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She smiles when she sees me. “Hey, Cole!” She waves me over.

Her extraordinary blue eyes seem even beautiful behind her large-framed pink glasses. I’ve always found her cute, no doubt about it. Is she slightly geeky? Sure, but I find it sexy.

Yet, under the glasses she’s so much more. Her wayward brown curly hair she can’t seem to tame. Her pretty skin with a small smattering of freckles across her nose that I’ve never seen before because, clearly, she covers them up. Plus, she’s wearing the office uniform I’m used to seeing her in; a white long sleeve blouse with a starched collar, her name embroidered on the front pocket, teamed with a navy pencil skirt sitting just below the knee. It’s hot. I lower my gaze to her matching blazer-style jacket that dwarfs her little frame even more. I think she’s beautiful.

She seems a little surprised to see me and, if I’m not mistaken, her cheeks are slightly flushed. She pushes her glasses up her nose.

That little movement is sweet as fuck.

I helped her out last Christmas when she had to step in for a friend to coordinate an evening of speed dating. I was there with my friend Jake, who went along only so he could have six minutes with his now girlfriend, Charlene. I helped Ainsley carry some boxes and set up the event. I’m the ‘go to’ guy for help, apparently.

“To what do I owe this pleasure?” I cross my arms over my chest. I’m acting cocky, like she came here to see me, even though — by the way she chews on her lip —- she clearly didn’t.

“I’m moving in,” she says, blinking up at me rapidly. Then she quickly adds; “Next door, I mean. I just signed a lease for the cottage.”

Well, this is news. Clearly I’m outta the game. “Damn, I wish I’d known. I could’ve helped you move and been all neighborly and shit.”

She glances over at the U-Haul a little sheepishly. “It’s totally fine. This is just the first load. The rest is coming tomorrow.”

I run a hand through my wavy hair, still damp from the shower, and nod. “I’m available for the heavy lifting. I can give you a hand now if you like?”

“Thanks, that would be great. My friend Emma is coming over to help, but there’s no sign of her yet. Work might have held her up.”

I notice her eyes wander down to my open shirt and quickly flick back up to my face.

I didn’t dress completely in my rush to see what was going on over here. I grin at her wide-eyed reaction as a faint sheen of pink hints at her cheeks. She quickly clears her throat. “I had no idea you lived here, actually.”

I grin. “You need to get out more.”

“Clearly.”

“Well, technically, it’s my parents’ place. They bought it a few years back and I rent it from them.”

“Nothing likekeeping it in the family,” she laughs as the driver gets out of the U-Haul and makes his way toward us.

“Tell me about it.” I’m reveling in the fact that Ainsley is going to be my new neighbor. She’s a smart girl and I’m sure she won’t be a raging party person. Not that I mind the occasional party, but I get up so damned early that I can’t afford to be kept awake on work nights. Man, I sound like an old man. Even though I’m only twenty-four, sometimes it feels a lot like fifty.

“I’m gonna grab some takeout for dinner,” I say from nowhere. Sue me. I eat a lot. “Wanna join me? I mean, that’s if you don’t wanna go huntin’ for your pots’ n’ pans,Shorty.” I want to hit myself right now. What a fucking Casanova I’ll never make. I’m seriously off my game.If you don’t wanna go huntin’ for your pots and pans?

If she thinks I’m an ass, she doesn’t show it.

“Shorty?” She smiles.

I shrug. I like it; it suits her.

“Well, that’d be great, thanks Cole. I mean, I labeled all the boxes, but I’ve no idea how I’ll get it all unpacked before dinner to find my utensils.”

I don’t know why that makes one side of my mouth lift. “Consider it done.” I clap my hands together. “So, should we get started?”

??

If you’d told me this morning I’d be sitting on a crate eating Chinese food with Ainsley Parsons, who’s now moving in next door to me, I’d have said you were crazy, but here we are. There are boxes piled up around us and no couch arriving until tomorrow.

Her bedframe and mattress arrived at least, so I spent the last half hour putting it together for her. Ainsley’s friend Emma just left after they made up the bed and she helped her get some of her essentials out.

“So, what made you move across town?” I ask idly as I dig into my beef chow mein.

I hear a faint sigh before she answers, which causes me to look up. I immediately get the impression I’ve said something wrong because she pauses, then her teeth snag her lip for a second before releasing it.