Chapter 4

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When Darren showed up at my front door Friday night with a bottle of wine in his hand, I almost jumped him right there in the hallway, but I didn’t. I invited him in, hung his jacket in the closet, and thanked him for the wine as I took it from his cold hands. He was wearing a tight long-sleeved black T-shirt that showed off his biceps and chest, dark gray pants, and black boots. When he asked if he could take his boots off so he wouldn’t scuff my hardwood floors, I was tempted to tell him he could take off whatever he wanted.

“Sure,” I said before telling him that I’d pour us each a glass of wine. When I returned from the kitchen with a glass of Merlot for each of us, Darren was checking out my living room.

“You have a nice place,” he said.

“Thanks. I bought it about three years ago. I lived in a smaller unit on another floor and when this one came up for sale, I decided to sell my place and put in an offer for this one. Come on, I’ll give you the grand tour.”