My Enemy Next Door

As I was sitting down to draft another ‘Out of Office to Do Research’ letter, Tyler stepped into my doorway.

“Chassie?” His deep voice filled the room. “You’re actually at work today?”

I didn’t respond. I immediately pulled out my laptop and opened a blank document.

“I need you to tell me when you’re free to talk this weekend,” he said.

I kept my head down and continued typing. I’m still trying to determine if our last two kisses were dreams or reality, and the sight of him in another custom suit wasn’t helping,

“Chassie, I know that you can hear me talking to you.”

I grabbed my headphones.

“There’s no point in paying a lease on a place you’re avoiding,” he said, stepping into the room. “You might as well make the most of it and get to know your neighbor a bit better, don’t you think?”

Why are you able to turn me on so easily? I kept my head down.

Unfazed, he moved closer. “Our college years were a long time ago, Chassie. I tried to apologize for one-upping you all the time, if I’m recalling correctly.”

“So, you’re finally admitting that you were an asshole back then?” I finally looked up.

“I’m doing whatever it takes to make you look at me.” He smiled and subtly flexed his fingers, not-so-subtly reminding me of where he’d placed them the other day.

“Do you need some help with your other career whenever you start recording again?” He asked. “I’ve missed the noise lately.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I felt my cheeks heating. “And I have a friend with benefits for that already.”

“I’ll believe that when I hear another man’s voice coming through your walls at night,” he said, pausing. “Even if I did believe you, he’s clearly never hit it right.”

“Excuse me?”

“I didn’t stutter,” he said. “You’ll have to come home for us to talk at some point.”

“Want to bet?”

“I’ll be waiting.”

Chassie

Present Day

Manhattan, New York

“Please tell me that you did not lure me over here under the guise of wine and Chinese delivery to talk more shit about Tyler.” Sebastian plopped onto my couch, beer in hand.

"I'm not talking shit about him," I said. "I'm stating facts, and I like to go through them with my so-called guy friend."

"I will never use one of my lunch breaks on you again."

"You don't mean that…"

"Of course I don't." He sighed. "Go ahead and ruin my buzz before I take the first sip, please. No, wait. Let me get buzzed first."

"He finger-fucked me in a café the other day."

He spat out beer all over the living room.

"I was soaking wet, and I came on his hand."

"I'm leaving. Spare me the rest of this retelling."

"I've never had an orgasm like that before," I looked into his eyes. "I can't stop replaying it, and I don't think I can see him at work."

"Have you realized that you haven't shown up to work in almost a week now, or no?"

"I don't want to fuck him," I said.

"Then don't. Now, break out the work, so I can save you from getting completely kicked off your case."

"Fine." I opened my laptop and clicked on my date file.

Ding dong! Ding dong! The doorbell sounded.

"Can you get that for me?" I asked. "And tip the guy twenty, please?"

He groaned and walked over to the door. "Hey—Oh, um…Hello, Tyler. What's going on?"

My head snapped up, and I saw Tyler holding a carton of coffee. Dressed in grey sweats and a black fitted T-shirt, he looked as if he was skipping a workday as well.

His eyes met mine. "Can I come in so we can talk, Chassie?"

"No." I shook my head. "I'm busy. You can leave and I'll call you when I'm free."

He didn't make a move, so I stood up and walked over to him.

"Thank you for bringing some coffee for me and Sebastian." I reached for it, but he held it back.

"When is a better time to talk today?" he asked.

"That'll depend on when me and Sebastian get done having sex."

"What?" He and Sebastian spoke in unison.

"Yeah," I said. "Me and Sebastian are screwing now. Well, we will be. That's why he's here."

Tyler glared at me, and Sebastian smiled.

"You hardly ever let me hug you, Chassie," he whispered. "What the fuck are you doing?"

"Play along,” I muttered under my breath, glaring at him. "Play. Along."

"You let me bring you to an orgasm in a café all so you could sleep with someone else?" Tyler asked, handing the carton to Tyler. "Is that what you're telling me?"

"Yes," I said. "Thank you for the pleasure, though. I'm sure it'll become a distant memory after I spend the night with Sebastian."

"Nah, I can't go for a round of this shit." He patted my shoulder and kissed my cheek. "I love you. I'll see you when the boss is making you clear out your office."