We managed to get just about everything I needed, and all it took was an hour, including loading. I was driving us back, and we were quiet in the seat. We’d talked just fine in the restaurant, and I knew a few details about her life, but I couldn’t help feeling… awkward.

No, awkward wasn’t the word I was looking for. I was too aware of her. Since I knocked on her door and she let me into her house a few hours earlier, I couldn’t help but stare at her and want to get close to her. I knew better, so I didn’t, but the temptation was there.

I hadn’t been interested in women since my ex, so it was surprising and overwhelming, and I was trying to keep my head and act neighborly, instead of looking at her like I wanted to devour her, even though I wanted to.

Luckily, the trip back was short. I drove faster, and we were back in about ten minutes. I stopped by her driveway, backing up so the bed of the truck faced the house, getting as close as possible. Then I stopped the truck and jumped out.

“Do you need help carrying any of these?” she offered.

I shook my head quickly. “No, no. I've got this. You can go back inside and do whatever it is you do with your Saturday afternoons.”

She hesitated. “If you’re sure?”

“Totally.”

She gave me a last look, then left me to do all the unloading.

I transferred everything to the backyard first, then got down to business. Before I could start, I surveyed the damage, and my eyes narrowed.

Shit.

I hadn't thought this through, not entirely. No wonder, since I’d been distracted by thoughts of Lydia at the time, but I had to get this shit done, and I was only just realizing the job would be bigger than I’d prepared for.

The materials were fine, whatever we hadn't bought I’d probably have in my house. But I’d need to replace the fence’s old support posts, because I figured they’d be useless. To do that, I’d have to dig out the cement, pour new cement and shove in the new posts, then wait for them to settle in the cement as it hardened.

I should have thought about this before. Focus!

I wanted to clear the yard, but that could wait, too. I needed to let Lydia know, so she could decide exactly how we were going to do all this. It was her yard, after all.

With a last look around, I headed back inside the house.

“Lydia?” I called.

She didn’t reply. I didn’t see her in the kitchen or the living room, so I went to the next obvious place. I headed up the curving staircase, pausing a little to stare because I hadn't seen this part of the house yet. I was snapped out of it by the sound of a door closing, and I followed it. There was a short hall on this floor, and one of the doors was open. That was where the sound had come from.

“Lydia?”

I walked over to the door, raising a hand to knock out of politeness. But the door was opened wide enough that I could see her. She was standing in front of another door in the room, that I assumed was the shower because there was nothing but a towel wrapped around her.

Fuck.

She was beautiful. I’d made the realization before, but I made it again, standing there watching her. The top of the towel just barely covered her breasts, revealing a great amount of cleavage. The bottom of the towel just touched the tops of her thighs, and I wanted to turn her around to see the back of her, too.

I dropped my hands to my sides, both of them tightening into fists so I wouldn’t do anything I would regret. But looking at Lydia, just standing there and staring back at me, somehow, I didn’t think she’d mind if anything happened between us.

The look on her face said she wanted me, just as much as I wanted her, and I had to bite back a groan as I watched a drop of water trail down the valley of her breasts and into the towel, my cock twitching in my pants at the sight.

I can't be this attracted to her, I thought, starting to feel a little worried. We just met yesterday, and over an accident I caused because I was in a bad mood!

“I’m sorry to bother you,” I said, once I’d collected my bearings. “I’ll be going back down, just come as soon as you’re done. I wanted to talk to you about something.”

My feet hesitated, but I forced them to move as I turned to walk away.

“Ken, wait!”

I sucked in a sharp breath as I went completely still. She’d said my name before, but suddenly, I liked the way she said it. I could imagine all the ways I could make her say my name as I took her and made her beg for me to give her more.

Stop it! Control your thoughts, boy. You’re not a teenager anymore.

“What is it?” I asked, turning my head to the side without fully turning around. I didn’t want her to see the slight bulge at my crotch.

“Sorry. I know this is a little awkward, but we’re both grown-ups, so can we just act like we are, please?”

There was this pleading tone in her voice that I couldn’t help but react to. I turned around to face her. She had her arms crossed over her chest, making sure the towel wouldn’t fall, but also emphasizing the size of her breasts.

“Look,” she said. “If you’re going to be working on my fence, no matter for how short a time, we’re going to have to be around each other, so we might as well... try to relax in each other’s presence. Why don’t we go out for dinner tonight? And I’ll drive this time.”

My eyes had drifted down of their own accord, but at her asking me out to dinner, they shot up to meet hers. I hadn't expected that.

“Um…”

She smiled. “We’re neighbors, after all. We’ve been next door neighbors for a while now, and we only just started talking to each other yesterday. You know, eventually, you’re going to run out of work on that house of yours, and we’ll be living beside each other for a while, probably.”

True. I’d barely seen or talked to her before yesterday because I was always busy, and because of her schedule. But when I started to relax, we might run into each other more in the future.

I was hoping for it, so why refuse the invitation?

“I would love to go to dinner,” I told her.

At the same time, a part of me wanted to scream.

Why am I agreeing, knowing that I’m into her? I’m too attracted. I should be pulling back, not rushing straight ahead!

But there was no way I could say no. And not just because she was asking while half naked. She was acting all shy, her eyes dropping down as she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, even as she smiled and let out a little laugh, her gray eyes sparkling when they met mine. And the sound of her voice… it was all just too fascinating to me. Another reason why I should stop, but I knew I wasn’t going to.

I knew I would only get hurt if I pushed this thing any further. Lydia was an amazing woman. Some years older than me, with a professional job, though I wasn’t exactly sure what it was that she did. She was an independent woman with a child to look after, the world at her feet. I knew, though, that I couldn’t bring myself to say no to her.

Lydia waved shyly at me, and we both seemed to remember our positions. She went back to her room to change, and I went downstairs to work on her backyard. We’d surprisingly taken much of the day already, and it was a surprise how quickly evening was drawing in.

It didn’t feel like long at all before she was at the back door, calling for me so we could go. I slapped my hands together to get rid of any dirt and followed her to her car.

We went back into town, but to a different restaurant this time. I thought it was better than the last one, somewhat larger, the ambiance better. There were some families around, but it looked like a pretty good dating hang out. There were a few couples around when I checked.

“So,” Lydia was saying as we sat down. “Can you tell me the progress you’ve made with the fence?”

I remembered what I’d wanted to tell her before. “There was something I wanted to tell you about that… But why don’t we talk about something else over dinner? We can talk about your yard later.”

“Oh.” She looked surprised, and I couldn’t blame her.

But there was no way I could focus on work right then. If she had ideas and she told them to me, I’d probably just have her repeat everything for me until she grew sick of me.

Instead, Lydia chattered as I stared at her.

She’d changed into a different set of clothes from what she was in earlier. Although the outfit had been nice, she looked even more amazing now. She’d switched the pants and a blouse for a dress that tightened around just the right curves. It was black, falling to just above her knees, with a V-neck that had my eyes dropping to her breasts now and then. I told myself it was inappropriate to stare at her like that and to look away, but my eyes would drift again.

Why are you sitting here with me, Lydia? I thought. Surely, you must have something better to do than sit here with me talking about nothing important.

The way she was dressed, she looked like she was going to a function somewhere, not just catching dinner with me at a semi-formal restaurant. I waited for her to say that she did, to suddenly declare that she had to go, then just run out on me.

But those words never came. We had dinner, then she drove us home. My truck was still parked in her driveway, and I’d have to remember to remove it.

I stepped out of the car as she did. Our eyes met above the car, and at the same time, we both walked forward. We went around the hood of the car, and the space between us grew smaller as I walked her to her door. Like we’d just been on a date. My inner teenager was back, and I could feel my heart starting to beat faster as my eyes dropped to her mouth. I wanted to kiss her so bad…

You can't, I thought harshly.

Lydia came to a stop, turning so we faced each other, and she tilted her head up. It just increased the temptation for me, but I knew better than to try anything. We’d agreed we’d act like adults, but that didn’t include offending her.

Lydia wasn’t the kind of woman I could just mess with. Not only was she so far out my league, but I would also be living right next door to this woman, and I didn’t want things between us growing awkward. No matter how badly I wanted to take a step closer and close the space between our lips, I took a step back instead.

Oh, but Lydia… if only I could… you have no idea the things I want to do with you, to you.

She didn’t turn away from me as she reached around with her keys, sparing a glance to get them in the keyhole before her eyes were back on mine. She unlocked her door and walked backward inside. Her eyes were practically inviting me to join her. My body tensed as I was about to walk forward, but I wasn’t that weak. I kept my position and applauded myself. Because whatever signals her eyes were sending me, it was hard to miss how tensed her body was.

Let this go, I thought. It’s for the best.

At least for right now.

“I’d better go,” I murmured, the first words we’d spoken since we left the restaurant. “Promise I’ll be back tomorrow. For your fence.”

I let my voice trail off before I could make a fool of myself. Her lips quirked in a small smile, and I turned around and walked away before the last of my control crumbled, and I did something we might both regret come tomorrow.

Oh, but what a night we could have had.