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I need to ring Peyton.
“Shit,” I curse when I remember my phone is still inside, somewhere in the living room.
If she finds my phone, my dress or looks out here, I’m dead. God, if I stay out here, I’ll probably die anyway.
I glance around, trying to come up with a plan. My head is a muddle of unfinished thoughts, but I force myself to think through the haze. The fact that I’m still slightly tipsy isn’t helping, and neither is the shock I’m still feeling over what has just happened.
Okay, think. There has to be a way through this.
First thing I need to do is get off this balcony. That buys me some time if she does think to look out here. I peer over the railing and shudder at how far down it is. Then I glance at the neighbor’s balcony, which is almost close enough for me to touch.
Or jump over to.
Am I insane? Jumping balconies, without shoes or I don’t know…clothes??
But I don’t have much choice. I look at his neighbor’s balcony and weigh up the pros and cons. I could slip and kill myself, but I’m confident I can make it across. The other problem is, what if his neighbor is a psycho? If I jump, I’ll be stuck there, because it’s the corner apartment. What if being there is a worse choice than staying here?
Besides, what exactly is my plan when I get over there? Wake them up and tell them I locked myself out? I sleepwalked onto my balcony, and the door closed behind me? They’ll know right away that I’m full of shit. So what if they do? If they let me in, the second I’m out that front door I never have to see them again. It’s one moment of shame that I’ll never have to relive again.
It’s either that or Jake’s wife finds me.
I take a deep breath, my heart pounding. Carefully, I scale the railing and lean across, my hand almost slipping against the wet metal. My pulse hammers out of control as I ease myself over. Don’t look down. Daylight is just starting to break through, which, considering I’m in my underwear, is not good, but I can’t think about that now. One. Two. Three. My chest aches as I breathe in a lungful of cool, crisp air, and then I jump, not giving myself a chance to second-guess. I land on the platform on my side, my heart pounding.
Holy shit, I did it. I made it across.
Taking deep breaths, I try to relax, but it’s hard when I’m too busy patting myself on the back. I’m pretty impressed with myself right now. I didn’t know I had the strength or courage to do what I just did. Maybe I should take up base jumping.
Crawling onto my ass, I lean against the wall and peer inside the window. The light is on, so that’s a good sign. All I have to do now is work up the courage to knock. Easy. You did the hard part. Knock on the window, they’ll let you in, call a cab, and you’ll be home before you know it.
I get to my feet. My whole body trembles as I work up the courage to do this. I’m almost there mentally when I decide to have one more peek inside.
Big mistake.
My eyes widen as I stare in through the living room window. Oh god no. Please, please not him. But there’s no denying it. I’m staring directly at Chase. I’m standing on the balcony that belongs to the very man who, less than forty-eight hours ago, overheard me saying how much I want to suck his cock. In my fucking underwear.
I’m going to be sick.
I spin around and stand flush against the wall, gasping at how cold the brick cladding is. I’m desperately trying to think of another solution, but there’s nothing. I glance over at Jake’s balcony, and see the lights are still on inside. All she has to do is find my dress or my phone and look out here. This is going to be a whole lot worse if I have to admit to Chase why I’m out here.
I look around, one more time, but there is nowhere left to go. Other than down. An eight-story fall would finish me, and huddling on the balcony in this weather would probably kill me too. I’ve got about ten seconds to decide what I’m going to do.
Either I scale back over and deal with Jake’s wife, or I knock and deal with Chase. Hell, there isn’t even a decision to make, because there is only one choice.
I have to knock.
I have to suck it up and knock on my boss’s door, while I’m wearing nothing but my underwear. Underwear that I’m practically popping out of. Damn Peyton and her tiny, perky breasts. My hands shaking, I take a deep breath and bring my fist up to the door and knock.
