P R O L O G U E :
Chapter 1
I choked on a gasp as I heard laughter coming from the other side of the wall. My eyes darted to the open window, and my stomach dropped. In a panic, I whipped my head around and yanked the blinds shut—the same blinds I had conveniently forgotten existed until now.
Shit.
I looked down, my face burning hot. This could not be happening. The blush deepened as I replayed the image of him in my head. That guy—my new neighbor. Sure, he was older than me, but he looked like he was in his early twenties, and somehow even that didn't feel fair.
My heart stuttered. He saw me.
In my underwear.
I groaned loudly, my cheeks on fire. Desperate, I peeked through the blinds just to check if he was still there. He was. Worse, he saw the movement and waved at me like this was all completely normal. I froze, then spun around and slid down to the floor, cradling my head in my hands.
This could not be real life.
I groaned again, ruffling my hair in frustration. Hopefully, he wasn't one of those creepy neighbors who showed up with a basket of cookies and weird conversation starters. Please don't be that guy.
To shake it off, I threw on a shirt and my most comfortable, worn-out jeans before grabbing my phone to scroll aimlessly. Just as I began to calm down, the doorbell rang.
"EMMA, GET THE DOOR!" my mom shouted from the kitchen.
I winced, sighing dramatically before yelling back, "Okay!"
I scrambled downstairs, smoothing the messy bun perched on my head in an attempt to look semi-presentable. My long brown hair, tangled as it was, wouldn't cooperate, but it was good enough.
Swinging the door open, I plastered on a polite smile, only to have it drop instantly.
My mouth fell open as I stared at the man standing on my doorstep. Basket of cookies in hand, misty grey eyes locked onto mine, and that stupidly smirky smile plastered across his face. His dark brown hair, voluminous and effortlessly perfect, made it clear—he was the guy.
Of course.
"Hi, neighbor," he said, his voice smooth as silk, and I felt my knees threaten to give out. The doorframe became my lifeline.
"Hi..." I managed to croak, my mind screaming, No one likes you. Leave.
Instead, he stepped inside, as though he owned the place.
"Dear, who is it? Not one of those survey people again, I hope," my mom called from the kitchen. She poked her head out, and her expression lit up like a Christmas tree when she spotted him.
"Oh! Who's this young, handsome man? Is he a friend of yours, Emma?" She abandoned her apron and strode over, tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ear.
"No, Mom," I muttered through clenched teeth.
Jax, of course, turned on the charm, stepping forward with a polite smile. "No, Ma'am. I'm your new neighbor. Just moved in today and thought I'd introduce myself." He took her hand and kissed it lightly, then set the cookie basket down on the counter.
My jaw practically hit the floor. Ew. Could he be any more of a cliché?
As if on cue, he turned back to me, his eyes sparkling with mischief. I glared, crossing my arms. That was when I realized he was waiting for my hand too.
Reluctantly, under my mom's sharp look, I extended it. His large, rough hand closed around mine, and he leaned down to press a quick kiss to my skin. The warmth of his touch sent an unexpected shiver down my spine, and I yanked my hand back, trying to pretend I wasn't affected.
"Jax Daniels," he said softly, his voice low and almost teasing. "What's your name?"
I straightened my spine, lifting my chin. "Sorry. I don't give my name to strangers."
His eyebrows shot up, but the amused look in his eyes made it clear he wasn't offended. In fact, he looked even more entertained.
"Sorry about my daughter," my mom cut in quickly, smiling apologetically. "It's lovely to meet you, Jax."
No, Mom, it's not lovely. Stop encouraging him!
Jax turned back to her, launching into a casual conversation that I had absolutely no interest in. I stood off to the side, picking at my nails while they chatted like old friends for what felt like an eternity.
"You can leave now," I snapped eventually, glaring at him.
My mom smacked my arm. "Emma!"
"No, no, your daughter's right," Jax said, flashing a dimpled smile that nearly made my heart betray me. "I should get back to unpacking."
My mom escorted him to the door, still chatting, while I hovered at the bottom of the stairs, mentally willing him to leave. Just as he stepped outside, he turned back to me and smirked, his expression saying it all.
I glared at him, gritting my teeth as I stormed back upstairs. Stupid, smug, hot neighbor.
In my room, I grabbed a pillow and hurled it at the window out of sheer frustration. Of course, when I glanced outside, there he was, standing on his porch, watching me.
The pillow wasn't enough. I grabbed a book and hurled it too, but it slid pitifully down the edge of the window and landed nowhere near him.
My cheeks burned as I stared in shock.
Then, he winked.
He winked.
I spun around, slamming the blinds shut, my heart racing and my breathing uneven. Jax Daniels just winked at me.
Collapsing onto my bed, I yanked the duvet over my head. My mind replayed the moment over and over, despite my best efforts to forget it.
As much as I hated to admit it, that stupid wink wasn't leaving my brain anytime soon.
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A/N: hope you enjoyed the first chapter to my new book!❤️
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YOU ARE READING
The Hottie Next Door
Romance[COMPLETED] Dancing around in my underwear to Taylor Swift seemed like the perfect way to unwind-until I spotted my new neighbor staring from across the street. Did I mention he's ridiculously hot? Or that he saw everything? It couldn't get more awk...
