But Foster was going to be here in a few minutes, and I’d held out this long, what was another few hours? Right? The argument didn’t do any good convincing my body. I sighed and slipped into the heels and fastened the belt around my waist. I took one final glance in the full-length mirror on my closet door.
Damn. The guy knew how to choose an outfit. There was no sign of the girl who spent most of her time wearing scrubs, a ponytail, and layer of cat hair. I looked . . . sexy. And elegant. I didn’t know much about brands, but I had a feeling what I was wearing didn’t come from the local mall. Once again, I found myself wondering why someone who could afford these kinds of things was living with a roommate in my complex.
I mean, my complex was nice. My dad had insisted on helping me pay for something in a good neighborhood so I didn’t have to live on campus and could feel safe. But it wasn’t some swanky high-rise or anything. Foster could clearly afford more.
The thought was like a burr in my foot, a constant niggling reminder that there was so much I didn’t know about the man I was entrusting myself to. A knock on my door pulled me from my worried reflection.
I took a steadying breath and made my way to the door. I had a feeling when Foster said be ready, that meant not making him wait even for a minute. I swung open the door, but instead of finding Foster on the other side, Gerald filled my doorway. Automatically, I reared up. “Gerald.”
“Hi, Cela,” he said with a tilted smile. “Uh, wow, you look really pretty.”
My stomach dipped. I’d made a point to avoid my formerly friendly neighbor since finding out about his background. After Foster had told me, I’d looked up the information for myself, and it’d made me ill to even think about all the times I’d been alone with Gerald. “What are you doing here?”
“Hey, uh, I’m sure your friend told you about my . . . past. And I’m sorry I didn’t say anything. It’s just—that was a much younger, much stupider version of myself. Mistakes I wish I could undo. And I liked hanging out with you—with someone who didn’t just see that creep from back then.”
I shifted in my heels and glanced over his shoulder at the empty hallway. “Gerald, I appreciate the apology, but I think it’s best we leave things as they are.”
“Is it because of your boyfriend?” he asked glumly.
I saw the out and took it. “Yes. He’s very . . . protective.”
“Right,” he said with a frown.
“Well, I understand. I only wanted to tell you that I was sorry and that I found a dog walker for Sammi. She’s doing well with her.”
I managed a small smile. “That’s good to hear.”
“Yeah, well, I guess I’ll be seeing you then.” After one last look, which strangely mimicked how Sammi had looked at me when I wouldn’t throw the ball again, he turned on his heel to head back toward the stairs. But before he made it all the way there, Foster’s door opened. Foster stepped out, looking like a GQ model in a sharp dark gray suit and a tie that coordinated with my dress.
Simultaneously, relief and fear rushed through me. Relief that I wasn’t alone with Gerald anymore, but also fear, because when Foster turned his head to the right to see Gerald’s retreating back, every bit of him bristled. I rushed over to Foster, heels clicking on the floor, to grab his arm before he launched himself forward. “Hey, hold up.”
His gaze snapped to me, e
yes fierce. “What the fuck is he doing up here? Is he bothering you?”
“It’s all right,” I said, thankful Gerald had already disappeared around the second set of stairs, and apparently hadn’t noticed Foster come out. “I took care of it.”
“Took care of what?”
I could feel the anger rumbling through him, my grip on his arm quivering with it. The intensity of it scared me a little. “He came by to apologize. I opened the door, thinking it was you. But I handled it. It’s fine.”
He closed his door behind him with unnecessary force and walked me over to my own, guiding me back into my apartment. When he shut my door, he turned to me with accusing eyes. “What were you thinking? You just opened your door? No chain?”
“I forgot.”
“You promised me, Cela,” he said, his jaw clenched as he looked back toward my closed door. “God, do you even realize how dangerous it is for a woman to be that careless?”
I gritted my teeth at his admonishing tone and his firm grip on my shoulder. “I said it was an accident. I was expecting you.”
“An accident?” That only seemed to heighten the furor in his eyes. “What if he had pushed his way in here, huh? He could have attacked you without anyone seeing a damn thing. Locked both of you in here together.”
“Back off, okay?” I said as I slipped from beneath his hand. “It wasn’t anything. I’m fine. If he wanted to attack me, he could have done it during one of the countless times I was alone with him.”
Foster stared at me for a long moment, then swiped a hand through his hair, more agitated than I’d ever seen him. “You will never open your door without checking again.”
“Foster.”
“Swear to me, Cela. And mean it this time.”