Maya leaned against the kitchen counter, sipping a glass of wine and surveying the half-unpacked boxes that cluttered her new apartment. The space wasn't glamorous, but it was hers, and after the chaos of the past year, that was all she needed.

The sharp knock at the door interrupted her thoughts, and she padded across the creaky hardwood floor to answer it. When she opened the door, her breath caught.

Alex.

Her landlord stood in the doorway, his dark eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that made her toes curl. He was taller than she remembered from their brief meeting earlier that week. The fitted black T-shirt he wore clung to his broad shoulders, and the way his jeans hung low on his hips made her pulse quicken.

"Hey," he said, his voice low and smooth. "Just checking in to see how you're settling."

Maya swallowed hard. The glass of wine in her hand suddenly felt like her lifeline. "It's great, thanks. Just unpacking."

He smiled, the corners of his lips curling in a way that felt almost predatory. "Good. I want you to feel at home here." His gaze flicked to the wineglass, then back to her. "Celebrating your first night?"

"Something like that," she replied, leaning against the doorframe in an attempt to appear casual. But the heat in his eyes made her feel anything but.

"Mind if I come in?"

Her heart stuttered. There was no real reason to say no, but something about the way he asked made her pulse race. She stepped aside, and Alex entered, his presence filling the small space.

"This is a great apartment," he said, looking around as if inspecting his own handiwork. "But it can be… temperamental. You might need me more often than you think."

The double meaning wasn't lost on her, and her cheeks flushed. She watched him as he wandered into the living room, his fingers lightly grazing the edge of a box as he passed.

"Everything working so far?" he asked, turning to face her.

"Yes, everything's fine," she replied, her voice a little breathless.

"Good." He moved closer, his eyes never leaving hers. "But if you do need anything, I'm in 3B. Day or night."

The last words hung in the air, thick with unspoken promise. Maya's heart pounded as he stepped closer, close enough that she could feel the heat radiating from his body.

"Thanks," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Alex smiled again, this time slower, darker. "I'll let you get back to unpacking," he said, his gaze lingering on her lips before dragging back up to her eyes. "But don't be a stranger."

And then he was gone, the door clicking shut behind him.

Maya exhaled sharply, her entire body buzzing with adrenaline. She took a sip of her wine, but it did little to cool the heat that had pooled low in her stomach.

What had she just gotten herself into?