It Feels Like

Keri woke to the smell of coffee. She wrapped herself in one of his fluffy white robes and padded down the hall in search of the man she’d spent the night with. He was in the kitchen, cutting up fruit and arranging it on a serving tray.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

Brad glanced over his shoulder before putting the knife down. “Breakfast. Fruit and wheat toast?”

“So healthy,” Keri replied. “I smell coffee.”

He pulled the pot from the warmer and poured her a mug, adding a little sugar at her request. “Did you sleep well?” Brad asked.

She smiled at him. “Like a baby. You?”

“Better than I’ve slept in months,” he answered.

He finished with the fruit and sat the tray on the island in front of her. Keri scooted up on one of the stools and watched him lightly butter the toast before he carried it over with two plates and sat down beside her. “Eat and then we’ll go look at apartments. My real estate agent is meeting us here at ten-thirty.”

“I’m not buying, just renting,” she warned.

“Just renting,” Brad agreed. “He thinks he has a couple places that fit.”

“Why do you care so much where I live?” She took a bite of the honeydew and almost sighed. It was perfectly ripe.

Brad tore a piece of toast in half before glancing up to meet her gaze. “Because I care about you. I want you to be happy and have a nice place to live.” He paused before adding, “And I want you closer to me so I don’t have to drive to Brooklyn to see you after home games.”

She rolled her eyes at him. “Whatever is convenient for you, Mr. Hockey Star.”

He spun her stool around to face him. “I want this to work, Keri.”

She swallowed the lump that had just formed in her throat. She had just been teasing him, but it seemed he took it to heart and was trying to have a serious conversation. “Me too,” she replied in a soft voice.

He leaned in to kiss her, but she put a hand up, pressing her fingertips against his lips. “Morning breath combined with coffee breath,” she explained.

Brad grabbed her mug of coffee and took a drink. “We’re even now. Come here.” She let him lean forward again and pull her to the edge of her seat so he could kiss her. It was a sweet kiss, not as passionate as his kisses last night, but no less toe-curling. It was a kiss that said this was a real relationship, not just a hot fling. The thought tugged on her heartstrings.

When he pulled back, they both returned to their breakfast. Just as they finished, there was a knock at his door. "Realtor," Brad told her, getting up to let the man in. She immediately jumped up to grab her panties, bra, and dress off the white rug in his living room and retreated to the bedroom to get dressed.

The agent's name was Gary. He was a tall, lanky guy in an expensive suit who looked like he was in his early sixties. Despite his dour face, he was actually more excited about apartments in Manhattan than any other person Keri had met. Maybe you had to be that way if you sold or rented units for a living.

They took Gary's gorgeous, black Lexus to the first building--a high-rise with a doorman and a gym on the first floor. The apartment was nice, but too new, too slick. And it was on the upper end of her budget, so Keri didn't feel bad about marking it off the list. The next apartment was smaller, but on the twenty-third floor of a bank building. The monthly rent was within her budget, but something about it was too sterile. Finally, Gary drove them to a small four-story building on quiet street. They took the elevator up to the third floor and entered one of the two apartments that shared the floor.

It was only five hundred square feet, but the architect had done a good job of designing the flow of the space. The kitchen, living, and dining areas flowed seamlessly into one another, allowing the two tall windows along the front of the building to bathe the entire area in natural lighting. The bedroom and bath were to the left. The bath was small, but manageable with just a shower stall. The bedroom was surprisingly large for such a small space, and it also had a tall window to let in the light that gleamed off the hardwood floors.

"This is gorgeous," she whispered, walking from room to room, admiring the high ceilings.

Gary told her it was less than the other two apartments, but cautioned that there were no amenities and no doorman.

"I don't need a doorman or a gym. I need this apartment," she told him.

He nodded his head and excused himself to make a call to see if it was still available for rent.

Keri walked over to the window and looked down at the street. Brad's arms boxed her in as he placed his hands on the window sill. "Do you really like it?" he asked in her ear.

"I love it," she replied, turning around to face him. He didn't move back. Instead, he leaned in and kissed her lips. "What do you think?" she asked.

"I love it if you love it. And it's only twenty minutes from my place."

She laughed. "Are you just planning late night booty calls?"

"Yes," he confessed with a grin. And then his face sobered up and he gave her a weighty, stern look. "Seriously, though, keeping a relationship going when you're a hockey player is tough. I want us to do what we can to make it easier."

Keri touched his cheek. "You're worth it, Brad. Stop thinking you aren't. Plus, I keep forgetting you're some hot-shot NHL player. That's so super strange."

He flashed her a big smile. "It's so refreshing that you don't care."

Punching him lightly on the shoulder, she said, "Hey, I care about your career. I just think it's weird I'm dating a celebrity. I need to brush up on the hockey terminology."

"You better. There's going to be a pop quiz later."

"Oh, shit. Quick, tell me what icing is."

He pressed his forehead to hers. When their laughter died down, he lifted her up to sit on the narrow window sill. Her back was pressed against the glass and the edge of the wood cut into her ass, but she didn't register the discomfort because his hands were on her and he was kissing her again.

"I wish I could redo this past summer," he whispered, his lips still touching hers. "I'm an idiot, and you're perfect."

Keri felt her heart pounding in her chest like a racehorse. "Good, as long as we're on the same page," she teased.

*********************************************

Her phone was ringing. She dug it out of her purse and stepped out into the hallway away from the cubicles. Maybe it was Brad. They had spent the rest of Thursday together. She'd slept and did a variety of other things in his bed that night. But she had to work on Friday and he had to fly out of town for an away game in Colorado. Maybe his plane had landed early. He'd promised to call her.

"Hello?"

"Keri?"

Keri didn't recognize the woman's voice. "Can I ask who's calling?"

"This is Melissa Stewart. From the Rangers game."

She frowned. How did the reporter get her cell phone number? "Oh, hi."

"Keri, I really think the fans would love to hear about you. Brad was performing so poorly last season and now that he’s found you, he's been doing so well. We need to know who the woman behind the comeback is."

"Oh, I... I don't know. I really don't think..."

"Keri, really," Melissa said, interrupting. "It's just a little quickie interview. We can do it over the phone right now. It'll take five minutes. How did you meet Brad?"

"Umm, at work. But I don't really want to..."

"Which job? Maybe the diner?"

"Yes, but how did you know I worked there?"

"Great, great..." Melissa said. "And was it love at first sight?"

Keri almost felt bullied. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Who did this woman think she was? It was like she'd barged into Keri's neat little life and created chaos with just a phone call. "Look, I don't want to do an interview. I'd appreciate it if you didn't call me."

When Melissa started talking again, Keri hung up.

***********************************

That afternoon, she got a call from Brad. She melted into her chair when he started talking. Just listening to his soft voice brought back pleasant memories.

"Gary has the key. You can move in whenever you want," he told her.

"What? I thought it'd take at least two weeks."

"I asked him to make it happen faster," Brad replied. "Call him and he'll meet you at your office with the lease and the key. I left you a present in the apartment."

"What is it?"

He laughed. "It's a surprise. I'll help you use it when you get moved in."

"Did you get me a Swiffer so we can clean the floors?"

"I did. We'll clean the floors so hard."

She laughed at him. When they both quieted down, she said, "I miss you. Good luck on your game tomorrow."

"Call me tonight when you get over to check out your new place."

"So I can yell at you for some outrageous and strange present you left in the apartment?"

"Exactly."

*********************************************

She couldn’t wait until the elevator doors opened and revealed the door of her new apartment. The key was hot in her hand as she walked down the hall and unlocked the door. The room was dark, but the light switch by the door illuminated the living area. Her heels echoed in the empty space, reverberating off the high ceilings. Running her hands over the kitchen counter, she looked looked for a note or a bag that Brad had left for her. She didn’t see anything.

Wondering further into the apartment, she flipped the switch and gave the bathroom a once-over, imagining where she would put her hairdryer and lotion and makeup. She poked her head in the bedroom next. It was darker than the rest of the apartment, the window partially covered by a tree limb outside. She hit the switch just inside the door and gasped.

A huge, king-size, platform bed fashioned with mahogany and covered in a fresh white duvet that was turned down to reveal cream sheets was situated across from the door.. She walked over and sat down on the edge before she saw the small notecard sitting at the foot of the bed. Keri leaned over and snatched it up, ripping open the envelope in her impatience.

Keri,

Happy new apartment. I hope you like the bed.

Love,
Brad

None of the note mattered once she read the line above his name. Love. Love, Brad. She felt light-headed and hot. It was probably just his way--throwing out sweet nothings in a notecard. But then again, he didn’t seem like the type to use the word lightly. Love.

After a few seconds of reading and re-reading the card, she pulled her cell out and dialed Brad.

“Did you find your present?” he said when he answered.

“I did. Are you serious? That’s a huge present.”

“It was the only thing I knew you’d love.”

She smiled. “I do love it. But it’s too much, Brad. You shouldn’t have.”

“Oh, don’t think I’m being selfless. You know I’m sleeping in that bed some nights. In fact, if you unlock your door for me, I’m going to be sleeping in that bed on Tuesday night when we get back from Denver and Toronto.”

Keri threw herself back on the bed and sighed. “I wish you were here tonight. It feels so wonderful.”

“I wish I was there, too.” His voice was soft, vulnerable. “But because I’m not there, I asked Gary to help you arrange for movers this weekend. Just call him and tell him what time on Saturday or Sunday.”

“Brad, don’t! I can move myself.”

“You don’t have a car. And I want to take care of you. Cut me some slack.”

His words warmed her heart. She rolled onto her side and pressed the phone closer to her ear. “You take wonderful care of me. Remember last night?”

Brad chuckled. “I do. We’re going to have a repeat on Tuesday.”

“You’re going to be tired on Tuesday.”

“Not that tired,” he replied.

They both laughed softly and settled into a comfortable silence. She didn’t want to hang up. Having him on the line made her feel safe and comfortable and happy. Finally, she said, “If I had known you were leaving a bed here, I would have brought an overnight bag and slept here.”

“Sorry,” he said. “I was trying to be smooth.”

“You’re very smooth. I can’t wait to thank you properly for the gift.”

Notes