AllFreeNovel
Share Us
CHAPTER FOUR - EDDIE
Ishould be on my way to the office, in my suit, rushing to get through the morning of meetings I had scheduled. But my plans flew out the window yesterday when the pink-haired assassin flashed her wet t-shirt and her sparkling blues my way. Now, as I carry two coffees to her apartment, I look at my reflection in the elevator and see myself in my jeans, casual shirt, cap, and boots again, something that never happens during business hours.
To say that yesterday took me by surprise is an understatement. Brian said she was beautiful. I should have been prepared when I first saw her, but I wasn’t. She is like no one I have ever seen before. Beautiful, for sure. Sexy as fuck. Spiky, but also soft. A wonderful contradiction and one I want to know more about.
There is an extra spring in my step this morning. One I haven’t felt for a very long time. I feel good. Light on my feet. Excited. I try to tamper it down, though. It is a new day, and maybe my memories are hazy.
Maybe I imagined the heat, the connection between us. How when our eyes actually connected, I felt my heart stop beating. Her eyes are so fucking blue, I could sink into them. Coupled with her pink hair, they pop, vibrant like the waters of the Mediterranean. It is pretty rare to have something so instant. That crackle of tension. That desire to learn more. It hasn’t really happened to me before, and I am a little shook about it.
As the elevator opens, I strut to her door and am about to knock when it opens. It is like my mind short-circuits. I am not even sure how it is possible, but she is even more beautiful than I remember. I swallow hard, then clear my throat as I try to pull myself together.
“Morning,Pinkie,” I tease, offering a warm smile and holding out a coffee to her. My grin is so wide it almost hurts my face. I am fucking happy with what I see. Dressed ready for work, her hair in a messy bun on top of her head. Her face is free of any makeup, but she is absolutely breathtaking.
“Morning,” she says warily, looking at my outstretched offering, then to me and back again like she is confused.
“Coffee?” I ask, suddenly feeling a little nervous that she may not accept the simple gesture. I rushed to get these before she left this morning, knowing she had a long workday ahead of her. Her hesitation has me even more intrigued. I have never offered to watch someone’s apartment for maintenance. Usually, this would be Brian’s job, but there was no way I was giving away another chance to see her. Even if it is just for a few minutes.
“You brought me coffee?” she asks, surprise in her tone, her eyebrows rising.Has no one done a good deed for this woman before?
“Yep. Figured you might need the caffeine hit for your first day on the job.” I shrug, acting nonchalant, yet hoping she takes it, wanting to put a smile on her face. Standing at her door, looking at me with a small amount of trepidation, further cements to me that she is obviously fiercely independent.
“Thank you,” she says, grabbing the cup, albeit hesitantly, her smile small but still there.
“I didn’t know how you take it, so I only added a little sweetener.”
“How do I know you haven’t poisoned it?” she murmurs, looking at me over the top of the cup. Her lips curve a bit, and I start to feel hot as my smile mimics hers.
“Only one way to find out.” I enjoy seeing the way her blues sparkle, this playful teasing new for me. Her gaze hooks on to mine as she lifts the cup to her mouth and takes a sip, almost in a challenge. Eyes closing, she hums, the sound vibrating around my body.
“Perfect.” Opening her eyes, they instantly connect with mine. “I need to go. I have to walk, and my cell tells me that it will take half an hour. You will lock up when you finish?” she asks, grabbing a small backpack as she looks at me expectantly.She walks to the hospital?
“No problem. Your apartment is safe with me.” I am a man of my word. “Good luck on your first day,” I offer, sipping my coffee, trying to act unaffected while my heart thumps hard in my chest. I watch her move effortlessly around me, her small frame making me clench my fist so I don’t do something stupid like reach out and run my hand down her side, tracing her curves.
“Thanks. And thanks for the coffee!” she says sweetly, and I watch her go, clearly nervous as she takes a few deep breaths and gets into the elevator. Glancing at me once more, flashing me a small smile, I don’t miss the pink tint to her cheeks as she keeps her eyes on me before the elevator doors close on the visual.
I sigh as I walk into her apartment. You wouldn’t even know there was a leak yesterday. The cleaning crew came and fixed it all. Brian had them air it out, and right now, as the morning sun streams in from the large windows overlooking the water, it’s immaculate. As I take in the apartment, I realize she hasn’t added anything yet. There are no personal touches, no photos, no knickknacks. The only thing I notice is the soft smell of her perfume as it lingers in the air. A sweet floral scent, and it’s sexy as hell.
“Morning, boss,” the plumber says from behind me, startling me. “This the sink?” he asks, walking straight into the kitchen, getting to work.
“Morning. Yeah, that’s the one. I stopped the water flow yesterday, but there is a bigger issue, I think.” He looks underneath, testing, tapping, and mumbling to himself.
“Sorry to say it, but this tapware will all need replacing.” My brow crumples.
“Okay, we have them in stock, right?” He is the plumber I use across all my properties, so I know he is honest. I have a whole trade team stationed across Baltimore that runs all my property maintenance in this building and in my many others. Some of them have taught me a thing or two over the years.
“Not this one. We will have to order it in,” he says, closing the cupboard and looking over the sink.
“Can we put a rush on it? Even if we need to pay a rush fee, let’s get it done ASAP.” I don’t want Pinkie having to wait for this.
“Sure, I will get it ordered today and let you know when it will be in. At best, it will be a couple of days. Good job on the patch up too. It is solid. No more leaks, as long as no one touches the sink.” I appreciate his comment. I am not qualified in any trade, but I enjoy tinkering.
“Hey, bossman,” Brian says from the front door I left open. I can’t see his face from the large basket covering him—the one I asked him to put together this morning. I may have gone a little overboard, but I spotted her empty cupboards yesterday when we tried to mop up the water. She obviously hasn’t had time to go food shopping yet.
“Come in, Brian,” I tell him, as the plumber nods and leaves us to it.
I need to be across town. I have a meeting with my brother Tennyson about a new building he developed that I now have to manage as part of our growing portfolio. While Tennyson has always been good at his job, he has now exploded into a stratosphere on his own. He and Willow make a good team, and he is building new complexes all around the country, and even in other global markets. It makes my job more demanding as I run the family real estate holdings, managing the buildings he develops, such as this one, as well as others across Baltimore and elsewhere. The more he develops, the more I have to manage.
“Do you think it is big enough?” Brian asks sarcastically as he places the large basket on the kitchen counter. “You sure are offering her a lot, but I must say, given she is my new best friend, it is totally worth it. Told you she was special…” he teases, and I don’t miss the way he is fishing for information.
