It was cleaning day, and as usual, I liked to keep things simple—just panties and a loose shirt, no bra. The freedom of it made the chores feel less tedious. I was scrubbing the windows in the front room when I noticed my neighbor across the street. He was chatting with some contractor, but I could hardly focus on anything except him. Tall, dark-haired, fit, and always with this air of quiet dominance that made me weak in...

I was a bundle of nerves. My hands were clammy, as if I’d washed them and forgotten to dry them. My lips throbbed from being bitten, a casualty of my anticipation. But under the tension, excitement brewed—thrumming through me. This was the day I’d finally decided to show up, unannounced, to see the look on his face. To see how he’d react when he laid eyes on me for the first time. The elevator stopped with a faint ding, a...