Read Online Darius (Starkis Family #5) by Cheryl Douglas - Free Book Online
Authors: Cheryl Douglas
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gestured toward the door. “This is nothing. I mean, it’s something. It’s the best we can afford right now. We’re both saving money, and when I get a better paying job, we hope to be able to find a better apartment but—”
I held my index finger over her plump lips. “You don’t have to justify anything to me.”
Knowing that she’d grown up all alone and was as together as she seemed to be impressed the hell out of me. My snobby Ivy League friends would never have survived the hell she’d been through.
She took a deep breath and nodded before turning the knob. When we stepped into the tiny foyer, which was really only a few square feet of worn tile, she flicked a switch to bathe the adjoining living room in dim light. Their furniture consisted of an old beige couch and matching chair with a scarred wood coffee table and two mismatched tables and lamps. There was a small flat screen TV on a round table in the corner, and the brown curtains, which looked threadbare, were drawn. I peeked into the kitchen, which consisted of a small blue countertop, a few white cupboards, and white apartment-sized appliances. There was a tiny microwave but no dishwasher.
“Do you spend a lot of time here?” I didn’t know how anyone could hang out here without getting depressed. I’d only been here a few minutes and couldn’t wait to leave.
“I work as much as I can,” she said, shrugging. “It’s a place to eat and crash.”
I hesitated about taking off my shoes. The worn brown carpet looked as though it had been vacuumed recently, but it was still kind of sketchy.
“Don’t bother,” she said. “We never do.”
As I followed her down a half hall, I asked, “Um, how much do you pay for rent, if you don’t mind me asking?” I’d know soon enough anyhow.
“Fifteen hundred.”
Only in New York. I peeked into the bathroom, noting a plain white shower curtain covered the tub, probably for a reason. The sink and toilet looked as though they were original to the sixty-year-old building. No doubt about it, the place definitely needed an overhaul.
“Um, would you have anywhere to stay while this is being renovated?”
She turned to face me, looking alarmed. “No, I hadn’t even thought about that.”
“Don’t worry about it. You and Daphne can stay at my apartment in Manhattan. I’ll put your neighbor up in a nearby hotel.”
“I couldn’t ask you to do that,” she said, gripping my hand. “It’s too much.”
I shrugged. “It’s no big deal. I usually stay in the Hamptons during the week anyhow. I just come to the city on weekends to meet up with friends or…” Hook up with women. But I couldn’t say that to her.
“It’s okay, you don’t have to say it,” she said, poking my stomach. “I get it.” She smiled to let me know she wasn’t concerned. “But why have you been here the last couple of nights if you’re working in the Hamptons?”
“Thursday night I met Damon and Deacon here. Last night, I met Billy. Tonight, it was Chase.”
She rolled her tongue around in her cheek, looking amused. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were making excuses to see me.”
I grabbed her waist, pulling her close. “Damn, you figured me out.”
“Well,” she said, gripping my shoulders, “let’s finish this grand tour so we can get the hell out of here.”
I couldn’t argue with that, though the thought of having Chelsea in close proximity to a bedroom did hold some appeal.
“This is my room.” She bit her lip, waiting for my response.
There was nothing in it, just a mattress on the floor and a single small dresser with a stack of library books on top. I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t want to embarrass her, but I couldn’t stand the thought of her living this way. She deserved so much better.
“And this is Daphne’s room.” She threw the door next to hers open so fast, it banged against the wall behind it.
This room was slightly larger than Chelsea’s, and at
I held my index finger over her plump lips. “You don’t have to justify anything to me.”
Knowing that she’d grown up all alone and was as together as she seemed to be impressed the hell out of me. My snobby Ivy League friends would never have survived the hell she’d been through.
She took a deep breath and nodded before turning the knob. When we stepped into the tiny foyer, which was really only a few square feet of worn tile, she flicked a switch to bathe the adjoining living room in dim light. Their furniture consisted of an old beige couch and matching chair with a scarred wood coffee table and two mismatched tables and lamps. There was a small flat screen TV on a round table in the corner, and the brown curtains, which looked threadbare, were drawn. I peeked into the kitchen, which consisted of a small blue countertop, a few white cupboards, and white apartment-sized appliances. There was a tiny microwave but no dishwasher.
“Do you spend a lot of time here?” I didn’t know how anyone could hang out here without getting depressed. I’d only been here a few minutes and couldn’t wait to leave.
“I work as much as I can,” she said, shrugging. “It’s a place to eat and crash.”
I hesitated about taking off my shoes. The worn brown carpet looked as though it had been vacuumed recently, but it was still kind of sketchy.
“Don’t bother,” she said. “We never do.”
As I followed her down a half hall, I asked, “Um, how much do you pay for rent, if you don’t mind me asking?” I’d know soon enough anyhow.
“Fifteen hundred.”
Only in New York. I peeked into the bathroom, noting a plain white shower curtain covered the tub, probably for a reason. The sink and toilet looked as though they were original to the sixty-year-old building. No doubt about it, the place definitely needed an overhaul.
“Um, would you have anywhere to stay while this is being renovated?”
She turned to face me, looking alarmed. “No, I hadn’t even thought about that.”
“Don’t worry about it. You and Daphne can stay at my apartment in Manhattan. I’ll put your neighbor up in a nearby hotel.”
“I couldn’t ask you to do that,” she said, gripping my hand. “It’s too much.”
I shrugged. “It’s no big deal. I usually stay in the Hamptons during the week anyhow. I just come to the city on weekends to meet up with friends or…” Hook up with women. But I couldn’t say that to her.
“It’s okay, you don’t have to say it,” she said, poking my stomach. “I get it.” She smiled to let me know she wasn’t concerned. “But why have you been here the last couple of nights if you’re working in the Hamptons?”
“Thursday night I met Damon and Deacon here. Last night, I met Billy. Tonight, it was Chase.”
She rolled her tongue around in her cheek, looking amused. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were making excuses to see me.”
I grabbed her waist, pulling her close. “Damn, you figured me out.”
“Well,” she said, gripping my shoulders, “let’s finish this grand tour so we can get the hell out of here.”
I couldn’t argue with that, though the thought of having Chelsea in close proximity to a bedroom did hold some appeal.
“This is my room.” She bit her lip, waiting for my response.
There was nothing in it, just a mattress on the floor and a single small dresser with a stack of library books on top. I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t want to embarrass her, but I couldn’t stand the thought of her living this way. She deserved so much better.
“And this is Daphne’s room.” She threw the door next to hers open so fast, it banged against the wall behind it.
This room was slightly larger than Chelsea’s, and at
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