Let's go.

Part 8: The Roommate

At exactly 6pm Layne knocks on my office door then pushes it open.

"I brought you something," he says and reaches into his jacket to pull out a box of Ghirardelli chocolates.

I laugh when I see the box and ask, "you made it all the way down to the pier?

He smiles and says, "take one."

I choose one of the dark chocolates and my eyes close as the sweet, bitterness melts over my tongue.

He chuckles at my reaction and says, "yeah and I'm startin' to think the walk up and down these insane hills was worth it just to watch you eat this."

I feel myself blush at his comment and he chuckles again.

"I thought Seattle was pretty hill-y," I respond while covering my mouth with my hand as I continue to chew the dense chocolate.

"Not like this," he says with a laugh.

I nod and finish the chocolate. I look down at the file I am working on and decide that the contract can be finished tomorrow.

"You ready to go?" I ask and he smiles in reply. I pack my bag and start to put the bag strap on my shoulder when he says, "Ah, give me that," and reaches for the strap. He slings the strap over his shoulder then says, "what do you have in here? Bricks?"

I laugh and reply, "of course, what else would I put in there?"

He smiles at me and opens my office door for me to walk through. I wave to Amy as we pass her office and she waves back at me with a huge grin on her face.

We pass Beth, our receptionist and she says, "good night, Layne." Her eyes only for him.

"Uh, good night Beth," I respond with a chuckle. Beth blushes a deep crimson and tells me to have a good night too.

Layne and I get in the elevator and I press the button down to the parking garage then turn to him and say, "what have you done to all the women in my office?" He smiles, leans against the wall in the elevator and reaches behind my head to release the clip holding my hair up.

My thick, dark hair billows down past my breasts and his eyes go dark. He leans towards me and says in a thick, low tone: "I just want to have an effect on you..."

I laugh and shake my head. He smiles back at me and says, "How have you been?"

I shrug my shoulders and reply, "I'm okay, work has been busy and I have been dating."

The elevator dings when we reach the basement level for the parking garage. We exit the elevator and walk to my Audi. I unlock the doors and he places my bag in the back seat before sliding into the passenger seat next to me.

"Dating, huh? Anyone special?" He asks as he turns the car heater up.

"Nothing serious," I reply.

"Still holding out for 'Can't-tell-Cantrell'?" He asks with a smirk.

I laugh and shake my head no. "Nope, that ship has sailed," I reply.

"Good," He says and looks out my window as we pass over the Bay Bridge.

_____

I pull up to my little bungalow and  the porch lights cast a welcoming glow. Layne smiles when he sees it and my heart swells with pride.

He takes my work bag and his duffle bag from the back seat and follows me up the steps to my front door. The steps are lined with large pots of succulents and the wide porch has a comfortable swing in the corner. The front door is original to the home when it was built in the early 1900s and is solid wood with beveled stained-glass inlays.