Page 33 of King of Pain

TRACK FIFTEEN

Crazy For You

Chance

The loud, insistent knocking on my apartment door jolts me awake. I groan, dragging a hand over my face, and glance at the clock. It’s barely 8 a.m., which, given I don’t have class or a shift this morning, feels far too early to be dealing with anything. Guinness barks once, hops off the bed, and waits for me at the bedroom door.

I stumble out of bed, quickly slip on my gray sweatpants and no shirt, and go open the door to find Lexi standing there with two cups of coffee. She smirks, her eyes trailing over my bare chest before arching an eyebrow at me.

“Well, good morning, sunshine,” she says, handing me one of the cups. “I brought caffeine. Clearly, you need it.”

I laugh. “Thanks, Lex. You didn’t have to do that. Though it’s early. I was still in asleep, you’re lucky I’m not sporting morning wood right now.”

“Please,” she waves me off, stepping past me into the apartment like she owns the place. “I was already getting one for myself, and I figured my favorite shirtless neighbor might need a pick-me-up. Also, for the record, I’ll never turn down a boner sighting from a man that looks like you.”

I give that the laugh it deserves. I’ve only known her for a month or so, but she’s quickly become someone I look forward to talking to.

As I close the door, she plops down on the couch, and Guinness immediately bounces over to her, his tail wagging furiously.

“Hey, buddy,” she coos, scratching him behind the ears. “You’re such a good boy, aren’t you? Yes, you are.”

I sip my coffee, watching her interact with Little G. It’s hard not to smile.

“So,” Lexi says, looking up at me with a mischievous glint in her eye, “who’s the hottie that was leaving your apartment when I was heading out for java this morning?”

I nearly choke on my coffee. “What?”

“You heard me,” she says, leaning back and crossing her legs. “Tall, dark-haired, built like a Greek god. Looked like he was sneaking out. Who is he?”

“That’s my coworker, Anthony,” I admit, trying to keep my tone casual.

“Mmhmm.” She gives me a look that says she’s not buying my attempt at nonchalance. “And what wasAnthonydoing here so early in the morning?”

I set my coffee on the table, rubbing the back of my neck. “We hung out after work. That’s all.”

Lexi raises an eyebrow, her grin widening. “Sure, hung out. Got it.”

“It’s true,” I say, maybe a bit too forcefully. “He met Little G, and we had a few beers after work. Too many beers for me to drive him back to his dorm. End of story.”

“Alright,” she says, clearly unconvinced but choosing to let it go. “You’ve mentioned this coworker before, but you definitely didn’t mention he looked likethat. Is he single?”

A low, unfamiliar sound rumbles in my chest before escaping my throat, and I shift uncomfortably. “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?” she repeats, her tone heavy with mock disbelief. “How do you not know? You work with him.”

“I just… don’t. And it doesn’t matter,” I mumble, avoiding her gaze.

Lexi studies me, her sharp expression softening slightly. “Okay, well, you let me know what that’s all about when you figure it out. Because, Chance, if someone asking if he’s single pulls a growl out of you, itdoesmatter—and maybe you should find out.”

I drop my head, focusing on picking at my fingernails, desperate for a change of subject.

“How’s your interior design coursework going?”

Her face lights up, and I know I’ve successfully shifted the focus. “It’s going great. We’re starting to work on practical projects now, like designing layouts for real spaces. It’s so much fun, but also kind of overwhelming. There’s so much to think about—color schemes, furniture placement, lighting…”

She goes on, her enthusiasm infectious as she describes her latest project. I listen intently, genuinely interested, and it feels good to focus on something other than my own tangled thoughts for a bit.

After a while, Lexi glances at the clock and sighs. “Alright, I’ve got to run. Class starts in half an hour, and I can’t be late. But this was fun. We should do it again.”