Neighbors Read Online Free PDF Page B

and the rational side—are shouting at each other. Ultimately, good sense wins and reaffirms Dylan’s lack of interest in me. I shake both sides off and go downstairs.
    His back i s to me as he talks on the phone. I stare at how his jeans hug his behind and think about how I shouldn’t be.
    “Okay, Thursday is fine. I’ll see you then.” Hunching over the counter, I see the muscles in his back ripple as he scribbles something on a scrap of paper . My breathing is audible and I attempt to calm my heart rate by holding my breath.
    In order to distract myself, I look at an open box on the counter. Some of the contents have been transferred to the cabinet just above it. I reach in and pull out a box of cereal and begin arranging it in the cabinet.
    Dylan says goodbye and hangs up the phone. “That was the gardener I hired. He’s coming Thursday afternoon to install some sprinklers. Then I can start obsessing over my grass the way all other suburbanites do.” He laughs.
    “How nice,” I sa y holding the box of cereal.
    Dylan registers what I’m doing.
    My hand freezes with the cereal, mid-reach. “Um…Oh sorry. I didn’t mean to…I just thought I’d help out. That way you can start your road to normalcy quicker. I told you, I’m an organizational addict.”
    His mouth morphs from a hard straight line into a smile as he takes the box. His fingers brush my hand. My finally controlled heart rate spikes again. “Thanks, but you don’t have to do that.”
    Again, I apologize . “I just wanted to help.”
    He pauses as if to contemplate something. It makes him look delectable. My brain warns me again. Remember, you promised you’d be friends. The other half jumps in, Give the girl a break. She can look, for Heaven’s sake. The discourse chases the pull in my belly away.
    “Well, you are persistent,” his tone wanes. “I would like to have everything in its place… and you are very pleasant company.” His smile is full. “Are you sure you don’t mind?” The way he looks at me makes me think he can read my thoughts—including all of the dirty ones.
    I swallow hard to push the lump in my throat down. “I don’t mind. Just show me what I can do.” I say it with innocent intent, but my libido has other ideas.
    “I guess you can help in here. All the kitchen boxes are scattered. But, they’re labeled. I’ll clean the upstairs bathroom so at least I won’t have to annoy you later to borrow your shower again.”
    I blush at the memory of knowing that he was naked in my house while I sat in the other room and thought about him. And did nothing . “Oh, that’s okay. I don’t mind.” Tell me I don’t sound pathetic.
    He continues. “I’ll work on the closet too so you can check and make sure I’m doing it right.” He winks.
    All of the boxes a re labeled. I begin my task as he goes back upstairs. As I put each thing away, I take note of all the foods he likes to eat. The internal battle in my head begins.
    Stop being so pitiful. Go up there and take him .
    If you do that, you ruin the chance of having him as a friend, at least. None of his actions suggest that he’s interested in you that way. Just help out your new friend and you’ll look for someone else.
     
    * * *
     
    An hour later, Dylan comes down the stairs.“So, how’s it going in here?” he asks. “Will I be able to find anything?”
    Most of the boxes I found labeled “kitchen” were now empty and dismantled in a pile. “I want to show you where I put everything,” I say, placing the last of the glasses into the cabinet above the sink. I open and close cabinet doors, showing him the system I used to put things away. He nods his approval with each display. He leans in close to move some items around so he can see what else is in the cubby. He smells heavenly and I feel his heat. My pulse quickens.
    It’ s difficult to keep my breathing steady. With every intake of breath, his scent fills my nose. It makes me want him. A warm rush