any further.
Everyone stopped.
“Unbelievable,” Mimi muttered and walked into my apartment, motioning for the delivery boy to fol ow her. I set Clive just inside the door and
pul ed it shut, cutting off his cries. Simon ushered Purina into his place, tel ing her softly to find something in his room to put on.
“I’l be there in just a minute,” he said and nodded again for her to go inside. She glared at me once more and turned in a huff, slamming the
door.
He turned back to me and we stared at each other, both starting to laugh at the same time.
“Did that real y just happen?” he asked through his chuckles.
“I’m afraid it did. Please tel Purina I am sooo sorry,” I answered, wiping tears from my eyes.
“I wil , but she needs to cool off for a while before I wil attempt that—wait, what did you just cal her?” he asked.
“Umm, Purina?” I replied, stil chortling.
“Why do you cal her that?” he asked, no longer laughing.
“Seriously? Come on, you can’t figure it out?” I said.
“No, tel me,” he said, running his hands through his hair.
“Oh, man, you’re gonna make me say it? Purina…because she, God, because she meows!” I blurted, laughing again.
He blushed deep red and nodded. “Right, right, of course you would’ve heard that.” He laughed. “Purina,” he said under his breath and smiled. I
could hear Mimi arguing with the delivery guy in my apartment, something about missing spring rol s.
“She’s a little scary, you know?” Simon said, gesturing toward my door.
“You have no idea,” I said. I could stil hear Clive wailing behind the door. I pressed my face to the edge and opened it just an inch.
“Shut it, Clive,” I hissed. A paw came out through the crack, and I swear he flipped me off.
“I don’t know a lot about cats, but is that normal feline behavior?” Simon asked.
“He has a rather odd attachment to your girl there—ever since the second night I lived here. I think he’s in love.”
“I see. Wel , I’l make sure I convey his sentiments to Nadia,” he said. “When the time is right, of course.” He chuckled and prepared to go back
inside.
“You better keep it down over there tonight, or I’l send Clive back,” I warned.
“Jesus, no,” he said.
“Wel , then turn some music on. You gotta give something,” I pleaded. “Or he’l be climbing the wal s again.”
“Music I can do. Any requests?” he asked, turning to face me from inside the doorway. I backed up to mine and put my hand on my door.
“Anything but big band, okay?” I answered softly. Heart moved down low in my tummy, flitting about.
A look of disappointment crossed his face. “You don’t like big band?” he inquired, his voice low.
I pressed my fingers to my col arbone, my skin feeling warm under his gaze. I watched as his eyes fol owed my hand, further heating me with
the intensity of his gaze.
“I love it,” I whispered, and his eyes jerked back to mine in surprise. I smiled a shy smile and disappeared into my apartment, leaving him
smiling back at me.
Mimi was stil yel ing at the delivery guy as I came inside to school Clive, a simpering look on both our faces. Five minutes later, with a mouthful
of noodles, I heard Purina yel ing something in indecipherable Russian on the landing and his door slammed. I tried to hide my grin, instead playing
it off as a particularly spicy bite. No wal banging tonight, I guess…Clive would be so depressed.
At around eleven thirty that night, as I was settling into bed, Simon played me some music through our shared wal . Wasn’t big band, but it was
pretty good. Prince. “Pussy Control.”
I smiled in spite of myself, delighted at his wicked sense of humor.
Friends? Definitely. Maybe. Possibly.
“Pussy Control.” I thought of it again and snorted.
Wel played, Simon. Wel played.
Chapter Eight
THE NEXT EVENING I was headed out to yoga when I found myself face to face with Simon once again. He was coming up the stairs as I went down.
“If I said, ‘we have to stop meeting like this,’ would it sound as trite as it sounds in my head?” I offered.
He laughed. “Hard to say. Give it a try.”
“Okay. Wow, we have to stop meeting like this!” I exclaimed.
We both waited a beat and then laughed again.
“Yep, trite,” he said.
“Maybe we can work out some kind of schedule, share custody of the hal way or something.” I shifted my weight from one leg to another. Great,
now it looks like you have to pee.
“Where are you off to tonight? I seem to always catch you when you’re leaving,” he said as he propped himself up on the wal .