Simulated Love (2024)

Chapter 8 Continued...

I felt like I was at a fancy hotel. Everything was so nice from the lobby, to the elevator, to the halls. I was definitely in the presence of someone who had higher power.

"My bad. My place might be a little messy. As you can tell, I wasn't expecting a roommate."

"It's okay."

The door to his place even looked expensive. It was black with a golden number 47. He typed in his code, and then his door opened. I wish my door was secure like that.

My door, if you shook the handle the right way, you probably could get in. Which reminded me that I needed to get my locks changed.

As I stepped inside, the warm and inviting scent of sandalwood and amber enveloped my senses, filling my nose with a comforting aroma. We both slipped off our shoes, feeling the coolness of the polished wooden floor beneath our feet.

"Would you like some slippers?" he asked, slipping into his adorable bunny-themed ones. I politely declined, enjoying the sensation of the smooth surface against my soles.

He swiftly made his way to his couch, retrieving his pants and rearranging the pillows scattered across it. "Told you it was messy."

But to me, it wasn't messy at all. The only things out of place were his pants, a few pillows, and a plate on the table with a few lingering crumbs.

"It's not messy," I countered. "I have a younger brother. You don't know messy."

He chuckled, a warm and genuine sound, as he placed the dish in the sink. "Fair."

The first word used to describe his living room was "windows." Moonlight streamed in, casting a warm glow on the polished marble floors. He had an amazing view of the night city from his place, with twinkling lights and bustling streets below. A crackling fire in the fireplace filled the room with a cozy ambiance, enhanced by the faint scent of burning wood. Above the fireplace, a nice gold and black painting added an elegant touch to the space. Thoughtfully placed plants brought a refreshing greenery to the room. The couches beckoned with their luxurious softness, inviting relaxation. The spacious kitchen, seamlessly connected to the living room, added to the overall charm.

"You like it?"

Startled by his voice, I turned to him and nodded. I didn't even know he was next to me. "It's amazing."

"Thank you. I put it together myself with some help from Maggie. Let me show you to show your room."

I followed Elijah down a hall where the bathroom was and the two rooms that were right across from each other. In the hall, there were pictures of him and his parents when he was younger. He looked so adorable and happy. Every picture he was in he was smiling with all his teeth even if they weren't always there.

"So this is the guest room. Not anything crazy. I don't really have guests. I was thinking about changing it into an office or something."

"It's nice," I said. There was a queen-sized bed, a huge tv, a spacious closet, and a bookcase with a few books along the wall.

"Thanks. Well, I'll let you get situated." He sniffed himself. "I need to shower. I smell like the bar."

"Okay. Thank you again."

He nodded before he left, closing the door behind him. I didn't feel like unpacking, so I left my bags at the door and laid on the bed.

I texted Fae, Mork, Ink, and my family on an app for international texting to let them know that I had made it to the U.S. While Elijah showered, I decided to find a book to read. He had many different stories on his shelf to choose from but the one that caught my eye was the one with the blank cover. It was by him. 

I laid back on the bed and opened the book up to the first page. It was a romance story which was shocking to say the least and the only reason why I knew that was from how the main character described the other guy. I was so captivated by the story that I lost tracked of time. The only thing that kept going through my mind was that Elijah was more than capable of writing a good romance story. I already ideas in my head of how I would draw each character and I wondered why he didn't suggest this story for us to work on.

Twenty minutes had past, and I was in need of some water, so I went to the kitchen to fill me a glass.

His cabinets had a rich mahogany construction, and their polished surface reflected the soft glow of the room. Inside, the glasses shimmered, catching the light and adding a touch of elegance.

As I took a sip of water, the sound of a door shutting echoed through the house. Moments later, the gentle scrape of sandals against the floor signaled Elijah's arrival. He entered the living room, clad in shorts and a towel draped casually around his shoulders. It was insane how hot he was. I wouldn't have guessed he had such a nice sleeper build.

Turning towards me, his piercing gaze met mine, and I was momentarily stunned. In that instant, I nearly choked on my water, captivated by him.

"Who said you could go in my kitchen?"

I immediately placed the glass down, the clink echoing through the room. "I'm sorry. I was thirsty and I-"

He interrupted me with a hearty laugh, the sound filling the air. "I'm joking. You can do whatever you want. You're my guest," he said, his voice carrying a hint of amusement. "Just don't piss me off." 

I nodded, the weight of his words sinking in. As he walked towards the couch, I couldn't tear my eyes away from him. His shorts rode low on his waist, revealing a band of underwear peeking out. My gaze lingered on him, taking in every detail. From the coarse hair on his legs to the fresh wound on his arm, I absorbed it all, my senses captivated by his presence.

"What happened to your arm?" I asked.

He was already sitting on the couch when he started checking. "Where?"

"On the back." I got closer and could see that it was pulsing red. "You need to clean that right away. Do you have some alcohol and a band aid?"

He turned his arm around and noticed the wound. "Shit. Where the hell did this come from?" He sighed. "Yeah. I got some in my bathroom under the sink in cabinet."

"Okay. I'll be right back."

I went to the bathroom and grabbed some alcohol, band aids, and cotton balls before I made it back to him.

I sat beside him and opened the alcohol.

"I can do it myself."

"It's on the back of your arm. Let me." I poured the alcohol on the cotton pad. "You're letting me stay at your place. It's the least I can do."

"Okay."

I started to gently clean his wound. "Thanks for stepping in earlier. He was making me uncomfortable."

"It was nothing."

"I understand why you were so hard before. Dean wants you to make a bad game on purpose, right? I'm starting to think it wasn't your idea."

"Yeah. He thinks it'll get a lot buzz which would be good for the company, but I'm not doing that shit. I need to do what's best for me."

"Yeah. I understand." I unwrapped the band aid. "I'm sorry for not being more cooperative, but just like you I wanted to do what was best for me and my company."

"I don't blame you for being difficult. If I were in your shoes, I'd would be the same. Let's just move past it and make a good ass game, okay?"

I placed the band aid over his wound. "Deal," I said.

He looked at me and we shared a smile. Probably the first real one we shared together.