Alana took in their skimpy clothing and thin bodies. They were plastered all over London as he leaned back against the wall.
"What's going on?" Sofie whispered.
Alana’s eyes grew wider as another woman came into view.
She swallowed hard.
He must have one hell of a dick.
"There's three of them tonight," Alana responded.
"Let me see." Pushing Alana aside, she peered through the hole.
Alana leaned back against the wall. Though he'd moved in a few months ago, they hadn't officially met. Every weekend, London brought home women who came and went. She noticed through all of her snooping that he never had the same one over. He was a man who loved women, and he didn't discriminate: tall, short, blonde, brunette, black, white, brown—he liked them all.
She'd never seen anyone who looked like her, though. Not that she was vying for London's attention or anything, but she'd be lying if she said she wasn't curious.
She was nothing like the women who were practically climbing him while he tried to get into his apartment.
Alana Thornton was shy, and proud to be called a nerd. Working as a financial analyst during the week, she loved hanging out, or reading at the trendy coffee shop a block away from her building on the weekends.
Coffee and books were where her heart was.
But lately, she yearned for more.
She wanted to become a woman men noticed.
A woman men desired.
"I can't ever see myself sharing a man," Sofie huffed.
The rumble of London's laughter echoed through the air before his door clicked shut, filling the room with silence.
London had moved his little party inside.
"They can have him," Sofie declared, pushing away from the door. Alana followed her back to the couch where their Scrabble game sat unfinished.
Saturday nights for them consisted of wine and board games.
The perfect dateless night with the bestie.
"Yeah, I don't think I could share, either. Half the time, I don't even like sharing my ice cream with you," Alana retorted.
"Bitch." Sofie swung a pillow at Alana. Dodging it, she grinned, causing them both to fall into a fit of laughter.
"Hey, I'm just being honest."
Sighing, Sofie gripped the pillow to her chest. "I wouldn't want him as my man. Given the chance, would you spend one night with him? No strings attached? No one would ever have to know." Her perfectly arched eyebrow rose with her question.
Alana stared down at her glass, trailing a finger along the edge.
Would she?
One night to experience what London Keith had to offer?
She met Sofie's gaze. "Nope. His stick might be potent, but he ain't gonna have me strung out in these streets."
"I know that's right!" Easing off the couch, she headed toward the kitchen. "We need more wine."
Sofie had read her mind.
Leaning forward to rearrange her game pieces, Alana called out, "Hurry up so I can kick your butt!"
"Oh, no! I refuse to lose." Reappearing with the bottle they had started, she refilled their glasses, set the empty bottle on the table, and took a seat. "For six bucks, this wine is good."
"Don't knock the cheap stuff. It tastes good, but will get you drunk fast," Alana joked. She was already feeling a warmth creep through her body, only she didn't know if it was from the wine or seeing London.
"So, where were we?"
"You were about to get your ass handed to you," Alana muttered, spelling out a new word.
Pushing the carnal thoughts of Mr. Hotness from her mind, she focused on the game before them.
There would be plenty of time to daydream about him.
Now, it was time to kick Sofie's ass.
Alana exited her bedroom, fresh from a shower. Sofie was long gone, having tucked tail
and ran home.
Of course, Alana had won, again. As always.
Lately, Sofie had been encouraging Alana to work out with her. She'd gained about fifteen pounds in the last year and needed to shed it. Not that she wanted to get rid of all her curves, but she needed to get more active and healthier.
Working for Medical Health, an insurance conglomerate, she pulled a ton of hours each week, which didn’t lend to healthy eating habits.
"What was I thinking?" she groaned.
Walking over to the coffee table, she cleared it of the empty bottle and glasses, but she couldn't shake off Sofie's question.
Would she give Mr. Hotness one night?
Not wanting to answer her own question, she placed the glasses in the sink and tossed the bottle into the recycling bin.
"I won't think of him," she sang aloud.
Who was she kidding?
Returning to the living room, she turned off the lamp and paused at the sound of laughter in the hallway.
"Good night, ladies."
She shuffled quietly to the door to find Mr. Hotness, shirtless, standing in his doorway.
Holy mother of God.
Her mouth watered at the sight of him. Even through the small hole, she could see the lines running down his abdomen and into his shorts, along with the muscles of his well-defined chest.
Watching him turn in her direction, she held her breath, as though he could hear her breathing while her heart started to race.
A voice in the back of her mind whispered… what if?
Stepping away from the door, she looked at herself in the mirror. She wore her satin bonnet, a cami, and a pair of boy shorts, with her oversized frames resting low on her nose.
Glancing back at the door, she sighed.
What she wouldn't give to not be a dependable employee, daughter, and friend.
She wanted to let her hair down. To be one of those giggling women ready for a night of sweating up the sheets with a hot guy.
She'd lied to Sofie.
She'd do it.
Only once.
There was no room in her life for fantasies of such a man.
Someone like London Keith wouldn't give her a second look. Women like her wouldn't be on his radar.
"Get your head out of the clouds, Alana." Turning on her heels, she headed toward her bedroom.
She'd be better suited coming up with a good excuse to not go running with Sofie in the morning.
"Good night, and good riddance, Mr. Hotness," Alana whispered.
2
London Keith stared at the door across from his. He couldn’t shake the feeling that eyes were on him anytime he came and went.
His gaze swept the hallway and landed on the security camera posted in the far corner.
Maybe it was just his imagination.
Shrugging, he entered his apartment.
He’d moved in a few months ago, and he had to admit, it was the best idea he’d had in a long while. The luxury condo fit his exquisite tastes, allowing him to wine and dine potential clients right in the heart of the city.
Downtown Cleveland was a growing metropolitan area. Located on Lake Erie, it was home to popular restaurants, amazing night life, and was the central location of all the sports teams.
And that was the primary reason London had moved to his current home.
Sports.
He owned Primetime Sports Management, catering to professional athletes. His agency was one of the most successful ones out there, representing a majority of the top contenders in every sport.