Enchanter by Kristy Centeno Page A

that.” I stopped just beyond the door and
turned to look at him. “But I really have no problem rescheduling.”
    Brandon shut the door before providing a reply. “It’s okay,
Leah. I just need a quick shower and a bite to eat and I’ll be fine.” He must
have noticed my eyes widening as he locked his front door, because he said, “I
hope you don’t mind, but I always keep my door locked, even when I’m in here.”
    What is he afraid of? With a body like his I doubt anyone
would dare take him on.
    “That’s fine.”
    “Make yourself comfortable,” he said, gesturing toward the
living room. “I’m going to shower and I’ll meet you in a few minutes.”
    “Okay,” I murmured as he started to walk away toward a door
at the end of a small hallway.
    I hurried to make myself comfortable on the floor in front
of the coffee table, crossing my legs as I sat down and rummaged through my
purse. I took out my textbooks, but stopped before actually placing them on the
furniture. I was not sure whether or not Brandon would appreciate me taking
such a liberty with his belongings, so I glanced up to ask him whether it was
okay, when I saw him take off his sweatshirt.
    Granted, I had no intention of rubbernecking, but when I
caught sight of long arms and well-developed muscles, I could not stop my mouth
from dropping open. Underneath that damn hoodie he always wore was a wide back
hidden by a black tank top. What nearly caused me to drool like a puppy dog were
the few glimpses of the Celtic-like tattoo that ran up his backside. Most of
his left arm, shoulder, and even his neck were covered in it. There were only a
few spots here and there that were free of ink.
    Never in my life did I give much thought to tattoos. I
especially never even thought of them as sexy, but seeing Brandon’s marked
upper torso was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen. Even as I continued to
stare, seconds after he disappeared behind a door, I wondered why Brandon hid
his easy-on-the-eyes body under so many layers of clothing. Was he
self-conscious about something? Because judging by what I saw he had nothing to
be self-conscious about.
    Leah, what are you thinking?
    Slightly embarrassed by my train of thoughts, I decided to order
a pizza so that he did not have to prepare anything to eat. That way he would
have something ready and warm, hopefully by the time he got out of the shower. I
grabbed my phone and dialed my favorite pizzeria’s number, which was about a mile
down the road.
    After placing an order for a large pepperoni and a two-liter
Coke, I took in my surroundings while I waited to be reunited with my unorthodox
companion.
    Brandon’s apartment was nothing like I had imagined it to
be. Although it was scarcely furnished, with just one couch, two end tables, a
coffee table, and a small entertainment system accompanied by what looked like a
thirty-two inch flat screen, the apartment was incredibly organized for a
college man. The dark blue curtains that hung over the windows in the living
room matched the couch’s upholstery and the Navy blue of his carpet.
    On the left side of the apartment was the kitchen. For what
I could see, it was small and only had the basics. The kitchen, just like the
living room area, was spotless. Apparently, Brandon was every bit of a neat
freak as I was.
    As far as I could make out, Brandon lived alone. The fact
that there were no obvious signs to indicate that he could be sharing the place
with a female forced a sense of relief to course through me. As confusing as my
sentiments were, they were nowhere near as alarming as the fact that I was
becoming susceptible to a guy that I had spent half of my life avoiding.
    The sound of a door somewhere behind the one Brandon had
gone through forced my attention away from his living space. The bathroom must
have been adjoined to his bedroom. Going through his bedroom in order to have
access to the bathroom would prove to be interesting.
    Geez, now I’m dying to