T W O

Voices murmured from the other side of the thin wall, the bedsprings creaking beneath the weight of bodies. She prepped her pillow to be her earmuffs for yet another night. After their altercation yesterday, the last thing Kate wanted to do was give Colton another reason to pay her a visit. A girly giggle broke through, quickly turning into moans and groans. Kate grimaced in revulsion as the woman insisted on telling Colton over and over and over again just how big he was.

As the moans slowly turned to wailing, Kate felt her patience growing thin. Flipping to face her clock, she gritted her teeth. They had been going at it for twenty minutes now. Surely he was doing this just to piss her off. He’d gone and found the loudest fucking woman at the club and brought her home. She started to scold herself for her thoughts before she stopped. That is exactly what Colton would do. He was an asshole.

Just as Kate was questioning just how much commentary on Colton’s size she could take, a loud banging rattled against her bedroom wall. She growled, springing from the bed and storming through her apartment. She flung open the front door, stepped across to Colton’s, and began pounding on the old wood with as much force as she could muster.

Her fists pummeled into the wood, frustration turning to anger. How the hell had she ended up living next door to the world’s worst neighbor? He was just so fucking inconsiderate.

The door opened, a slightly disheveled man standing on the other side. Blonde hair was sticking up everywhere and his blue eyes were heavy with sleep. Large biceps bulged beneath a crinkled white shirt, while his legs were hidden beneath a pair of black sweats. Even half-asleep, he was incredibly handsome. For a split second, Kate completely forgot why she was there.

His gaze traveled her slender frame before narrowing in on her face. “Colt’s already got one tonight. Maybe tomorrow though, love.”

He made to close the door, only to be stopped by Kate’s insistent fist once more. “Excuse me? I have zero interest in Colton.”

Letting out a chuckle, the handsome stranger rubbed a hand over his face. “I don’t think I’ve heard those words before," he paused for a moment, taking in her furrowed brow. “So if you don’t want Colton, then why are you banging on the door?”

“I live…” Kate trailed off, taking in his sleepy figure. “Were you seriously asleep?”

“Uh, until the crazy lady started beating the shit out of the door, yeah.”

“How can you possibly sleep through that?” she asked, raising her eyebrows in disbelief.

“Through what?” As he spoke, a loud moan echoed through the apartment followed by the familiar description of the length of Colton’s manhood. “Oh that?” he laughed, cocking an eyebrow. “You just tune it out after a while.”

Kate scoffed, shaking her head in bewilderment. “I’ve lived next door for three months now, and there is no way anyone can tune it out.”

“You live next door? I’ve never seen you before.”

“And I’ve never seen you.” She let out a small smile, glancing over his shoulder to the bedroom where the loud moans and groans were only escalating. “Do you think he’ll be finishing up anytime soon? Sleep would be nice at some point tonight.”

“Probably not, and if he heard you banging on the door like a madwoman, he’ll probably go for round two, just to piss you off.”

Kate groaned, rolling her eyes and rubbing her weary face with her hand. “Great.”

“Look, I don’t think I’ll be able to get back to sleep after being so rudely awoken,” he laughed. “And you’re awake, so how about I come over your place and we can hang out?”

“I don’t know you at all. How do I know you aren’t going to steal my stuff or try and take advantage of my sleepy state?”

The man let out a hearty chuckle, shaking his head in amusement. “Does that happen to you a lot, does it?”

Shaking her head, Kate was unable to stop the smile that had begun to spread on her face. She’d almost tuned out the obsessive groaning. “No, and do you know why?” She leaned in conspiratorially, giggling softly as he followed suit. “Because I don’t let strangers into my apartment.”

“Touché. Well how about we hang out here?” He motioned to the hallway. “That way if I start looking suspicious, you can bail into your apartment. Sound good?”

Kate nodded, sliding down the wall and cradling her knees to her chest, as her new friend followed suit. He slipped a cigarette between his thin lips, lighting it up and taking in a long drag. She scrunched her nose at the sound of another exacerbated moan. “Seriously, how does she not have friction burn right now? They’ve been going for ages.”

Smoke came from his nose as he laughed. “Can’t be pleasant.”

“Yet here we are, relegated to the hallway to escape her moaning. How many times does she have to tell him it’s big?” She rolled her eyes as the woman did so, right on cue. “Maybe it’s tiny and she’s trying to make him feel better?”

“God, you’re lucky Colton isn’t here. He’d wave it around for even questioning the length of his dick.”

“Charming. Sounds like a real gentleman.” Pressing her back against the wall, she turned to the man next to her. He sucked his cigarette, his eyebrow raised as he awaited her question. “I didn’t realize anyone else lived with Colton.”

“I tend to spend my nights elsewhere,” he smirked, motioning his head towards the apartment as if to emphasize his point. “Can you imagine bringing a girl home and forcing her to listen to this shit? What a buzz kill.” He let out a long exhale, smoke billowing from his mouth as he spoke. “I’m Austin.”

“Kate.”

The front door of Austin’s apartment clicked open, forcing both of their gazes to the left. Colton emerged, his torso uncovered and grey sweats covering his legs. His hair was a sweaty mess, his usually tanned skin slick and reddened. He lit a cigarette and glanced towards the pair sitting on the tiled floor.

“She won’t give you anything, dude,” he snorted, running his fingers through his hair, sending droplets of sweat into the air. “I don’t think she gets sexual urges. She’s lived next door to me for what? Three months now?”

“Oh please,” Kate scoffed, “I don’t think I could satisfy your constant need to hear how big your dick is.”

“Hey, if they want to tell me, who am I to object? But trust me, it isn’t something I need.” He took another deep draw of his cigarette, casting his gaze to Austin. “She thinks she’s staying the night. I think we’ve got a stage-5 clinger.”

“She’s just stroked your ego for the past hour and you’re just going to kick her out? You’re gross,” she snapped, rising to her feet and giving Austin a small smile. “I’ll see you around.”

Austin gave her a small smile in return. “If you ever get woken by Colton’s lady friends, I’m always up for a late-night chat.”

Kate couldn’t help her laugh. “So every night then?”

“Whenever you need me.”

“And what happened to spending your nights elsewhere?”

Austin grinned, hoisting himself off the floor, blue eyes watching as she stood in her doorway. “I think I found something to stay home for.”

Feeling her cheeks turn a soft shade of pink, Kate stepped inside her apartment, unable to contain the smile that danced on her face. “Goodnight.”

And just like that, the feeling of Colton’s fingers dancing against the hem of her panties didn’t tug at her stomach anymore. It was like he had been erased from her memory.

*

As her slender frame disappeared behind her wooden door, Colton’s glare rested firmly on the shaggy blonde who was now smiling a bit too wide for his liking. Austin rubbed a hand through his hair, shaking his head in what seemed to be disbelief as he left the hallway himself. Colton stubbed out his partially-finished cigarette, following and trying to calm the anger that panged in his stomach.

Austin slumped on the lounge, blue eyes watching Colton incredulously. “How have I never met her before?”

Colton shrugged, heading into the bedroom. “Don’t get your hopes up, man. It’s never gonna happen.”

“Why? Because you couldn’t get her, you think I can’t?”

His fists balled by his sides and Colton couldn’t help but wonder why he was this affected by the situation in the first place. Shaking his head, he rolled his tongue along his lower lip and spoke, “She’s off-limits.”

Folding his arms across his chest, Austin raised an eyebrow in challenge. “Says who?”

“Says me,” Colton snapped, retreating into his bedroom before a fight could ensue. Just before he slammed the door, he faced his friend. “So don’t get any bright ideas.”