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A smile skirts my lips as I place my hand into his. When our fingers intertwine, he gently squeezes my hand. I can’t remember the last time someone just wanted to hold my hand, especially for only a few feet. We stroll up the short sidewalk side by side and climb the few steps before I have to release his hand to dig into my purse for my keys. Once inside, there is a long narrow hallway in front of us and a set of stairs to the left.
“Well, as you can see, this place is about three times as old as I am, so there’s no elevator and I’m on the third floor.”
“A little cardio never hurt anyone.” Seth gestures for me to lead the way. We climb the worn brown carpeted flight of stairs and once on the landing, we continue to the second flight.
“So, is this why you have such a great ass?”
“Are you staring at my ass while we climb the stairs?”
“Like I said, it’s a great ass.”
All I can do is shake my head and bite back the smile that takes over my face. Once we reach the third floor, I stop at the first of the two doors. I pause to think back to what state my apartment was in before I left for breakfast with Seth this morning.
“Is something wrong?” Seth stands next to me.
“Can you just wait here for a moment while I check something inside really quick?” I nervously sink my teeth into my bottom lip, unsure if he knows why I want him to wait or not.
His brows crinkle together. “Uh. Sure.”
“I’ll be just a minute. I promise.” I shove my key into the lock and at the sound of the click, I twist the knob and open the door just enough to squeeze my body through before shutting it behind me. My gaze wanders around my nine hundred square feet open concept apartment and, sure enough, it’s still in the same disarray I left it in. Damn. Why can’t I have little mice come clean my house while I’m away? I toss my purse onto a dining room chair to my right and scramble to collect my bras and panties that I left drying on my living room couch. Then I crumple everything into a ball and make a mad dash to my bedroom and throw them into the closet. I’ll sort that out later.
On my way out, I grab the door handle and close it behind me. Next stop, the bathroom. I pull open my vanity drawer and do an arm sweep of all my make-up and hair products into the drawer and slam it shut. When I’m finished in the bathroom, I dash to the kitchen. I have a dishwasher…that I should use more often. Grabbing a cookie sheet, I stack all the dirty dishes on top. I scan the kitchen wondering where I can put it. Bingo. Oven. Reaching for the black handle, I yank down and shove the overflowing cookie sheet inside and slam the door shut causing the insides to rattle. Once it’s quiet again, I rest a hand on the laminate countertop while I use the back of my other to wipe the sweat from my brow.
Just then a soft knock sounds in the small entryway, followed by Seth’s voice. “Is everything okay in there?”
Shit. Seth. I hurry back toward the door and pause to straighten my skirt in the mirror hanging on the wall. Opening the door, I prop myself against the wood frame as Seth eyes me skeptically.
“Hi.” The word is a soft whisper.
“Hi.” Seth tilts his head as a smile pulls at his lips. “I heard a loud bang. Is everything alright?”
“Oh. Yes. Everything is good.”
“That’s good. You going to let me in?”
“Oh. Yes.” I step out of the way to give Seth enough room to walk in and then I softly close the door behind him and turn the lock. Seth does a slow scan starting with my living room on the left, down a short narrow hallway, and then to my kitchen on the right. Finally, his gazes wanders back to meet mine.
“You have a nice place.”
“Thanks. I would give you the tour, but this is about it.” I wave my hand around the small area.
“It’s cozy. I like it.” Seth toes off his shoes and walks into the living room. I trail a few steps behind when I catch sight of a black lace thong camouflaged against a black buffalo plaid blanket. Quickly, I snatch it from the back of the couch before he can see. My sudden movements cause Seth to turn toward me. I flash him a dazzling smile and when he turns back around, I shove the lace fabric into the couch behind a throw pillow.
“Wow. Did you take these pictures?” Seth stops in front of several framed photographs that hang on the wall between two large windows.
“I did.” My arm brushes up against his as I stand next to him. Seth looks down at me, then back at the photos.
“These are really good. You have a great eye for composition.”
“Thanks. This one,” I point to a black framed picture at the top, “was taken right after a storm had rolled through. I thought the clouds looked ominous over the lake, but the way the sun was peeking through the clouds made them look beautiful.”
“Stunning actually.” When I turn to Seth, hooded emerald orbs stare back at me. The look he’s giving me makes me want to rip off his shirt and straddle his face right here in my living room, but I refrain. Have a little self control, Parisa.
“I took this one at one of my favorite spots.” I point to a picture of a gazebo that sits along the shore of Lake Superior as the sun peeks over the horizon. Yellows and oranges paint the early morning sky.
“I know the place. It’s at the end of a trail on Bristol Beach, right?”
“That’s the spot. It’s so quiet and peaceful, especially in the morning. Sometimes with the fog rolling in during the summer, it looks pretty too. This one has to be one of my favorites, though. I’ve lived here all my life and I will forever be in awe of the sea smoke over the lake. The giant wall looks very apocalyptic with the way it billows above the lake as pinks and oranges blaze behind from the rising sun. It was so cold out that morning, but getting this shot was worth it.”
