Bedded Bliss (Found in Oblivion #1) - Cari Quinn Page 0,95

scraping over the flagstaff. “Um, hi. Sorry.”

“That’s quite all right. Are you here for a resident?”

She shoved her purse back on her shoulder and smiled at him. “Yes.”

He glanced at her suitcase, but he didn’t betray a single thought about the status of her battered to hell suitcase from her first year at college. He probably thought she should be asking for the service entrance. “His or her name?”

She blinked. “Right, sorry.” She cleared her throat. “Michael Shawcross.”

A flash of surprise betrayed his features before they smoothed again.

“He’s my…friend.”

Was her wedding ring actually burning a hole against her leg? Hmm.

He opened the door. “Shall I announce you?”

“Announce me?”

“Unless you have a code?”

“Oh.” Maybe she should have texted Michael before she’d come over. What if someone was up there with him? What if he wasn’t home? Cripes, she hadn’t really thought this through.

“Your name, miss?”

“Chloe.”

“Your last name?”

Just how pretentious were the people in this building? “Adams.”

He pressed a button. “Mr. Shawcross? I have a Miss Adams here to see you.”

“Chloe?”

“Yes, it’s me.” She leaned closer to the panel inside the door.

“Send her up.”

The inside door clicked open. Chloe struggled with her suitcase over the track for the door. The wheels had been tortured with multiple bus rides over the years. They barely rolled.

“Eighteenth floor, miss.”

“Thanks.” Chloe spun back around. “What’s your name?”

“Barney, miss.”

Her grin widened. “Like Pretty Woman.”

“As you like.” He winked and turned back to his station.

Chloe gave a little laugh as she headed across the lobby to the bank of elevators. There were signs for various perks in the building. Dry cleaning, a gym, a pool, and even a café. Fresh coffee at their fingertips each morning?

Man, talk about living the dream.

The doors slid open silently, and Chloe stepped across the threshold. It felt like an eternity, but she was blessedly alone in the car. She didn’t have to unleash her babbling on another person for at least a few minutes. The light flashed and a light chime prompted her to get moving as the doors opened. Her suitcase clattered over the track before rolling silently onto the carpeting.

Michael stood in the hallway. He wore battered jeans, an old T-shirt, and a worried look on his handsome face.

Nerves jumped around under her skin. What the hell was she doing here? She should totally turn around. This was a mistake. An impulsive, horrifying mistake.

He came farther down the hall. Her gaze dropped to his unreasonably sexy bare feet. That really wasn’t fair. She’d always had a thing about old denim and bare feet.

Okay, grab a clue and calm down.

“Chloe? Is everything okay?”

“Yes.” No, of course everything wasn’t all right. Her entire life was spiraling into a shitstorm tornado. Just ask him. Spit it out. You can do it. “If it wouldn’t be an imposition.” She swallowed down the huge lump in her throat. “It’s okay to say no or whatever, but do you think I could stay here?”

Chapter 22

Either Michael was still dreaming or the universe had flipped over while he was watching a marathon of Roadies. No other way this could be happening.

When Chloe froze, he met her partway down the hall. She had a duffel bag over one arm and a small dull brown hard shell suitcase by her feet. Even her luggage was plain, modest and without frills, because that was how she lived her life.

“You want to what?” he asked, needing her to say it again. Only way he could begin to believe she’d decided voluntarily she wanted to live with him.

“I want to stay over.”

Ah, the picture was getting clearer. He propped his arm against the wall. “Stay over like what, a sleepover? Maybe we’ll watch movies and do each other’s hair? I know, we can make brownies and talk about boys.”

She gazed down at her feet, chin trembling, and for one panicked second, he was sure she was going to cry. Then she lifted her head and nailed him with the power of those direct dark eyes.

“That sounds really fun. I can’t wait to hear about your experiences with boys too. Do you spit or swallow?”

His eyebrows nearly rose right off his head before he started to laugh. Hard. Damn, this woman. She never gave him an inch.

And thank God for that. He’d had way too many people act like he was important or impressive just because his dad made tons of money and his mom got married a lot. The rockstar trip was much the same, although that was a mixture of adulation