There were no questions asked and Troy didn’t fight it when the man helped him to his feet and walked him to the elevators.
Thankfully, the rain slowed down as I walked back to my car in the dark. It was nearly nine o’clock by this point and I’d had an exhausting day. But I was by Main Street Park for the first time in years and knew the view of the Brooklyn bridge was just up the block toward the water. Rather than heading home to get dry, I found myself following the path of the cobblestone street until I reached the tiny beach with the glorious view.
I’d only been here once with my parents when dad wanted to use the background for one of his sketches and I remembered asking my mother how long it would take to walk the length of that bridge.
She’d told me we’d find out one day.
When it was becoming too late to stick around the dark park and the painful memories started flooding back, I walked back to my car.
Reaching for my car keys halfway up the block, I frantically double patted my empty pockets. “Oh no.” The keys…and everything else I had with me, was in my car—locked.
No no no.
I walked back to the building and asked the doorman to use his phone. Shit, what was Nic’s number? Five-four-one, no five one four…
I looked up at the doorman who held a raised brow in my direction. “Kind of lost without cell phones…you just can’t remember anyone’s phone number,” I released an uneasy chuckle.
“You got roadside assistance?”
“Um…no”
“You should look into it, especially since you’ve got auto-lock on your vehicle.”
Thank you Captain Obvious.
“Well, I can call someone to break it open for you, but it can’t be till morning.”
My stomach dropped when I thought about my only other option as I stood there, freezing in my wet clothes. I asked the doorman to call him for me so I could take him up on his offer for a dry shirt.
“Hartman, right?”
I nodded painfully.No good deed goes unpunished.
“Mark,” he called to a man standing by the elevators. “Can you take this young woman up to Hartman’s unit, she was with him earlier and is locked out.”
The overly polite, uniformed gentleman silently brought me up to the floor level just before the penthouse and I was pleasantly surprised to see that Troy hadn’t opted for the best. He would be the type.
Instead, I was led to the far end of the hallway with my squeaky wet shoes and pants that swooshed as my legs brushed.
The attendant unlocked the door and held it open for me.
“Thanks. I won’t be long, does this door lock from the outside?”
“Sure does. Have a good evening.” He offered before marching back to the elevator, leaving me with my heart beating against my chest before I slowly pushed my way in.
`It was dark, quiet, and comfortably warm when I stepped inside. I flicked on the foyer light switch and a nearby table lamp lit. It was covered with a black shade, so the lighting was dim and somewhat welcoming.
I removed my squeaky shoes, wondering why I was trying so hard to stay quiet when it was no doubt Troy was out cold. Turning slowly, I took in the surroundings. The ceilings were high, and three windows overlooking the Brooklyn bridge almost just as tall. The apartment was long as opposed to lofty. There was a velvet gray sofa facing a wall where the enormous flat screen hung and a smaller love seat at the far end, facing the open kitchen.
The walls were a modern shade of gray and the carpet, which felt glorious under my icy toes, was a faded blue. I slipped out of my wet pants and blouse, pulling on a throw blanket from a love seat in the living room and tiptoed down the long corridor to his bedroom, which was slightly open. As suspected, Troy was spread on the bed with his white down comforter covering merely one leg. His hair seemed silkier, and he was freshly shaven. I imagined he must have showered the minute he got home. His face appeared clean and there was a smoothness to it, despite the carved features. There was a sense of calmness in him that you’d never believe if you saw him just over an hour ago.
His broad torso moved up and down as he breathed, and I found myself lost in the sound of it.
I blinked, snapping myself out of the intoxicating human laying half naked before me. I pulled open his drawers carefully until I found a pile of t-shirts and drawstring pants. I glanced back once more, finding Troy turned with his behind peaking from under the covers.
That was one part I didn’t get to see the other night.
I crept out of the room, threw on the warm, dry clothes and reached for his cell phone, which was on his kitchen counter.
