It wasn't even 9 a.m. when Maya discovered the leak. Water dripped steadily from the kitchen sink, the soft plip-plip breaking the morning silence. She cursed under her breath, grabbing a towel to mop up the small puddle on the counter.
Her first instinct was to call Alex, but the memory of their charged encounter last night made her hesitate. Was it too soon to see him again? Her body, however, had other ideas, humming at the thought of those intense eyes and the way his presence seemed to fill every corner of the room.
"Get it together, Maya," she muttered. Still, it wasn't like she had much of a choice.
A quick text later, Alex was at her door. He arrived faster than she expected, wearing a white T-shirt that clung to his chest and a pair of faded jeans that hung low on his hips. He carried a toolbox in one hand, but his smirk when he saw her made it clear he wasn't here just to fix the sink.
"Morning," he said, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation.
"Hi," she replied, trying not to notice how his muscles flexed as he set the toolbox on the counter. "Thanks for coming so quickly."
"Anything for my favorite tenant," he teased, kneeling to inspect the pipes under the sink.
Maya leaned against the counter, trying to focus on anything but the way his shirt stretched across his back or the occasional glimpse of skin when he reached for his tools.
"This might take a minute," Alex said, glancing up at her. "You don't mind, do you?"
"No, take your time," she said, though her voice betrayed her nervousness.
Minutes stretched into an eternity as she watched him work. The air between them was thick, every accidental brush of his hand or glance in her direction sparking an electric tension.
"You're staring," Alex said suddenly, his voice low.
Maya froze. "What? No, I wasn't—"
He stood, wiping his hands on a rag as he turned to face her. His smirk had turned into something more dangerous, more intent. "It's okay if you were. I don't mind."
Her throat went dry as he closed the space between them. "Alex…"
"I noticed it last night," he murmured, his voice like a caress. "The way you looked at me. I wasn't imagining it, was I?"
Her heart pounded. She could deny it, laugh it off, but the heat in his gaze made it impossible.
"I don't know what you're talking about," she said weakly, her voice betraying her.
He chuckled softly, leaning in until his breath was warm against her ear. "Liar."
Before she could respond, his hand brushed against her hip, pulling her closer. Her body reacted instinctively, a sharp intake of breath escaping her lips as his fingers trailed upward, leaving a trail of fire in their wake.
"You feel it too, don't you?" he whispered, his lips dangerously close to hers.
Maya's resolve crumbled. She could feel the heat radiating off him, the undeniable pull between them. Her lips parted, but before she could answer, a sudden knock at the door shattered the moment.
They both froze.
"Expecting someone?" Alex asked, his voice edged with irritation.
Maya shook her head, her pulse still racing as she stepped away, leaving him standing there with a smirk that promised this wasn't over.
She opened the door to find a woman standing there, tall and stunning, with sharp features and a gaze that could cut glass.
"Hi," the woman said, her tone icy as her eyes flicked past Maya to Alex. "I'm here to see my boyfriend."