Chapter 9
Grayce
What had I done? I sat in the living room while my new roommate moved his stuff in. He had only brought in a few boxes, which surprised me. Who has so few things? Then I remembered how little I had left the house with when Carter and I had split.
Having a male roommate was certainly going to be a new dynamic. If it had been a woman moving in, I would’ve offered to help her bring in her boxes, ordered some take-out, and we would have been sitting on the sofa now, getting to know each other. With a man, though, what would our roommate relationship even look like?
Sure, I’d had plenty of male friends in college. Those relationships grew organically, though. We’d compare notes on a class, or they might be dating one of my friends, and hanging out felt natural. This, however, felt anything but natural.
“So, I think I’m all set.”
The deep voice startled me, and I looked up from where I sat cross-legged on the sofa.
He was smiling, and his white teeth were made even more brilliant in contrast to his tanned skin. He ran his hand through his hair and it fell to the side, looking messy and perfect at the same time. The button-down shirt and fitted khakis he was wearing emphasized his broad shoulders and narrow waist. My breath quickened just drinking in the sight of him.
“Oh, okay, great.” I replied.
“Look, I’d love to hang out and chat, but I’ve gotta get to my buddy’s party.” He pushed his sleeve up a bit farther and looked down at a chronograph watch on his wrist. The big dial made his already muscular forearm look even more masculine. “So, I’m going to hop in the shower and get ready.”
I nodded, and he turned to walk back to his room. I enjoyed the view of his muscular ass as I watched him walk away.
I. Was. Fucked. What had I been thinking? I rented, not only to a man, but to a man that I’ve been drooling over and dreaming about for days? Was this the level of desperation to which I had sunk?
My phone buzzed. Carter. Perfect timing, as usual. I hit the green button. “Yes?”
“Good afternoon to you too, Grayce,” Carter said in his typical smug tone.
“Well, you don’t exactly make social calls, so what do you want?”
“I need you to…,” I cut him off.
“I know, take the money, sign the papers. I’m not letting you off that easily, as much as I want you out of my life.”
“I’m serious!” he barked.
Ooh, scary! I thought. What was he going to do to me now? He had cheated on me, put me out of our home, and whether he knew it or not, he’d cost me a client. There was little damage that Carter Gladden could inflict that he hadn’t already done to me, in one form or another, already.
“You will not talk to me like I’m your employee. Believe me, I have no desire to prolong this, either,” I replied sternly.
“Look, we are not getting back together. I don’t know why you’re—”
Just then, Tyler walked into the living room. “Hey, I’m going to head out.” His deep voice washed over me like a thick wave. “I’ll see you later?”
“Yeah,” I said, smiling.
Tyler put his palm up, giving a single wave before turning and walking out the door.
“Who the fuck was that?” Carter asked.
Shit! I had forgotten for a moment that Carter was still on the phone.
“It’s really none of your business who that was,” I said.
“Are you still at Ella’s?”
I couldn’t quite make out if this was fact-finding, or just his attempt at a dig. “As a matter of fact, I’m not. I’m in a beautiful new place in Astoria. Right by the river.” Suck on that, asshole.
“Hmm, I’m surprised you can afford that, Grayce. I hear you’ve been losing clients.”
How could he have known that? “Don’t worry about me, Carter. I can take care of myself without you just fine. Just like all those nights while we were together when I had to take care of myself.”
The double-beep and dial tone let me know he had hung up. I smirked with satisfaction.
With my new roomie out for the evening, I went and ran a few errands. I picked up some groceries and a nice bottle of wine, deciding to have a relaxing dinner. Solo. I had imagined, when I first looked at the new place, all the solitude I would have. A roommate had not been part of the plan then. Still, with three jobs, I suspected my new roommate would afford me a little more enjoyment of time alone than I might have expected.
I did some yoga before dinner. I had a nice green salad and a glass of wine, then another glass. I decided to take the wine party to the Jacuzzi tub in my room. I undressed and pinned my long hair into a loose bun on top of my head.
As the tub filled with warm water, I surveyed my naked form in the mirror. The work I had put in on my glutes was definitely paying off, I observed as I looked at the curve of the muscle that ran down to the back of my thigh. My flat stomach was one of my best body features, I thought. My breasts weren’t as big as Ella’s—not by a long shot—but there was certainly enough there to fill out my own blouses.
Kay didn’t have my curves. She was petite, rail thin, with hardly any curves at all. Was that what Carter had wanted? In my head, I knew he was just an asshole, but there was still a tiny part of me that wondered why I hadn’t been enough for him.
I sank down into the warm water of the bath and took a sip of my wine. I flipped on the jets, and the warm pulsations kneaded my muscles, releasing all the stress of the day. I tried to stop the image of my handsome roommate from filling my mind, but it was futile.
I remembered him standing behind me in the kitchen as we went over the sublet agreement. His body had been so close to mine I could feel the heat radiating off of him. When he bent forward to read the contract, his breath glanced across my skin. As he spoke, the vibrations of his voice sank deep into my body.
I imagined that moment differently. His lips on my skin, our tongues intertwined, his hands kneading my flesh. I slid my hand down into the water and circled my clit with my fingers. I closed my eyes, imagining his hands there – his lips there. It didn’t take long for the muscles in my body to tense. My legs grew suddenly stiff with the climax, and I sloshed water out onto the floor.
I dried off and put on a nightgown, then headed to bed. Knowing I wouldn’t have to worry quite so much about making the rent on my new place was a load off of my mind. Relaxed from the wine, the bath, and the release, it didn’t take long for me to doze off.
The bang woke me, bolt upright, out of sleep. I went to grab my phone to check the time, but I must’ve left it in the living room. Trying shake the sleep from my head, I sat up. I listened intently to see if more sounds would follow, wondering if what I had heard had even been real.
The next thing I heard sounded like the scraping of furniture against the floor. Shit! I looked quickly around my room, trying to find something I could use as a weapon. My eyes landed on the small, pink kettlebell that was sitting next to my sneakers.
My breathing was shallow as I tiptoed out of my room, the heft of the eight-pound weight in my right hand. As I turned the corner to see if I could peek into the living room, I ran smack into a firm chest and rippled abs. I shrieked and dropped the kettlebell.
“Whoa,” Tyler said, putting his hands up as if I were holding a gun on him. “Sorry I woke you. I was trying to be quiet, but I don’t know my way around the place yet, and I walked into a chair.”
My shoulders moved up and down as my chest heaved with panic from thinking I had an intruder in the house. Tyler put his hands on my shoulders. The touch of his hands on my bare skin sent a shockwave that went from his fingertips to the ache between my thighs. I had put on a racerback tank nightgown, but I had nothing on underneath it. Suddenly embarrassed at my half-dressed state, I crossed my arms.
“You okay, Grayce?” As he spoke, his deep, husky voice vibrated so that I could feel it in my very bones.
“Yes, I’m fine.” I replied, trying to get myself together.
Tyler leaned forward as if he were about to kneel, and started to move his left hand forward. What the hell is he doing? I shifted on my feet and clamped my thighs together, trying to stem the growing wetness between them.
The crisp, striped shirt he was wearing seemed to strain across his broad shoulders as he moved. Most guys would come home from a bachelor party, and presumably a strip club, smelling like smoke and liquor. Tyler smelled earthy, like wood and leather. He lightly grazed the side of my calf with his arm as he picked up the kettlebell I had dropped.
“Here you go, killer,” he said with a smirk. “It looks like it left a bit of a mark where you dropped it, but I can take care of that for you.” His smile beamed as he looked me up and down, making me feel exposed and incredibly turned on at the same time.
“I thought you were an intruder,” I said, my fingers grazing his as I took the weight from his hand. “It’s the middle of the night, after all.”
“It’s actually early morning,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck with his palm. “Again, sorry. My friend’s bachelor party went pretty long.” He put his hand on the outside of my arm, “I hope you can get back to sleep. Assuming you were sleeping, that is.” He winked, and I felt the blood rush to my cheeks. “Goodnight, Grayce.”
I went back to my room, put the weight down by my sneakers, and climbed back into bed. I was wide awake, every nerve ending pulsing. I could hear a faint noise in Tyler’s room, and realized it was the shower. Insanely hot model, naked. In the shower. In my apartment. Holy shit, I was in trouble.
I tried to go back to sleep, but it was no use. I was too keyed up. I slid my hand inside my nightgown and idly circled my taught nipple with my fingertips. Had he seen my body react to him? I wondered. Was he touching himself in the shower at that very moment?
My hand slid down to the slick spot between my thighs. It had been almost seven months since I’d last had sex. Carter and I hadn’t done it in several weeks by the time we split, and I’d been on Ella’s couch every night for the past six months.
My earlier release in the tub had been serviceable. This time, though, with Tyler’s scent still wafting in my nostrils, his image still fresh in my mind, I climaxed quickly and intensely.
* * * * *
I had been half-awake the following morning when I heard the front door open and shut. Knowing my roommate was already out for the day, I slid out of bed and went to make some coffee. I flipped on the radio and then put the coffee on. I was stretching, trying to wake up while I made my first cup of caffeine for the day.
I had my arms stretched high over my head, fingers laced, looking skyward when I heard husky voice say, “Well, good morning indeed!”
Startled, I looked over and saw Tyler standing in the doorway of the kitchen in running shorts and sneakers, but no shirt. His firm chest glistened with sweat, his hair slightly matted to the sides of his forehead.
“Can I have some?” He was looking me up and down again. I never knew someone could make me feel so objectified and so damn sexy at the same time.
“Excuse me?” I asked.
“The coffee?” he said, pointing to the coffee maker.
“Oh, yes, of course.” My arms were still crossed, and I pushed my thighs together tightly as I stepped back out of his way.
“Don’t worry about what you’re wearing on my account,” he said, clearly sensing my discomfort. “It looks pretty great on you. Besides, you can walk around without a stitch on as far as I’m concerned. I promise I won’t mind.” He smirked and held up the mug of coffee. “Thanks for the joe,” he said, walking back to his room.
After he walked away, I collapsed back against the refrigerator and let out a deep sigh. Holy shit, that body. I’d never seen anyone with shoulders like that before, not to mention the washboard abs, and the v-lines pointing to the thing my body couldn’t help but crave.
A little exercise would help me work off some of my nervous energy. Putting on my running pants, sports bra and tee, I did four miles, music blaring, around the park and past the waterfront. When I returned, I decided to do some yoga for good measure. I grabbed my yoga mat and set up on the hardwood floor of the living room.
“Your form is great,” I heard Tyler say behind me as I was in downward dog, “but if I could make a suggestion…” He walked over and put one hand on my hip, the other pushing the back of my shoulders gently to align my position. “If you go a little more inverse with the shoulders, you get more stretch across the hips. Do you feel it?”
Frequent embarrassment and sexual frustration, I thought as my ass was in the air, this is my life now.
“Yeah, I do, actually,” I replied. “I forgot you were a trainer.”
I came out of downward dog and faced him. He was in a charcoal suit that was a better fit and looked more expensive than anything I’d ever seen the most successful attorney wear. “Whoa,” involuntarily passed my lips as he straightened his cuffs.
“I’ll take that as an endorsement of my suit?” he said, arching an eyebrow.
“Sorry, I’ve just never seen you dressed like that,” I replied.
“Well, as the best man, I’m kind of expected to bring it.” He chuckled.
“Oh right – wedding. Have fun.” I smiled.
“Not exactly my cup of tea, but he’s my best friend, so I’ll make the best of it. Have a great night,” he said as he turned to walk out the door. “Oh, and the wedding is upstate, so I won’t be back until tomorrow night. You might want to put on the deadbolt. Or keep your kettlebell handy. Have a good one, Grayce.”
As soon as he left, I grabbed my phone and called Ella.
“Well, thank God! I was going to call out a search party. How’s the X-Factor, Roommate Edition going?” she asked.
“Well, I have a roommate,” I said. “Moved in yesterday, actually.”
“Wow, that was fast! What’s she like?” I could hear the faintest hint of jealousy in her voice.
“Well, she’s…a dude. It’s a guy.” I braced myself for her self-congratulations.
“So, you did listen to me after all! Tell me everything,” she said.
“Funny story,” I started. “He actually works at Flex, my gym. He’s the one that poured coffee all over me that first morning before Mr. Jensen came in.”
Ella was quiet for a moment. “But, he just replied to the ad? A coincidence?”
“Yes, and the agency messed up his name on the application. I thought he was a woman named Taylor, not a guy named Tyler,” I said. “His references were great, he makes plenty of money – he has several regular jobs, actually, but that’s not the problem.” I sighed.
“So, what is the problem, Miss Roommate-Has-To-Be-Perfect?”
“The problem is, he’s fucking insanely hot. He’s a model, in fact. I think that’s his new billboard in Times Square.”
“No. Fucking. Way! What’s his last name?” she asked, and I heard her typing on her laptop.
“Tyler Becker,” I replied. “I swear to God, Ella. He came in from a run this morning, and I nearly had an orgasm just looking at his abs.”
“Holy shit!” Ella squealed. “No way this guy is your new roomie!”
“Yeah,” I said with a defeated sigh. “Yeah, he is.”
“Noah is with my Mom on Monday. I’m coming over after work to check him out. But Grayce, you know what I think.” I knew what she was going to say.
“Hmm, let me think about that…you think I should, I don’t know, do him?” I replied sarcastically.
“You know the fastest way to get over a guy is to get under a new one,” she replied. “Oh, shit. Noah!” I heard the crash from her apartment. “Gotta go. I’ll see you Monday.”