Page 2 of Gone for You

I hum in response, trying not to breathe heavy. He’s carrying three cases of beer while climbing several flights of stairs as if he’s just sitting around playing video games. Meanwhile, I’m over here trying to stop myself from having a heart attack. “Well, you were being nosy.”

“You say nosy, I say curious.”

“Same thing.”

“Wrong,” he says, stopping at the landing on the second floor. He turns around to face me, my right foot on the stair above my left foot. He stares down at me, bends over, sets the cases of beer on the floor, leans over, one hand on the stair rail. His eyes flitter across my face. “Curiosity stems from wanting to know more about you. If I was nosy, I’d be prying into your business for no reason other than being intrusive.”

I shake my head side to side. “You don’t make any sense.”

“I make perfect sense. I’m curious about you because well… first of all, you’re gorgeous. In my building, and I’ve never seen you before which is something I would havedefinitelyremembered. You’re intriguing to me and I’ve only heard a few words out of your mouth. And, I’d like to change the fact that I don’t know you or even your name.”

For the first time in my life I’m speechless. He just called me gorgeous. No one has ever called me gorgeous or intriguing before. I can’t explain it, but for the first time in maybe ever, I feel like I’m Olivia. Not someone’s sister or daughter or the friend. Not the editor for the school newspaper or the girl who so graciously warms the bench during basketball games.

I feel my butt vibrate and it takes me a second to realize my phone is ringing. Not taking my eyes off Hotstuff, I answer my phone.

“You about here?” my brother barks in lieu of saying hello.

“Yes.”

“What the fuck is taking you so long?”

I can’t really sayI got distracted by the hottest guy I’ve ever seen in my life telling me I’m gorgeousnow, can I? “I’m almost there. Keep your damn pants on.”

“Well, pardon me for being excited to see my little sister. I haven’t seen you all summer, Olivia.”

I can’t help the sigh that escapes my throat. I’m here because I need an escape from the hell at home. Mom and Dad have been yelling at each other like crazy and I’m the lucky one in the center of it all. Before school starts in a week, Owen and I decided to have a brother sister night, just the two of us. We’re ordering pizza and vegging out with some of our favorite movies. I thought a night of hanging out with his little sister would be the last thing he’d ever want to do but he’s the one who suggested it and I was quick to accept. “I know that and I’m excited to see you, too.”

“Then get here already.”

“Geesh. Fine!”

I hang up the phone and look up to see Hotstuff staring at me. He shakes his head, huffs, and mutters something under his breath.

He bends down and picks up the cases as if he’s picking up a box of feathers. “Sounds like you’ve got someone waiting for you.”

“Yeah.”

“Figures,” he mumbles.

“What?”

He starts up the third flight of stairs mumbling something about his horrible luck and I’m once again blessed with a view of his ass. I want to yell at him to stop. That I’m heading to go see my brother, not a boyfriend. But my excuse is caught in my throat when I see him stop at the door across from the one I’m heading to. He puts down the cases and unlocks his door just as my brother’s swings open, Owen’s smiling face greeting Hotstuff.

“Oh, hey, Ethan. Getting ready for next weekend already?”

Hotstuff grunts and I’m suspended on the stairs when Owen’s eyes wander, landing on me.

He grins and motions me to come inside. “You really were almost here. I was just going to go down and wait for you. Now I kind of feel like a jerk. Get your ass in here.”

The sexy stranger who I only had a brief encounter with spins around. His eyes arrest me and I know he’s not thinking that I’m here as Owen’s sister, but rather his girlfriend. Dark chocolate flits back and forth between Owen and me as I make my way to my brother’s apartment.

He leans down, lifts me off the ground in a big bear hug. “I missed your scrawny ass, Olivia.”

“Missed you, too, big brother.”

“Wait. Olivia?You’reOlivia?”

Owen looks over my shoulder at Hotstuff, throws an arm over my shoulder and pats my head condescendingly with his other. “Yup. This is my little sis, Olivia. Olivia, this dipshit here is my neighbor Ethan. Ethan, keep your hands to your fucking self. She’s seventeen.”

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