Page 56 of Off the Wall

“Against the rules!” I throw a hand up between our mouths, and Warren’s shiny face collapses in disappointment.

My contract doesn’t actually forbid kissing on the first date, but I’m okay with a little white lie that could save Warren’s feelings. He’s not a monster.

He’s just a … Snuze.

“I’m going to head inside now,” I tell him gently.

“Let me walk you to the elevator.” He tries to take my elbow, but I pull away.

“I always use the stairs, so that’s really not necessary.”

“The truth is, I’m dying to see inside the place.” He nods toward the entrance to the building, then offers me a sheepish look. “I’ve stopped by a couple times hoping to get in, but the doors are always locked.”

I tip my chin, playing dumb, although I’ve got a pretty good idea about the source of his curiosity. But I’m not here to play tour guide for outsiders who want to know more about The Serendipity. “It’s just an apartment building.”

“You must’ve heard the rumors, though.” Warren wags his eyebrows. “About the magic.”

“Believe me, I wish everyone here was happier and healthier and?—”

“Luckier in love?” he interjects.

“That too.” I hitch my shoulders. “But I wouldn’t be looking for a relationship on Swipe Rite if the magic worked, would I?”

“Huh.” He scratches his chin, like he’s giving my argument some thought. “Can’t I just take a quick peek inside? Then I promise to be on my way. And you’ll never hear from me again.”

Okay, nowthat’sa promise I’m interested in.

I blow out a long breath, feeling frustrated and also guilty. Warren is not going to fare well in tonight’s Swipe Rite posts, so the least I could do is let him see inside the building. It’ll be a story he can tell Great-Auntie Pearl about forever.

“All right,” I say. “Just a quick peek.”

He practically flies up the stairs.

I unlock the door and lead him into the building. Once inside, Warren wanders around the lobby gape-mouthed, checking out the main floor. He explores the library first, then the parlor. When we reach the kitchen, I send up a silent prayer that Willa’s in there baking a batch of late-night cookies, but the place is empty.

“Now you’ve seen everything.” I’m more than ready for this tour to be over—and for Warren to leave.

“Not everything,” he says making a beeline for the courtyard.

Not leaving.

Before I can stop him, he’s already through the archway. “I can’t go without getting a glimpse of the main attraction.”

While I try to catch up, he bypasses the pool, and heads straight for the fountain. For a moment he just stands there, frozen, watching the water spill over the three tiers. Then he leans over and dips his fingers in. “Hmmm. I don’t feel anything special.” He lifts his hands and sniffs.

Ugh.

“Like I said. You really can’t believe everything you hear about this place.”

“Maybe,” he says. “Maybe not.”

He circles the fountain and heads back toward the pool. There are no steps at the deep end. The water is dark and still. Black glass.

“I’ve got a great idea.” He snaps his fingers like he’s turning a lightbulb on over his head. “Let’s go for a night swim.”

I push out a small guffaw, but my pulse picks up. I just need this night to be over. “That’s an idea, all right,” I say. “But it’sdefinitelynot a great one.”

A twinge in my abdomen tells me Warren has actually been thinking about this for hours. Maybe ever since he accepted the match with me. “The thing is, our pool isn’t even open for swimming past ten o’clock.”

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