Lips Like Coffee

cup: 25

PEN

A month had come and gone since Norma-Jean and I parted ways, and I missed her way more than I thought I would. I knew I would miss her a lot, but not like this. Not so much, that it was messing with my sleep, keeping me up with thoughts of her. Definitely not to the point of showing up at her brother's apartment building.

I stood inside the lobby, hands in my pockets as I glanced at the mailboxes set in the wall. Lowery, floor ten. Moving toward the elevator, I'm stopped by the front desk attendant who had previously been engrossed in a magazine. He slid the booklet away from him, then straightened his collar.

"You need clearance to use the elevator," he said, glossing me over from head to toe.

"I'm visiting a friend," I said, taking my hands out of my pocket as I approached the desk.

He leaned one elbow on the counter, eyes low as he watched my movements.

"Are you on the visiting list?"

Fuck. A visiting list? What kind of apartment has a visiting list? If they had a visiting list, they probably had a no entrance list too. Knowing James, I was on the second list. The tried the only option I could think of.

"Alexander Kline."

I bit my lip as he pulled out a binder, then flipped through a few laminated pages before closing it. He raised an eyebrow at me, but came from behind the desk with a key card. Following him over to the elevator, he pressed the call button and we waited it to descend. The attendant stood with his hands clasped in front of his, just watching as the numbers changed. He was definitely someone who took his job a little too serious.

The metal doors dinged open, I stepped on as he leaned inside to swipe his card.

"Just press the floor you need."

He walked away, and I pressed the tenth floor button. I don't know which one of my clients live in this building, but I thank them for giving me access. After what seemed to be an eternity of waiting, the elevator stopped and opened up to a horrendous sight. Red flashed in my eyes, as I held the door of the shaft open.

Norma's back was to me as she straddled some well dressed prick. Her hands were in his hair, while his squeezed her ass. Stepping into the spacious apartment, I made my presence known as I cleared my throat loudly. She jumped at the sound, scrambling off cardboard cutout Kyle's lap.

"Pen," she said, pulling her skirt down, "what the hell are you doing here?"

"Coming to see you, but I guess that was a mistake," I said, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Correct it and leave, will you? Norma-Jean and I were in the middle of something."

Kyle smiled at me, pale blue eyes gleaming with triumph. I wanted to knock him out, but I had better impulse control than to just attack him. Norma-Jean cut her eyes at him, then stood up as she came to stand next to me.

"I'll see you later, Kyle," she said, and his face fell as he hopped to his feet.

"You can't be serious," he protested, and I stepped in front of her as he got closer.

"Step," I looked him up and down, then curled my lip, "Boy."

Kyle knocked his shoulder against mine as he pushed past me, getting on the elevator to leave. The doors shut as he glared at me, and I waved him off. After he was gone, I headed for the metal shaft as well. Norma grabbed my arm, stopping me from walking away from her. Her arms wrapped around my waist from behind, and she rested her head between my shoulder blades.