Page 6 of Need Him Like Oxygen

It suddenly felt even more lucky as I closed in on it.

It took actual effort to raise my arm high enough to stab my finger into the doorbell.

“Keep your panties on,” a voice called from inside. Then, “Unless you’re a gorgeous woman. In which case, feel free to slip right out of th—“

His easy-going, upbeat voice broke off as he slid the chain, then pulled open the door to see me.

There he was.

Dav.

Possibly the only man in the world I could trust with this secret.

“Cinna,” his voice hissed out of him as horror filled his stupidly handsome face as he took me in.

I had no idea what I looked like.

But if my agony was anything to go by, it was not good.

“What—“ he started, his arms reaching out toward me.

I thought, at first, it was simply because he was one of those kinds of people. The touchy-feely ones. Who were always brushing your arm, touching your lower back, picking lint off of your shirt.

I didn’t realize, until I felt myself falling into him, that he saw me teetering and was trying to catch me before I fell.

And as I collided with his frame, it happened.

A deep, soul-crushing sob escaped me.

As if this night hadn’t been humiliating enough.

CHAPTER TWO

Dav

I was just climbing out of the shower, woefully alone for once, when I heard the intercom buzz in the living room.

Reaching out toward the vanity, I flipped my phone over, noting the time.

Two in the morning.

Prime time for an old hookup to decide to drop over and take another tour of my sheets.

Maybe this night wasn’t so depressing after all.

I made quick work of toweling off, then grabbed the pair of black sleep pants, yanking them up my legs where they sat suggestively low on my hips.

I didn’t plan on having them on long anyway.

I was expecting another buzz as I walked out into the common area of the apartment.

Instead, I got a long chime of my own doorbell.

Someone was anxious to see me.

My lips curved up into a playful smile at the idea of someone being that desperate to take me for a ride that they’d sneaked their way into the building.

“Keep your panties on,” I called as I reached for the locks. “Unless you’re a gorgeous woman. In which case, feel free to slip right out of th—“ I trailed off as I pulled open the door.

---