Page 9 of Necessary Space

I poured wine into both of the mugs, setting his on the coffee table beside the bottle and holding mine close.

“I didn’t expect myself home,” I said.

The bathroom door opened, and Gray shuffled down the hallway, towel wrapped around his waist and water beading on his bare chest.

“Do you have company coming over?”

“No. Do you?”

I pointed at the second mug of wine. “Just you.”

“Perfect.” He turned away, returning a handful of minutes later in a pair of loose, black gym shorts and an old band t-shirt. He flung himself down beside me on the couch and propped his feet on the edge of the table.

“What do you know about the neighbor?” I asked after he’d settled.

“Which one?”

I pointed toward Hendrix’s house.

“Oh, him? Not much.”

“Anything?” I pressed.

“Not a thing.” Gray chuckled, the corner of his mouth twitching into the tease of a smile. “What doyouknow about him?”

“I know his name.”

“Are you going to share with the class?” Gray leaned forward and grabbed his wine, taking a long swallow before smacking his lips. “I’m glad you finally opened this one, by the way. You know this is like a three hundred dollar bottle, right?”

“Is it?” I frowned down at the red alcohol as it pooled inside of the World’s Best Boss mug Shari had gotten me for Christmas.

As a joke, of course.

I wasn’t even her boss.

But she had told me on more than one occasion there were lots of things I was better at than Carl.

Gray nodded. “Back to the neighbor, though.”

“Hendrix,” I said. “His name is Hendrix.”

“Last name?”

“Nothing so formal.” I tutted my tongue against the roof of my mouth. “We’ve barely exchanged niceties. Actually, not even niceties. I don’t think he likes me that much.”

“Which means you’re undoubtedly fascinated.”

“Am I that obvious?”

“You’re predictable,” he said. “I think there’s a difference.”

Letting out a breath, I watched the puff of air drag ripples over the surface of my apparently expensive as fuck wine.

“I think it’s a curse,” I muttered, tipping the mug up for a drink once the movement had settled. “All work and no reward.”

“I’d hardly say there’s no reward.”

“Not lasting.”