Teddy’s car was parked outside of my apartment building. He let his hands relax over the steering wheel before turning an earnest gaze towards me. “Here you are,” he declared. “Safe and sound.”

A shy smile escaped me, while I tried to ignore the nervous butterflies that fluttered in the pit of my stomach. His gaze was unyielding, so focused on my visage that I feared he could read every expression.

Rain was pouring down over the windshield, but with the engine off it allowed water to cover the whole of the glass until you could barely see past it. My fingers curled together in a ball over my lap, while I let my eyes fixate on the curve of my wrist. “Thank you, Teddy.”

I never heard a sound from him, although I had the sense that he took my gratitude rather well. When I finally looked up he was still gazing at me, his eyes full of a strange enchantment that he could not hold back. I found my teeth biting down on my bottom lip, twisting it cruelly before I forced myself to speak up. “Would you like to come inside?”

His eyebrows shot upwards in surprise.

“For coffee,” I continued. “I might have some lemon poppy-seed loaf left. Although, tea would pair nicely with that.”

“Are you sure?” he asked through barely parted lips, for he was caught off-guard by my suggestion.

“It’s the least I could do.”

“Then I accept.”

I broke my gape from him to retrieve my bright yellow raincoat. I handed Teddy his carefully folded jacket as well, ensuring the water droplets did not drip all over his lap. The umbrella was retrieved next. Water sprayed over the front of my pants from the dripping wet umbrella that was longer than I was accustomed to. “Should we go?”

“Yes,” he said with confidence, and with a certain grace that only he could possess, Teddy opened his car door wide and stepped out into the pouring rain. I watched him move in front of the hood of the car and only when he was in front of my door was I willing to push it open. He took the umbrella from me, only to open it wide enough to block out the rain. His free hand was used to close the door, and then he laid a light hand in the center of my back to lead me to the front door. Rain splashed hard against the smooth pavement; the blaring horns of the bustling town was a stark contrast to his own settings. Teddy was looking across the city block while I was retrieving my set of keys from my small purse. You could hear the roar of the engines down the street, the heavy pounding of shoes against the pavement as people tried to outrun the rain. My key was finally placed into the lock, allowing me to open the first set of doors before I could enter the second one. A short whizzing sound was heard behind me, a peculiar sound Teddy’s umbrella made when he shut it closed so abruptly. I watched him shake out the long umbrella to make it less wet before I stepped through the open doorway. He followed me as quick as he could, stepping into the small area where I opened a second set of doors. We entered the main lobby in no time at all, and once we were there we shook out our raincoats and tried to get as dry as possible.

“I am on the fifth level,” I told him, and then motioned my hand towards the elevator. He followed my sure footsteps, only stopping once we reached the main area where I could press the button to bring the elevator down to the main level. A metallic scent lingered in the air, coming from the machinery that was in front of me. We could hear the faint splashing of water against the faded grey floor where a custodian was mopping the tiled surface. Teddy let his eyes linger over the middle-aged woman for a moment, while I stared blankly at the closed elevator door. “I don’t really have visitors,” I nervously stammered.

“I know the feeling.”

“But I wanted to thank you for everything.” I was finally brave enough to turn my gaze towards him. “Driving me home and all.”

“A gentleman first,” he assured me. The elevator made a sharp binging noise, before it swooshed open. “Ladies first,” he exclaimed. His hand was raised upwards to direct me forward, encouraging me to step into the elevator door before him. Once he was at my side, I pressed on the black circular button that would bring me up to the fifth floor.

“My place is very small.”

“Are you comparing your place with mine?”

“Yours is very fine,” I feebly explained. “Mine feels more like a closet in comparison to yours.”

“I would not judge you, Sela.”

I pulled off my bright yellow jacket with nervousness, hoping it was not a mistake to invite a man I barely knew over to my place.

“I feel nothing but gratitude,” Teddy continued. “That you should even invite me up here.”

“Well, that was my intention.”

A sharp bing rang from the elevator speakers, and soon enough the doors spread apart to let us through. We walked together in perfect unison, though Teddy looked at every door we passed by as if he expected me to open it. “I am all the way down the hall.”

“I see.”

“Near the stairwell.”

“Better than the elevator.”

“Yeah, especially late at night,” I nervously chuckled. “Nightmare. You would hate it.”

“That insufferable bing would drive me mad,” he noted. “Do you have a flat mate?”

“No.”

He nodded his head sternly, but made no other comment. We eventually reached my door, letting me pull out another set of keys to place it into my lock. I knew my flat would be in a bit of a mess, not as nearly as clean as Teddy’s, so I hoped he would not judge. “Here we are,” I announced, after I turned on the living room light. “You can place your shoes over the mat here. I will take your coat. I don’t have a rack. You mind if I hang it up in the bathroom, the water will drip into the tub and-”

“-I understand,” he interjected, and handed me his long black coat at once. “Perhaps, I could head there. I want a towel to dry myself off.”

“You can come with me.” It took me a bit longer to remove my tall rain boots, but Teddy was ever so patient as he waited behind me. Once I was free of it, I pulled off my socks and went on the tip of my toes as I headed towards the bathroom. The floor was cold upon my feet and with the ceiling fan going off I feared that I would catch a cold. “Light is on,” I commented, after I flicked the light switch on. “And now a towel.”

Teddy placed our jackets over a hanger before he set it upon a ledge that would let the water naturally drip itself into the tub. I was holding two sets of towels, silently grateful for his help. “Thank you,” he hushed, after I handed a towel to him. “My shirt is a bit damp.” He looked around the room as if contemplating something. “I suppose you don’t have anything.”

“I don’t have any men clothes lying around,” I told him in truth. “But I should have a baggy shirt or sweatshirt. I will be right back.”

He nodded his head stiffly and let me leave the room to retrieve some dry garments. By the time I got to my bedroom I threw off my work clothing and put on a comfortable long-sleeved cotton shirt, a long rosy pink cardigan for extra warmth and skinny jeans. I found a baggy shirt that my younger brother mailed to me once, a classic “I love N.Y.” t-shirt that was two sizes too big for me. I laughed at the spectacle, before I managed to find a large grey hoodie that would be more acceptable to Teddy.

I knocked on the door politely and then took a step back from the bathroom door. “I have something for you.”

“You mind just leaving it outside of the door for now?”

“Yes.” I placed the neatly folded clothing outside of the door. “I will be in the kitchen to pop the kettle.”

“Be right out,” Teddy called out. I left the spot to attend to business, hoping to clean up the kitchen and start a cup of tea before he had a chance to find me. It took several minutes to put it into a manageable state. The small dining room table had been cleaned off, and now there were two small plates and two mugs that did not match upon the table. Teddy walked into the room, wearing my hoodie with the sleeves rolled up slightly. He was a tall man, so the sleeves did not exactly reach the curve of his wrists. He offered me a tiny smile, doing his best to appear comfortable when he was filled with nerves.

“I hope you like regular black tea.”

“Yes, I do.”

“Lemon?”

“Lemon will suit me fine.” He was standing on the other side of the table, staring at me intently. It was interesting to see how shiny his dark hair had become, and the bulkiness of the sweater that made him look two times his size. “Do you need any help?”

“Everything is done actually.” I turned away from him to retrieve the tea pot. Teddy continued to stand in front of his chair, not wanting to take a seat just yet. I placed the teapot down upon the table, and then went away to bring back some milk and sugar.

“I see you have a lavender plant next to your windowsill.” His hand was pointed outwards with a single finger gesturing towards the only plant in my room.

“I like the scent of it,” I informed him. “And lilacs.”

“What about roses?”

“Roses are sweet smelling,” I admitted. “But they have such prickly thorns.” I went around the countertop to retrieve the last of the lemon loaf I had purchased from the bakery two days ago. “I should be used to it by now because of my job. Then again, my mother was never fond of them. I believe my grandmother was, but she had a fondness for anything that was beautiful.”

“She must have liked you then.”

“Yes, she did,” I laughed, before I realized what Teddy had just implied. I froze in front of him, startled by the directness of his words. He watched me with care, taking in my every expression. I managed to walk forward and place the tray of lemon loaf upon the table. Teddy observed me slicing a thick piece of the loaf, and gently raised his plate so I could lay it over the flat surface. His eyes were ever so resolute in seeking mine out, but I would not give in.

“I see the loaf is from a bakery.” He offered me a false smile, hoping it would be enough to start a conversation.

“There is one next to my workplace. I go there from time to time. Oh! Will you excuse me for a moment? Feel free to pour the tea when you are ready.” I ran out of the kitchen, hoping to find my phone so I could call my employers. The rainstorm would mean I would not have to go into work later in the day, but I wanted to have confirmation with them.

I was gone for more than five minutes, mainly because I had to call my other three employers. The last one was quite adamant for me to come in, stressing the fact that the storm could not last forever. I assured him that I would give him a ring in another two hours, considering the weather could drastically change by then. By the time I walked into the living room, Teddy had finished his lemon loaf and his tea cup was empty. “I was gone so long.”

“What were you doing? I heard your voice.”

“I was talking to my employers.” I sat down on my chair, and hoped that the teapot was good enough to still retain some heat. “But the last one wanted to have an argument with me.”

“I understand.”

My hand rested over the side of the teapot, seeing it was still hot enough for me to enjoy. I fancied it would be strong in taste, and not feeling like a bitter cup of tea, I raised myself from my chair and decided to have a cup of instant coffee instead. “I hope you weren’t bored.”

“I was tempted to look around,” he confessed. “But I thought it would make a bad impression.”

My back was to him as I poured out the hot water, watching it swirl around the sink. The wind was still fierce outside, but it was nice and warm in my apartment space. I filled the kettle with some fresh water and clicked it on before I returned to my seat.

“You have a lot of family portraits here.”

“Yes.” I looked over my shoulder, seeing the closest one was against a wall beside me. “We are very close.”

“Do you live in close proximity to your parents?”

“In a different town,” I admitted. “And my brother is working abroad. He is living in Boston right now.”

“So far away.”

“Have you ever been to America?”

“No. Have you?”

“I haven’t,” I told him in truth. “But I think it suits my brother more.”

“Have you no interest in visiting him?” Teddy asked with all politeness.

I took my first bite into the lemon loaf, realizing how cold it felt once it was placed inside of my mouth. I would have to do better next time, but then again inviting Teddy up here was a rather spontaneous decision.

“Sela?” Teddy urged, since I did not answer his question at first.

“No, he comes here,” I answered him with a stuffed mouth. I used my hand to cover the front of my mouth with embarrassment.

The kettle suddenly popped, so Teddy took the liberty of starting up my coffee. He must have watched me earlier, for he knew where the spoons were and scooped the appropriate amount of instant coffee into my mug. “You drink this stuff,” he commented, while trying to disguise his disdain.

“I don’t enjoy it, but it works.”

“I guess we all can’t have elaborate coffee machines.” He looked over his shoulder to make eye contact with mine. “I like to collect antique things.”

“I noticed.”

“I like old stuff,” he continued. His hand was raised upwards to pour hot water into my mug. “I don’t know why I do. It is a rather expensive hobby.”

“You could open an antique store,” I teased him. “Or you could even sell your car.”

“Yes, it is a bit out of date,” he laughed. “Would you believe me if I told you that I don’t even own a cellphone?”

“You don’t?!”

“No.”

“How do you live?”

His smirk was broad and mischievous as he answered me: “I have no idea.”

Teddy made his way over to me and placed my mug down on the table. It was only then that I realized he was serving me in my own household. “Ummm.” I let my fingers tap against the side of the mug. “Thank you.”

“You mind if I take a bit more lemon loaf? It is quite good.”

“Yes, go ahead.”

“And turning off the fan overhead,” he added. “I don’t want to catch a chill.”

“Do you want a blanket?” I watched him head over to a switch I pointed out to shut off the light and ceiling fan at the same time. The living room descended into darkness, but fortunately the windows were wide open to let the natural grey lighting seep through. In normal cases I would have been scared, but oddly enough I was not. “Teddy?”

“No, I will be fine.”

“Let me know if you need anything else. I am not a good hostess.”

“Is that what you think?” he asked from the darkened part of the room.

“I feel incompetent.”

Teddy was silent on his end, although I could hear the steady pater of his footfalls as he made his way over. He passed me, moving behind my chair to pull up the last of the blinds. He went over to the second set of windows to perform the same task, letting me see the bleak grey skies with clear rain falling down from the heavens. “Do you have any candles, Sela?”

“I do.” I pushed back my chair and went around the living room to retrieve one. “Where should I put it?”

“On the table would do nicely,” he said with utter civility. “Or is that too much?”

“It will be nice.” I settled it down neatly, and then walked around the countertop to bring myself unexpectedly to Teddy’s side. “The box of matches are in the drawer.”

“How clumsy of me.” He stepped to the right, allowing me to pull it outwards and retrieve it. I could feel that heated stare again. “I can light it for you.”

I handed him the box of matches, aware of the way his fingers brushed against my hand as he reached out for the item. I hitched my breath, fearful that he heard the sound since he was standing so close to me. Nervous, I retreated from the spot and made my way to the table first. The coffee was bland against my taste buds, but I drank it down anyways. Teddy slowly made his way over to me, and brushed past his chair to light the candle. He was such a tall man, so much so, that he had to lean over and bend his long back to place the blazing match against the long wick of the candle. It took only a moment for the room to brighten, the small candle casting enough of a glow for me to see Teddy’s face more clearly. “Light,” he murmured from the back of his throat. The match was blown out, and only then did he turn his dark brown eyes in my direction. I felt my jaw clench by his stare, feeling as though his look alone had stripped me bare.

He eventually lowered his gaze, breaking the awful spell that threatened to consume me. A large hand was placed over the back of his chair and then he pulled it outwards so that he could take a seat.

I continued to drink my coffee, doing my best to focus on anything else but him. It was becoming harder to resist his lingering stare. I could hear the pulling of wrappings as Teddy tried to get another piece of the lemon loaf. His momentary distraction was enough for me to lean back in my chair and feel more comfortable. The candle casted a warm orange glow about the table, illuminating our faces with an alluring light that I was not prepared for. I watched Teddy slice the loaf into smaller pieces, desiring it to be in small equal parts before he could place it into his mouth. His peculiarities were subtle at times, but the more time I spent with him, the more I became aware of it.

His voice was smooth, almost musical-like as he uttered: “I suppose you have the evening off then.”

“Possibly.” I took another sip of my coffee, as I noticed the sudden stiffness to his hand movements. “For a few hours at least.”

“There is no way you can go out gardening in this storm.”

“You tell my manager that.”

He rolled his shoulders back, taking on a haughty air about him. “Maybe I should.”

I shook my head at him quite adamantly with an instant regret of ever making that suggestion to him. “Please don’t.”

“I can’t have my gardener catching a cold.”

I raised my mug to him, tilting it slightly in approval. He raised his chin upwards, absolutely pleased by my silent salute. His dark brown eyes glowed marvelously under the candle-light, captivating me once again. “No, you can’t.”

He placed the lemon loaf into his mouth, chewing on it slowly as he continued to peer into my eyes. I forced myself to look downwards, knowing it was at my peril if I continued to entertain this subtle exchange much longer.

Once he was finally done with his pastry I felt a sense of relief, finding the sexual tension was almost too much to bear. I was the first to abandon my seat, and looked around the room for a welcome distraction. Teddy followed my movements, bringing himself across the table to be at my side. I avoided his gaze, looking downwards at the shabby wooden floor. “What would you like to do now?”

“It is your home,” he emphasized in a soft, murmur. “I will let you decide.”

“You like art,” I noted. “I have nothing that will entertain you here.”

“I like many things,” he whispered, almost impatient for me to look upwards.

“I have music,” I suggested. “And books. We could watch the television.”

“No, not the television,” he quickly shot down.

“It bothers you?”

“I would prefer to spend time with you.” The sound of his voice, the energy that radiated from it made me glance upwards immediately. There was a certain look to his eyes again, like a wave of feeling that he was trying to hold back.

“We could sit on the couch,” I suggested in a small voice. I led the way, knowing that Teddy would naturally follow. I took a seat in the center, and it wasn’t until he was standing in front of me that I realized he was deliberating where to sit. “Sorry.” I moved towards the edge and took a spot, feeling awkward once the couch dipped downwards from his weight.

Teddy rubbed his hands together, finding it easier to stare at the rugged circular mat in front of him. “What do you do in your spare time?”

“When I am not gardening?”

“Yes.”

“I enjoy listening to music. I wish I could play an instrument like you, but I have tried and failed multiple times. I don’t have the talent for it.”

“Everyone has their gifts,” he said quite gruffly. “Yours is working the ground.”

“So is yours.”

“Years of experience,” he noted. “But I am not a professional like yourself. I confess…” He looked down at the palm of his hands. “It was enjoyable to be working side by side with you this morning. Normally I would put off cutting the grass, but when I saw you working in the corner of my eyes, it encouraged me to carry on. I like the fact that Luna takes an interest in you as well. She must get lonely, stuck up in the house with me all the time.” A faint smile travelled across his face. “A pity that you don’t have any pets.”

“I considered buying a fish a few times.”

“And what changed your mind?”

“You can’t really interact with it. They are pretty to look at, but that is all.”

He nodded his head in grave understanding. “I never had one.”

“Did you have any pets as a child?”

He shook his head sharply as he tried to disguise the anger that flooded his eyes. “No,” he said from the back of his throat, all raw and husky to my surprise.

“My father is allergic to pets with fur, so cats and dogs were out of the question. We had some finches when we were growing up, but they died by the time I entered my teenage years.”

“What were you like as a teenager?” He inquired, trying to fend off the topic.

“The same as I am now.” I shrugged my shoulders at him. “Quiet and I like to keep to myself.”

“A hermit,” he taunted.

“Not as much as you.”

He brushed his fingers through his damp hair, pushing it backwards. “You have me there,” he acknowledged. “But life has thrown a wrench at me, and I have suffered for it.” He stared in front of him, taking in the bleakness of the black television screen that vaguely showed our reflection. “I still suffer.”

I reached out a hand and laid it over the top of his knee. “Nothing lasts forever.”

“Oh, but some things do,” he warned, with a mysterious look to him. His eyes ventured downwards, focusing on my hand that was still resting over the top of his knee. Aware of his reaction I slid my hand away and settled it over my lap yet again.

Teddy reached behind him to collect a blanket, throwing it over his legs to retain some warmth. I took the liberty of bringing the candle over to us, wanting to have some light in that part of the room. By the time I settled down, Teddy had opened up a photo album that I had left on my coffee table. His finger rubbed over the corner of the photo album, while he took in photos of me as a toddler. “You are adventurous,” he relayed, after he pointed at a specific photo. “Climbing trees.”

“I nearly broke my arm one time.” I plopped down upon the couch, and leaned to the side to have a better look at the photographs as well. “In that picture there is my brother, Benjamin.” I let my finger smooth over the front of his chest fondly. “He’s an athlete. You should see him! Not as tall as you, but he is so muscular I am almost certain he spends most of his time in the gym.”

“He is playing football here,” Teddy commented.

“Yes, but he is the type of person that is good at every sport. He is fond of rugby too, but of course they don’t really play that sport in America.”

“They have American football.”

“Basketball too.” Teddy flipped the page to see me atop of a horse. “You look happy on it.”

“If my parents had money I would have begged them to sign me up for horse lessons.”

“It’s never too late.”

“Yes, you are right.” He returned his gaze back to the portrait, staring at the image of my father with me at his side. “My father liked to be in nature as well. This is when we went camping.”

“Going for a swim too, I see.”

“Yes, he is wearing his swim trunks,” I giggled. “You are very observant.”

“At times, yes.” His voice was filled with delight as he added: “It means you are an experienced swimmer then.”

“Yes, I can swim.”

“I would like to test it out,” he quipped. “How about Saturday morning?”

I fell into the back of my couch, hardly believing a word of it. “Saturday morning?”

“You mentioned that you wanted to see the ocean.”

“You really are incurable.”

He blinked nervously. “A compliment?”

“I am not sure yet.”

“It was only a suggestion.” Teddy was back-tracking now, realizing he made a dreadful error. “Nothing more than that.”

“How about I think about it?”

“Oh? Yes, of course.” The photo album no longer concerned him, it was half closed with only a few stray fingers to keep it propped open. “Take your time.”

“What do you normally do on Saturdays?”

“If I am lucky I go to an art gala. At least, anywhere that is willing to put up my paintings. Two weeks from now they will have one, it won’t be as grand as an exhibit in London but it will be something. It takes a long time to climb up the social ladder. I have been an artist for years, and I still haven’t made a big name for myself. Sometimes I wonder if I ever will.” He held out the palm of his hands in front of him. “God knows I’ve tried.”

“Could you show me your artwork tomorrow?”

“Yes, and I would like your opinion on them. Choose your favourites and I will place them in my next exhibit.”

“Me?”

“Oh, yes! If that doesn’t give me good luck then I don’t know what will.” Teddy kicked out his legs from underneath the blanket and for the first time ever he slunk backwards onto the couch to take on a more comfortable position. “Your place is very quiet.”

“The neighbours are for once.”

“I like it,” he said with relish.

“Nothing to upset your nerves,” I cleverly pointed out.

“My nerves are fine, it’s the sounds that bother them.” He scratched the back of his neck. “There should be some scientific reason, but I haven’t discovered it yet.” He leaned his head to the right, appearing relaxed as he stared at my side profile. “Do you find me odd?”

“A little.”

“And does it repel you?”

“No, not in the least.”

“What do you think of me?”

“You are a very curious person, Teddy.” He blinked his eyes shut, somewhat pained by my answer. “Unique,” I added. “You stand out from the crowd. Never change that.”

“And why not?”

“You go about the world and everyone is the same. Conformity is the poison of life, or at least in society. Be who you are, Teddy, and you will find your true friends then.”

“So, you are my friend?”

“I am your employee,” I reminded him. “But at this moment… I could be something more.” Thunder clap sounded in the background, and with it a flash of lightning that penetrated the darkness of my room.

“I have no friends, so I will take you as mine,” Teddy said with utter confidence. “It will be a nice change.”

“Have you no friends?”

“I don’t go out of the house,” he quietly explained. “I am what you might call a hermit.”

“But that could change.”

“Yes, indeed!” he shouted out. “I will try and put in more effort, especially when it comes to you. You see, Sela, it is a good thing I met you.”

“I agree.”

“I think it is best to leave then.” He closed the photo album completely and placed it upon the couch, resting it over the small space between us. “I like to leave on a happy note.”

“There was never a sad one.”

He tilted his head to the side with slightly raised eyebrows. “Valid point.”

“I will not keep you here. I suppose I will take a shower, and waste some time away until my employer calls me back.”

Teddy followed me as I made my way towards the bathroom, bent on retrieving his clothing that had hopefully dried by now. When I had entered the bathroom he was close behind me, but he left enough room for me to not feel uncomfortable. I gently lifted his long black coat off the hanger, vaguely aware that his shirt was hanging behind it. “You mind if I keep this sweater for now?” Teddy spoke up. “And the t-shirt too.”

“Yes, of course.”

“I’ll have it washed and dried for you tomorrow.”

I placed the items in his hand along with his umbrella. “There’s no rush, Teddy.”

He laid the tips of his fingers against the back of my hand, dragging out the moment as he retrieved the umbrella from me. “I thought I told you to keep this.”

“It’s raining,” I reminded him. “And it belongs to you.”

“But I want you to have it.”

“You are kind, Teddy, but I do not need it. I have an umbrella of my own you see.”

“Very well,” he said rather coldly, for he hated when he was being rejected. “I’ll be off then.”

I followed him out the room, feeling miserable that he should suddenly behave this way. When he was at the door, he forced himself to turn around to face me. He opened his mouth, but found there were no words to express his feelings. I bravely took a step forward, watching the way his mouth abruptly closed and the manner in which his eyes eagerly sought out my own.

“Thank you for inviting me up here,” he muttered shyly.

I fidgeted with my cardigan, bunching it up around my fingers. “You’re welcome.”

“I hope we can do it again sometime,” Teddy said with a sudden surge of boldness. “Well, have a good night.” He slipped on his shoes quietly while doing his best to not look in my direction again. He had forgotten about his jacket, and timidly looked around until he realized it was resting under my arm. “May I?”

The jacket was handed over to him, as well as his umbrella. Teddy propped up his black collar, highlighting his sharp cheekbones. He looked down at the bottom of his jacket and straightened it out to the best of his abilities. Teddy was delaying his time to leave me, drawing it out while he regrettably could not look me in the eyes.

I took another step forward, encroaching upon his space. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

“The morning,” he agreed with me. “Take care, Sela.” A shadow of a smile came across his face, and with that he left me to return home. I kept the door ajar to watch him walk away. A curious feeling came over me now that we were separated, and it was only then that I realized my guard was not put up high enough around him. Teddy had found a small chink in it, a penetrable source, and not even I could have the power to stop it from falling down completely.