“Are you still sure about this, Ro?” Alex’s voice echoes from the loud speaker. I can’t handle having her voice next to my ear. Half the time, she’s screaming into the phone. I told her that she needs to work on her inside voice more, but she doesn’t care.

No, I’m not sure about any of this. I walk around the small apartment look at all the rows and rows of boxes. Each of them need to be unpacked. It’s going to take ages to do since I just threw everything in randomly, not even trying to organize anything.  

“I have no idea, but that’s why I need to do this. I’m tired of being under their constant watch.”

By they I’m referring to my parents. Well, father and stepmother. If I didn’t move out of the penthouse, I would have lost my mind. It doesn’t help that 90% of the time, I’m home with my stepmother while my father travels for events.

I lean over the couch and pry the windows open. The stuffy air from the apartment leaves only to be replaced with the smell of gasoline and smoke. Ah, gotta love downtown New York. My eyes fall on the crowd of people walking along minding their own business. I can barely see them from the 38th floor. They all look like bustling ants.

“They would have been on my case all the time if I didn’t move out.”

“I guess.” Alex sounds unsure of herself. “All I’m saying is that if I was the Mayor’s daughter, I would have found a better place than Sherwood Oaks Apartments. Even the name gives me shivers. Are you sure that you’re safe over there?” she cries into the phone.

“I’m fine!” I yell and roll my eyes. “It might not be the most upscale place, but it will do.” Plus, this is the only thing that I could afford on my budget. And I was determined to do everything without my father’s help or connections.

“It’s not even subpar,” Alex shoots back. “I could never live anywhere near there. Too small and impoverished for my liking.”  She didn’t have to tell me that. The idea of Alex Sanders living somewhere that isn’t a penthouse on Broadway Avenue is too hard to imagine.  She wasn’t the kind of girl that liked to rough it.

I remember one time when I tried to take her camping with my dad. She wouldn’t go until she could guarantee that we were staying at a four star hotel. I tried to tell her that spending the weekend in a fancy, pompous hotel wasn’t camping, but I couldn’t convince her otherwise. At least we could see the forest from our hotel room, ‘cause that was close as Alex would get to anything that would dirty her clothes.

“So, have you met any of your neighbors? Any hot guys?” And there it is. She doesn’t miss a beat when it comes to having a little fun. Half the time, I don’t think she realizes that her college frat parties are well over.   

“This isn’t some porn video. There are no hot guys that are just going to waltz into my life.” I open one of the boxes and immediately regret my decision to not pack accordingly. I kneel and grab out a toothbrush, one shoe, and a cord that I have no idea the purpose of.

“Wouldn’t that be great though?” I can almost see her daydreaming about hot, muscular guys coming to fix her sink.

“And what does it matter to you? Aren’t you dating Derrick?” Or was it Darrel, I think. I can’t keep up with her anymore.  

“That was like a month ago. Get on my schedule, honey. Most guys can’t keep up with me,” she laughs.

That’s ‘cause most of the time, Alex loses interest in them. When she meets them for the first time, she’s sitting anxiously at her phone waiting for their texts. As soon as she gets the attention that she wants, she throws them off to the side. I don’t think any of her relationships have lasted longer than a month.  

“Plus, I don’t need another guy right now. I was asking more for you,” she says. My finger hovers over the mute button. I know what’s coming next. For the last month, it’s been a heated topic between the both of us. Her loud, shrill voice breaks through my hesitation. “Rose, you need to get laid ASAP. How long has it been?”

I do a mental check of the math. I only add more days or weeks since our last conversation. “It hasn’t been that long. Only a couple months,” I lie.

I look around my cozy apartment. I doubt that I can even bring anyone here. As if that’s the only problem that I have.

I haven’t been with anyone in over a year. Not after the shit I had to deal with my last ex, Adrian. Somehow, without informing me, he decided that it was easier to cheat on me than let me know that he wanted to break it off.

What a coward! I can’t take the thought of having to deal with all that bullshit. The constant lies and playing around, never answering texts or phone calls.  

Why can’t people just be more forward with each other?

I tell you what I want. And you tell me what you want. If we’re not compatible, then we move on. Easy peasy.

As if, I think.

“That’s such bullshit. That’s what you told me last month,” Alex shouts into the phone. “At this point, I’m sorrier for your hoo-ha than you. Have you at least tried the Rabbit that I got you for Christmas?”

“Sure have,” I mumble under my breath.

“Liar!”

I reach down into the box and pull the purple package out. I haven’t even bothered to take it out of its box. The plastic breaks as I pull on it. I open the flap at the top and stare at the mammoth stick inside.

The burning sensation takes over my cheeks. I drop the box on the table and shake my head side to side. There’s no way that I can bring myself to use that. I still can’t believe that Alex decided that the best time for that gift was at Christmas. During the family secret Santa, no less.

I could almost picture my father’s confused look, followed by a slew of questions and my stepmother shaking her head, while Alex’s roaring laughter filled the living room will forever be ingrained in my mind. The talk that my stepmother gave me after didn’t make me feel so good either.

“Listen, I’m going to hit the gym. The last thing I want to do is unpack right now.”

“If you see any hot guys —“ I hang up and place the phone on the counter.

That girl has no idea when to stop.

* * *

Lucky for me, the building has its very own gym. It’s one of the added bonuses that made me sign the lease. A way to make sure that I somewhat hit my New Year’s resolution this year.

It’s small and cozy. A couple of cardio machines against the far wall with weights scattered around the room. Double lucky for me, nobody is here.

I hate working out in front of others. One of the many reasons, I never signed up to a commercial gym. Too many judging eyes that I can never drown out. And it doesn’t help that sometimes people notice me.

Random guys try to hit on me at the gym. Everyone wanting to get a lucky night with the Mayor’s daughter. I’ve gotten used to it at this point, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want some peace and quiet.

I throw the towel over my shoulder and walk into the locker room. Sweat trickles down the side of my forehead. A quick shower before I get back to my apartment is all I need. The idea of spending the rest of the night unpacking all those boxes is daunting.

I smile to myself. Nothing that a glass of wine won’t help with.

The sound of running water wakes me up. Someone’s already here, I think. I don’t mind that; I’ll be in and out in a jiffy.

I turn the corner into the locker room showers and knock into something hard. Yet soft.  

“S-sorry,” I stutter out. My eyes fall on the person’s hairy legs. More hair than I’ve ever seen on a woman’s legs, but who am I to judge. It’s cold outside.

“Not a problem, sweet cheeks.”

I stop mid step. Something isn’t right here. The voice is rough and manly. Not at all what I’d expect from someone in the women’s locker room.

My heart almost stops.

This can’t be happening right now.

Thick calves. A towel hugging the waist. Six pack abs. Hard chest. Chiseled chin.

I can’t bring myself to breathe. My hand flies to my mouth as our eyes meet.

Everything around me starts to spin when I catch the big grin on his face. His green eyes gaze at me and my heart almost jumps with excitement. His eyes draw me in as the heat in the pit of my stomach grows. I rub my legs together, welcoming the forgotten warmth. My legs start to shake and I lose control over them.

“Woah, there.” The lifelike Adonis swoops in, and his arm curls behind my back. My limp body hangs from his arm like a shirt off a hanger. Effortlessly, he holds me up against him, my hands touching his hard, cut body. “I’m going to need you to keep it together, sweet cheeks.” His tongue runs along his lips as he takes me in.

I open my mouth to tell him to stop calling me ‘sweet cheeks,’ but only a whimper leaves my lips. My hands clasp down on my mouth in embarrassment.  The fire in my cheeks rises.  

He brings another hand under my legs and hoists me up. My hands circle his neck and I stare into his eyes. He has a cocky smirk plastered on his face like he’s a hero coming to my rescue. Every step that he takes bobs me harder against his sculpted body, giving me an excuse to touch him.

“Here we go,” he says, lowering me down onto a bench.

“I’m okay,” I manage to mutter. “I’ll be okay.”

He stands up and chuckles, the towel around his waist bouncing. “I know I’m good looking, but I’ve never made a girl faint before.”  He looks his own body over, clearly impressed with himself.

“I didn’t faint,” I shoot back. “I was just tired from my workout.”

Who the hell does he think he is? He can’t be that full of himself.

I don’t know what came over me. It could have been the workout. Or it could have been…

I sneak a look at his body. My head gets woozy again.

It’s been so long since I’ve been this close to another person of the opposite sex. And even longer since I’ve been touched by someone as hot as the Adonis in front of me.

“You’re not fooling anyone, sweet cheeks. I saw the way you looked at me.” He turns his back to me, opening a locker to his right. I try to look at the floor, but can’t help but steal glances at his wide, muscular back.

“My name is Rose. Not sweet cheeks.”

He looks at me for a moment and seems to ponder what I said. “I like sweet cheeks. It suits you better.” He smiles at me and his eyes fall down the side of my body. A chill runs down my spine and ends between my legs.

The way that he looks at me. It’s with raw, animalistic hunger. Something that I’ve never experienced before in my life.

“You haven’t told me your name yet.”

He grabs a t-shirt from the locker room and slinks his beefy arms through it. For some strange reason, a pang of disappointment rolls through me when he brings it over his chest. I want to see more. Touch more.

You need to calm yourself, Rose. You shouldn’t even be in here.

He grabs a pair of blue jeans and walks over to me. “Maybe that’s because I don’t want to tell you.” With the jeans in one hand, he reaches down and pulls at the knot at his waist.

The towel falls to the ground. I look at it, confused.

That shouldn’t be on the ground.

And then I look up.

“Oh my god,” I yell, turning my head to the side. I bring my hands up and shake my head side to side. “This can’t be happening right now.”

But no matter how hard I try, I can’t get it out of my mind.

I saw it.

Every thick, long inch of it.

And I wanted it.