The Cock Next Door(3)

I was half asleep and let out a long yawn. I didn't sleep well last night. My neighbor and his visitor kept me up.

I had on an oversized shirt that had seen better days and I was now heading to the coffee machine at the end of the hall which truthfully was the actual reason I signed the lease.

I stopped in my tracks at the person who was already there looking like a snack. It was seven in the morning and Nick looked like he'd been awake for hours. He had on gray sweatpants and his white t-shirt stretched across his chest. His tattoos looked yummy.

He had fuckboy written all over him and from the screams I heard last night. He definitely was one. Not that it was any of my business. I remembered my own orgasm last night.

He smiled as I approached and handed me a cup before I even reached the machine.

"You look like you need this more than me."

"I was up late." I said. “Couldn't sleep with the noise.“ I winked. That's lame why would you wink. Nowhere probably thinks I was intentionally listening to them. He probably thinks I'm a freak.

“Oh, did I disturb you?” He had a guilty look on his face. “I guess things got off hand.” He put his hand on his neck and rubbed it awkwardly. “Sorry about that, it won't happen again.”

"Nah it's cool. Kept me from sleeping anyways. I needed to get work done."

He leaned against the wall, drinking his coffee, studying me.

"What do you do?" he asked.

"I write books." I said.

One eyebrow lifted. "You're an author? That's very impressive. What kind?"

I sipped my coffee. I definitely didn't want him to know what kind of books I wrote. He'd definitely think I'm a freak. "Romance."

“I read romance books from time to time. Although I'm more of a mystery books kind of person. Do you write smut?”

I almost choke on my coffee. Why would he ask that out of the blues?

“Sometimes.” I say, wishing he would change the subject.

“I would really like to read one of your stories and don't forget what I told you if you need anything at all. You can stop by my apartment. See you later, love.” He headed back to his apartment and I stood there holding my coffee watching the way those sweatpants sat on his hips until his door closed.

……

By Saturday night I had half a chapter and a problem.

The problem was Celeste's love interest whom I'd introduced in book one as dark haired and sharp featured which a very specific appearance I'd had for three novels running.

Somehow between Tuesday and Saturday he had become blond.

I sat back and read over what I'd written. I realized that I’d unconsciously written male lead as Nick.

I closed the laptop and opened my phone, then texted Kayla.

“I accidentally based my book's love interest on my neighbor.”

She replied in four seconds.

“ANNIE. YOU NEED TO FUCK HIM!

I locked my phone and looked at the wall. There were no sounds from next door. It was very quiet tonight and I oddly didn't like that.

I'd been in bed for twenty minutes, laptop on my thighs, rereading chapter seven.

I adjusted my pillow and saw something out of the corner of my eye. I paused.

What the hell?

I watched in horror as the fattest cockroach I’d ever seen jumped out and ran across the room. I was out of that bed so quickly I knocked the laptop onto the floor.

I turned on every light in the room and stood on the opposite side. There were more and I could see them clearly. They moved quickly trying to get away from the light.

"No. No no no—"

I picked up my phone and called the landlord. He picked up on the fifth ring sounding deeply unbothered for a man whose building had an active infestation.

That's what I get for paying so cheap. I knew this place was too good to be true.

"The exterminator comes tomorrow morning at nine. You'll need to vacate the bedroom tonight or the entire apartment."

"It's midnight." I growled. I didn't have time for this shit.

"Yes ma'am." Was all he said and I wished I could reach into the phone and strangle him.

He hung up and I stood awkwardly in the middle of the room in my pajama shorts and oversized t-shirt.

I looked at the wall that separated my apartment from Nick's.

“Absolutely not,” I thought but I didn't think I had another choice anyways.

I picked up my overnight bag anyway.

……

I stood outside his door for a full minute before I knocked. I waited for a few minutes before the door opened.

Nick stood there in black sweatpants that hung dangerously low and nothing else and I momentarily forgot why I'd come.

The tattoos were everywhere on his chest, ribs, stomach. He looked half asleep and his hair was messed up but was still stupidly attractive.

"Annie?" His voice was low and groggy.

"I have bedbugs." I held up the overnight bag as evidence. "I'm so sorry it's late. The super said I need to vacate and I didn't know who else—"

"Come in." He stepped back without hesitation.