“Well, you’re welcome to crash with me for a night or two,” Amanda said slowly. “But my landlord has a really strict policy about no other people staying in the apartment for more than a week.”
I stared at her. “It’s okay,” I said, even though I felt so far from okay that it wasn’t even funny. “I know I’ll have to find somewhere else.”
“You can always move in with me,” Megan said brightly. “Michael’s friend Teddy did that when they were still in pre-med. My parents only charged him three hundred dollars a month for rent, isn’t that good?”
I stated at her dully. “I don’t have a job,” I said. “I have no savings – at least, not savings I can get my hands on. I share a bank account with my mom.”
“Girl,” Amanda said slowly. “You have got to learn how to be more independent.”
That’s when Andrew’s smug, smirking face popped into my mind.
“I think I know someone I can call,” I said slowly. “But it’s gonna be a long shot.”
An hour later, I was waiting nervously for Andrew in the lobby of Amanda’s building. There was a little wine bar, Café Amana, where we’d agreed to meet. I was chilled to the bone and I didn’t feel like drinking, but I knew that I couldn’t just come right out and tell him what had happened over the phone. After all, we’d barely spoken to each other or spent much time together. Andrew was basically a stranger to me.
All we had in common was our parents.
“Kristin?”
I turned around at the sound of my name. Standing in front of me was the most gorgeous man I’d ever seen. His skin was deeply tanned, like he’d just gotten back from Greece, and his dark hair was smoothed into waves that showed off his sculpted face. There was a hint of dark scruff on his chin and jaw, and his sexy dark eyes seemed to penetrate me.
“Hi, Andrew,” I said nervously. God, he’s even more handsome than I remembered! How is that even possible?
Andrew relaxed into an easy smirk. “You look so grown-up,” he said with a tinge of sarcasm in his dark, rich baritone. “It’s good to see you.” Before I could reply, Andrew pulled me into a hug, crushing me against his muscular body. The scent of expensive, woody cologne radiated from his skin.
It took all the effort I had not to swoon.
“So,” Andrew said. “What are you doing in Boston?” We’d just sat down at the bar and ordered drinks – I’d gotten something called a Candy Cane Martini and Andrew had ordered a bourbon on the rocks. I couldn’t stop sneaking little glances at him. Every inch of his appearance seemed to radiate confidence and sex. He was wearing a dark button-down shirt that clung to his graceful, brawny torso and his dark pants made his legs seem longer than humanly possible. He was both feline and boyish at the same time.
I wanted to kiss him.
Instead, I sipped my drink. It was sugary sweet – which was the only kind of alcohol I could stand.
“I’m surprised to see you drinking,” Andrew smirked. He sipped his bourbon and rolled the glass around in his sinewy hand. I snuck a look at his hands and shivered when I saw how veiny and thick they were.
“Well, I’m not at home,” I said tightly. “That’s um…that’s kind of the reason why I called you.”
Andrew leaned back in his chair. “Oh, yeah? Thought you’d pay me a visit now that you’re in Boston?”
I nodded. “Sort of.” When Andrew looked at me expectantly, I knew I couldn’t keep silent about my dilemma anymore. “Mom and Dean threw me out,” I said flatly. “I…I came up here with my friend Megan, from school, and I lied because Mom wouldn’t have let me come otherwise.”
“Go on,” Andrew said, taking a sip of his bourbon. His dark eyes flashed mysteriously.
“It’s just…” I sighed, setting my martini glass down on the bar. The alcohol was starting to make me feel warm and relaxed, something I wasn’t used to feeling. “You know how it is,” I said finally. “Mom and Dean are just so strict! It’s like, I never do anything wrong but I get punished anyway! It’s not fair, Andrew. I’m an adult – I’m twenty-two. And I can’t even spend the night away from home without getting the third degree!”
Andrew nodded slowly. “You’re completely right,” he said. He smirked. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you Dad wasn’t always this bad. But something changed, I guess. I mean, I had to get away from them. And now you don’t blame me, do you?”
I shook my head. “I understand,” I said. I shifted uncomfortably in my chair.
“So, do you have a place to stay?”
I couldn’t meet Andrew’s eyes. Instead, I just shook my head. “I don’t,” I said flatly. “I can stay with my friend Megan’s relative here for a few days, but not more than a week. She said her landlord is really strict about extended guests.”
“Makes sense,” Andrew replied. “Well, why not stay with me?”
I raised my eyebrows. “Really?”
Andrew smirked again, looking devilishly handsome. “Sure,” he said. “You just have to promise me one thing?”