Page 14 of Bad Boy Next Door
I picked up an old pizza box and shoved it in one of the bags.
“Did you check for pizza?” She pulled out an ear bud.
I shook my head.
Sighing, she pulled out the box, dumped the crusts and crumbs into a third bag and put the cardboard in the recycling bag.
“Just let me do it,” she said. “I’m sure you’ve got better things to do, and it’ll go faster on my own.”
“Got a system?” I smiled.
“You could say that.”
Nothing else to do, I returned to my chair, put my feet up on the coffee table and watched as she moved quickly, her head bopping to whatever music she was listening to.
This was awkward.
I hadn’t thought this through, and I felt like a lazy shit just sitting here watching her work.
I clicked on the TV and flipped through the sports channels, but there was nothing but talk shows, soccer, and snooker. She gathered a dozen or so empties off the floor, the glass clanging as it landed in the bag, and I admired the shape of her ass, unmistakable when she bent. Nice try, I thought—her attempt to disguise it under baggy shorts.
Yes, seeing her wait tables in the Solid Gold uniform was going to be tasty, even if I had to share that view with the slimy customers.
She tested the weight of the bag, decided to tie it up, then grabbed an empty one and walked over to the area where I was sitting.
“You mind?” she asked, a little too loudly.
“Mind what?” I asked as she pulled out one of her ear buds.
“Don’t you have anything better to do than stare at my ass?”
“Watching you makes me happy.” I raised my eyebrows. “Wasn’t that your objective?”
She put a hand on her hip. “You’re fucking with me, aren’t you?”
I laughed. “You got me.”
I was busted. Even before she’d finished cleaning my apartment, she’d figured it out. I wasn’t whoever she thought I was.
“Well, very funny,” she said. “But cut it out. I don’t mind cleaning, but don’t fuck with me, okay?” She glanced around the apartment, then sighed. “No one should live like this. When I’m done, I’ll cook something, if you like, but please don’t sit there and stare at me. It makes my skin crawl.”
Her cheeks were flushed, her nipples hard, pressed against her grey tank top, and I got the distinct impression that while my gaze might be making her feelsomething, she was lying about the skin crawling part.
But she was right. I was being a creepy asshole.
“Message received.” I took my feet off the coffee table, stood, and glanced around. If I went over to Keagan’s, would she rob me?
“I’ll go into the bedroom while you finish,” I said loudly so she could hear over her music. “Maybe take a nap.”
“Want me to strip the sheets first? Where’s the laundry room in this complex, anyway?” Holding an open bag at one end, she picked up my TV remote, then swept all the empty food containers into the bag.
“Why don’t we leave the bedroom. Unless…” I winked. “You’re just trying to get me into bed.”
She tossed an empty Chinese food container at me, barely disguising a grin.
“Okay, okay,” I said. “You can show me and my bedroom some gratitude another time.” Another piece of garbage struck my back as I entered the bedroom.
I laughed. This girl cracked me up. She was clearly worried about pissing me off, yet she couldn’t seem to help herself. Jade had guts, and I liked that.
