Page 3 of Michelle
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MICHELLE
I'm quick to get out of there when the meeting ends. For one, I'm always eager to try out a new book. And another, I'm not in the mood for Fiona or Courtney to stop me and ask if I'm okay. I don't need that pitiful head tilt that people in couples like to give their single friends when talking about their love life or lack thereof.
I pull up to the front of my duplex and park on the street. There is a large moving van parked in the shared driveway, and I don't want to block it in. I take a moment before getting out to look for the new tenants. My landlord had mentioned something about his nephew and his nephew's girlfriend moving in this summer, but I didn't realize it would be happening so soon.
When I don't see anyone, I'm about to get out of the car when a tall man starts walking down the ramp of the moving truck. I can't see his face because of the large box marked "kitchen" in his arms blocking his face. But that doesn't deter me from checking out the tight fit of his jeans on his ass as he walks. Heat pools in my lower belly, and a pleasurable ache starts to build in me as I watch him walk up the steps and into his side of the duplex.
There's a quick knock at my window, and I nearly jump out of my skin. I turn and see the cheery smile of a young woman around my age. I stare at her a moment in confusion, my brain still trying to recover from the erotic vision I'd just seen. The woman waves at me like we are old friends or something.
I open my door and step out.
"Hi," The woman greets me. "I'm Charlotte."
“I’m, um, Michelle.”
“You don’t seem certain. Are you asking me or telling me?” Charlotte giggles.
“Telling you.”
“Perfect.” She takes my hand and shakes it. “It’s so nice to meet you. I’m assuming you are the Michelle that will be our new neighbor.”
I gently pull my hand from her eager grip.
"Well, if this is you—" I point to the moving van. "Then yes, I'm your new neighbor."
“Nate is going to be so excited to meet you.”
"Oh, I doubt—"
“Nate!” Charlotte waves at the guy whose ass I was just drooling over. “I found her! Our new neighbor.”
Nate gaze locks with mine. He gives me a friendly smile and walks over to Charlotte and me. His t-shirt is damp with sweat and pulled taught over the hard muscles on his chest. He wipes his hand down the front of his jeans before reaching it out to me.
“Nice to meet you,” he says. “Charlotte’s been waiting for you to show up so she could finally to meet you.”
I take his hand and notice how large it is and the way it envelops mine. My imagination immediately starts wondering what else he could do with that hand before realizing I should be saying something.
“Well, I had heard that some new people would be moving in,” I start to say and then suddenly remember that the landlord mentioned his nephew and hisgirlfriendwould be moving in. I pull my hand back and try not to look like I want to climb this man.
I glance over at Charlotte to see if she's noticed my blatant interest in Nate. I can't believe I was having dirty thoughts about her boyfriend in front of her. To my credit, I forgot that they were a couple, and they don't act like a couple, but who am I to judge. I'm just the spinster living next door.
“It’s so nice to meet you both, but I’ve got some stuff I need to get done this afternoon.” I start to walk away.
“Michelle?” Charlotte calls after me.
“Yeah?” I stop and turn to look back at her.
"Maybe tomorrow, once we have everything unpacked, you can come over, and we can grill something up for dinner. I won't take no for an answer."
I look from Charlotte’s eager smile to the reserved shuffling of Nate’s feet.
“She really won’t,” he says.
I can’t manage to think up a reasonable excuse as to why I can’t come over tomorrow, so I nod in agreement.
“Thank you, that sounds wonderful.”
