Chapter 45
Chapter Forty-Five
I spent 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.