The First Time I Saw You

The First Time I Saw You, Chapter 1

"So this is what it's come to," Gabriel mumbled under his breath as he waited behind a beefy motorcycle dude with a leather vest, grubby jeans, and tattoos covering one arm, the kind of guy he'd never want to find himself at odds with. That was why, instead of asking him to move, he stood patiently at the back of the corner store, where the community bulletin board was, just so he could pin up his own pitiful request.

The said biker dude was busy taking in the entire board of what looked like dozens of notices, ads, and items for sale, as if reading every printout twice. Gabriel had only another ten minutes before he had to get back to the job site, to his own eye-opening job on a construction crew under a big contractor in the area, doing anything and everything the head supervisor deemed necessary.

The fact was that he was now having to get real and learn skills from the real world since deciding college wasn't for him five years earlier. He was far happier with this hands-on way of learning than with a stuffy classroom, which was another reason he was standing there, staring at the recycled white bond paper on which he'd scribbled his information, looking to find a roommate so he could afford to pay the mortgage and every bill that was piling up for the fixer-upper he'd bought. Although he'd thankfully learned many of the skills to do the work himself, the house had turned into a money pit and had dried up Gabriel's bank account to the red. He was now in overdraft, giving up his source of freedom and opening his house to a stranger.

That was when the biker dude glanced back at Gabriel, his unusual dark eyes pinning him where he was. "Whatcha offering?" He had a raspy voice, the kind that came from smoking too long and too many cigarettes.

Of course, he froze, not knowing what the hell the man was asking. For a second, his brain headed to some pretty lewd places, and he wanted to step back and away, to get the hell out of there, but he gestured to the paper he was holding, or rather gripping, in sweaty hands.

"Uh..." was all he got out before the biker dude reached for the paper and took it from his grip. He grunted as he read the words, his lips moving, and he nodded as if liking what he read. Then he turned and pinned it over the flyer for an upcoming auction for a pickup. Gabriel just stood there with his hands still outstretched, trying to figure out what the fuck had just happened.

"Roommate wanted, your own room and bathroom, shared kitchen..." The man was actually reading it out loud now, and Gabriel had to fight to keep from digging his fingers into his palms as the man flicked his unusual gaze his way. It wasn't so much his face as it was his entire being, his big body, the size of him, and the long gold chain pierced into one ear and hanging to his shoulder. Everything about him screamed that he wasn't someone Gabriel wanted to find himself face to face with in some back alley. He wanted to back out of there and say it was all a mistake.

"So everything is included in this price, heat, electric, or is anything extra?" The man was still talking to him.

He should say it was taken, ask for the paper back or something, because there was no way he was renting a room in his house to a guy like this. "All included," he said, "but I should add that there's no smoking, parties, or general craziness."

The man made a face and nodded as he glanced back to him. "Yeah, you can't be too careful. All kinds out there. So is it a house or apartment?"

Oh, good God, he was still asking about the place. Gabriel could feel the way his jaw pinched from how tightly he was grinding his teeth. This guy was seriously interested in his listing. This could not be happening. There was no way biker dude was living with him. "House, but then, it has to be the right fit. You know, personalities and all, and cleanliness. There's an expectation that everything will be kept neat and tidy." Good job! He crossed his arms and took in the way the guy faced him now and cocked a brow, and his heartbeat kicked up a bit as he wondered whether the guy realized he was referring to him.