn’t have!
You can’t come back from watching your boss masturbate. I think the heat is getting to me.
Stepping from the hot tub, I grab a towel and wrap it around my body. Taking my bottle, I head inside.
This has been an interesting Friday night. I think I need to get laid because what I just did in the tub isn’t healthy. Maybe my hormones are getting the better of me, and I’m just projecting onto Noah because we have this little history together.
I need to find a stranger and have some fun, I think. Or I can just grab my trusty sidekick rabbit and fantasize about how that show should have ended.
12
Noah
I was worried Chloe might be upset seeing me bring home Laurie the other night. It wasn’t planned. Honestly, I thought maybe a night of fun would help me stop thinking about Chloe being so close to me. Laurie wasn’t impressed when my dick wouldn’t perform. Thankfully she ended up leaving.
But I’m not proud of what happened next.
While flicking through the channels on my television, my mind started thinking of Chloe and how I wished it was her that I’d brought home. Of course, my dick responded to those images, and selfishly, I decided to continue with them, jerking off to images of Chloe on my sofa on a Friday night.
Yep, I’m a creep.
Chloe isn’t even interested in me, she made that perfectly clear to her girlfriends the other day. So, why is she under my skin? I may not be some pro athlete, but I’m still a catch.
I need to let it go. Otherwise, I’m going to drive myself insane. She’s told me numerous times we’re colleagues and friends, but I’m the one with the problem wanting to step over the boundaries we have in place. And that simply makes me a douche.
Walking into the office this morning after a meeting, I see Lenna and Chloe chatting away, laughing. I’m glad they get on well, they’re so similar it would be a nightmare if they didn’t. I notice my brother watching them intently from the corner of my eye. What’s going on there? I head over to him to find out.
“Hey, dickhead,” I greet him in the doorway.
He jumps before trying to pretend he’s doing some work.
I close the door and sit in front of him. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing,” he says quickly.
“You seemed pretty interested in Lenna and Chloe’s conversation.” His head turns quickly to me, his green eyes narrow.
“What? No. I was lost in thought thinking about something…”
I’m calling bullshit on that.
“In their direction?” I question.
“That was just a coincidence.”
Still bullshit, but I’ll let it slide.
“How are we looking on the new The Hamptons Estate?” I ask changing the subject.
“I checked it out on the weekend, and it’s coming along well. I think we might be ready for a test in a month.”
Wow, that is quick. We’ve been pushing for our newest hotel to open in time for the summer season which is peak money-making time.
