Lucky Number Four (19 page)

I wake up snuggled in Jeff’s arms—him in only
his pajama bottoms, and I’m still completely dressed. I don’t want
to wake him, but I have the sudden dire urge to pee.

I move carefully, and then I feel the stare.
Jeff is awake and watching me. If I have to make a guess, he’s
trying to gauge my mood.

“Thanks for last night. Do I look as bad as I
feel?” I ask, dreading the answer.

“You look beautiful. Now let’s get up and go
for a run. I think you need it.”

“First, I have to use the little girls’ room.
Bladder is about to burst.” I jump up and make it just in time.
Sitting on the pot, I study my reflection in the mirror-laden walls
and see Jeff is right. I don’t look so bad. Beautiful? No, but at
least my eyes aren’t swollen slits.

Time to stop feeling sorry for my
no-sex-for-a-long-time, frustrated self and get a move on.

Jeff and I quietly exit my door and take the
stairs. I don’t want company this morning, what with my
nerve-endings still raw.

Brad is at his post, but to my dismay, he has
company, and they look like they’re waiting for us. How do I know?
They look at us, smile and are dressed for running. At least
they’re wearing long pants and sweatshirts, like us. They must have
checked the weather, as today is supposed to be thirty degrees
colder than yesterday.

“Hey, Dora, did you take care of Julie’s
emergency? We missed you last night,” Drew says, giving me one of
his delicious smiles.

“Yep, took longer than I thought. You guys
going out?” I ask innocently.

“We’re just waiting for you. Jeff mentioned
that once you start running again, you try not to miss a day. We
need the exercise, and we know you don’t mind us tagging along,
right?”

What can I say? If I say yes, I look like a
bitch, and if I say it’s okay, I’ll be near Colin, and that’s not
good right now with my emotions all over the place.

“We’re happy to have you run with us, right,
Dora?” Jeff prompts.

“Sure, try and keep up.” Good thing I
stretched in the apartment. I start running, hoping they need to
stretch. But no, they take off with me, four tall trees and me, the
little sapling.

Jeff stays with me and the others are close
behind. I need to forget they’re there. Of course, that’s not going
to happen without a little extra effort. I start thinking about my
upcoming exams, and then I engage Jeff in some problems I’ve been
having while studying. Before I know it, I’ve completely occupied
my mind enough to forget the three models are behind us …. Yeah,
right.

We get to a stretch of park where there is
more room and Liam moves up beside me. He makes eye contact with me
while smiling and I smile back. My mom’s statement that I needed to
help him and Drew makes me focus on that. I think I know what
Liam’s secret is, but Drew … maybe it’s his family. I know money
doesn’t always buy love, and maybe that’s what Drew’s problem is—a
lack of love. Anyway, I need to take care of this soon.

The park is full of people again. As we near
the fountain, I spot a crowd of young women. One of them looks our
way and screams. They all look at where she’s pointing and then
rush forward, blocking our path and circling like vultures. They’re
carrying notepads and pens.

“Can I have your autograph, Drew?”

“Liam, I need your autograph.”

“Colin, I want to have your baby,” a tall
curvy blonde yells, pushing me aside and making her way to her
target.

What the hell? How dare that little skank
push me! I grab her arm and pull her away from Colin. She goes to
hit me with her bag and Jeff saves me from being clobbered with it
by pulling her not so gently away from me. Jeff then grabs my hand
and pushes his way through the crowd until we have a moment to
catch our breath.

“Come on. They can take care of themselves,
and here comes the cavalry.” He points to a group of policemen
making their way to the crowd.

“What the hell was all that?” I say as we jog
back to the loft.

“I guess we were spotted yesterday and
someone told someone, and then someone else, and thus, the mob
formed.” Jeff shrugs his shoulders. “I’m so glad I’m not famous,”
he says, slowing down as he realizes I’m not keeping up with
him.

“See? How can I compete with that? It’s a
lost cause. That woman who wanted Colin’s baby was beautiful—crazy
as hell, yes—but beautiful.”

“But—” Jeff starts.

“Don’t you dare say I’m beautiful on the
inside and any guy worth anything would see that.”

“I’m so happy you put words into my mouth. I
was going to say, before I was rudely interrupted by a petulant
child, that woman doesn’t hold a candle to you,” he comments.

I groan. “Jeff, why don’t you like girls? It
would be so much easier for me.”

“Even if I did, you wouldn’t be my type. I’d
go for the average ones.” He gives me a devilish grin and a side
hug. “Let’s go finish our run in the gym. First one there gets the
deluxe treadmill.”

He takes off, leaving me behind. I look back
at the crowd and the police trying to control them and then follow
Jeff, not caring for once if I win.

I’m dripping wet. My hair, clothes, socks,
shoes and underwear are drenched with sweat. A shower is
desperately needed, and I leave the gym hoping I don’t bump into
anyone. Jeff went up about half an hour ago, but I needed to work
off my excess frustration. I hit the elevator button and hear the
doors opening behind me. Please don’t let it be them. Let it be
Brad, Julie, or even Kevin, who will tease me, I can handle that. I
don’t turn around but hear footsteps behind me. They sound like
sneakers.

“Dora, what happened? You look like you’ve
been caught in a downpour,” Drew asks.

“Nope, just good old-fashioned sweat. I had
an awesome workout in your fabulous gym. Did you guys get to finish
your run?” I ask as I enter the elevator and turn around, seeing
the three looking me up and down. “Haven’t you ever seen a person
sweat before? Are you going to stand there all day, or are you
going to get on? I need to take a shower. Some people have stuff to
do today.”

They all grin at me and then move forward
before the doors shut. I have a great view as they stand in front
of me, and my eyes focus on Colin’s physique, which is still
visible, even with his sweats on.

Standing in the cold shower—yes, cold—which I
have to take since I’m so overheated from daydreaming for the few
seconds it took the elevator to reach our floor. In my imagination,
Colin had stripped naked in front of me before wrapping me up in
his arms and pinning up against the wall of the elevator. We were a
hot mess together, and I couldn’t tell where his mouth stopped and
mine began. After the ding of the elevator snapped my from my dirty
thoughts, I suddenly realized how wet I was between the thighs and
had to rush into the shower immediately in an attempt to quell my
urges.

I know I’ve said it many times before, but I
have to find a sensible guy to hook up with. Not just for sex, but
for a real relationship. Someone who could totally rock my world
and make me forget the dream guy down the hall.

Jeff is lying on my bed when I open the
bathroom door after my shower. I toss the towel I’ve been drying my
hair with at his head.

“What was that for?” he asks.

“The smug look on your face.”

“Tell him how you feel, then.”

“I don’t feel anything.” He grins and I stick
my tongue out at him. “Okay, I have feelings. Like the feeling of
drool running down my chin when I see him, or the feeling of a
totally dry mouth when I think of him naked. But that’s all. I need
a nice guy though.”

Jeff stretches, his body again only clad in
his pajama bottoms, a visual delight for both males and females.
“Nice guys are boring. You want me to ask him if he has feelings
for you? I know Drew does.”

“Don’t you dare. As far as Drew is concerned,
he’s flighty, and not serious at all. Enough of this talk. We need
to do what you’re here for.”

“To lie on your bed and look hot,” he says
with a smexy smile.

“No, to study, silly. Now get your butt up
and get dressed.