The Woman in 3B - Eliza Lentzski Page 0,73

the moment. This girl might have been the woman of my dreams. I lunged forward and pressed my mouth to hers. Anissa made a surprised noise and jerked her head away.

She held a single finger in the air and swallowed the bite of pizza that I’d interrupted. She licked her lips. “Let’s try that again,” she husked.

She grabbed a handful of the front of my too-large t-shirt and tugged me towards her. The aggressive motion had us both tumbling off our centers of gravity and onto the area rug. Her fingers left the front of my shirt to tangle in my loose hair. She bit down on my lower lip and pulled. I moaned from both pain and pleasure while she deepened the kiss, sliding her tongue into my mouth. She tasted like oregano and marinara.

Anissa pulled back suddenly. She pressed a single finger to my parted lips to halt my protest. “What’s that noise?”

I stilled as well and listened for whatever it was that Anissa had heard. It took a moment until I recognized the blooping sound coming from my aquarium. “It’s just Honey,” I said. “She’s getting a little excited.”

“She’s not the only one,” Anissa quipped. Her legs wrapped around my midsection, and she pulled me back down for another crushing kiss.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

I typically fell asleep with the assistance of a white noise machine. The churning of jet engines and the noises of a crowded airport terminal had become the soundtrack of my life, making it a challenge for me to find sleep without something constantly humming in the background. Silence was too loud.

I hadn’t remembered or at least hadn’t needed to turn on my sleep machine the night before, however, so when I opened my eyes and heard only the sounds of a Sunday morning in Romulus, Michigan, I became slightly disoriented. There was no sweet chirping of birds to be heard; no gentle breeze rustling through the trees; no even the jarring buzz of a lawnmower or leaf blower. Nothing but concrete and pavement surrounded the city blocks around my apartment building. Squealing tires, revving engines, and honking noises filled the morning soundscape.

More concerning, I could have sworn I’d fallen asleep with a beautiful woman, yet the opposite side of my mattress was vacant. I reached across the bed and ran my palm across the cotton sheets. They were still warm.

I pulled on a t-shirt and cotton sleep shorts and adjusted my ponytail before leaving the sanctuary of my bedroom. The scent of warm coffee grounds greeted me as I entered the main living space. My apartment was small, so there were few places Anissa could hide, not that she’d been trying to. She’d pulled one of my kitchen island stools next to Honey’s aquarium, giving her a front row view of Honey’s morning routine.

She drank, I assumed coffee, out of my favorite ceramic mug. She’d also commandeered my extra-large Detroit Tiger’s t-shirt. I had felt like a clown in the oversized t-shirt. Anissa, however, looked like a goddess. Her tan skin contrasted appealingly with the white cotton t-shirt. What was it about beautiful women in oversized shirts that made my legs turn to rubber? Or maybe it was just this beautiful woman in general.

“Morning,” I greeted. My voice was still rough from sleep.

“Good morning,” she returned. “Coffee?” She offered the drink as if she were the hostess instead of me.

I nodded.

She rose from her chair and padded into the kitchen. “What time is your niece’s piano recital?” she asked.

She pulled a second mug from an upper cabinet and poured me a cup of coffee from my coffee maker. I marveled at how easily she’d familiarized herself with my space.

I leaned against the kitchen island and watched her work. “1:00 p.m. But we really don’t have to go,” I insisted. “I’m sure you didn’t imagine spending your Sunday in the suburbs.”

She poured the steaming liquid into a cup and scooted it closer to me. “Do you need cream or sugar?” She frowned. “How do I not know how you take your coffee?”

“You know where I keep my coffee,” I pointed out. “I think you’re ahead of the curve.”

Satisfied, Anissa sat back down on the stool she’d moved closer to Honey’s tank. I brought my coffee cup with me and stood beside her. After a short moment, she rested her weight against me.

“I could watch your turtle all day long,” she observed.

I hummed in agreement, enjoying the press of her body against mine. “It’s pretty peaceful. Better