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The flight to Chicago is quick. We’re only in the air a little over an hour before we are landing. I didn’t expect it to be quite so smooth but with the easy small talk stretching between Kane and I paired with the effects of the whiskey, which have since passed, it was a very enjoyable experience.
“First time in Chicago?” Kane asks as we sit in the backseat of an Uber, weaving in and out of downtown traffic.
“It is,” I say, keeping my eyes out the window as I try to take it all in. I’ve never been to a city this big before. “It’s a lot,” I admit.
“Yeah, certainly isn’t what you’re used to.”
“It’s beautiful,” I acknowledge. “But I still think I’d choose the beach.”
“You and me both.”
“Then why do you live here?” I ask curiously, turning toward him. “You said you’re barely ever home anyway. Couldn’t you get a place on the beach and stay there when you’re not travelling.”
“I could I guess.” He thinks on that for a moment. “But city life is easier, more convenient for work. It gives me more networking capabilities.”
“I think if I had the opportunity to do what I love and still live where I love, I’d make it work regardless.”
“Yeah, well.” He shrugs, falling silent for a long moment. “I love North Carolina. But for the longest time I didn’t feel like I really belonged there. Hell, I’m still not sure if I do.” His gaze goes toward the window so I’m unable to read his expression. “I think that’s probably the biggest reason I stayed in the city after graduation. This place feels more home than Baybridge ever did.”
“See, that’s the way I felt about Baybridge. It always felt more like home to me than Arkansas. Especially after my mom died.”
“I’m sorry you had to go through that.” He turns back toward me. “Losing your mom,” he continues. “I can’t imagine how hard that must have been for you.”
“It was rough,” I agree. “But I had Kam who refused to let me wallow in my loss. I still miss her every day but in some strange way I feel like she’s been beside me since the moment she left. I’m sure that probably sounds crazy.”
“Not at all. I feel the same way about my brother.”
I have to resist the urge to reach across the middle of the seat and take his hand. I’m not sure if it’s because I sense he needs that reassurance or if it’s because I do. Either way I decide against it. Touching Kane does weird things to me and right now I’m attempting to keep a clear head.
I’m still trying to figure out how to respond to his comment when the driver slows to a stop outside of a building that has to be at least twenty stories tall.
“Ready?” Kane asks as he pays the driver.
“Yep.” I quickly climb out of the back of the car, crossing around to the trunk to retrieve my suitcase. Kane joins me at the back of the car, grabbing his own luggage before leading me toward the front door of the building.
After crossing through a small lobby that reminds me more of a hotel than an apartment building, Kane leads me to the elevators that sit just off the right down a wide hallway.
For having such easy conversation on the plane and car ride over, you would think things wouldn’t feel quite so tense when the elevator doors close behind us. But tense is the only way to describe how I feel at this very moment.
I swear I hold my breath the entire sixteen story ride up.
“How long has it been since you’ve been home?” I ask, feeling like I need to say something as I exit the elevator and follow Kane to the end of the hallway. I wait behind him as he fishes out his keys and unlocks the door.
“I flew directly to my parents’ from L.A. so I guess it’s been a while.” Pushing the door open, he waits until I’ve stepped inside before following me in, locking the door behind him.
“It’s not a ton of space but it suits my needs just fine,” he says as I look around the gorgeous apartment.
I don’t know what I expected but I can tell you that this was not it. I think I was imagining something more dark and brooding–like Kane himself–but this is anything but.
The entire room is light and airy with off white walls and light blues and grays accenting the open space. There’s a decent size kitchen on the far right of the room with gray countertops and white cabinets. The kitchen flows directly into a small dining space that houses a round glass top four person table with a French door directly next to it that opens up into what appears to be a small balcony.
The room bends in an L-shape. The living room sitting in the far left curve, decorated in theme with the rest of the apartment. There’s a two piece gray couch and loveseat in the center of the room accented with blue pillows, a large fireplace along the back wall with a television mounted above it, and another French door that opens up to the outside making me realize that the balcony is much bigger than I had originally thought.
Kane gives me a tour, taking me down a small hallway where the guest bedroom and bath are housed. After depositing my suitcase on the queen bed and taking a quick look at the space I’ll be staying in for the night, I follow Kane next door into the master suite.
Stepping into Kane’s bedroom feels oddly personal. While every part of me wants to stand here and study every detail of the space, after staring at the large king bed for several long seconds, imagining what it would feel like to be wrapped in the sheets with Kane’s body hovering over me, I find myself muttering how nice his apartment is and quickly backing out of the room.
There may be a lot of baggage surrounding Kane and me, but the fact still remains that I’m only human. And being in such close proximity to a man like Kane Thaler is definitely a testament to my will power.
