Elena's pov
The very first day Jake moved into the apartment next door to mine, I told myself I was going to stay away from him. I had made that decision the moment I saw him carrying the last of his boxes down the hallway.
But days turned into weeks.
And somehow, without meaning to, he became part of my routine.
Every morning when I stepped out for work, the hallway would sometimes echo with the soft click of his door opening at the same time as mine. In the evenings, when I returned tired, I would catch sight of him again leaning against his doorframe, keys in hand, or walking down the corridor with that easy confidence that seemed completely natural to him.
Jake was… dangerous in the way every woman secretly feared and wanted.
Warm brown eyes that seemed to hold a quiet kind of mischief. Eyes that lingered just a little too long, as if they could see straight through whatever defenses a woman tried to put up. His shoulders were broad enough to fill the doorway when he leaned against it, his T-shirt stretching over a body that looked strong.
And when he walked past, sometimes I caught myself staring. Sometimes I hated that I did.
There were evenings when I'd step out onto my balcony with a cup of coffee growing cold in my hands, pretending to enjoy the quiet hum of the city below. But the truth was, my eyes would drift to the balcony next door waiting for him.
Sometimes he came out. Sometimes he didn’t.
But on the nights he did, the balcony door would slide open with a soft sound, and he’d step out, running a hand through his hair as the evening breeze moved through it.
And almost every time, his gaze would find mine. But he never said a word.
He would just give me that slow, knowing smile before looking away again.
Jake never spoke to me. I wondered why but didn't bother myself much about it. I could only admire him from afar, until the day I got a knock on my door.
I pushed open the door only to discover he was the one standing there.
My breath hitched as I stared at him.
God, he looked very irresistible. His hair was slightly tousled like he had run his fingers through it, and his shirt wasn't buttoned, the fabric hanging open to reveal the strong lines of his muscular chest. The warm hallway light traced the ridges of his abs and the faint dusting of hair across his chest. It made my throat go dry and I swallowed.
I was so engrossed in admiring him I didn't hear him calling my name.
Fuck. He even knew my name.
“Elena?” He called again, his deep voice softer this time, and I heard him.
“Hmmm?” My gaze snapped towards his face immediately and a red coloration appeared on my cheeks, heat creeping up my neck.
“You don't have to ogle him like that,” a tiny voice in my head screamed.
“Are you busy?” He asked, slipping his hands casually into his pockets, his shoulders relaxed as if this moment meant nothing to him.
“No…no…I'm…I'm not.” I stuttered and cleared my throat, suddenly aware of how fast my heart was beating.
“Okay,” he said softly. “I cooked so I was wondering if you'd like to join me.”
My heart skipped a beat.
He was f*****g inviting me to dinner. Someone that never spoke to me.
“Is it a date?” I asked to be sure.
He chuckled, a low sound that vibrated in his chest.
“Why don't you come in and find out?” He kept his gaze on my face and my instincts told me it was more than a date, if it was a date. And I wasn't going to miss my opportunity.
“Sure,” I replied with a grin and gestured inside.
“Let me just finish up.”
Even though I was craving for him, I didn't want to make myself look so cheap.
“Okay, I'll be waiting,” he replied and walked back to his apartment.
I closed the door of my apartment and leaned on it, breathing heavily. My chest rose and fell quickly as the quiet of the room wrapped around me. A broad smile appeared on my face as excitement bubbled in my stomach. I hurriedly grabbed the keys of my apartment, the metal jingling in my trembling hand.
Then I stepped out, locked the door and headed to Jake's apartment.
I knocked lightly on the door and stepped back, waiting for a reply, my palms suddenly damp.
Soon, he opened the door but he wasn't putting any shirt on. The warm light from inside his apartment spilled into the hallway, outlining every hard line of his torso.
Immediately he saw me, a slow smile flicked across his face and he opened the door widely for me.
“Come on,” he said.
I returned the smile and stepped in.
I looked around. His house was moderate and looked clean. The faint smell of garlic, butter, and something rich filled the air.
My eyes darted to the dining table.
Candlelight flickered across the table, casting warm golden shadows that danced over the untouched plates of pasta and the unopened bottle of red wine.
Suddenly, I felt strong hands grip my waist from behind.
His palms were warm and firm against my sides.
I flinched slightly and looked over my shoulder, feeling the heat of his body close behind mine.
“You know, I've always tried to invite you in, but I never knew how to.” His voice was painfully husky and irresistible, the low sound brushing against my ear and sending a shiver down my spine.
“Really?” I asked and swallowed, my voice barely above a whisper.
He led me to the edge of the table with his back rubbing against my ass. The movement was slow and deliberate. I knew what he wanted.
His d**k that was already hard that I felt pressing against my ass was testimony already, firm and impossible to ignore through the fabric of our clothes.
We stopped at the edge of the table and he turned me to face him.
Then, he cupped my cheek, his palm rough and warm, tilting my face up as he leaned in.
“You want this?” He asked, staring sexily at my lips, his breath warm against my skin.
I couldn't even reply. My breathing had grown shallow and I felt goosebumps pop on my skin from his hands that touched my face.
“Yes.” I nodded slowly. “I want you.”
A smirk curled his lips.
He leaned in and our lips met in a heated kiss that started gentle but ignited quickly, tongues sliding together with hungry urgency.
I tasted wine on his lips. Rich and slightly bitter. He seemed to have drunk a glass before coming to get the door for me.
But I didn't care about that.
My hands roamed up his bare chest, feeling the firm planes of muscle beneath my palms, the warmth of his skin and the steady thud of his heartbeat. His fingers tangled in my hair, tugging just enough to make a gasp escape into his mouth.
My body pressed flush against his, feeling the hard length of his c**k straining against my pants.
I reached for his belt and unbuckled it, the metal clink loud in the quiet room. His hand tightened on my hair as I unzipped the front zipper of his jeans.
Then I slid my hand in and a groan slipped out his lips, deep and rough.
“f**k,” he pulled away and looked down as I took out the hard d**k pulsing with thick veins.
God, he was huge.
Exactly the way I loved it.
“s**t,” I rubbed saliva on my hands and tightened my hand around his length. His skin was hot and heavy in my palm. Then I began to rub slowly and he growled loudly, the sound vibrating through the room.
“Get on your f*****g knees and take that c**k into your mouth.” He commanded, looking at me with eyes filled with pleasure.
I obeyed.