X-Treme Measure Read online

  I just shrugged. I wasn’t really into video games very much, but there was a couple at work who were serious gamers in their spare time.

  “Hmmm…you could be tempted though, huh?”

  “Maybe. If I learned how. I’ve never really played video games. I had a Super Nintendo when I was a kid. That was pretty much the extent of my gaming experience.”

  “Oh, a classic. I have that, too.”

  I’m pretty sure I was sold on this apartment. I didn’t know how I would feel living with a guy, his sexual orientation notwithstanding. A guy was a guy was a guy. Never lived with one before. It’s not like I had guy friends.

  “How are your neighbors?”

  “Oh, yes.” We walked back into the living room and sat down in front of his 72’ inch flat screen, mounted TV set and he looked somehow relieved.

  “The neighbor on the left is an older couple, in their forties. Mr. and Mrs. Klosky. And on the right is a middle aged woman, she’s a lawyer. And across from us is a single father, Daniel Greensboro and his nine year old daughter, Reighlyn.”

  A single dad. Wow. Tough break.

  “Still interested?”

  “Yes. Why wouldn’t I be?”

  “Most people, if they stick around this long after learning who I am, when they hear the neighbor has a kid, well, the few bailed.”

  “Kids don’t bother me. I want to be a child’s therapist. That’s my major. Child Psychology.”

  “Then this is definitely the place for you. That girl is sweet and sassy and has her daddy wrapped around her little finger.”

  “Yes, I know this might sound coming off as a little shystie, but is $430 for rent, electricity, water, etc.?”

  “Yes. You needn’t pay for anything else. I would just ask if you use a lot of the Wi-Fi, to go in on half the bill. Not much, about twenty dollars.”

  “Reasonable. Alright. You have a roommate!”

  There was just something about Ashley that seemed safe. He was nice. I didn’t get any weird, creepy vibes from him, so unless my instincts were just whacked from being in this magnificent apartment, or in his presence, well, I couldn’t be any happier. Especially since the semester was just about over and I had to get out of the dorm.

  “How soon can I move in?”

  “Whenever you want.”

  He sounded happy and pleased to have a roommate and I prayed this worked out.

  I got up, excited to go back to the dorm to start packing.

  “Oh, here, don’t forget.” He walked me to the front door, opened a foyer desk drawer and handed me a key. “It opens the bolt and the lock. Feel free to bring whatever it is you want whenever you like. I will be gone most of the week. I’m usually in and out a lot, so you’ll have the apartment to yourself quite a bit. Thank you for not freaking out when you realized it was me you’ll have as a roommate.”

  “Parents had a thing for Gone with the Wind? And my only issue was the whole I’ve never lived with a guy before. This will be new territory for me.”

  “Eh, kind of. They thought if they gave me a rich, white dude’s name, I’d have a rich future.”

  “And do you?”

  “I’m all good.” He opened the door, stuck out his hand for mine which I took. “Welcome home, Moriah.”

  “Riri.”

  “Welcome home, Riri.”

  I waved to Ashley and turned to the stairs. I dreaded the walk down, but I was too excited to really care about the ache my thighs would feel later.

  “Riri!”

  Just as I stepped on the first step, I turned to see Ashley point to something.

  “There is an elevator. Behind the stairs, and just inside the building. You have to use a separate key,” He disappeared inside and in just moments, had given me another key. “This will let you inside and you could use the elevator just in case the steps don’t agree with you.”

  “That bad, huh?”

  He chuckled, placed a hand on my shoulder and said, “You’ll get used to it. But if you want to, the elevator is more convenient. Oh, also, since it’s the middle of the month, don’t worry about rent. Just consider this a probationary period. If you like the living conditions, then rent is due on the fifth of June.”

  “Wow. Thanks, Ashley.”

  He nodded and closed the door behind him. Right now I didn’t let the steps bother me too much because I was excited to find a great room this quickly. I know it might sound cheap, but I was happy that the rent would include cost for utilities. Tallying it up in my head, phone, car insurance, rent—yeah. I got so super lucky. I now had a freaking bounce in my step as I went down the stairs and got back in my cavalier.

  It hadn’t taken me long to pack up my belongings. Five boxes and two duffel bags later, I was taking my dorm key back to the RA. The resident advisor Marilyn was sad to see me go, but wished me luck. I said thanks and on my way back to the apartment, I stopped at Wal-Mart and got a few groceries that I knew I couldn’t live without.

  Why stay at the dorm when I could live at the apartment already? Ashley already had a comforter and sheets on the bed and if I wanted he said I could use those or get my own. Which I will as soon as I got the money. I was used to full size beds at the dorm so having a big space all on my own was definitely something new. I’ve never slept on anything bigger than a dorm bed.

  After grabbing some essentials and food, I stopped and grabbed some Subway. I didn’t even have Ashley’s cell phone number. Must get. I wondered if he was home. Maybe I should pick him up something, too. I went ahead and ordered two of the same, hopefully if he didn’t like plain, he had the stuff at the apartment or if he didn’t like it, I’d eat it for dinner later. I was glad I was off today and tomorrow.

  Working in a restaurant most of the time required you to work weekends. I had no problem with that because I banked on the weekend shifts. I could make rent on a Friday and Saturday night. I was a bartender with many regulars. When I began bartending, I’ve had to educate myself in sports, which was difficult and I sometimes got some things confused, but I could keep a convo with the more sporty drinkers. It was nice being so close to River Oaks and their occupants. Most were pretty generous with their tips. That or they liked how I looked. Could go either way.

  Houston was a hustle and bustle city where I could walk to most places. There was always something going on at Discovery Green Park. It was a beautiful place to walk, see the sights of Houston. They had tons of events there.

  Pulling into the parking garage, I got out, grabbed the groceries, and my lunch before making my way inside to the elevator. I had a HAIM song in my head as I waited for the elevator to ding and when it did it was like my eyes slowly opened with the sliding doors at the sight in front of me.

  Oh. Em. Gee. I heard something clash to the floor, but I didn't pay no mind. The man that was in front of me was like this tall, tan, muscular and all kinds of rough and tough, sexy god. He wasn't paying attention to me though since he was on his phone.

  “Yeah, I gotta get Reighlyn settled with a sitter. You know Magen doesn't give a shit.”

  This is the single dad that lives across the hallway? My eyes bugged out of my head as he stepped from the elevator, bent down and grabbed whatever I dropped, didn't really give me a side glance (figures) and handed it to me before walking with sexy confidence out of the building.

  Holy mother of all things good looking. He was at least a foot taller than my five foot five frame, big broad shoulders, muscles to match but not in a body building way. He was all proportional. My insides melted and I scurried into the elevator punching the number four.

  He didn't even look my way. Maybe like a side glance but nothing noteworthy to write home about. Not that I had a real home anyway but if I had a best friend, I'm sure I’d be calling her all about the encounter like a giggly girl who saw a cute boy. Hot, sexy boy. Man. Oh, God just shut up now. The gritty drop of his voice with that one sentence made me want to get closer so I could hear it again. But that would be completely
horrible.

  One, he’s a single dad. Two, most sexy-schmexy guys were complete dirt bags that a girl like me could not even compare to their normal pickin’s. Not that I was a dog. I never thought myself ugly. I was blessed to have my mother’s complexion, and hair. She was almost Miss Texas. Until she got pregnant with me. Then it was downhill from there.

  Guys like this one, no matter if they were married, single, or single parent—they usually went for girls that had tall, thin, fit bodies. I was not fit. I hated working out. I weighed a little over my ideal weight, but I was fine with it. I watched what I ate, I walked. That was the extent of my working out. I walked a lot on campus so it kept me semi in shape.

  Besides, it didn’t matter, that guy was a dad. He didn’t look over thirty, but then looks could be deceiving. Compared to my twenty-two years of age, he looked well-educated I guess. Not that I wasn’t attracted, I’d have to be completely dead to not be, but he had baggage. Would I want to get with a dad? Not really. He had complications. I don’t even know why I was still thinking about him. Way out of my league.

  I walked over to the apartment just as it opened, Ashley was there with a briefcase strapped over one shoulder.

  “Oh, you’re leaving?”

  “Yes, I am on the board of committees for my father’s company. Meeting time.”

  “Want a Subway sandwich?”

  “Oh, how nice of you. Sure.”

  I passed it over to him, and he nodded his thanks before rushing for the stairs. I was loaded down with groceries so I hurried inside to put them away. I looked at my plain, peppered turkey subway with white American cheese with longing. But I might as well bring the rest of my crap inside. Mosquitos were the absolute devil in this city the later it got.

  I ventured back outside and took the stairs to grab the first box. The single dad, Daniel I think Ashley said his name was, was by the gate with a few other people. Maybe waiting for their kids. It was three and just about the right time for school to be let out. I took the box and the second duffel bag full of clothes up the elevator and took them to my room before going back out, and down the stairs. Hey, it was my work out. I’m sure I’ll be huffing by the end of it all. I already felt my thighs burning.

  I saw a school bus unloading kids as I opened my trunk and took out two boxes. Closing it, I heard a young girl’s voice, animated and loud.

  “Daddy, you won’t believe what Haven said about me to Tommy. She said I liked him and wanted to kiss him. I mean, that is so gross. Right?”

  I heard the man’s deep chuckle as he responded, “For now, yes. So gross. Tell Haven that wasn’t nice of her. Friends shouldn’t act like that towards one another.”

  “Exactly. I will. Thanks, Daddy.”

  “Of course, babydoll.”

  I didn’t dare look up at them but when I bent down to pick up the boxes there was a dark sent of arms already bending and picking them up.

  “Hey! That’s my—” Oh, snap. Hot, single father alert. Right in front of me. “Stuff.”

  “Yes. Of course. You’re my neighbor’s roommate. He didn’t tell me your name though.”

  “Uh.”

  “Uh?”

  Fuuuuuuck.

  “Moriah. Moriah. I’m Moriah Augustus. My name is Moriah Augustus.”

  Face meet palm. I’m such an idiot. My eyes closed with mortification.

  Another deep chuckle vibrated from his throat. Of course, he’d think I was an idiot, too. “Need a hand?”

  My eyes flipped open and I said quickly, “Oh no! You have uhm,” I pointed towards his daughter.

  “Reighlyn, come on over here, girl.” He looked back towards me, his brown eyes the color of milk chocolate. I was getting hungry just looking at them. Like a Hershey’s Milk Chocolate bar with Almonds. “Now what kind of man would I be if I let a woman carry heavy boxes up four flights of stairs?”

  “Uh, the elevator.”

  He shrugged and hefted the boxes like they were weightless and strode up towards the stairs. Oh, snap. My ovaries just exploded at the confident swagger as he walked up the stairs, with my boxes. His butt filled those jeans like a lover and it wasn’t small.

  I hurried and grabbed two bags and followed him up the stairs, my eyes practically glued to his butt. I didn’t think I was a butt obsessed kinda girl, but he had a nice one. His daughter was talking animatedly next to him and they held the conversation, clueless to my guy-inebriated, raging, hormonal anxiety. I was anxious because I should not be thinking about this guy like that. He had a daughter. That should have sent WARNING signals like crazy in my brain. But nope. And his little girl? She was a beautiful little girl that looked just like him. Except the eyes. She had blue eyes.

  By the time I got to the apartment, I was huffing, puffing and so out of breath I was ready to collapse. I semi-ran past him as he waited for me inside the apartment.

  When I got to my room, I chunked the stuff to the floor. I turned around quickly only to bump into a nice, wide, hard chest. My hands met the soft material of his shirt, but beneath that, the planes of his chest was all muscle.

  “So sorry. Sorry. Uh, yeah. Nice chest. Meet you. Nice to meet you. You are?”

  A deep chuckle rumbled from his throat again, but he didn't say anything to make the situation awkward.

  He stuck out his hand and said, “Daniel Greensboro.”

  “Thanks for the help. I can take it from here.”

  I know it might be rude not to shake his hand, but with my insides playing peek-a-boo with each other I was afraid of how I might react to skin on skin contact.

  He didn't move though and tilted his head, his hand still out waiting for mine.

  Crap. He wasn't going to let me not shake his hand. When I slipped my hand into his, it was like static electricity shot straight up my arm and shot to my vagina.

  He jerked me just a bit closer and said, “It was nice to meet you, Moriah.”

  Then he was gone, his daughter talking animatedly next to him.

  I’ll say it again.

  Oh, snap.

  Damn. This day couldn't get any worse. Magen fucking flaked again. Fucking crackhead. The only good thing that came from that bitch was Reighlyn.

  My little girl was my entire world and when Magen dropped her off at my doorstep eight years ago, I was both stunned and angry.

  Not at Reighlyn. She was innocent in all of this. But I didn't even know Magen was pregnant. We only went out a few times and it wasn't until after we did the deed that I found out she was a drug user.

  Not just pot either. She liked the hard shit. Disgusting bitch. I can say without a doubt I had only gotten with her for her hot-as-hell body. Brains? Eh, not so much. I didn’t give a shit until I learned she was doing drugs. I didn’t want that shit in my life. I made sure she knew to stay the fuck away.

  I had been working my way through college already with a bachelor’s degree and with a football scholarship, I was going places. At least until she called. My plan had been to get my Master’s in sports medicine.

  When Magen called me, telling me she needed to see me after almost a year of no communication, I was reluctant, but she sounded desperate. It wasn’t in me to deny a female in distress. It’s not like I wanted anything to do with her. Fucking druggie. But when she begged, I felt bad enough to meet with her at my apartment.

  When I got there? My world stopped. In her arms was a chubby little baby, wrapped in pink blankets.

  There was no denying Reighlyn was mine either. She looked like me and had the same birthmark my family had on our hand in the shape of an L. There was no mistake that baby was mine. When my mother found out, she agreed she’d help, but I had to take responsibility.

  Magen tried getting back together so we could be a family but when I said no, she freaked out, screaming and throwing a fit as she walked out. Threatening some bullshit that she’d never act on. Then I was stuck being a new dad. It hadn't taken me long though to fall in love with Reighlyn. I'm biased, but she was the most
well behaved baby I've ever seen. Not that I’d seen many, but she wasn’t a big crier.

  The job I had at the gym just wasn't enough to survive on with a baby, so when I found X-Treme Measure, a male stripper and escort establishment, I was both appalled and shocked I was that desperate. I quit college, kept a day job at the gym and worked my nights at XM. When it was getting hard to keep focus on Reighlyn, I quit the gym.

  Being a quitter wasn't in my nature, but I had bills to pay. With no government to help, being a male entertainer and escort was the best option for me at the time. It paid well over what I needed to get Reighlyn and myself out of the little rinky-dink apartment I had lived in as a single guy and into the Wells Condominiums.

  We’ve lived here for the last six years. Now it was time to go wait at the bus stop for her while I had dinner cooking. I had to learn a shit ton of stuff to be a good dad and since I was so young when my own dad died, I learned a lot from my mother.

  For the last year, Magen had been dried out. No drugs. No booze. At least that’s what her drug screenings had shown or otherwise she wouldn’t be allowed anywhere near Reighlyn. She had been given one weekend a month where she kept Reighlyn from Friday after school until Sunday afternoon. But for the last two months, she’s skipped out on her obligations. Which shouldn’t be surprising. She was supposed to pick Reigh up after school today, but she hadn’t picked up when I called earlier and has yet to show.

  I normally didn’t even bother giving her visitation, but this weekend was already going to be a long ass weekend. I had several private shows lined up including the public routines I did with the guys and then a dinner arrangement with a wealthy widow.

  Magen had promised which I shouldn’t have even bothered trying to believe. Her promises meant jack fucking shit to me. To anyone really. The one time she tried getting custody, I shot that shit down real quick and she was only allowed to have her one weekend a month. Not that she really ever bothered with it. Reighlyn hadn’t seen her mother in over two months.