Sexual Neighbor

Chapter 3

Aria

The car was quiet. Awkward.

The smell was a nice Cologne. Strong but not one of those smells that get caught in your throat. It was a sweet but husky smell that I knew would be stuck in my memory.

"Don't mean to make things awkward." I looked at him as he spoke. Something about this felt... familiar.

"No, not at all. I appreciate this." He smiled at me again with those half lidded cat eyes. That smile with his smooth face and fresh cut showing off his well kept hair. And that accent.

I had to snap out of it.

"Do you have a charger?" He nodded and reached down, grabbing it from the outlet and handed it to me.

"Thank you." I smiled softly at him while grabbing the charger, but our hands touched. He didn't move which made me nervous until I looked at him again. Him looking down at me in this situation, made a chill go down my back. We just sat there looking at each other for a few seconds until I looked back at our hands and pulled the charger, this time he let go letting me have it. I plugged in my phone trying to ignore that tension between the two of us.

"So... are you from around here." I spoke as I waited for my phone to light up.

"No actually... just in town for the meeting we just had."

"Oh? So you'll be leaving."

"I was at first but... it turns out there's something else I have to deal with." He spoke as he sat back in his seat, one hand on his lap and the other against the door while he looked out watching the street.

"Yeah?... well. If you could deal with your.. 'work' far from my business would be perfect. Keeps eyes off of me." I sat back in my seat and unlocked my phone. Hayes looked at me after I finished my sentence but I didn't acknowledge it.

Texting Levi I told him what I did by getting a ride from Hayes. He texted back saying how I shouldn't have done that and how he was on the way to my location to get me from him. But I just sighed and texted back.

I don't want you to. I'll be fine. —

You just go home for the night. —

Before he could send anything else, I turned off my phone and moved my hair from my face.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah. That was nothing... So where are you from." I tried to fix the conversation by moving it back to where it was heading in the first place.

"South Korea."

"Yeah?" He nodded. "So the house you are in right now must be some kind of vacation home then.

"... something like that. Yeah." His eyes couldn't help but glance to my hands. I couldn't get why until he said this.

"So how come you're not married yet."

"Married.. well." I chuckled a bit at the question. "I'm just 26. I have time."

"What about you? Are you locking down with someone."

"Maybe some time in the near future."

"Really... and how old are you?"

"..in America.. I'm 28."

"28... I guess that's an age to be looking for a partner." I looked forward to catching the eye of the driver seconds before they looked back to the road.

"Mr.-"

"Hayes." He corrected me.

"Right. Hayes... Do you possibly know my assistant? It just seemed like the two of you had some sort of history." A slight smile showed on his face before he scoffed under his breath like what I said was interesting to him.

"Yeah I guess you could say that." I nodded thinking about it.

I've known Levi since middle school. Why all of a sudden would I just now be hearing about this.

"Sorry." He looked at me. "But when exactly did the two of you meet?"

"Mmm...i'd probably say.. Secondary school." That took my mind way off course. Levi and I went to the same school even then, but I've never heard of this man.

"Don't try to think too much about it. It's really just between him and I. Nothing you have to worry about."

The driver slowly came to a stop. I looked out the window seeing my house. I was home.

Hayes stepped out of the car as I gathered my things and met me on the other side, opening the door.

"Thank you."

"Always." He reached out for my hand and I gave it to him letting him help me out of the car. Hayes took my biggest bag and walked me to my door.

"Really you didn't have to."

"No, I insist." I smiled and took out my keys allowing him to help me with putting my things just inside my door.

"Let's have a drink some time. It will be my treat."

"Oh.. I don't drink."

"Then a cup of wine. Red. From Italy." Something pirked up inside me.

"...." That's my favorite type. Any old red wine from Italy somehow hit the spot for me. "Sure.. I don't see why not." He nodded with a light smile.

"My place. If you're comfortable with that. I wasn't here to give you a house warming gift."

"..um... yeah..sure I don't see why not.. is tomorrow okay with you?" I could tell in his face he had to scan over what he might have to do to make room for it but eventually he nodded.

"That's the date." He turned with his right hand in his pocket letting me go from the conversation.

But as soon as the door was shut, that smile went away as he walked to the car mumbling in Korean. Getting in the car, he spoke in a cold tone totally different from the friendly but mysterious way he spoke with me.

On the other side, I was kicking off my heels and putting my purse down by the door. "Another long ass day." I walked to the kitchen and looked in the fridge. Taking out milk and then cereal from the cabinet, I poured a bowl as I checked my phone.

20 unread messages and 6 missed calls from Levi.

Opening the messages, the last one read.

— I'm on my way.

~

2/ 23/24

Word count: 1056