His key in hand, Briana walked up the stairs of the apartment building to the fourth floor. It was past midnight. She had just gotten off work. Checking the name above the doorbell to make sure it was the right apartment, she took a few seconds to allow one more nagging reality check to enter her mind before she resolutely used the key to unlock the door. She would have given anything to go somewhere else to spend the night. But the fact remained that she had nowhere else to go.
Putting down little bag containing a change of clothes and her toothbrush, she looked around the spacious living room. Briana was not sure what she had expected, but besides from being messy, his place did not strike her as a man's apartment at all. There were plants, first of all. And little knick knacks next to the stereo system.
Taking in more details of the living room, kitchen, and hallway towards the bathroom, Briana became aware that all lights on despite the late hour. Taking out her toothbrush in the bathroom, she felt uncomfortable seeing things she had not expected of the man she had now worked with for over a year. She would have never guessed that his place could actually seem quite likable. Well, Briana justified her expectations with the little knowledge she had of this man apart from the obvious good looks and lean body. He was a cop like herself, but doing the job for too long. He hardly smiled let alone show any kind of emotion - to anybody. Why on earth had he offered his apartment for her to sleep over? She still did not have an answer to that question.
The lights were on. Where was he? Was he still up? Brushing her teeth vigorously, Briana made her way down the hallway. She found him in the study, stretched out on a small sofa, head tilted back a little, with an open book resting on his chest. Somewhat entranced be the peaceful image, Briana stared at his face for a few moments, taking in his relaxed features. At work she only saw him being under constant pressure, lips pressed together tightly. She found herself gazing down his firm body, admiring the confidence he protruded even in his sleep.
Putting on her nightshirt in the bathroom, Briana tried to remember his first name. Ever since she had started working in the precinct, she had called him by his last name - Jordan. He had never asked her to do otherwise. For one year, she had worked with him the most but actually knew less about him than any other person at work. He kept to himself, had pushed her away. And after that she had not made any other attempt to initiate a talk or anything else that went beyond work, no matter how often her friends would encourage her.
The sofa in the living room was laden with books and DVDs. But there was only one bedroom. The decision seemed to come from her tired mind and body. The bed! He wasn't sleeping in it anyway. She would wake up if he happened to walk in, anyway. Tripping over a pile of clean laundry at the foot of his bed, Briana wished she had stayed at a friend's house instead. But she had asked many favors like sleep-overs lately. And she did not want to overextend her friends' welcome. In a few days, she would find the right apartment, and then she would be fine. With that, she fell asleep.
