• Hannah took a plate of chicken and salad
    to the
    living room and sat next to her mum.
    “This looks great, mum. Thanks. ”
    Her mother dismissed her gratitude with the
    wave of a hand and leaned forward, her
    brown
    eyes dancing.
    “So, don ‘t you want to know? ”
    “Know what? ”
    “What he ‘s like. The new neighbour. And
    you ‘ll
    note is say he, “her mother said.
    “I don’t need to know. Hannah replied.
    “Hannah! I thought he seemed very nice
    when
    I popped in earlier. His mother was helping
    him
    unpack, you know, and there was no sign of
    a
    wife. ”
    Hannah scooped up a spoonful of potato
    salad.
    She could feel her mother watching her,
    waiting for Hannah’s reaction. She
    concentrated on her plate, hoping her
    mother
    would get the hint.
    Her mother eyed her steadily, her face
    creased
    with concern.
    “Don’t be like this, sweetheart. ”
    Hannah stood. There was no way she could
    eat
    the rest of her meal. She certainly couldn’t
    endure another heart -to- heart with her
    mother.
    “I need a shower. Thanks for cooking. ”
    She scraped the remainder of her dinner
    into
    the garbage, rinsed her plate and slid into
    the
    dish washer. She spent ten minutes in the
    shower, washing and conditioning her hair
    and
    shaving under her arms. All the while, she
    reviewed the work she had tomorrow,
    prioritizing things on her to do list.
    Anything to
    avoid thinking about what her mother had
    been
    suggesting.
    Hannah was supposed to catch up with her
    friend Mikey for dinner after work, but he
    cancelled on her at the last minute, leaving
    het
    at loose ends.
    She decided to go home. She was hungry
    and
    more than ready for a shower when she
    rode
    into the street. She stopped short of pulling
    into
    hermothers garage, however, her attention
    caught by the car sitting in the drive way —
    A
    Mazda SUV. She narrowed her eyes as she
    surveyed the rear of the SUV, then dropped
    into a squat to peer under the wheel arch.
    “I assume you wont be billing me for this
    inspection? ”
    She started, then glanced over her shoulder,
    Joe Lawson, her new neighbour stood there,
    one eyebrow raised. Her gaze dropped to
    his
    barefeet. No wonder she hadn’t heard him
    sneak up on her.
    He shut the back of the car with a firm
    click.
    The grocery bag settled in his hand. She
    realized she was hovering for no good
    reason
    whatsoever.
    “Anyway “, she said
    “Yeah ”
    “see you around. ”
    He didn’t bother responding. He headed
    towards his house. She watched his
    shoulders
    rock from side to side with his long stride,
    then
    her gaze dropped on his butt. His jeans
    were
    faded and soft and they molded his
    butt0ckz
    faithfully. It was a good butt0ckz too. firm
    looking,
    round. Quintessential male.
    Hannah registered what she was doing and
    swiveled on her heel. Who cared if he has a
    nice
    butt0ckz
    As Joe got to his apartment, a reluctant
    smile
    curved his mouth. Hannah was a handful.
    He ‘d
    got that much right about her. And despite
    that, he wanted her.
    The realization killed his smile. He hadn ‘t
    felt a
    thing for another woman since his wife Beth
    died, yet for some crazy reason every time
    he
    looked at his new neighbour he found
    himself
    thinking things he had no business
    thinking.