Kelly's Quest (NYC LOVE Book 2) (6 page)

“Why’s that a secret?” She glances over at me, narrowly escaping a collision with a little kid on a scooter. She pivots gracefully like she’s avoided similar accidents a million times. “Unless he’s offering it to you for sexual favors, I don’t see a problem.”

“Trust me, I made it crystal clear nothing would happen between us if I move in
.
He said I could live there in exchange for cleaning the place. It’s only a secret because Adam and Jewels
hate
Erik for some unknown reason.”

“So you’re not planning to tell Jewels?” Chloe fidgets with the back of her hair. “I haven’t known her very long, so I’m not sure how I feel about that. I mean, I can keep a secret, but if she pressures me to give her a no bullshit answer, no promises. If you decide to live with him, how are you going to hide something like that from your best friend?”

“I haven’t thought that far ahead. I’d have to tell her eventually, I guess. It’s just that I don’t want to create any more waves between us after we had a stupid fight yesterday. And I haven’t figured out what exactly they have against Erik. I only knew him a few hours before he volunteered his spare room to me. He seems to be a pretty decent guy. It’s no different than considering an ad on craigslist for a roommate, right? Or do you think it’s weird that I’m even debating this?”

“Weird? No. You’re right. People put out ads for roommates in this city all the time. Fucking
risky
? Maybe. I mean, what do you really know about this guy? Is he rich and hot like his brother? It’s understandable if that’s the case, because who wouldn’t be tempted by someone loaded who looks like that? Still, he could be a total whacko. What if he gets off on chopping people up and storing them in his freezer like that guy from your neck of the woods?”

“You mean Dahmer?” I ask, unable to suppress a smile. Chloe’s bubbly personality is contagious, to say the least. I already love hanging out with her.

“You never know who’s two cents short of a full buck. Good looking and well bred guy like that could just be looking for a way to project his mommy and daddy issues like those wealthy brothers in Beverly Hills who killed their parents. I’ve watched a lot of documentaries on serial killers. Started out as something I thought maybe I could go to school for, get a degree in criminology or whatever, but now it’s just kind of a sick hobby. Most of them start out as normal people, like you and me. Just sayin’.”

“Yeah, he’s really hot and rich, but that’s pretty much all I know about him. Jewels once mentioned he’s pre-law, so there’s that. At least he must be smart. Adam and Jewels offered me their spare room as long as it takes, but there are so many reasons it just doesn’t feel right. They were really looking forward to having a place of their own together, and they’re still in the highly physical stage of their relationship. I’d feel like some kind of creeper, knowing they have to be quiet on my account. You know?”

“Ugh, do I ever. I once had a roommate who was dating a stripper and they’d go at it, like, all hours of the day.” She waves her hands in front of her like she’s trying to erase the memory. “Drove me fucking
insane
. The guy was crazy hot, though, so I couldn’t really blame her. She kicked him out after I accidentally walked in on them one time and he asked if I wanted to join in. Total sex addict. The stripper, not my roommate. She moved on to marry a broker and moved to Jersey to pop out a couple of kids.”

I can’t stop laughing under my breath at the way Chloe carries on. She continues chatting until we reach the subway station, only stopping long enough to show me how to purchase a pass and slide it through the turnstile. She directs me for a good five minutes on how not to advance through the turnstile before the green light signals my card has been read because she had a friend who once cracked a pelvic bone charging through, and how not to stand close to the subway cars because people have been pushed off the edge and died.

I only half listen to her as I’m more intrigued by a cute guy around my age playing Jack Johnson on an acoustic guitar a few yards away. He catches me staring and throws a playful wink.

As soon as the next car stops, we find an open seat across from a group of young boys who seem rather boisterous. The subway is everything I imagined it to be from watching movies. Fairly clean, minuscule to someone like me who’s borderline claustrophobic, faintly smelling like pee and dirty feet, filled with a handful of people of different ages and races. Since I arrived in the city, I’ve had to remind myself on several occasions that not everyone speaks English. Coming from a small town with only a handful of minorities, it’s going to take some getting used to.

Chloe stops talking long enough to look me in the eye. “Back to this Erik guy. Given that he’s related to Adam, he can’t be all that bad. You plannin’ on giving him a chance even if it pisses Jewels off?”

“Depends. I was hoping you’d come with me to check out the place, see if you think it’s worth the trouble.”

“There’s all kinds of real estate in Manhattan, which can be both good and a crock of shit. If you can find a decent place for little to no cost, consider yourself lucky. I’ll definitely let you know what I think. By the time I take you back to Jewels’s place, you’ll know exactly what you plan to do.”

Somehow, I don’t doubt that, and I can’t stop grinning the rest of the way.

The Upper West Side turns
out to be clean and even enchanting. A wide variety of shops and small eateries from all corners of the world pepper the retail sector. We’re greeted on the sideway with smiles and head bobs, making for a real light, casual atmosphere. Once we get into the residential area filled with apartments, we’re bombarded with kids playing in the street, running their bikes along the sidewalk, and even a group of little ones splashing through a fire hydrant. The neighborhood seems quite friendly in general.

“This is it,” Chloe announces, pointing to a tall, tan brick building at the end of a quiet block. “No doubt about it, this boy of yours has serious cash flow. Now let’s get your skinny ass up there so I can decide if he has the charm to go along with it.”

I shoot Erik a text to let him know we’ve arrived. An older doorman who appears completely miserable in dress pants, a burgundy jacket, and hat, greets us with a bright smile despite the sweat covering his forehead. He doesn’t hesitate to ring Erik right away, ushering us inside once we’re given his approval.

Chloe and I both sigh happily when we’re blasted with cold air. Tan marble covers the old-world lobby from floor to ceiling, the smells of fresh wax and disinfectant strong from a recent cleaning. We find a set of ornately decorated elevators and head up to Erik’s floor. Chloe gives me a play-by-play of the quality of the place, from the antique chandeliers in the lobby to the old style of the slow-moving elevator, loosely estimating the building’s value to be near a billion.

I’m too busy to really listen, instead psyching myself up for whatever we’re about to find as we step out onto his floor. Erik’s apartment is the last one at the end of the bright hallway. Smaller version of the chandeliers in the lobby light our path to his beige door marked with gold numbers. I suck in a deep breath and raise my hand to knock. The door swings open before I have a chance.

Erik stretches one long, muscular arm against the door frame with his other hand buried in the pocket of his cargo shorts. From the small preview of his smooth chest beneath his trendy, black button down, there’s no doubt he’s in excellent shape. He smells musky and fresh, as if he just stepped out of the shower. When I look into his intense blue eyes, the lust I keep denying myself stirs once again.

“Kelly?” he asks, smiling brightly despite the frown to his eyes. “Is that really you? I’m sorry, you look a bit different from the person I met yesterday. Did you do something with your hair?”

Yeah, so I guess I looked
that
bad while we were bar hopping. There’s no chance in hell I’ll traipse around New York like that again without even a stitch of makeup. I ignore his dig. “Erik, this is Chloe. She’s a friend of Jewels’s and volunteered to show me around today since Jewels had to work.”

“Friends with Jewels?” Erik asks, quirking his brow her way. “You have my sympathies.”

“I guess it really is true what they say,” Chloe answers with a surprised look. “A person learns something every day. I never would’ve guessed you could afford a place like this doing stand up comedy. I had a friend who couldn’t even buy his groceries off the shitty wages he earned performing in Times Square. You must draw a loyal following.”

As Erik brays in a low laugh, I try to peer behind him. “Are you going to let me see this place of yours or what?”

He opens the door wide, the arrogant spark to his eyes flaring. “Come on in.”

Chloe and I file in, barely making it before he closes the door behind us. I’m thrown off by the relaxed feel of the brightly lit loft apartment, and the pleasant aroma of vanilla hanging in the air. I suck in my breath with the sight of the giant arched windows framing a breathtaking view of Central Park and the skyscrapers beyond. There’s a bachelor pad vibe from the dark leather furniture and black curtains, burnt brown brick walls, and sleek, worn wooden floors, yet it’s still incredibly classy and upscale. The small kitchen opens into a slightly bigger living room where the couches gather around a large flat screen television mounted to the wall.

And just like that, I’m in love with the place.

“The bedrooms are back here,” Erik tells us, swiftly moving to the right. We trail behind him. My heart skips excitedly against my ribs.

“Would you get a load of this freaking place?” Chloe says to me from the side of her mouth. “If it were me I’d move in so damn fast his head would spin. I’d
kill
for the chance to live in a place like this. And normally I’d say I mean that figuratively, but...
damn
.”

I’m in so much awe I can’t even form a complete thought to answer her. We reach a short hallway with three doorways, the first leading to a cramped bathroom. There’s a glass door on the shower, showing two nozzles and a stone interior. The walls and floors are done in the same expensive-looking brown stone. The second door leads to a room that’s very orderly and bare with a twin bed in the far corner, a nightstand at its side. A single window over my head lets in only a small amount of light.

Across the hallway, a four poster bed with smoky gray bedding and a sleek black dresser covered in personal items both appear small in comparison to the set of large windows exactly like those in the living room. Chloe and I stand sandwiched together, taking the rooms in with appreciation. The guest room, while pretty small, is cozy. I could easily see myself living there.

“That’s what I’m offering,” Erik says, jabbing his thumb at the spare room. “I’d expect you to keep the place clean at all times, especially your room. That means your bed always made, no
panties
on the floor, that kind of thing.” Not surprisingly, he smirks with the mention of panties as if it’s now our little inside joke. “Look, this is New York, and your chances of finding an affordable place within a few months is pretty slim. I’d be willing to let you stay as long as it takes
if
you follow my rules and keep the place presentable. I’m not going to live with a complete slob.”

I cross my arms and cock my hip, trying to appear indifferent when in fact I’ve already resolved that I want to make this work. I’m pretty sure this is every small town girl’s dream set-up. “What kind of rules are we talking about?”

“Besides keeping the place immaculate?” His smoldering eyes lock with mine, releasing a hundred shivers to creep through me. “No sex in your room. I don’t want to worry about having to fumigate the apartment once strange guys have paraded through.”

With the mention of sex falling from his lips, I feel a sudden burn between my legs, and can’t look away. He bites his lower lip slowly, almost taunting me.

Damn it all, the guy is sexy.

For a moment I completely forget that we’re not alone, and that I previously warned Erik that the two of us would never hook up.

“Those rules seem simple enough,” Chloe pipes in, most likely sensing the sexual tension buzzing between us. “You gonna make her sign a contract or something? What if she finds a job? Are you gonna charge her rent? Even if you’re well off like your big brother, this shit can’t be cheap.”

“I’m pre-
law
,” he tells her in a matter-of-fact tone, finally tearing his eyes away from me. He looks down at my new friend like she’s a moron. “I’ll take care of the details. It’s unnecessary to worry your pretty little head over such trivial things.”

His cool attitude toward her tears me from my sudden sexual trance. Does he just not know how to deal with people in general, or is he simply earning the reputation of an asshole? Thankfully Chloe taps away at her cell phone, appearing un-jilted by his crudeness.

“The no sex thing
won’t
be a problem,” I declare, clearing my throat. “I have no intention of ‘parading guys’ through your apartment.” I press my arm into Chloe’s side. “Hey. Would you mind giving us a moment? I need to talk to Erik about his brother and Jewels, and I don’t want to drag you into it any more than I already have.”

“No problem,” Chloe answers, already in motion as she pecks at her phone. “I gotta call my boss at the tattoo shop anyway. Turns out there’s an emergency he wants me to cover tonight. Ozzy can be a real dick, and I gotta do whatever it takes to make him happy. I’m still under his apprenticeship and can’t afford to blow this. I’ve got a few months left until I can operate my own booth.” She glances up at me long enough to wink. “I’ll wait for you down in the lobby.”

After there’s a click of the front door, Erik turns back to me, his brows stitched. “She talks too fucking much.”

My resolve breaks the moment we lock eyes. I step into him, wrapping my fingers in his tousled locks, and kissing him. His lips are soft, but demanding. He immediately nudges his tongue inside my mouth, devouring me until I’m unsteady on my feet. His flavorful mouthwash bursts against my taste-buds as his tongue massages mine, making me so hot that I’m ready to implode.