Page 17 of The Attraction

HARPER

“You look exhausted.” Felisha stands in front of me, pointing out the obvious.

“I’m actually too tired to even argue with you that you’re wrong.” I sit down on the edge of the bed and take time to look around me.

“Do you want me to help you unpack?” She sits beside me on the bed, resting her hand on my leg.

Part of me wants to say yes, but I know she is as tired and stressed as I am, so I don’t want to keep her here. She needs to go home with her fiancé and forget about me for the rest of the night.

“No, it will give me a reason not to have to deal with that grump out in the living room.” Both of us have a little giggle, and I rest my head on her shoulder just for a minute to try to ground myself.

This morning, I woke up to a normal chaotic day on my schedule, threw in a chat with my family and the board meeting from hell, but I had no idea that it would end like this. Me living with Forrest and some guy in the US stalking me online.

After we sit here for a few minutes in silence, Felisha speaks softly. “He’s a good guy, you know,” she says, giving my leg a squeeze.

“Yeah, but that doesn’t make him any less of an asshole,” I mumble.

“True, but just remember, he didn’t have to do this.” She looks at me with sympathetic eyes.

“You know it’s just so he can control the situation, don’t you?” I lift my head to look at her.

“Yep, and one day you will thank me when I tell you this little secret I discovered. Giving up control in certain places with a man is a nirvana you never knew existed.” With that, Felisha stands, and I shake my head at her.

“So you say.” To be honest, I don’t even want to think about anything, let alone her sex life.

“Call me if you need me, even at three am. You know our rule.” She holds up her hand, and I hook my little finger into hers.

“Okay.” I remember back to when we left home for the first time and moved into an apartment near the university. We made a pact between us that no matter where we were or who we were with, if we needed each other, we would pick up the phone and be there. Including in the middle of sex, which has happened on the odd occasion, but I’ve never told her. Because she will always mean more to me than any guy. Although I’m not sure she could say the same now with Flynn in the picture. But I understand that and know that she would still take that phone call if I called, and Flynn would be annoyed at her if she didn’t.

“I’m going to hug you now and don’t you dare push me away. I don’t care if you need it or not, but I do.” Smiling at me, she leans down and wraps her arms around me and squeezes me tight, and I won’t admit it, but I desperately need it too.

“Thank you,” I whisper and then pull back because it’s been long enough.

Felisha just nods at me and then turns and leaves me in the room on my own.

The décor is nothing like I imagined it would be. But to be honest, he likely probably just paid someone to come in and decorate the whole apartment when he moved in, and I doubt he would have changed it since. Nothing like me, who renovated my last apartment three times before I purchased my new one. I might have given it a paint and all new furniture when I moved in, but this renovation is a ridiculous one. It would have probably been cheaper to buy something new, but I love the location and layout so much that I was prepared for the pain I’m currently in to come out the other side with the most perfect home that I will love.

Don’t get me wrong, this guest room has got a masculine hint to it, but it’s more feminine than what I would think suits Forrest. Which confuses me a little, because the rest of the apartment that I have seen so far screams forty-four-year-old bachelor, with a color scheme of navy, grays, and browns in different combinations. Stainless-steel appliances, and of course, a television that is so big it’s like he is compensating for something. Except I know he’s not, after that time I had my hand on his cock.

My five suitcases staring at me aren’t going to put themselves away, and if I want to get into the shower any time before midnight, I need to get up and move.

The murmur of voices at the front door has gone quiet, and my heart thumps a little harder with anxiety knowing that I’m now alone here with Forrest, and I just don’t even know what to say to him.

If I close the door, hopefully he will leave me alone for the rest of the night.

Except that is so rude to ignore the man who has given up his home for me, even if I’m not sure why. But I must believe there is goodness behind it.

Before I get motivated enough to get up off the bed, Forrest is standing at the door. He leans on the doorjamb again, and how did I not notice before that he has gray sweatpants on.

Really, could he have given me at least one night to get myself together before he starts torturing me? Every woman knows that is like female Viagra, standing in front of me with pants that show me exactly what he is packing and doesn’t leave anything to the imagination.

“I know it’s been a day, but do you want me to give you a quick tour of the place so you know where everything is? And then I’ll stay out of your hair for the rest of the night, because you have made it perfectly clear you don’t want to talk to me, and I’m okay with that.” It’s the sweetest I have ever heard him speak to me, and it puts me off.

“Look, can we have this discussion tomorrow when my head is in a better place? I know I should be apologizing, but I just don’t even have the words right now. So can you just give me a quick rundown before I fall into bed and crash?” My mother would be appalled at how rude I’m being, but she has no idea what is going on, and that’s the way I want to keep it. Plus, if she saw Forrest on a normal day, she would agree with me that he is the most arrogant man she has ever met… well, maybe, but I’m not debating that in my head tonight.

“Okay,” is all he replies as I stand and walk toward him.

“This is where my bedroom is if you need me, and the other door on the left is another guest bedroom. Let’s head back this way.” He starts walking and doesn’t make any eye contact with me, giving me plenty of personal space as I drag my feet behind him.

---