Chasing Leah (Journey #1)

“What? That I’m working my way into every girls apartment? Do you think I’m some kind of man whore just cause I’m a college guy?” He raises a brow at me and I can’t tell if he’s offended by my assumption or amused. Either way he looks damn sexy in his grey pajama pants that are hanging low on his narrow hips and his black muscle shirt. And oh the muscles he has. Yup he definitely works out.

And the tattoos hmm….. Most of the time whenever I see guys covered in tattoos I think of the biker trash that hung out at the bar where my mom worked but he knows how to pull them off. I count ten that I can actually see, a variation of words and symbols, mainly from his shoulders reaching to his elbows and then two scrolls peeking out from the top of his shirt near his collarbone. Ally and I had gone and gotten matching star tattoos on my 18th birthday. I had gotten mine right on my hipbone and Allys on her wrist. That right there was enough pain for me, I can’t imagine how long his took to get done.

“Well yeah that is kinda exactly what I was thinking. I mean you did come home with Ally that one night and then I run into you that one day in the hall. I’m normally in and out a lot so I haven’t met a lot of the neighbors.” He sticks his hand out to me, “Well then I guess Ally probably never told you my name then. Chase O’Neil, apartment 2B, nice to meet you Leah.” I reach over and shake his hand back. “I’m actually kinda surprised Ally never mentioned me. The day I helped her move in, she told me I was her roommates soul mate and she needed to set us up immediately.”

He lets go of my hand as I turn around to switch my laundry into the dryer. Of course Ally actually said that to him, she really needed to get a filter on that mouth of hers. “Well that’s Ally for ya. She’s always trying to set me up. She’s been a little preoccupied lately though with her own soul mate.” So this was the guy Ally said she had wanted to set me up with. I turn around and slide onto the top of the dryer as Chase begins to sort his laundry into the empty washers to study him. Well I guess Ally really does know my nonexistent taste in guys pretty well cause if I had one he would be the flavor I would want to sample.

“I thought she was going to introduce us the night of the party but when I ran into her she seemed to be a tad drunk so I figured it was best to get her home.” He pauses as he throws in some detergent and then hops onto the dryer next to me. “I wanted to make sure she got home okay and then I got home and remembered I never gave you my name.” My ears perk up a little bit at this, I had just assumed that they had hooked up. I tuck a loose curl behind my ear. “Oh so you guys didn’t uh, ya know…”I chew down on my lip wondering why I care. He laughs. Wow even his laugh is sexy. “I was in there for like 10 minutes, did you seriously think that’s what we were doing? Give me a little more credit than that.” He pauses before giving me a wink with one of his glittering green eyes. “No, I just wanted to make sure she got to bed okay. I know how overwhelming your first college party can get.” I shrug my shoulders. As if I care. Even though that was pretty sweet. “Well whatever not like I’m her keeper or anything.”

He hops off and heads over to the vending machine, “You want anything?”

“Nope I’m good,” pointing down to my skittles. He bends over looking at his choices. I tilt my head sideways and check out the view. And what a nice view it is. I kind of got like a rocker vibe off of him but he definitely has the physique of an athlete. Preferably a football player, he could really fill out a pair of those tight pants very nicely.

“Mommy can I have some more snack?” Calebs little voice calls out from the corner that I had shoved him in. Woops totally forgot he was there while I was ogling my eye candy. What kind of mother am I? “Yeah sweetie,” I reply. “You want a few skittles?” He nods his head and I pour a few into his small hand as he separates them by color. I swear that child has OCD.

“Hey little guy,” Chase says as he crouches down to the table. He must have been so fascinated by me as well because he seems to have just noticed Caleb as well. “What you doing there man?”

“Coloring, duh. What’s it look like? What you have for snack?” Caleb holds out an open hand waiting for Chase to share whatever he picked out from the vending machine. “Caleb. That’s Chases snack you have your own buddy. Manners please.”

“But Mommy his looks yummy,” he points at the snack cakes Chase has. “Not a problem buddy as long as you’re Mommy says it’s okay I’ll share some with you. Cause sharing is the cool thing to do. How’s that sound?”

I don’t correct him that I’m in fact not Calebs Mommy but I really don’t want to confuse Caleb with THAT whole sticky situation. I nod my head in reply and Chase shares a snack cake with Caleb. I know that is going to be one chocolatey mess just waiting to happen. I see a bath in our very near future.