The moment between Ben and I had been broken, and suddenly all those rational voices were whispering a little louder again.
“It’s not really safe on the side of the road. We should probably get back,” I said, and started climbing out the car.
Ben smiled at me, I could see he was disappointed, but trying to hide it. “Cool, I’ll follow you home,” he said, reaching over to close the door. I was just about to walk back to my car when he called out.
“Sera, I think you’re forgetting something . . .again.”
I turned to find Ben holding my shirt and my bra in his hand. “Unless you’re doing it on purpose now?” His devil smile was back.
“I am not!” I quickly said and involuntarily grabbed the jacket I was wearing and pulled it tighter across my chest, suddenly very aware that I was completely naked under it. And clearly so was he, his eyes drifted down to the place that my hands were now clutching and I gripped the material even tighter.
He smiled at me and then raised an eyebrow, “God, you’re fucking gorgeous, Sera.”
24. A Very Overactive Imagination . . .
We both pulled into the underground parking at the same time. I intended to immediately go upstairs, take a shower and get out of Ben’s jacket. I felt like I needed to get away from him. He thought I was gorgeous, and I no longer felt like I was able to resist him, even though I knew I should. And to top all the irresistible sexiness off, he was also genuinely thoughtful and had swooped in like a knight in shining armor to save me from the side of the road. This strange mix of bad boy and nice guy was really doing my brain in, and I needed to put some space between us. But it seemed that the universe had other plans for us. Because as soon as I climbed out of my car, something was thrust into my hands.
“Thank you. Please take these, since you’re on your way there too. Hurry, hurry, we’re running late.” Suddenly I was holding a large box of biscuits. It took me a few seconds to realize what was going on. The caretaker, Raymond, had pulled up next to me and was hurriedly taking bags out of his car.
“Um, I’m not really sure what you want me to do with these?” I looked over at the strange man. He always wore a polyester tracksuit, no matter what the weather was. He never wore closed shoes either, instead he always wore brown leather sandals, his long grey toenails always on display. He had a full mop of white hair that never looked brushed, a massive Magnum P.I. moustache and always wore a gold chain around his neck. He was at least eighty years old, and according to the stories, had lived in this building his entire life, since the day he was born.
“Body corporate meeting,” he suddenly declared loudly and started marching across the parking lot.
Shit.He was right. We all met on the last Sunday of the month, every three months, and that was tonight. I rolled my eyes. As part of my living arrangement with JJ and Bruce, I was the one who went to the usually torturous meetings. The tenants didn’t need to go and seldom did, but JJ, being naturally suspicious of people, “wanted to keep an eye on things.”
“Okay. Coming,” I said begrudgingly, feeling that I would rather be stuck on the side of the road right now, still drenched in cold, earthworm water.
I looked over at Ben who had just climbed out of his car. “I have to go to a body corporate meeting now, so see you . . . .?” I left the question open-ended.
“I’ll come with.” He walked over to me and took the box of biscuits from my hands.
“You really,reallydon’t have to.” I shot him a look in which I was trying to convey the following sentiment;worst, most tedious, deathly boring meetings that this world has ever known.
But Ben just shrugged, “After you.” He gestured for me to continue walking.
Raymond’s flat was on the bottom floor, at the end of a very long corridor. The last few meters were always a little tricky to navigate, what with the massive collection of pot plants, garden gnomes and the two big, blue porcelain dogs flanking the doorway.
“Interesting,” I heard Ben mumble from behind me.
“Just wait until you get inside,” I whispered back to him, stepping into the house. I’d seen the interior many times before, but I always loved watching people’s reactions to it when they were seeing it for the first time. Ben stood there with his jaw open.
“It’s very . . .” he muttered under his breath, not finishing the thought, which many people did.
“I know,” I said. His home was plucked straight from one of those TV episodes about hoarders. There was barely anywhere to stand, let alone sit. Magazines, records and old shoeboxes filled most of the floor and were built into tall towers that looked as if they could fall over at any moment. Then there were the ornaments; every conceivable place was filled with at least six.
“Take a seat,” Raymond barked at Ben and I and we both obeyed. The dining room looked like the only room in the house that wasn’t full, probably because of these meetings. I sat down in one of the chairs, as Ben sat opposite me, still looking around. Soon some of the regular meeting-goers arrived. Raymond always squeezed twenty-five chairs into his small dining room, but inevitably only six people came. Tonight, thanks to Ben, there were seven.
I was very used to these meetings. Raymond was going to go over all the relevant topics; building insurance, levies, security, apartment rules and regulations and then finally, after what usually amounted to at least an hour, he opened the floor to any concerns and questions. I usually spaced out within the first five minutes, even the sight of Ben across the table from me wasn’t enough to keep me present. I had almost completely zoned out, when my phone beeped. Everyone turned and looked at me.
“Sorry.” I pulled it out of my pocket and looked down at the screen.
Ben: It’s very hard to concentrate knowing that you’re not wearing a bra under that jacket of mine.
I snapped my head up and looked over at Ben, he was smiling from ear to ear, and I felt my cheeks flush. I looked back down to the phone and started typing.
Sera: Pervert!
I pressed send and forced myself not to look in his direction, but out of the corner of my eye, I could see him typing on his phone. I quickly put my phone onto silent and waited.
