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Chapter Seven
Would it be too muchto ask to slip inside her apartment without having to run smack dab into Phate unfolding his massive body from a cab?
Yes. Because fate seemed to be playing a cruel trick on her. Both versions.
At seeing him exiting the cab, Tasha did what anyone who had a crush on their sexy as hell neighbor would do. She cursed under her breath, put her head down and hurried up the front steps, trying to make it to the apartment building door while frantically hoping he didn’t notice her.
“Tasha!” Phate called out just as her hand reached the door.
Again. Fate was cruel. Oh, so very cruel.
Tasha could pretend not to hear him and run inside, but that would make her look...crazy, weird, scared? All of the above. Her heart pounded against her ribs. She closed her eyes and tried to rein in her panic.
One. Two. Three.
Tasha swallowed. There was no need to behave this way.
Get it together.
She took a deep and steadying breath and turned to greet him with a fake smile plastered across her face. “Heeeyyyy, you.”
He had on clothes that matched this time—somewhat. She wasn’t quite sure if purple and orange normally went together, but on him it looked as if a professional had styled him. He could never walk a runway. His build was too big and bulky, and his gait was more predatory than model-isk. And she loved it. All of it. The entire package.
He walked toward her; brow crinkled. “Phate. My name is Phate.”
Eyes up, don’t look at his powerful legs.“I know. I was just...”
What? Was caught off guard by how fine he looked and couldn’t get her hormones in check to act sane for two seconds while in his presence?
“Here, let me get this. I’m supposed to open doors for females.”
He stepped around her to open the door, brushing his body slightly against hers and giving her a nose full of his scent. A deep wood smell tickled her nose and sent shivers down her spine, making her knees weak. If she wanted to look at his face, she would have to take a step back and crane her neck to see his eyes. He made her feel small and dainty and she liked it.
She plastered herself against the door, trying to avoid any more touching and went through. “Um, thank you. Men don’t open doors where you’re from?”
He entered behind her and tilted his head. The heat of him was at her back. “There’s no need to. All doors are automatic.”
She chuckled nervously as she made her way toward the elevator. “All doors are automatic? That’s a blanket statement.”
He stepped in line with her and shrugged. “They are.”
She pressed the “Up” button and willed the elevator to come as soon as possible.
“If there were manual doors, I don’t believe the females on my—where I’m from—would appreciate being coddled like they do here.”
