Page 15 of Stuck On Them

“When can we do that again?” I yawned, and for the first time in what felt like forever, my body felt completely relaxed.

He didn’t speak for a moment, and I craned my neck to look up at him. “We’ll talk about it in the morning. Get some sleep.”

“Thank you.” I settled back in against him and pulled the sheet to cover me to my chest.

“You’re welcome.” He kissed the top of my head, wedging his leg under mine.

When I woke up the next morning, he was gone.

Chapter6

Perky Squirrel

Paige

Istared up at Caponetti Tower, in awe of yet another New York City high-rise. I’d been around plenty of tall buildings in my life, but they were nothing like what I’d seen over the month since I’d been there. While I still resisted the urge to go back to Los Angeles, the city was growing on me.

Someone bumped into me, nearly knocking me off the curb.

Okay, maybe it wasn’t growing on me quite as much as I thought.

Adjusting my bag on my shoulder, I walked toward the front entrance of the Caponetti Tower. It was part of a trio of buildings that shared a plaza with a large fountain with geometric shapes stacked on top of one another, benches, and pristine landscaping.

I stopped just past the fountain, digging my hand in the front pocket of my bag for the sticky note I’d written where I needed to go. “Where the fuck is it?”

Just as the tips of my fingers clasped the note wedged into the bowels of the pocket, someone slammed into me from behind. I stumbled forward, my arms flailing like a deranged chicken’s wings to keep my balance. My bag slid off my arm and the contents spilled onto the ground.

Why was everyone in such a damn hurry all the time?

Not even bothering to look to see the culprit—there was no point really—I squatted down to collect the pens, sticky note pads, and a package of googly eyes that had spilled out. The sight of the adhesive eyes instantly made me feel better about how my morning was going so far.

“I’m sorry. Here, let me help.” A man put a drink carrier down on the ground that had three coffee cups in it. The cups had a fully clothed squirrel wearing a fanny pack overflowing with nuts printed on them. He grabbed a few pens and handed them out for me to take.

“It’s okay. I shouldn’t have stopped right in the…” My voice trailed off as I looked up and met light brown eyes I was very,veryfamiliar with because they’d been all over me just three weeks ago as his friend fucked me silly. “Way,” I whispered.

His eyes widened, and he dropped the pens into my bag before grabbing the drink carrier. All of the drinks had those little stoppers in them, which explained how they didn’t end up all over us. “Again, I’m sorry.”

I didn’t even have time to form a coherent thought before he was rushing away, his strides practically a run as he disappeared around the side of the building.

My eyes brimmed with tears, and I sniffled them back as I picked up the last few items. I’d been over that night a hundred times since it happened, and it still stung that I’d woken up alone. Nora assured me that it was typical of one-night stands, but after how good it was, I thought they’d want to do it again.

What were the odds of me running into one of them again in a city so large? Did that mean he worked in the area?

I needed to get it together; I had an interview in fifteen minutes. Not that I was hopeful since I’d submitted over a hundred applications and resumes and had ten interviews in the last few weeks. None had led to a job offer. I barely even knew what I was applying to anymore, just going through the motions.

Maybe it’s time to go home.

The thought made my stomach churn, and I stood up, reshouldering my bag. I couldn’t afford to go back, not without borrowing money from Nora or my parents. My credit cards and student loan debt were already up to my eyeballs; I didn’t need to pile more debt on top of that.

At least my apartment had been rat-free since reporting it to the super. It didn’t change the fact that in two months my short-term lease was up, and I prayed on my collection of sticky notes and pens that I could afford somewhere nicer… and bigger.

The doors automatically slid open as I walked up to them, and I entered the lobby. It reminded me of a hotel with its high ceilings, sitting areas, and reception desk.

I stepped up to the large, curved desk that had four people evenly spaced on the other side. “Good morning. I’m here for an interview at nine with LRG Marketing.”

The man didn’t look up from his computer screen. “Name?”

“Paige.”

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