Kate entered her apartment parking lot and noticed that the number of vehicles in her neighbor's parking slot had increased. Not just cars, there were a few motorbikes as well, throwing an insight as to what kind of person her neighbor could be.
Picking up her takeaway food and her bag, she got down and locked her car, only to stop when she heard the roar of a motorbike. Kate was not surprised when the rider parked the vehicle in her neighbor's parking slot. What stunned her was how fit the man looked. Hidden behind his leather jacket, she saw his biceps flex as he raised his hands to remove his black helmet.
The lights in the place were turned on. So, she could see the man clearly from where she was.
'Oo la la. What an eye candy!'
The man seemed like he had walked out of a fashion magazine and coupled with his messy hair and all-black attire, he was exactly the bad boy girls were advised to stay away from but couldn't.
'What a sight!' Kate thought. Although she wanted to continue ogling him, her hungry stomach and tired body were protesting constantly, forcing her to get her feet moving. A handsome face couldn't fill her stomach and make her sleep. Moreover, she looked like a creep watching him secretly. Reluctantly, she dragged her body towards the elevator.
"Hold the elevator, please." She heard a baritone voice that sent her heart flipping and saw the man hastened his steps while she held the elevator for him.
"Thank you." The man flashed a smile at her and Katelyn returned it with a smile of her own as she tried to hold herself.
'Was that British?' She wondered, recalling the man's sexy accent. 'I'm going to hyperventilate. Someone save me.' She cried when she saw his smile again.
The man seemed taller than she had thought. Even though she was not a stranger to tall men, the one beside her towered over by a foot or more. Beside him, she felt puny. His reddish-brown hair only gave him a roguish look. Yet, she didn't get any negative vibes from him. If anything, she felt safe with him.
"Oh, we're going to the same floor." The man exclaimed when he saw the floor number she had pressed.
"Yes. Are you the neighbor I'm yet to meet?" Kate questioned back, continuing with their small talk.
"I presume so if you're the one staying at 15B."
"I am." Kate acknowledged and sucked in a deep breath when she saw his biceps flex again as he ran a hand through his hair.
'What the fuck! Why am I attracted to a man who I just met? Get a grip, Kate. Stop being hopeless.' She gave herself a pep talk, not realizing that the man had stopped speaking and was staring at her oddly.
"Is something wrong?" He questioned, concern evident in his voice and Kate snapped out of her thoughts immediately.
"No." She gave him a sheepish smile. "Sorry, I was lost in my thoughts. Did you say something?"
"No worries. I was asking if you moved in recently."
"If two weeks ago comes under recently, then yes, I moved in recently."
"Cool."
The elevator opened at the 15th floor and the two stepped out.
"I'm Kincaid, Kincaid Ferell." Kincaid stretched his hand and Kate took it happily.
"Katelyn Reyes. It was nice meeting you."
"It was nice meeting you as well."
Kincaid hesitated as he glanced at his apartment. "I..."
Kate gave him an enquiring look as she waited for him to speak. Oddly, her exhaustion had become less prominent. She didn't mind spending more time with her neighbor and procrastinating her sleep for a few more minutes.
"Would you..."
"I was wondering what got you held up. Kin, you should've texted us what kept you occupied. I promise you we wouldn't have missed you."
A sudden voice interrupted their conversation and Kate looked behind Kincaid to face the man who was leaning against the door with a teasing smirk on his face. Faint music floated in the air and Kate didn't have to second guess what was happening. Her neighbor was having a party.
'Oh God! Is today a special day? Why are all the men here so hot?' Kate wanted to fan herself to reduce to heat on her cheeks. Even though he was good-looking, she preferred Kincaid more. Her aesthetics in men were inclined more towards him.
"Paul, cut it out." Kincaid shot a glare at his friend while all Paul did was chuckle at him.
"Ignore him," Kincaid said to Kate. "He's just bored of life."
"Well, I guess I should go. You seemed to be having a party. I don't want to take up more of your time." Kate showed him a smile before nodding at Paul who was observing her with a soft smile on his face.
"Do you want to join us?" Kincaid threw the question even before she turned around, surprising her with his invitation.
"Me?"
"Yes."
"But it's your party and I don't know anyone." Kate was unsure about it and gave him a helpless look.
"You'll get to know them soon. We're all friendly. I'm certain you'll feel at home soon."
"But..."
"Please, I insist."
"Yes, please join us. We'd love to have you with us." Paul added and glanced at Kincaid. "After all, you're Kin's neighbor. It'd help him to know you better."
Kincaid darted a glare at him again while Kate hesitated. She glanced back and forth between the two men and when Kincaid gave her a pleading gaze, she gave up objecting.
"Fine."
"Great." Kincaid beamed at her and Kate was once again enthralled.
'What a charmer! Can't you not smile at me like that?' Kate complained as she followed Kincaid to his apartment.
"Guys, look who we have here." Paul clapped his hands twice and yelled, gaining everyone's attention to him and Kate's eyes rounded in shock when she saw the men inside the apartment.
'What the freaking hell is this!' She shouted in her mind as she stared at all the men before her. "Are all the dashing men in the world partying here? No wonder I didn't see any handsome men on my way home. You were all assembled here."
Kate didn't hide her thoughts from them and they were visibly stunned by her candid remarks. She ran her eyes around the place, making sure to greet all the eight men. But when she didn't receive any response from them, she glanced at Kincaid who was staring at her strangely.
"What? Can't I appreciate handsomeness? Hey, I'm a human as well, and appreciating beauty is my birthright." Kate shrugged as if it was nothing.
"I think she's talking about me." One of the men chimed as he stood up from his chair and approached her. "Thank you." He bowed at her slightly like a gentleman. "I accept your compliments and you're beautiful as well."
"I know." Kate gave him a haughty look but her teasing eyes gave away.
"I like you. I'm Tristan by the way." Tristan gave her a look of interest.
"I'm Katelyn. You can call me Kate."
"Shall we make ourselves comfortable first? We can talk later." Kincaid interrupted from behind and Kate nodded at him as she made her way inside.
"Guys, this is Kate, my neighbor." Kincaid started. "And Kate, you've already met Paul and Tristan. That's Victor and Desmond by the kitchen counter and that's Everett, Rhys and Dean." He pointed at the three men who were sitting on the floor around a small table.
While Victor and Desmond waved at her, Everett smiled at her. Rhys and Dean raised their chins as if they were welcoming her and Kate waved at all of them in greeting.
"Wow, that's a lot of names for me to remember. Forgive me if I were to mistake you for someone else."
"Not a problem. You just need to get one name correct. I'm sure everyone else can manage. Am I right, Kin?" Paul commented loudly from behind and glanced at Kincaid, quirking his brows playfully at him and everyone in the room understood his subtle hint.
"Ahh, I now understand what got you all held up." Tristan winked at his friend and Kate was at a loss for words.
They barely spoke for a few minutes. Didn't they? Why was everyone saying that he was late?
"Please take your seat, Kate. Would you like something to drink? Coffee, tea, beer, wine?" Kincaid shushed everyone and watched her take a seat on the couch beside Rhys.
"No, thank you. I don't want to end up losing sleep."
"How about some wine or beer?" Paul plopped on the bean bag and stretched his legs.
"That's an even bigger no. I can't handle my drinks well and I have work tomorrow. I don't want to get hammered here and end up with a hangover there."
"You're funny," Tristan said as he picked up his cards and it was only then Kate noticed what the four men were doing around the table.
"So, Kate, what do you do for a living?" Desmond questioned as Kincaid took a seat beside her on the couch.
"I work for the Intelligence Bureau." Kate didn't know why she was honest with them. None of them made her feel unsafe and she felt relaxed in their presence. She opened up to them automatically.
"Beautiful, smart and courageous. What a deadly combination!" Tristan was quirk to chirp in. "Lovely."
Kate was damn sure that Rhys mumbled something to himself that sounded a lot like 'What a lucky bastard!' But she didn't know who he was referring to.
"What about you guys?" Kate glanced at them one by one before her gaze settled on Kincaid.
"We work for the law enforcement as well."
"You do?" Now, this was surprising.
"Yes." Kincaid leaned back against the couch and placed his right hand on the back until his hand reached her other shoulder. A gentle pull and she'd be sitting in his embrace. "We're the S.W.A.T. team."