Where Would I Be Without You (4 page)

"So.  No.  See.  The apartment across the alley.  Directly across mine.  That would be yours now. 
It has been empty for a while, and then I noticed a light the other day.  Then I got busy getting ready for my family birthday party, and well, I don't know if you saw anything unusual at my place last night but let's just say the party did not go well."

The elevator door
opened, and he motioned for me to go first as he made a statement quite clearly and with a sense of pride.  "I have my mother's eyes."

I stepped out and headed down the hallway to the old and dingy laundry room.  However, it had three brand new state of the art washers in
it, so I was not one to complain.  When I stepped aside to turn and look at my new neighbor, I thought for a second his eyes had been trained on my ass.  That's a good sign.  A good one indeed.

Rein
it in Amber.  I mentally hollered at myself.  However, a bit of it might have muttered out of my mouth.  My sexy new neighbor looked at me with his head cocked sideways and a soft 'what' exited his lips that were so kissable I wanted to devour them right there.

"Oh.  Nothing.  I was thinking.  Did I say something?"  I questioned as I watched him set my laundry basket on the long folding table in the laundry room.
  I was mesmerized by his muscles, his skin, which had this mocha latte color, I wanted to drink every last drop of; his height was a few inches taller than me, and his demeanor had a sexual flirtatiousness to it that made me want to do something, anything flirtatious or sexual to let him know I was interested.

"So it was your birthday yesterday?"  He turned and looked at me, but for a fleeting second, his eyes gazed
at me up and down.  His gaze caused my internal furnace to kick up a few notches.  Then he looked away to something off to the side and smiled while bringing his head down and looking back up to meet my eyes with his head tilted.  It was sexy as hell and over the top flirtatious move, and I wanted to strip him down and get familiar right next to my laundry basket.  I did a mental head slap and realized my hormones have been in overdrive lately.

I felt sexually caught off guard.  My flirting game was usually spot on.  However, he did things to me that caused me to feel so
flustered and silly that I just stood there staring at him.

"How old are you now?"  He was asking me as I
gauged his age in his late twenties, possible thirty, but he had excellent skin and a youthfulness to his looks.  Then again, so did I.  I wondered, should I lie and say 'oh it's my twenty-fifth birthday'?  Before I could wager lying about my age against the truth and what the advantages could be, his eyes mesmerized me with a look, and he spoke up with a teasing flirtatious voice.

"Let me guess."  H
e joked with me as his eyes traveled across my body again.  "Twenty-six?"

"Thirty."  I practically blurted out.  So much for keep him guessing or mak
ing him think I was younger.

"Thirty? 
I never would have guessed.  You look much younger."  He smiled and took a step forward putting himself right in my space.  "Mason Montahue, by the way."  He put his hand out to offer a handshake, and I blurted out.

"My birthday, real birthday that is, isn't until this Wednesday.  It was just a family thing."  Then I grabbed his
hand, shook it super-fast, and let go.  I was officially all twitterpated over a man I had seen naked, and now that he was right in front of me.  The sexual dial a meter had shot way past overloaded, and I had no dignity left to my game.  I was smitten, and flustered, and I wasn't sure how all this might play out.

"Nice to meet you Amber Jones.  I'm the new superintendent for these buildings for the next six months.  That is, until I can prove to my father that I know what it takes to be on the inside running things."

"Your father?  Montahue Properties.  The Montahue Properties that has billboards all over the city and manages, like, hundreds of properties.  That Montahue?"  I was in awe.

"One in the same.  My family has run this business since before I was born.  I got my degree and managed a few buildings but my dad said as soon as I turn thirty, he would consider me for a CEO position.  I've got a year to go, but had to take this position for six months.  I guess he wanted me to show him I am still good with my hands."  He said good with hands like it was a sexual connotation, or perhaps, I just took it that way.

Then it dawned on me.  I had never said my name.  I wasn't thinking stalker or creep, but more like he already knew the tenant's names.  I turned my head sideways, looked away from his sexually compelling eyes, then looked back, and spoke up with a note of seriousness.  "Mason?  How did you know my name?"

He chuckled and then reached up and touched my face, putting a loose strand of hair behind my ears as he looked into my eyes.  "You got called on last night.  From your neighbors. 
Apparently, your singing hit a high note and a few thought you were getting killed.  They called me, asking me to call the cops, but since I already had a front row view of what was really going on...  well, by the time I made it over to your apartment, you were already passed out on your bed."

"My bed.  Naked?  Or was I still dressed?"  My eyes were so wide and with a full on straight stare as if that would make a difference to his answer.

"Naked."  He said it so casually.  Then what he did next sent me into a permanent tailspin of chaos.  He pulled my head up to his with the back of his hand below my chin.  I watched his lips open slightly as he lowered his head down to mine, and I watched his eyes soften... then he kissed me.  No tongue or pervert kiss either, just a soft sensual kiss that sent me into overload.  When he pulled back and stood before me, a few solid muscular inches taller than me, his presence in the decent size laundry room just took up the entire room.

"Happy Birthday Amber."  His voice held a
sultry sound to it as his eyes were lit up like a Christmas tree.  "I hope you get your wish."  Then he walked right past me and out of the room leaving me there in my own cyclonic tailspin.

Chapter Four

My fingers could not have texted Marion any faster.  I got in a few minor details before I forgot I still needed to apologize
for my outlandish drunk birthday behavior.  So my fifth text simply read:  By the way.  I am so sorry.  Your suckie BFF.  I knew she would forgive me.  I was known for these short outbursts of crazy.  She had a few of her own over the years.  We always forgave each other, and that was why we would always be best friends.

I wasn't sure if I had even
congratulated her on her mention of being pregnant last night after my drunken stupor was in a full-blown episode, so I sent a sixth text.  It simply read: CONGRATS!

I was dancing around the basement laundry room
, texting Marion, knowing that she had mentioned that she had a massage and hair appointment this morning, and as soon as she had her phone in her petite little hand, she would be laughing at all the texts I was sending her.

I decided t
exting Bethany was my next must do.  She didn't usually text back while at work, but I was sure she would be smiling while reading everything I needed to text her.  I knew she would need the laugh after last night's adventure.

It was as if texting both my sister and best friend helped me burn through this excess energy I felt after that sweet gentle kiss Mason left me with.

Somehow, between all the texting, I got all three washers full with my laundry started.  Then I floated out of there and back up to my place to grab my purse.  My mani-pedi appointment was for in half hour, giving me just enough time to swing by the bakery and perhaps that cute new lingerie shop that had just opened up next to the nail salon.

Three
hours later, my fingers and toes looked sparkly.  I chose a pink glitter polish.  I picked out two matching bra and panty sets, one in deep red and one in a navy blue from the new lingerie shop.  Both very sexy and both with the utmost intention of showing Mason while on me then letting him take the lingerie off me.  My small cake, chocolate with raspberry filling, white cream cheese frosting was on order for me to swing by tomorrow after work to pick up.  Maybe Mason would want to join me in a little private celebration.  My mind was reeling from the kiss and doing an internal fantasy of what if and who he is.  Montahue Properties is a big deal.  He would be a great catch if I do say so myself.  My mother might actually be proud of me on this one, well, there is always a first for everything.

I turned the street corner
to the front of my building, walking from where I had to park off street behind, to see Marion leaning against her Silver Audi A6 with a huge smile on her face.  "I haven't seen you so happy in, I don't know how long.  Tell me.  Is that smile from just a kiss or did you already fully recover from Steve?"

I ran up and gave her a huge hug while smashing my lingerie bag.  When I pulled back, she grabbed the bag and peeked in.  "I'm going to say that you are fully recovered from Steve and making plans for the hottie in your building.  Your texts were strange.  H
e's the super?"

I grabbed her arm and started to drag her up to my door.  She turned and hit the
remote lock button for her car, and we started to laugh as I told her everything.  The cake left in the cab.  The drunk singing and possibly naked show I put on for him.  The waking in the middle of the night to cry into my pillow wondering how I got naked and in my bed.  Then the naked peep show he provided me, and in turn, my holey underwear gig.  The slipping on the spilled drink.  The message from my mother.  The ride down the elevator and by the time we made it inside my apartment, I had given her the brief overview in a super-fast babble language, hoping she caught most of what I just said.

"However, enough about me!"  I practically shouted with excitement. 
I quickly turned it back to her and wanted to know about the pregnancy.  How far along?  Was she feeling ok?  I began questioning her so fast that I had to wonder if it was excitement over the pregnancy or excitement about Mason - or perhaps both?

"So, oh my God, tell me when did you find out?  How far along?  Are you having morning sickness?  Is Carl's mom already bothering you for the second kid?"  The last question got a huge laugh out of both of us.  We both knew that Carl's mom had been bothering them for kids before they were married. 
However, Marion had her reservation shortly after being married when she realized a large portion of Carl's friends, and his coworkers, all had been struggling with marriages.  She was petrified to start a family until she was sure.  I knew.  I knew that Carl loved her and did not care that she came from a broken family that was struggling more times than not.  I knew that Marion's self-doubt came more from her upbringing than from the fact that she was an incredible person both inside and out.

We sat down on my couch facing each
other, and Marion took a deep breath while rubbing her belly.  I watched in awe as her brown eyes lit up and her long brown hair seemed to have some magical halo around it.  She seemed to have transformed into this heavenly figure right in front of me, that, or I was imagining what it would feel like to be pregnant.  "Well."  She started out on one long slow breath.  "I am approximately six weeks.  I suppose I could have chosen a better moment to tell you, I had actually planned to tell you on your birthday, but you needed a distraction."  She paused and looked into my concerned eyes.  She didn't know it, but I was truly wondering how bad was I at the restaurant, considering I didn't even remember her mentioning it until I started texting her while doing my laundry?  She continued on when I didn't say anything.  "I've had a little morning sickness, but mostly it was kind of a surprise.  Remember that trip to the Bahamas that Carl took me on for a work-related trip.  Well, we got a little crazy, and I forgot to pack my pills.  We decided not to worry.  If it happened, it happened.  I think secretly he has wanted me barefoot and pregnant for years now, but I've been so... well, apprehensive.  I still feel as if I don't always fit in with his family, his co-workers."  Her tone held questionability.

"Hey."  My voice was super enthusiastic.  "Carl loves you.  That is all that matters.  He loves you for you.  The you that is better than all of his family combined and any co-workers times ten.  He
loves you because you are gorgeous.  You are kind and giving.  You always say the right things to people when they need to hear it.  You are smart."  She interrupted me.

"Not smart enough to get a
college degree let alone a high school degree."  Her voice held regret.

"You got your GED.  That's good enough.  As far as college, think about all the people that do go and never amount to
anything, or they just aren't good stalk, if you know what I mean.  It's the person you are not the piece of paper that says how smart you are."

She laughed and looked across me to the big window with the box seat.  "Is that his place?"

I turned and looked dreamily over my shoulder.  "Yeah."  Then the room fell silent.  When I turned and looked back to her, she had her eyes big and a huge question mark hanging over her head.

"We've got plenty of time to go all
ga-ga over my pregnancy.  I think we need to discuss what happened with Steve, then being kissed by the sexy super across the alley."