Chapter 1: Introduction
The sleek, shining metal Habitat Tower rose up against the fluorescent city skyline as Jessica and I wheeled our moving carts to the entrance of our new apartment. The line in front of the elevator reminded me of ants over an abandoned ice cream cone. The day was warmer than usual for being the last week of September, punishing everyone for daring to expect the autumn cool-down.
Perspiration dribbled down Jessica's forehead and I forced myself to stare exclusively at the copy of our lease agreement, not the way the sweat ran down her cheekbone.
As we entered the elevator, a group of six busty women and three men with tight tank tops teemed in, crushing us inside the confined space. The elevator hummed and whirred its way through every single floor. I sighed and put my hands on the rail, not exactly thrilled to be this close to strangers amid the stifling heat.
Jessica leaned into me, her sweat collecting on my neck as the bodies pressed against one another, our hips unavoidably aligned.
When we finally reached the eighth floor, I couldn't help but feel a slight disappointed. The cold, hard truth was that even if Jessica and I had some kind of spark between us, this crowded elevator wasn't the place to even consider it.
After getting the keys and finding our new apartment, Jessica grabbed two cold beers from the fridge and handed me one. We clinked bottles and shared a relieved smile.
She cracked the beer open, brought it to her lips, and tipped her head back, her throat muscles working as she swallowed. I couldn't look away.
"God, that's good," she murmured and my eyes snapped back up to hers.
Fuck, I thought, swallowing hard as lust bolted right through me.
"Shit, yeah," I stammered, taking a swig of my own beer and doing my best not to let my eyes slide down her body.
Jessica chuckled, her eyes alight with knowing amusement.
She tipped her beer back again, emptying its contents, and I couldn't help but follow the line of her throat as it moved sensually with each swallow.
"You're so fucking cute when you get flustered, Shawn," Jessica said, setting her bottle on the counter. She walked towards me, eyes locked on mine, and licked her lips slowly, deliberately.
"Careful," I said, trying to hide the sudden tremor in my voice.
She raised an eyebrow and leaned in so that our lips almost touched. The smell of her sweaty body sent the strangest, most twisted wave of lust coursing through me.
"Or what?" she whispered.
I couldn't speak. I just watched her eyes search my face. Looking for something. Maybe to see if I was serious. She was so close, I could feel the heat radiating off of her body.
"Careful," I said, trying to hide the sudden tremor in my voice.
She raised an eyebrow and leaned in so that our lips almost touched. The smell of her sweaty body sent the strangest, most twisted wave of lust coursing through me.
"Or what?" she whispered.
I couldn't speak. I just watched her eyes search my face. Looking for something. Maybe to see if I was serious. She was so close, I could feel the heat radiating off of her body.
An electric tension coursed between us. The intensity of the moment swept over me. I'd known her for so long, but never from this angle. I swallowed before managing to find my voice.
"We're roommates," I finally whispered back, my voice hoarse as I pulled myself away from her magnetic gaze.
She broke away and grinned, an impish twinkle in her eyes before her smirk bloomed. "That we are."
We spent the rest of the day moving in, with Jessica constantly finding creative ways to brush up against me.