Enchanter (12 page)

Duke laughed and reached forward to pat Brandon’s bicep.

“You hear that, she’s only been around me for a few minutes
and she can already read that much into me.”

“It’s impossible not to notice you’re a big goof.”

This time it was Brandon’s turn to laugh.

“Ah, come on,” Duke protested. “I can be very charming too.
Just get to know me and you’ll see.”

“You’re earning a five mile hike to the factory, Duke,”
Brandon warned, which only amused him more.

“Jealous much?”

“Of you?” Brandon scoffed. “I don’t think so.”

“You’re not official, are you?”

Neither Brandon nor I had any idea what to answer. We had agreed
on burying the hatchet, but one kiss did not exactly classify us as dating either.

“Because if you’re not then I can—”

“Duke—”

“Let me put it to you this way,” I tried to save Duke’s face
from being pummeled. “We’re not official, but we’re working things out.”

“Too bad,” Duke murmured, earning another scowl from
Brandon.

The short drive to my apartment building went on without a
hitch after that. Duke apparently took the hint that I was not interested and
decided to text someone and so he remained quiet the rest of the way.

When we arrived, Brandon parked the car behind the back
double doors and climbed out to open the passenger door for me. Before walking
me inside, he warned Duke not to touch anything while he was away or he would
end up walking to work.

I laughed as I caught Duke’s bemused expression, and hurried
to the building with Brandon keeping pace next to me.

Usually there were people wondering the place at all hours
of the night, but as I walked in with Brandon by my side we noted that the hall
was free of witnesses. Relieved by this, I turned to look at him, noticing at
once how nervous he appeared. Perhaps he thought that once the night wore on
and I had time to think, I would end up regretting what had happened, but he could
not be more wrong.

To prove to him that I was not upset over what had happened
between us, I reached up with both hands, pulled him down to me, and engaged in
another mind-blowing kiss. His response was immediate. Brandon drew me to him
and parted his lips, devouring mine with devoted passion and sweet dedication.
After a few minutes, he broke away but stood with his forehead touching mine.

“I really think we should start over,” I said, easing a
smile out of him.

“How are we going to do that?”

“Being nice to each other is a good start.”

“Sounds good to me,” he replied with a smile. “I’m sorry our
visit was cut short.” The sound of his ragged breathing pleased me.

“That’s okay.” I shrugged. “We spent the better half of it
arguing, anyway.”

He smiled. “We could’ve spent it like we are right now.”

“I agree.”

“What does your schedule look like tomorrow?”

“Well, I have to work ’til ten. How about you?”

“I work ’til five.”

“Why do you ask?”

“A friend of mine is opening a restaurant-like bar and I’m
invited.”

“VIP?”

“Yes, a formal event the likes of which I never attend, but
since he’s a close friend, I agreed to be there.” He planted a kiss on my
forehead before continuing, “And I wanted to bring you along.”

“What time is this grand opening?”

“Six o’clock.”

“I’m all for it.”

“But work—”

“Just pick me up. I’ll work something out with my boss.”

“So bossy,” he teased. “Are you always like this?”

“You have to get used to it if you plan to hang out with me
more often.”

Brandon appeared amused by my answer.

“Getting reacquainted with you is going to be very
interesting.” Outside, we heard a car horn and Brandon frowned slightly. “I’m
going to kick his ass when I get out of here.”

The sound of his annoyed tone forced a laugh to escape my
lips.

“Be nice, he’s your friend.”

“Not for long.”

The sound of the elevator doors opening forced my attention
away from him. We separated, but he held onto my hand.

“Good night.” He started to pull away, but I squeezed his
hand.

“Oh, before I forget, write down my number.”

Brandon took out his cell from his sweatshirt’s pocket and
added me to his list of contacts. “Thanks.” He smiled and leaned in to plant
another kiss on my lips. “I have to go take my moron friend to work before my
patience wears thin. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Okay, tomorrow.” I waved goodbye before getting in the
elevator, and I watched his tall form before the doors closed again.

As the elevator traveled from the lobby area of the building
to the first floor, I rested my back against the far wall and relived what had transpired
between Brandon and me just moments ago. When my Saturday morning started I’d
had no idea that by the end of that day I would be kissing him until we were
both breathless.

Had I known that would happen, I might have just started
earlier so that we could have more time to get reacquainted before being so
rudely interrupted.

I’ve wasted so much valuable time following people who
label others for what they’re not, when I could’ve been spending that time with
the one person that makes me feel as if the world doesn’t even exist. How is
that for a rude awakening!

The fluttering butterflies in my stomach were more than
welcomed and I basked in the feel of it. After all, I was not one to complain
when the profile of a roguishly handsome man invaded my mind. Quite the
contrary, I brought his face forth more than once during that short elevator
ride.

Recalling the way his blue orbs scrutinized my face before
and after we kissed forced my stomach to tighten and my breath to catch in my
throat.

The power of one look!

It was impossible for me not to understand now how a certain
person can influence others by a mere glance, and Brandon’s eyes were two round
enigmas that could either make me tremble in fear or writhe with passion. And I
was not afraid of him at all anymore. If anything, I was positively intrigued
and completely fascinated by him.

If only I could kick my own butt for being so stupid and
not making peace with Brandon before tonight.

Since I was so far over the moon, I had not noticed that the
elevator had stopped on the first floor until the doors opened and Mrs. Wells stepped
on.

“It’s going up,” I warned before the elevator doors shut
again.

“That’s alright. I’m going up to 2B.”

I nodded and took a step back.

“Wonderful weather we’re having, isn’t it?”

As is customary for the older generation, Mrs. Wells engaged
in small talk with me to make up for the awkward silence that would otherwise
fill the deadly silent moving box. Feeling as if I had just won the lottery
after spending a couple of hours with Brandon, I smiled and decided to humor my
elder.

“Yes, it’s been nice.”

“So, how’s school?”

“Busy.”

“Still single?”

“For now.”

Mrs. Wells smiled and nodded politely.

“Are the boys out there blind?” She laughed and I joined
her.

“Not exactly. I’m afraid that the reason of my being single
is my own fault.”

“Oh?”

“I’m not interested in anyone.”
Or was totally blinded by
the fact that I didn’t want to accept that someone special was right next to me
all this time and I refused to give in to my feelings for him.

“There’s nothing wrong with that either.” She spared a
glance my way and grinned. “You’ll know when the right one comes along.”

“I hope so.”

After a few more seconds the elevator stopped on the second
floor and the doors opened again. Mrs. Wells waved before stepping out. “I’ll
see you around.”

“Have a good night, Mrs. Wells.”

“You, too, Leah.”

As the doors began to close, a weird string of movements
caught my attention and I forced my eyes to concentrate on the long and narrow
hallway to see if it had been someone standing there or just a reflection on
one of the mirrors hanging on the walls. Except for the sounds of Mrs. Wells
muffled footsteps as she ambled down the hallway to my left, there were no
signs of life anywhere I could see.

When a flash of light, much like the one I had seen on the
night of my attack, rushed by the closing doors so quickly that it almost
seemed a figment of my imagination, my body instantly broke into a cold sweat
and an unnerving feeling wrapped its ugly hands around me. I felt as if I could
not breathe and I had to force myself to take slow and steady breaths to calm
down from the panic gripping my body.

My attacker is here!

The thought scared me so much that for a fraction of a
second I could not even move. But I recalled that Mrs. Wells was out in the
hall and I hurriedly stuck my hand out to keep the elevator doors from
squeezing shut. As soon as they reopened, I walked out and stared down the
halls to my left, right, and forward. The only person out was Mrs. Wells, who
was just arriving at her destination.

Sparks of awareness hit me and I made another hundred and
eighty degree turn while scanning all three hallways, just to make sure there
was no one lurking around. Despite my altered heart rate, which indicated that
something was not as it should be, I was visibly alone.

After a second knock on the door to the apartment Mrs. Wells
was standing outside of, the wooden door opened and an older woman greeted her
with a smile. Within seconds the two ladies disappeared inside and all was once
again eerily quiet and extremely still.

I could’ve sworn I saw something, but there’s nothing out
here except doorframes, bad carpets, and spooky mirrors.

Sure that the sudden bolt of light had been a result of my
past encounter with an attacker whose face still haunted me, I ambled back to
the elevator and pressed the button that commanded the doors to close.

I need some sleep.

With that thought, I waited for the elevator to reopen on
the third floor so that I could get back to my safe haven and get some much-needed
rest.

****

By noon the next day, I had worked out an arrangement with
my boss that suited us both. After that, I dialed Vanessa’s number and asked
her to come over as soon as she answered. With my date with Brandon a few hours
away, I wanted her opinion about what I should wear and how to arrange my long,
auburn curls.

I was excited to have her over so that I could discuss my
growing crush for Brandon Morris and what being close to him did to me. I also
wanted advice on the subject. Unfortunately for me, she brought Sonya along
with her.

“Hey,” I greeted them as I opened the door.

“Hello, missy, we need to talk.” Sonya rushed into the
apartment and took one good look around. “Where is your roomy?”

“Out with Xavier.”

“Ah, damn, and I got all dressed up for nothing.”

I sighed, tempted to roll my eyes as I stared at her. “I
don’t know how many times I have to tell you this, but Matt and Xavier are in a
relationship and you could parade yourself around here naked and they wouldn’t
look at you.”

“That’s not true, Xavier would look.”

“No, he wouldn’t.”

“Yes, he would. He’s bi.”

“Even so, he’s in a serious relationship with Matt, so get
on with your day.”

“Aren’t you trying to lure Harry Leonard in anyway?” Vanessa
awkwardly strolled to the couch, her distended belly making her strides look difficult
and uncomfortable.

“Yes, but I don’t really know if he’s interested.”

“Then why don’t you wait until he lets you know if he is
before you start hunting for other possible victims.”

“You put that so nicely.”

Vanessa’s response was a mere smile.

I shut the door and locked it before joining my friends in
the living room. “Well, we’re all here so let’s get on with this.”

“We would’ve been here earlier, but the police are stalking
the elevators.”

That bit of information surprised me. “Police?”

“Yeah, apparently one of your downstairs neighbors was found
dead this morning.”

“What? How come I know nothing about this?”

“Maybe if you left this apartment more often you would know,”
Sonya snickered.

I ignored her comment and turned my attention back to
Vanessa. “Do you have any details?”

“The police didn’t tell us anything, but we found out by one
of the woman from the second floor that apparently the woman from 2B called 911
because she woke up this morning to find Mrs. Wells wasn’t breathing. By the
time the EMTs showed up, she was already dead.”

“How did she die?”

“No one is sure, but they think she died in her sleep.”

“But… but…” I started pacing the living room. “She was alive
when last I saw her.”

“When was that?”

“Last night after Brandon dropped me off. She got on the
elevator with me. We made small talk and then she got off on the second floor.
I saw her go into 2B. She looked fine to me… I…”

“Honey,” Vanessa reached out for me and grabbed a hold of my
wrist. “Mrs. Wells was an old lady. She probably died of natural causes.”

“She didn’t look like she was sick or anything,” I
protested.

“Most people don’t before they fall down dead. It happens.
Besides, we heard that when the EMTs got there, she was lying comfortably on
the couch with her hands resting on her abdomen. Her body didn’t appear disturbed
at all. It was as if she fell asleep and just passed away peacefully.”

“Did you see the body?”

“No, but the lady I was talking to did,” Vanessa said.

“I wonder what she was doing in there.”

“Isn’t that woman who lives in 2B new to the building?” Sonya
asked.