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  Dane quickly places our drinks in front of us, says enjoy, and scurries off to help a few girls calling him over.

  “I agree,” he says with a laugh.

  I wanted so badly to talk to Hunter back in high school, but having him here in front of me now, I’m unsure of what to say. I’ve seriously dreamt of moments like this with him, so now is not the time to sound like a huge loser. “So . . . you live here?” I ask.

  Please say yes. Please say yes.

  He takes a swig of his drink while nodding his head. “On the tenth floor.”

  My heart stops at the mention of the tenth floor. It immediately brings my thoughts back to Kyan. A small part of me feels guilty that I’m sitting here all flustered, talking to Hunter, but the other part quickly reminds me that Kyan wants no attachments. He’s made that clear more than once. Talking to Hunter is probably good for the both of us.

  “You?” He questions, pulling me out of my thoughts.

  I pull my lips away from my straw as I point up. “On the sixth floor.” I smile. “Just moved in last week and I absolutely love it here. It’s beautiful.”

  His eyes widen as he looks me up and down, making my cheeks flush red. “Glad to hear that. That means we’ll definitely run in to each other again. I definitely don’t mind that.”

  “This is weird,” I admit.

  “Why’s that?” He leans in close and pulls my chin up to look at him. My eyes set on his full lips as he speaks again. “That we live in the same building?”

  I let out a small laugh, not even believing what I’m finally about to admit. I’ve kept this from him for six years. “I kind of had this small crush on you in high school. Okay, so maybe a huge crush, but I was always too chicken shit to approach you.”

  He smiles big, making my heart speed up. “I had no idea.” He releases my chin and takes another drink, watching me over the rim. “I had a thing for you too.”

  I look up at him, eyebrows scrunched in disbelief. He’s messing with me now. Either that or I’ve had one too many purple drinks. “You don’t have to say that to make me feel better, you know?”

  He shakes his head and laughs as if he’s surprised that I think he’s joking. “I’m not. I seriously thought you were incredibly hot. I almost asked you to dance with me at a party once, but I saw you with some guy so I didn’t bother.”

  I feel my heart crush at the mention of Jordan. That’s something that I don’t want to think about. It’s been over two years since I have let his name even cross my thoughts. I need to steer this in a different direction and fast, before I lose my shit.

  “Yeah . . . well you should have asked anyways.”

  He watches me closely as I unknowingly start to down my drink faster. “Maybe I should have,” he says. “Someone a little thirsty tonight?”

  I look down at my drink, with my straw hanging between my lips. It’s already halfway gone and I had just ordered it right before Hunter showed up. I release my straw and sit up straight. “Just a little bit. It’s been a long day.” I smile and bite my bottom lip as he watches me. “What?”

  He leans in closer and brushes my hair behind my ear, before leaning in and whispering, “I was thinking maybe I should dance with you now to make up for it.”

  I feel his thumb brush below my ear, and without thinking, I lean my head back and close my eyes, leaning into his touch. “Oh yeah,” I say softly.

  I feel the slight brush of his lips below my ear before he speaks again. “Yeah. You look so sexy right now, and since no one is supposed to call you . . .” He grabs my hand and helps me to my feet. “Then I think it’s up to me to show you a good time.”

  Releasing my drink, I let him walk me out to the dance floor where there’s a small group of people dancing. A few eyes land on us, but no one says a word as we find a spacious area.

  Without hesitation, he links an arm around my waist and pulls me against him. His body grinds against mine in a way that sends a shiver throughout my body. He definitely knows how to work his hips, and I have to admit that it turns me on.

  I feel a small breath escape me at the realization that I would have died to be this close to him in high school and now here I am, up close and very personal.

  Being in his arms right now gives me a small rush, and I have to admit that I like that he doesn’t seem shy with me. He moves my body in ways that he wants without hesitation, not worrying if it’s crossing a line or not. It’s intoxicating.

  “Is this weird?” He whispers next to my ear. “The way I move your body with mine . . . because I’ve honestly wanted to do this for years.”

  Spreading my legs with his knee, he places his leg between mine and grips the back of my neck, slightly dipping me backwards. He grinds his hips a few times, causing my heart to skip a beat from our closeness.

  I grip onto the front of his shirt and move my hips with his when I feel one of his hands squeeze the bottom of my left ass cheek. Our bodies are as close as possible and I can feel the thickness of his erection poking me, driving me insanely mad.

  All I can keep thinking is Hunter James. This is the Hunter from high school. Feeling his hardness against me is something I never thought would happen. I feel like a blushing little schoolgirl right now.

  His hand squeezes my ass tighter, causing me to let out a small moan as his lips slowly caress my neck. “I want to taste your lips so fucking bad, Calla.” He shamelessly grinds his hips into me, making his erection very clear. “See what being close to you does to me?”

  I let out a nervous breath when he grabs the back of my head and without hesitation, presses his lips to mine, tasting me as if he’s been waiting forever for this moment.

  When his tongue slips into my mouth to swirl around mine, I moan into his mouth and grip onto his shirt for support. His sudden kiss steals my breath away. No joke. I actually couldn’t breathe for a second when I felt the brush of his tongue on my bottom lip. My heart is beating insanely fast and my thoughts are going fucking crazy as I stand here kissing him back.

  It feels so damn good to finally be kissing Hunter, but at the same time has me thinking about how I was just kissing Kyan yesterday, and not to mention, having the best sex of my life.

  We both pull away from the kiss, breathing heavily, and a satisfied smile forms on Hunter’s lips as he watches my expression. “Fuck . . . that felt nice; better than I’d imagined.”

  “Yeah,” I admit, before licking my lips. “Really . . . really nice.”

  We stand here for a moment before Hunter pulls his phone from his pocket. “Shit. My brother has been texting me.” He presses his lips to mine one more time before reaching down into my pocket and pulling out my phone. He punches his number into it and hands it back to me. “I was supposed to be at my brother’s over an hour ago and he’s definitely not happy with my ass right now. The fucker is blowing up my phone.” He points down at my cell. “Save my number. I want to hang out soon.”

  Swallowing, I look down at my phone before smiling up at him. “I think we can make that happen.”

  He smiles and starts backing away toward the bar. “I sure hope so, considering we only live four floors apart. Text me so I have your number.” He turns away and whistles to get Dane’s attention before tossing some money down onto the bar and rushing out of the bar.

  Dane holds up the money and smiles over at me, letting me know that once again, my drinks are free.

  Hunter James. The Hunter James. This is crazy . . . Oh wow.

  HUNTER BURSTS THROUGH MY DOOR wearing the biggest shit-eating grin I’ve ever seen on him. Apparently his ass was with a girl, of course, so he decided that catching up on his work wasn’t as important. It’s always the same with him.

  He automatically goes to my fridge and pulls out a beer. “Damn. I really need to change my number.” He tosses the cap in the garbage and leans against the kitchen island. “I could have been getting my dick sucked and you really would have ruined the mood with your texts.”

  I pull
out a stool and straddle it. “And I could have been giving your job to someone more responsible than your ass.” I lift a brow as he shrugs his shoulders. “Your dick can fucking wait until after business.”

  Hunter rolls his eyes while taking a swig of beer. “You really need to loosen up a bit and stop working so damn hard. Ever since that bitch fucked you over with Bryant, you’ve dedicated all your time to this fucking place and the gym. You’re not even thirty yet and you do nothing but work your ass off. Both places are extremely well run, but you always want more. It’s as if you’re looking for ways to bury yourself in work and forget about everything else around you.”

  I flex my jaw at his words and reach into the fridge for my own beer now. I didn’t call his ass to my apartment to discuss this shit. “Running both of these places are at the top of my priority list. What the fuck do you expect from me?” I toss my beer cap at him as he opens his mouth to speak. “Don’t even fucking answer that, brother.”

  We both sit here in silence, sipping on our beers as I let his words repeat in my head. It’s been three years, and every day my heart still feels as if it’s being ripped from my chest repeatedly. Burying myself in work and not letting any attachments form has been my life since then.

  That’s exactly why I’ll do anything I can to avoid falling for Calla. She’s the most beautiful woman I have ever lain eyes on, and I can’t even manage to be in the same room with her without wanting my hands all over her and pleasing her in every way that her body deserves.

  Hunter smiles beside me as he pulls his phone from his pocket and punches in a quick text.

  I nod down at his phone in his hand. “Your new girl for the week?”

  He lets out a small groan and adjusts the crotch of his jeans. “This girl is gorgeous. She might just be the sexiest woman I have ever laid eyes on.” He stands up and grabs two more beers out of the fridge. “I went downstairs for a few drinks and saw her sitting alone at the bar. When I approached her, I realized that she was a girl that I’d desperately wanted to sleep with in high school. She just seemed too good for me, plus she had a boyfriend at the time.”

  I let out a small laugh while finishing off my beer. “Too good for you? Nah. I doubt that, playboy.”

  He holds up his phone as it vibrates. “Yeah. You’re right.” He chuckles. “She’s single now and apparently is open to unattached sex. It’s a good opportunity for me to finally get to show her a good time and not have to worry about hurting her or getting tied up. Her body just screams sex, bro. I need to have her at least once, or a few times . . . you know.”

  I continue to drink my beer as my little brother’s mouth continues to work as if I care about his endless fuck fests.

  “And to make things better . . . she lives here.” He jumps to his feet and runs a hand through his hair. “She just moved in on the sixth floor. Calla Reynolds. Fuck, she’s so beautiful.”

  What the fuck did he just say?

  My heart skips a beat and I spit out the drink of beer I’ve just taken. Well shit.

  Hunter watches me carefully as I set my beer down onto the black marble. “Holy fuck. You’re the one that’s not supposed to call, aren’t you?”

  He starts pacing in front of me with a huge smile on his face. It’s been a long time since I have shown any kind of interest in a woman and he’s taking this time to enjoy the fact that I need to fuck just like every other man.

  “Is big brother trying out unattached sex for once instead of the meet girl, fuck girl, and never see her again? You’ve been with her sexually more than once, haven’t you?”

  I let out a frustrated breath and steel my jaw. “There’s no attachment. We’re both free to fuck who we want, and there will be nothing more than me fucking her brains out and pleasuring her. I’ve made that very clear.”

  “So you won’t care if I sleep with her then? We kissed downstairs, but I won’t fuck her if you have feelings for her?” He tilts his head, waiting for my reply. “I guess our tastes aren’t far apart after all.”

  A part of me wants to tell him to fuck off and leave her alone. That’s exactly why I have to say this instead: “Nope. You can do what you want with her, just don’t fuck her over and make her feel used. You know how I feel about that shit, and if you’re going to sleep with her . . .” I take a drink of my beer and force this last part out. “Wear a damn condom.”

  “You sure, bro?” He stands up as if he’s about to leave. “Because I made plans with her tomorrow night. Now that I’ve seen her again, it’s going to be hard to pass up this opportunity, so speak now or forever hold your peace.”

  I swallow hard while reminding myself that she’s not mine to protect and that this is just casual sex. Nothing more. “Absofuckinglutely.” I walk over to my door and hold it open. “Now go home and catch up on some fucking work before I kick your ass.”

  Raising an eyebrow, he smirks at me and walks out with an armful of my beers.

  Fucking asshole.

  I fall back on my couch and stare down at my cell. I get an urge in my chest to send Calla a message, but flip my phone over instead. Self-control is everything.

  No attachments . . .

  JUGGLING A FEW PAPERBAGS IN my arms, I impatiently wait for the elevator to arrive. Tori and I have already taken up a load each, and being restless I offered to go back downstairs for the last load. Of course Tori quickly agreed while falling in front of the TV with a beloved bag of her Funyuns, so while she’s up there stuffing her face, I’m standing here cold and wet from the rain that decided to surprise me on my way back to the building.

  “Finally,” I say in celebration as the elevator opens up, allowing a couple of people to unload. The last person, a young guy with blonde hair, pauses to look back at me with a smile before hurrying off.

  “Alright then.” I step onto the elevator and just then, my eyes look up to see Kyan walking toward the elevator. He’s dressed in a tailor made suit, looking so damn flawless that it causes my chest to ache as I fight for air. I’m so stunned that I can’t even function enough to hold the door as it begins to close.

  Right as it’s about to shut, Kyan sticks his arm into the elevator, stopping it. Our eyes meet and he smiles while joining me inside.

  “Let me help you with those.”

  Kyan quickly empties my arms of the groceries and watches me as the door closes, leaving us alone in this very small space. At least, right now it feels tiny; so damn tiny.

  I smile back when he flashes me a dimpled smile. “Thank you. I was seriously tempted to just leave them outside for the homeless, but then I was afraid that my roommate would attack me if I came back empty handed. She’s sort of obsessed with food.” I lean against the wall as the elevator begins moving. “This is my second trip down and I wasn’t expecting it to start pouring.”

  Kyan steps closer as I begin to slightly tremble from being cold and wet. He looks at me through a set of thick, wet lashes. “You have my number, Calla. Next time let me know and I’ll take care of it.”

  I shake the water off my face and smile at his generosity. “Thank you. I’m not going to lie. It’d be nice to be dry right now.”

  His eyes lock with mine and I notice him slightly bite his bottom lip. Then, before I know it, his arm shoots out and stops the elevator.

  His eyes linger from my eyes down to my lips before he drops the bags of groceries and pins me against the wall. His breath is sweet as it brushes against my lips, causing me to want to flick my tongue out and lick the outline of his lips. “You’re so damn beautiful when you’re wet. I think I’d prefer it if you were never dry.”

  His arm reaches around to grab the back of my right thigh and he raises it to his hip, stepping between my legs. He presses into me and I instantly feel clenching between my legs as his thickness pokes me through the thin material of my panties. Starting from the top of my chest, he brushes his lips up my neck, stopping just below my lips. One hand slips up my dress and I feel his finger slide between my folds. />
  “Kyan,” I whisper, my body trembling from his closeness. “In the elevator? Aren’t there cameras? I don’t want anyone giving you a hard time if they see the security footage.”

  He turns away for a second as if he’s thinking about it. His finger shoves inside me and his grip on my thigh tightens before he pulls away and wraps both of his hands into the back of my hair.

  Leaning in, he whispers, “Sorry, it’s hard for me to keep my hands off of you, especially when you’re standing here wet with that dress clinging to your body.” He runs his hand up the front of my neck before stepping away from me and fixing his suit, returning back to his professionalism.

  I lean against the wall, trying to catch my breath while I stand here watching him breath heavily, as if he wants nothing more than to rip my clothes off and fuck me hard. That suit does nothing but make him look dangerously handsome and irresistible. A part of me wishes I would’ve just kept my damn mouth closed and let him take me again.

  “It’s okay,” I say softly.

  He reaches for the bags of groceries in one hand and quickly puts them back in the crook of one arm before starting the elevator again.

  I stand here watching his side profile as he stares ahead at the door, as if he’s about to lose a battle with his self-control.

  The elevator dings and I quickly snap out of my thoughts as Kyan places his hand on the bottom of my back and guides me out of the elevator and to my door.

  “Olivia sent me an email this morning telling me how much she loved the shoot. You did a great job,” he says as I’m reaching for the door handle.

  I smile up at him, feeling really damn good about that. “That’s amazing. I’m really happy you gave me the opportunity to shoot the cover for her. I can’t wait to see it.”

  I push the door open and step away to give him room to walk in.

  I hear Tori begin to ask who he is until she sees me enter behind him.

  “Holy shit.” She places her hand to her heart as Kyan walks to the kitchen and sets the bags down on the counter. “I thought we were getting robbed by some crazy, sexy guy. I wasn’t sure whether to run or be thankful.”