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For once, I listened to the voice I usually pushed aside.
“I have to go. I left her door open. What time is check in at the hotel?” I threw my duffle bag over my shoulder and balanced in one hand the bag of pastries and cup carrier that held our coffee.
“They said three, but I’m sure they can make an exception. If you need it sooner-”
“Three’s fine. Did you make reservations for dinner?”
Andre looked like he wanted to murder me.
“Yeah, I made reservations for dinner. What time do you want me to book your pedicure?”
I started to walk away.
“Hey, Bossman.”
I turned back to see Andre leaning casually against the SUV that he’d parked on the curb.
“Are you sure about all this? I can hang around. Follow the two of you around the city. She’ll never notice.”
“I’m good. I’d rather you get on the phone and make arrangements to rescue the droid.”
He nodded slowly. “Alright. Just wanted to check one more time. Call me-”
His voice drowned out as I kicked away the small rock I used to keep the apartment building’s door open. I climbed the two flights of stairs, hoping I didn’t spill the whole damn lot before I reached Suzanne’s door. I had propped it open with a book. I dropped my duffle bag on the ground and pushed the door open with my shoulder. I set the coffee and paper bag of pastries on the small bistro table, then went back out to get my bag.
Until then, I hadn’t come across another soul in Suzanne’s building, I assumed because of the odd hours I’d been there. But at 8:30 on a Saturday morning when I least wanted to be seen, the hall was suddenly full of curious neighbors.
The young man two doors down, who was leaving with his bike, gave me a head nod that I returned without making eye contact. When I bent over to pick up my bag, I noticed the fuzzy pink pig slippers out of the corner of my eye. I stood up and made eye contact with the woman next door. She either hated people in general, hated me on sight, or was protective of her neighbors.
I gave her a smile, choosing to believe the positive - that her frown was directed at me because she was concerned about her friend, the quiet girl who lived next door to her.
She wrinkled her nose and stepped back inside her apartment.
I tossed my duffle bag on Suzanne’s couch and took a sip of my coffee. By bending my head an inch, I could see Suzanne was still asleep. The messy halo of dark hair hid her face, the curve of her hips displayed beneath the thin quilt we’d slept under the night before. The urge to wake her was powerful, but the words of a promise and my need for a shower kept me away.
Do better.
Be better.
She deserved it.
I drank my coffee while I watched people walk the street below and pretended the woman I wanted wasn’t lying in a bed not eight feet away from me.
I decided I wouldn’t wait anymore. I needed that shower. It would help me wake up and calm me the hell down at the same time. My cock was alert and ready. This embarrassing situation was becoming a habit – one I didn’t enjoy.
