My hands and body grazed Neil’s several times in the process of loading the car. The electric thrill of our contact made me tingle each time. Neil was dressed in a thin, faded black cotton t-shirt and a pair of blue jeans which might have been the best fitting jeans I’d ever seen on a person—but maybe that was just because it was him wearing them. He had that sexy facial scruff which so rarely made an appearance, and I often found my eyes drifting to take it in.

  Neil waited in the car while I did one last check around my apartment, making sure I hadn’t left anything behind and that all the power switches were turned off. The sound of my footsteps echoed in the now-empty rooms stripped of their warmth and personality. Satisfied, I locked up for the final time, then slid my keys and access card through the letterbox slot for my landlord. The metallic clink as they landed accentuated the sense of closure.

  “All sorted?” Neil asked as I opened the passenger side door.

  “Yep!”

  The car came to life as Neil took the wheel.

  “Thank you for taking the time out of your morning to do this for me,” I said.

  “Don’t mention it. I’m happy to help.”

  I pondered how far our relationship had come. We were friends now, that much was clear, and from time to time, I sensed a deeper level of affection from him… but maybe it was just my imagination. He was nice to me because we worked together. Reciprocation of my feelings seemed unlikely.

  We didn’t talk much during the drive, except for some logistics around the apartment and the building amenities. Upon arrival, Neil parked in his designated spot in the underground carpark. He handed me a key card, our fingers brushing in the exchange. “Here. This is yours. For the building doors and the lift.”

  “Thanks.”

  We took as much as we could carry up to the apartment. Neil shared the door code with me and showed me how to change it. Upon entry, I smelled fresh flowers. An extravagant bouquet adorned the centre of the glass dining table—peonies with big ruffled petals.

  I clasped my hands under my chin. “Flowers!”

  “A welcome gift,” Neil said.

  I punched him in a playful manner without thinking. “You didn’t need to do that!”

  “I wanted to.” His words hung heavy until he quickly added, “I bought flowers for Christine when she moved into her house too. It’s simple etiquette.”

  “Still, you’ve already done so much for me. I’m in your debt.”

  Neil brushed me off with a non-committal grunt. My attention turned from the flowers to the apartment at large, marvelling at its resemblance to a high-end hotel suite. I knew I was going to be very comfortable here.

  We dumped the first load of my stuff on the floor, then made one more trip to the car, taking the rest of my things.

  “Do you need my help with anything else?” Neil asked once we had brought everything inside.

  I shook my head. “I think I can manage.”

  “Any questions?”

  “You’ve already covered everything.”

  As much as I enjoyed Neil’s presence, I was eager to start unpacking and getting the place set up how I wanted.

  “Okay.” Neil shifted on his feet. “Well, call me if you have any problems.”

  “I will. Thank you.”

  He lingered for a second as if he didn’t know how to say goodbye. “I’ll leave you to settle in, then.”

  I nodded, displaying my gratitude with a bright smile. Neil exited, leaving me standing in the middle of the room, absorbing my surroundings. This beautiful, lavish, spacious apartment was mine… For a little while, at least.

  Chapter Forty-Five

  Ispent the rest of the day unpacking and arranging the furniture in my new apartment. Though I had few possessions to fill the space, I enjoyed adding little touches like books on the coffee table and a throw on the armchair. I also visited the supermarket to stock the pantry and fridge with the basics I’d need over the next couple of days.

  The hours slipped away, and exhaustion set in. I decided to have an early night and retreated to the bedroom. I crawled under the warm covers. As I drifted to sleep, the knowledge that Neil was so close by, in the very same building as me, fuelled my fantasies.

  In the morning, I ventured into the bathroom to shower. My bare feet felt the shock of the cool, slick tiles in contrast to the soft bedroom carpet. I turned on the shower, and as the water flowed, I sensed something was amiss. The pressure was weaker than I expected it to be. Undeterred, I shed my pyjamas and stepped under the stream of water. The temperature was fine at first, not hot, but warm enough. As I lathered coconut-scented body wash on my wet skin, the temperature dropped, leaving me shivering in a cold spray. I quickly finished washing, my teeth chattering, and emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in a towel. I tested all the taps in the apartment, confirming the issue was not isolated to the shower. Then I checked the water heater in the utility cupboard. All the settings looked fine, so I didn’t know what the problem was. Not knowing what else to do, I texted Neil, hoping he could assess the situation.

  Hi, Neil. There’s a problem with the hot water and pressure.

  Neil acknowledged my text and said he’d pop by later to take a look.

  He arrived in the afternoon, looking effortlessly handsome in a lightweight button-down shirt and jeans.

  “Thanks for coming,” I said, daring to meet his eyes.

  Neil said nothing, and he didn’t move from the doorway to enter. He just stared at me with a look of shy fascination. I wondered what he found so mesmerising, then I looked at myself and realised what it was. I was wearing his sweater. The one which had shrunk and he had told me to keep.

  The heart-stopping moment in his car came to my mind.

  “It suits you.”

  I suddenly felt way too warm to be wearing it, but knew taking it off now would draw even more attention to it. We stood in awkward silence for a second before Neil dragged his eyes away, clearing his throat. “I’m sorry you’re having issues with the water. Can you show me what the problem is?”

  I led him to the bathroom, a room now filled with a sense of femininity because of all my products. Neil rolled up his shirtsleeves, revealing the toned arms I couldn’t help but imagine wrapped around me. He turned the shower on.

  “At first it’s not too bad, but after a few minutes, the pressure and temperature drop,” I explained.

  He let the water run for a while, and the stream died down. “I see what you mean.” He checked the water heater, his brows furrowing as he tried to decipher the issue. “I’m afraid I lack skills as a handyman. I’ll have to get a plumber in. Hopefully tomorrow. Will that be okay?”

  “Yeah. There are showers downstairs at the gym, right?”

  “I’m afraid those showers are undergoing maintenance.”

  “Never mind. I can just take cold showers in the meantime. It’s fine.”

  Neil shook his head. “I have a perfectly good shower at my place. You’re welcome to use it. I’m usually out of the house by half-past six on weekday mornings, so you would have the place to yourself.”

  I considered Neil’s suggestion and decided that it made sense, since I was already familiar with his apartment, and it was just a lift ride away. “That’s a good idea. Thank you.”

  “I’ll send you my door code. Sorry for the inconvenience.”

  At eight o’clock the next morning, I made my way up to Neil’s apartment, clutching a tote bag stuffed with my work clothes, a towel, and a toiletries bag containing my body and hair products. I had thrown on a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt over the underwear I had slept in, covering myself as I made the short journey.

  Anticipation mounted as I ascended the floors. I was going to shower in Neil’s bathroom. The place where he got naked. The mental image of him showering, water glistening on his body, made my heart race.

  When I reached his apartment, I pressed the doorbell, just in case he was still home. I half hoped he would be. But several seconds passed with no response, so I entered the door code and let myself in.

  The interior of Neil’s apartment hadn’t changed since the last time I saw it. His space was tidy, minimalist, and sophisticated, yet it possessed a lived-in quality with the scratched-up rug on the floor and the clutter of game controllers, DVDs, and books in the living area. Both of the cats came padding up to me. Chichi wove in and out between my legs, and Bowey nudged my feet. I smothered them with affection until I couldn’t delay the task at hand any longer.

  There were two bathrooms in the apartment, but the one downstairs had no shower. I would have to use the ensuite upstairs. I walked through Neil’s bedroom to access it, noting his crumpled duvet on the bed, reminding me he had slept there. The room smelled like his cologne, mixed with the faint musk of his natural scent.

  I entered the bathroom, looking around with a newfound appreciation. Cologne and aftershave bottles lined the shelf, and a safety razor rested beside the sink.

  I turned on the shower and undressed, my heart pounding with the knowledge that I was naked in Neil’s personal space. My thoughts continued in a similar vein as I stepped under the hot spray. The temperature and pressure were perfect. I washed myself, hands against my skin, taking my time. Neil had said he wouldn’t come back home this morning, but I indulged in a fantasy that he did come back, and he walked in on me naked and vulnerable, and one thing led to another.

  But Neil didn’t come back. Of course he didn’t.

  I turned off the water and dried myself off with my towel before changing into my clean work clothes and gathering my belongings. I felt like I was running late, and checking my phone validated that feeling, so I left in a hurry.

  On my way to work, I mentally rehearsed my apology for being late, but when I arrived, my office door was locked, which meant Neil hadn’t arrived yet. I checked his schedule, in case there was a meeting I had forgotten about. But no, he was late. That was unlike him, but I was sure he had his reasons. In the meantime, I unlocked the door, settled at my desk, and got down to work.

  Neil arrived twenty minutes later, and as soon as I saw him, I flashed back to the vivid fantasies from the morning shower. Cheeks flaming, I wiped my mind blank to greet him. “Morning.”

  “Good morning,” he said, straight-faced as usual.

  He offered no explanation for his late arrival. Instead, he asked me to determine the best day for him to take off.

  I looked over his calendar. “The next few weeks are pretty packed. This Friday is quiet, though. I would only have to shift one meeting.”

  “Lock in this Friday then.”

  “Sure. Do you have something planned?”

  “I’m going to take my community service break.”

  “You’re doing that as well?” For some reason, I hadn’t considered the prospect of his participation.

  “Yes.”

  “So, where will you be volunteering?”

  “There’s an animal shelter out west.”

  “You’re going to work with animals? How fun! Maybe that’s what I should do too.” I smiled, envisioning myself surrounded by adorable, furry creatures.

  We looked at each other. I wondered if he was going to invite me to join him, or if I would have to ask. Then we both spoke at once.

  “Would I—” I said.

  “Do you—” Neil cleared his throat. “Go ahead.”

  “Could I come with you on Friday? I’d like to help at the animal shelter too.”

  “Yes, but are you sure? We spend so much time together as it is. Don’t you want to get away from me on your day off?”

  “No, I don’t. Do you want to get away from me? Because I don’t have to⁠—”

  “Not at all. I would like you to be there.”

  “Then I’d be happy to join you.”

  “Okay, but I must warn you it’s hard work.” He cracked a slight smile. “I was about to say, ‘It’s not a walk in the park,’ but you do get to walk dogs in the park.”

  I chuckled. Neil’s smile intensified, matched by a fondness in his eyes as he watched me laugh.

  “But seriously, you’ll have to pick up dog doo and clean dirty kennels,” he said.

  I crossed my arms. “I know that! I’m not afraid to get my hands dirty.”

  “Good. Then it’s settled. We’ll both go. I’m sure they’ll be happy to have an extra pair of hands. I’ll let them know.”

  “And I’ll move that meeting and inform the team we’re on leave on Friday.”

  “Yes. Please do.”

  He had a chuffed look on his face as he retreated to his office.

  I daydreamed about what our animal shelter trip could have in store for us while I worked. Just the thought of Neil caring for animals was cuteness overload. I couldn’t wait.

  As the day progressed, my excitement for Friday tapered off, replaced by a strange sensation tugging at the back of my mind. A feeling like I had forgotten something. I tried to dismiss it, but it wouldn’t go away. My thoughts returned to the shower in Neil’s apartment. I had been in such a rush to leave this morning… Did I forget something?

  Suddenly, it hit me.

  I gasped.

  Chapter Forty-Six

  My underwear.

  I had left a pair of undies in Neil’s bathroom. At least, that’s what I worried had happened, because I couldn’t recall seeing them again after I returned home this morning.

  I chewed my nails as I pondered what to do.

  I’ll check my laundry basket when I get home. If they’re there, then good. If not, then I’ll have time to sneak back to Neil’s apartment and grab them before he gets home.

  I was working through some of the finer details of my plan when Neil emerged from his office, making me jump. “I’ve just been on the phone to the plumber,” he said. “He can come over in an hour. Will that be okay? You can leave early to meet him.”

  I agreed without giving it any thought, realising too late that a plumber being around would interfere with my schemes. Hopefully, he would be in and out quickly.

  I left work at four o’clock and made the short journey home. While I waited for the plumber to arrive, I checked my laundry basket for the undies I had been wearing that morning—a plain white pair of bikini-cut briefs with a tiny bow just below the centre of the waistband. I groped through the small pile of clothing that had built up since I moved in two days ago, but couldn’t find them. I tipped the contents onto the bed and went through each item individually. They weren’t there. I searched every corner of my bedroom, then the rest of my apartment. They were nowhere to be found. I had to face the truth. My initial hunch was right; I had left them in Neil’s bathroom. The plumber still hadn’t arrived. Did I have time to go to Neil’s apartment and grab the errant underwear now?

  My doorbell rang.

  No. Obviously not.

  I greeted the plumber, who arrived wearing a pair of dirty jeans and black work boots, the faint scent of grease and metal accompanying him. I explained the problem with the water, even though I was sure Neil had already briefed him on the situation. His heavy boots thudded on the floor, and the contents of his toolbox clanged as I showed him to the relevant areas of the apartment. While he worked, I mentally hurried him along, praying he would finish quickly so I could leave and sort out the underwear conundrum.

  All up, the plumber spent more than an hour tinkering with the water heater and testing the taps. He had to come and go from his vehicle multiple times, and also took several long phone calls during the job, making it take even longer. I was beginning to wonder if I should just nip out and leave him there alone for a few minutes, but each time that thought crossed my mind, I told myself he’d finish soon.

  At last, he approached me. “I think I’ve solved the problem, But I’ve discovered a separate issue with the shower that needs fixing. It shouldn’t take too long.”

  It turned out that his version of not taking too long was far longer than my version. By the time he finally left, it was past six o’clock in the evening, and my determination for the underwear recovery mission was waning. What if Neil came home earlier than usual and caught me in the act? I’d be mortified beyond words. But what were the alternatives? Text him and tell him what happened? Wait for him to come home and confront him in person? Every option I could think of would cause more embarrassment than I could handle. No. I had to go through with it. The idea of Neil knowing anything about the underwear incident was too mortifying not to.

  Having made up my mind, I crept from my apartment to Neil’s. I rang the doorbell to ensure he wasn’t home, rehearsing a story in my head in case he was. I buzzed once more, waited, then entered the code to unlock the door. An error sound played. My hands were shaking so much, I must have typed it in wrong. I tried it again, the door clicked open, I pushed it open a crack⁠—

  “Amelia, what are you doing?”

  My soul just about left my body.

  That was Neil’s voice. In my anxious state, I hadn’t heard the lift open or his footsteps approach me. Nothing left to do except face up to him. I turned around. Neil looked down his nose at me, his dark eyes gleaming. The world seemed to narrow around us.

  “Sorry,” I stammered, unable to look at him.

  I braced myself for anger and disappointment, but instead, he seemed a mite amused, his lips twitching to form a smile but resisting. “Please explain yourself.”

  “You know how I had to use your shower this morning? Well, I accidentally left something here. Sorry. I should have let you know instead of just sneaking in to get it, but I thought I’d be in and out in two seconds, and I was too embarrassed to say anything.”

  Neil seemed unfazed. “Wait right here. What did you leave? I can go in and get it for you.”

  I bit my lip. “I’d rather get it myself, if that’s okay. It’s, uh, something personal.” I flinched at my own words, wondering if I had said too much.

  No more questions. Please.

  Neil relinquished with a sigh. “All right.” He pushed open his door and stood aside to let me in.

 

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