The End Zone: SPORTS ROMANCE (Contemporary Sport Bad Boy Alpha Male American Football Romance) (New Adult Second Chance Women’s Fiction Romance Short Stories) (7 page)

I felt marginally safer. I really needed to pull myself together. There was no reason for my being so paranoid. It’s not like whenever I glanced behind me there actually
was
someone there watching. I dropped my bag onto the end table near the door and deposited my keys on top of the bag. My place was not the biggest in midtown, but it was decent sized and of course rent was way too much compared to square footage. But at least it wasn’t a studio. There was one bedroom and one bathroom across the short hall from that. The rest of the apartment though, was open concept. The kitchen flowed into the living room and next to the kitchen was a small dining area.

I went into my bedroom to change into something much more comfortable and to grab my computer so I could start sending out my resume. I caught my reflection in the mirror over my dresser and went over to mess with my hair. The tight brown curls hardly ever behaved and my hair mostly just hung around my head like a mane. On some days it looked tousled and sexy, on others it just looked poufy. Thank goodness the winter months were near so I didn’t have to worry about frizz for a while. My eyes were the same clear blue color and my face had that heart shape paired with smooth, milk colored skin that made my eyes look big and my features porcelain-like. I did tend to draw attention from guys, but after turning so many down I think I carried a cloud over my head that repelled them now. Maybe it was because I stopped dressing to show off my curves so much. I
did
have them. I was just tired of guys catcalling me in the street.

There wouldn’t be any more of that, now that I’d come out of the funk I was in over having lost my parents. I was going to be a new me. I would dress like I used to and pay more attention to the things I wanted out of life. A job I loved, a great guy to come home to, and eventually two curly-haired little kids. I smiled at myself in the mirror and then went to go send out resumes and query letters to just about every marketing firm in the city.

*****

Melanie

I slept in the next morning and gave a leisurely stretch before I rolled out of bed. Across from my bed was the closet off to the right, and directly in front of the bed was a little seating area where I had my chaise across from the fireplace. As I stood up from bed I could have sworn I saw a flash of movement. The throw blanket on the chaise definitely fluttered, though there was no draft, and the door to my closet closed a fraction.

My heart raced in my chest. My apartment building was relatively new. I was pretty sure no one had died in the building so there was no reason for it to be haunted. I slowly walked over to the closet and then yanked the door open abruptly. There was nothing but my rows of clothing and shelves of shoes. I took a deep breath and then rubbed my eyes. I had just woken up. I was probably still dreaming, plus there’s no way anyone – or anything – could have been in my apartment with me. I lived in the city and firmly believed in locking doors and setting alarms.

I went into the bathroom for a shower and to get ready for the day. After my shower, when I went to do my hair in my room I noticed something in the reflection of the mirror over my dresser. It faced the large window in my room and my window looked out over the city, but there was a fire escape directly outside. Someone was standing on the fire escape. I watched him for the longest while. He was simply standing there, facing away from me. He wore all black and seemed to be having a cigarette. I turned around to go and knock on my window, so the guy would leave, but when I went to do so he was gone.

I pushed my fingers through my hair and wondered to myself if I was seeing things. Maybe I was losing my mind…I refused to believe that and simply got ready as normal. Though I did glance over my shoulder often. There were no lurking figures, no one smoking cigarettes while staring at me as I got ready for the day.

I decided to have breakfast out and grabbed my laptop bag and keys then headed for the door. I locked up behind me and made my way downstairs, through the lobby, and out onto the bustling sidewalk. It was only ten in the morning and I had a full day planned to check for any job responses and visit the Met. Afterwards I’d make the trip to Chinatown for my favorite dumplings and then head back home to change. I was going to find me a man that night so I planned on dressing cute, yet casual, and heading to a nearby sports bar to watch the basketball game.

I went to a nearby coffee shop that had great bagels and wasn’t too packed due to its cavernous space inside. The shop was modern and artistically decorated with cool local artwork around the walls. After I ordered my Americano and bagel with plain cream cheese, I found a little table that was tucked into the back corner. It was pretty quiet where I was and I enjoyed the peace of being able to focus, yet not being too alienated from the people around me. I noticed a tall man as he walked by me and sat down at the round table next to mine. What caught my attention was his sheer size. He was at least seven feet tall, had to be, and he was built with muscle to fill in his impressive frame, though he didn’t appear too bulky under his loose fleece jacket and well-fitting blue jeans.

I tried to get a good look at his face, but he was looking down at the muffin he had ordered as he unwrapped it. He would probably finish that thing in two bites. I refocused on my e-mails and was happy with the few responses I got in return to some of my inquiries. A couple of really great marketing firms were interested in setting up interviews with me! In my rush of excitement, I moved kind of jerkily and knocked over my cup of coffee. Thank goodness it didn’t spill onto my computer, but it did fall all over the floor.

“Shit,” I murmured to myself and then hopped down from the tall chair I was sitting in to clean up the mess.

“Let me help you.” The deep voice startled me and I looked up into silver colored eyes. His gaze was intense and he had a beautifully angular jaw and chin; his lips were full and pink, and his cheekbones high and well formed. His nose was a straight line and his eyebrows were slightly winged. He had a slight tan to his skin that brought out his eyes that much more. His hair was jet black, which made his eyes even brighter. He looked surreal; no one could have been that gorgeous. I was slightly stunned.

“I will go and fetch some more napkin,” he said before he turned and went over to the counter to get napkins. I realized I had spilled my coffee and that’s what I was supposed to be cleaning up. I grabbed what little napkins I had and then bent down to wipe up the mess. Soon he returned with more and we had the mess cleaned up, save for some stickiness on the floor.

“Uh, thank you…I’m Melanie,” I said after we had thrown out the napkins. I offered him my hand to shake, but he completely surprised me by taking it and pressing a kiss to my knuckles. He smiled warmly and I tried to stay the butterflies in my stomach and the tingles running up my arm from his kiss. Was this man even real?

“It is a pleasure to meet you Melanie. Next time be careful of your coffee,” he said without giving me his name. He let my hand go and with a smile he grabbed his untouched muffin and left the coffee shop. I watched him go and then shook myself before I continued replying to e-mails.

*****

Josiah

Melanie went through her day alone as she did most of her days. I did not like that she quit her job, even though she was unhappy she still had interaction with others. I did not like to see her alone. The moment we had in the coffee shop she seemed frightened of me, so I tried to leave before she could find real issue with my presence. I did not know why Melanie enraptured me so. I had successfully used most of my six months on this planet to observe the many ethnicities and stations of women. My report was hopeful that Rodonian men would be able to woo human women to Rodon.

I had returned to New York to try and track any patterns in the diversity of women and their cultures in the city with where they stood in society. I needed to complete my assessment of how I felt the human women would react to the changes of being brought to Rodon. I was learning that if they were given largely equal opportunities there would be no backlash given their Rodonian mates treated them properly. That’s when I came across Melanie. She was beautiful, like none other I’ve ever seen and I had observed many other beautiful women. She had a light about her that was almost tenfold when she decided to shake her unhappiness.

I chose to study her in my endeavors to understand the American woman in city life. Often I would be caught by the curve of her plump lips or the fullness of her breasts. It was difficult to stay my growing affections so that I could study her. One thing I did know about Melanie was that she had no family, no friends, and no job. Though she seemed optimistic about her future, I wanted
something
for her that would ground her.

I was quickly finding out that Melanie was not an accurate representative for what I was trying to seek. But as I followed her around from place to place I could not stop myself. Melanie was now returning to her home and this was where I needed to get stealthy. She was sensing my presence more and more and I had to remain unseen. As I followed her down the sidewalk that would lead to her apartment building I made sure to keep in line with other pedestrians, so that I could blend in with the crowd. When she walked into the lobby I kept my head down and rounded the side of the building to enter through the emergency exit doors. There I climbed the forty floors quickly to her hallway and I often reached her door before she did. There I picked the lock and went inside. I made sure to lock the door behind me and then I stood off in the corner I usually hovered in. I made sure to stay just out of her sight.

Melanie returned to her home. I had hoped she would retire for the night, as it was too dark and cold for her to be out at that hour. Instead she went right into her bedroom and then crossed the hall in nothing but a towel to take a shower. The sight of her beautiful legs and the outline of her hips and round bottom stirred my thoughts and I felt the then familiar pull of arousal touch my system. It was odd, in this new body, that I could still feel arousal rush through my veins to my fingertips and toes.

Melanie’s head was turning as she moved to open the bathroom door and I quickly sidestepped the path of her eyes. I ghosted into another dark corner and she stared at the spot I vacated for a long time, before her head turned again towards me. I quickly moved back to the other far corner of her living room and then she shook her head at herself before she went into the bathroom. I did not release my breath until I heard the sounds of the shower running.

She would find me out soon. That much I knew. There was no more information I needed from watching Melanie. I needed to get over my silly attraction and complete my mission. I took a deep breath and then stepped forward to leave her apartment silently. But then the unthinkable happened and she stepped out of the bathroom. The shower was still running and she still had the towel wrapped around her dry body.

I moved with the speed only my mechanical limbs could have granted me. I managed to dodge her spotting me and watched as she went into her bedroom. I took the opportunity quietly and quickly to leave the apartment.

That was too close for comfort. I had gotten reckless and almost endangered my mission. Just like the last one I was on, I got too confident, too comfortable, and it nearly cost me my life.

I did not need anything of the sort to happen again. I sighed to myself and thought about what humans did for fun on a Friday evening. In my time of observation, I learned that no matter the culture, race, or region, humans liked to drink alcohol. I figured a good ale was in order as I was nearing the end of my mission anyways.

*****

Melanie

When I stepped out of the shower I felt that the apartment was almost empty somehow…then I realized that the presence over my shoulder was no longer there. I guess maybe I had lost it for a little while then. In any event I was glad I didn’t have the urge to look over my shoulder anymore. I thoroughly moisturized my hair to eliminate any frizz and the curls actually started to behave and tousle just how I wanted them to. After that I put on a form fitting red sweater that showed off some cleavage once I removed my scarf, and a pair of my best dark blue jeans. They showed off my butt fantastically. The khaki, heeled boots were the icing on the cake, though I didn’t wear an obvious heel because I didn’t want to come off as desperate.

Once I was ready I headed out to the sports bar just a couple of blocks away. When I came to the English-pub-like exterior of the bar, that creeping feeling that I was being watched came back and I glanced behind me in paranoia. There was that figure across the street, just standing there staring at me. I hurried into the building and took a seat at the bar. It was kind of weird how the outside of Rick’s was decorated like a pub, but the inside was a straight up sports bar. Outfitted with pool tables, darts, and screen after screen stationed around the open space.

The bartender slid over to take my order, he wore a charming smile and was pretty cute in a curly haired, blue-eyed, boy next door kind of way. I bet he racked up great tips with the women who did come into the bar.

“What can I get for you gorgeous?”

“I’ll take a Yuengling please,” I said, and the bartender was quick to get me a bottle of the lager. I perused the menu to see if they had anything I could eat that weren’t messy finger foods. The back of my neck prickled and I turned to see the guy from the coffee shop striding through the door. He navigated through the crowded dining room towards the bar. He was still wearing that dark blue fleece and those dark jeans…was he the guy from across the street? The one with the dark clothing that was staring at me?