cold, I winced any time my heels clicked against the pavement. Good thing you aren't going for stealth. No doubt he was staring out the window. Or he would be, if he didn't live on the eleventh floor.
I glanced up at the building, squinting at where I imagined Daniel's floor to be. A tremor danced across my spine, and I hugged the jacket a little more. It didn't help as much as I would've liked, and even as I stepped inside, the fabric couldn't hold back my chills.
I suddenly became hyperaware of everything around me. The lights were too bright. The bell of an elevator sounded too strong. All in all, the front lobby was open. Deserted. And after I got a good look at the lobby, the only person I did see was another guest leaving the same way I'd just come in.
Stepping off to one side, I opened my purse and pulled out my cell to make sure I'd gotten the right address. But when I checked for the room number, all it said was 10. No letter beside it.
Looks like you're on your own. I swallowed and chewed at my bottom lip. Daniel was expecting me. This much I knew, but where? Was I supposed to wait in the lobby, or go up to his room?
You aren't going to get anywhere just by standing here. I sighed, shoved the cell in my purse and made my way over to the elevator. The silver doors opened, and once inside, I checked my options. There was the lobby, the basement and floors one to ten.
Top floor it is. I hit the button and leaned my back against the wall. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath. It caught anytime the elevator dinged. I kept expecting it to stop and for someone else to get on, but the whole way up to Daniel's floor, it just kept going.
After what felt like a lifetime, the elevator stopped, and the doors opened. I frowned at the short hallway in front of me. It led to a single door. Just one? That was it. There was only one room on this floor, and it belonged to Daniel.
No wonder he didn’t give you a letter along with his room number. Fighting back my anxiety, I stepped off the elevator and inched my way over to Daniel's room. Pressing a button near what appeared to be an intercom, I listened to it buzz on the other side of the door.
"Jules?" came Daniel's voice from the small speaker. He undid the locks, then said, "Come on through."
Taking a deep breath, I kept my hands in front of me and stepped inside as soon as the door opened. I froze before I could make my way over the threshold, stunned by the sheer size of what rested before me. The fact that Daniel was in the same suit he wore last night didn’t go unnoticed, but I was more concerned with his room. The small apartment I was expecting didn't exist.
"You..." I licked my lips and tried again. "You didn't tell me you lived in a penthouse."
He shut the door behind me with a shrug. "I didn't know it was important."
"I ... it isn't. It's just that, compared to my little hole in the wall—" I cut myself off and shook my head. "How?"
"What? How can I afford it?" He held up a hand when I went to explain myself. "It's all right. I get this question a lot. Let's just say that renting this place is a lot cheaper than a house with a basement. But then, I also own property in a few states. Journeys is my passion." He turned away and made his way toward the kitchen. "Drink?"
"Just water." I was still taking in my surroundings when he offered me a water bottle. I unscrewed the cap, but it never reached my lips. "Why would you need a basement?"
He flashed me a wicked grin. "Wouldn't you like to know?"
I averted my eyes, looking anywhere I could aside from Daniel. His place was spotless, either because he was a neat freak or because of some clearing service, I couldn't tell. Pale carpeting, black leather sofas and glass tables trimmed with cherry wood filled most of the living room. There was also a big screen TV, which he'd left on, but the volume was turned off.
From the entryway, I also had a clear view of the kitchen with its stone tile floor and granite
I glanced up at the building, squinting at where I imagined Daniel's floor to be. A tremor danced across my spine, and I hugged the jacket a little more. It didn't help as much as I would've liked, and even as I stepped inside, the fabric couldn't hold back my chills.
I suddenly became hyperaware of everything around me. The lights were too bright. The bell of an elevator sounded too strong. All in all, the front lobby was open. Deserted. And after I got a good look at the lobby, the only person I did see was another guest leaving the same way I'd just come in.
Stepping off to one side, I opened my purse and pulled out my cell to make sure I'd gotten the right address. But when I checked for the room number, all it said was 10. No letter beside it.
Looks like you're on your own. I swallowed and chewed at my bottom lip. Daniel was expecting me. This much I knew, but where? Was I supposed to wait in the lobby, or go up to his room?
You aren't going to get anywhere just by standing here. I sighed, shoved the cell in my purse and made my way over to the elevator. The silver doors opened, and once inside, I checked my options. There was the lobby, the basement and floors one to ten.
Top floor it is. I hit the button and leaned my back against the wall. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath. It caught anytime the elevator dinged. I kept expecting it to stop and for someone else to get on, but the whole way up to Daniel's floor, it just kept going.
After what felt like a lifetime, the elevator stopped, and the doors opened. I frowned at the short hallway in front of me. It led to a single door. Just one? That was it. There was only one room on this floor, and it belonged to Daniel.
No wonder he didn’t give you a letter along with his room number. Fighting back my anxiety, I stepped off the elevator and inched my way over to Daniel's room. Pressing a button near what appeared to be an intercom, I listened to it buzz on the other side of the door.
"Jules?" came Daniel's voice from the small speaker. He undid the locks, then said, "Come on through."
Taking a deep breath, I kept my hands in front of me and stepped inside as soon as the door opened. I froze before I could make my way over the threshold, stunned by the sheer size of what rested before me. The fact that Daniel was in the same suit he wore last night didn’t go unnoticed, but I was more concerned with his room. The small apartment I was expecting didn't exist.
"You..." I licked my lips and tried again. "You didn't tell me you lived in a penthouse."
He shut the door behind me with a shrug. "I didn't know it was important."
"I ... it isn't. It's just that, compared to my little hole in the wall—" I cut myself off and shook my head. "How?"
"What? How can I afford it?" He held up a hand when I went to explain myself. "It's all right. I get this question a lot. Let's just say that renting this place is a lot cheaper than a house with a basement. But then, I also own property in a few states. Journeys is my passion." He turned away and made his way toward the kitchen. "Drink?"
"Just water." I was still taking in my surroundings when he offered me a water bottle. I unscrewed the cap, but it never reached my lips. "Why would you need a basement?"
He flashed me a wicked grin. "Wouldn't you like to know?"
I averted my eyes, looking anywhere I could aside from Daniel. His place was spotless, either because he was a neat freak or because of some clearing service, I couldn't tell. Pale carpeting, black leather sofas and glass tables trimmed with cherry wood filled most of the living room. There was also a big screen TV, which he'd left on, but the volume was turned off.
From the entryway, I also had a clear view of the kitchen with its stone tile floor and granite
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