Molly stepped out of her bathroom wrapped in a towel from the much-needed shower. Her need was too strong and her skin crawled to be touched. The water cascaded down her body, wrapping her in warmth and the solitude needed to allow her fingers to roam. They relieved her of the ache that had been building all night. Building because of Flynn. 

She smiled as she thought of his name. Not being able to touch him when she so clearly wanted to was a new experience for her. Everything in her life had always been instant gratification and that included people she dated. How else were you supposed to know if you liked them unless you kissed them? 

‘Perhaps my grandparents were right. There is something to courting. Building the desire to touch them and actually getting to know them,’ she thought. 

“Imagine actually getting to know someone before you jump them?” Molly said out loud and laughed softly. 

She froze when she heard a soft sound outside her door followed by another soft sound of a door being closed. 

Her hand touched the towel wrapped around her body, securing it tighter and then tugged the one around her hair off. She looked through the peephole, but the hallway was empty. Her mind instantly thought Cannelloni and pulled open her door. Instead of a plate of cannelloni, there was a bottle of wine with a note. 

“Thanks for this evening. Next invite is on me. Maybe we can save this bottle for when we can share it together? 

–Flynn”

Molly grinned and hugged the bottle to her chest and reread the note. She was excited that there would be another night and that he had enjoyed the evening as well. 

Her fingers traced over his name and allowed her mind to race over possibilities for their next dinner. “Easy girl or you’ll never get to sleep.” She placed the note back in its envelope and went to bed. 

The next day Molly was curled on the couch eating her breakfast when she heard a soft knock. She was excited by that sound. Even though she knew he wouldn’t be there, she was looking forward to the note. 

‘Why did we ever stop writing notes to each other?’ she mused plucking his up and opening it quickly. 

“Oh yeah cellphones,” she mumbled and read the note.

“Good morning, Molly. I hope you slept well. Would you like to have dinner with me tonight? Same place, same time? 

- Flynn”

Molly made a little excited squeal and grabbed a Post-It note. It was not as formal as Flynn’s invitation, but she didn’t want to lose the note. She quickly scribbled back. 

“Thank you for the invite. It was a great restaurant with perfect views. I’ll be there. Molly” 

She stepped out into the hallway, stuck it to his door, knocked softly, and slipped back into her apartment. 

This was all new and exciting. When is the last time she had flirted with anyone without the pressures of sex? Probably her Senior year of high school. 

The day felt as if it dragged on. She couldn’t concentrate on her work or writing. Nothing held any interest for her because of her excitement. In the end, she laid on the couch and mindlessly watched Supernatural for a few hours.  

Molly put her chicken stir fry on the plate and despite being excited, her stomach growled in approval. She grabbed the bottle of wine and made her way outside. To her delight, he was already out there and he had the same bottle of wine as the one he had left for her. She grinned because there had been a moment where she wondered how they would share it. 

She hesitated in the doorway and gave him her best dazzling smile, trying to hide her nerves. 

His answering smile was just as big and it pleased her. 

“Hi.” 

“Hi,” he replied and stood up. 

Neither one moved. The tug in her tummy told her that if they were able to touch they would have greeted each other properly. Her tongue slipped between her lips, moistening them. The desire to kiss him made her mouth dry. 

“Hi,” she nervously croaked out. 

Flynn laughed softly. “Hi.” 

Molly realized she was standing there in the doorway like an idiot. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Being so articulate is part of the reason why I read other people’s words. Apparently, I do not have my own.” She gave him a wink and walked to her table. 

His laughter seemed to caress her skin causing her to shudder. 

“What’s for dinner?” he asked, peering at her plate.

“Chicken stir fry. It’s kind of a blend of whatever was going to spoil.” 

“Looks great.” He chuckled and nodded, “Gotta admire both your culinary skills and your practicality.”

“And yourself?” she asked. “What amazing dish have you prepared for tonight?”

He grinned sheepishly and shrugged as he showed her his plate. “Eh… Chopped steak? Basically a burger. I was kind of short on time.”

With that one question, they settled into the evening. The conversation flowed smoothly about their day, into their jobs, and hobbies. There were lots of childhood stories and a lot of laughter.

By the time they were finishing their bottle of wine things turned towards their exes and why things just didn’t work out. 

Flynn explained that he and his ex realized after living together that they made for better friends than partners, and they still talked from time to time giving each other advice. 

“She knows me well, so I trust her,” he said. “We just want each other to be happy.”

“I think it’s great that you two have remained friends. Like I said earlier, there is no way I would remain friends with mine.” She shrugged and then continued, “There was nothing left between us. Not even a friendship. I just wanted out.”

He nodded his head and tried to cover a yawn. 

Molly stood, stretched, and looked at her watch. “Oh wow, it’s after midnight. I’m sorry for keeping you so long.” 

Flynn stood as well and stepped close to the railing. “I’m sorry, it’s been a long day. The wine and the early meeting is getting to me, but I don’t want to say goodnight.” 

She stepped to her railing as well. ‘Social distancing be damned,’ Molly thought, looking into Flynn’s eyes. 

“I don’t want to say goodnight either.” 

Neither one spoke and the tension between them grew filling the short distance between them. She was ready to climb that railing and jump him. Instead, she took a deep breath and stepped back shattering the moment between them. 

“Even in a pandemic, we must be responsible. Thank you for another wonderful night. We should do it again soon.” 

She watched Flynn steady himself and then he gave her a small shy smile. “How about tomorrow night?”

Her stomach flipped with excitement. “That would be great.” 

“Great,” he replied. “How about tomorrow I cook? I can leave a plate outside your door.” 

“I would love that.” 

Molly cleaned up her dishes and tucked the empty wine bottle under her arm. She stopped in the doorway and gave him one last look. “Goodnight, Flynn.” 

“Goodnight, Molly.”

***

Having dinner together became a nightly occurrence with each of them taking turns preparing the food. 

It had been four days since Molly had done an audio and after last night’s conversation, she had started to suspect that Flynn could hear her. 

He asked casually, a little too casually in her mind, if she was still doing them or if she was taking a break for a while. She grinned to hold back her giggle at his not-so-subtle question. 

She told him things had been a little slow but the truth was she just hadn’t been able to concentrate or sit still for too long. It seemed spending time with him had added a little pep to her step.  

Molly decided to have a little fun today and found a story from her list of suggestions that were especially juicy. 

Everything was set up in her living room and she had decided to wear the sexy little lingerie that Flynn had first discovered in her basket months ago. It fit her perfectly and at first, she felt a little silly, but after she caught sight of herself in the floor-length mirror she began to feel sexy. 

Her steps were slow and deliberate as she slunk across her empty apartment, getting herself in the mood. She took a deep breath, slipped the headphones on, and started to read. 

The tension between them had built for months and here he sat naked on the couch waiting for her. Showing May what she had fantasized about. ‘Why have I been telling him no?’ she asked herself. She knew why. He was her roommate and that didn’t always end well. 

“Screw it,” May mumbled.

She sauntered slowly to him, stripping as she did. The time had come for her to take what she wanted.  

“I want you,” she moaned and climbed on his lap placing a knee on either side of his thighs. 

Molly made sure to moan and stretch out the words, hoping that Flynn could hear the ache in her voice. She slid up the back of the couch and sat down with her back against his wall. 

May took his cock in her hand and rubbed it along my slit.

Molly’s fingers moved inside her panties and rubbed along her own slit. 

His hands gripped May’s ass, and his mouth and teeth were on her neck as he growled, “Yes!” and impaled her on his cock.

The gasp was real as Molly pushed two fingers deep inside. She kept pace with the couple in the story. Her body rocking and rubbing gently against Flynn’s wall. 

Her mind was no longer on the story. It was on him, picturing him against the wall behind her, cock in hand pleasing himself to her. 

May’s hips rocked faster and felt him sliding in and out of her. The head of his cock rubbed that sweet spot. 

“You like this pussy don’t you? Make me cum.”

It was not only a plea from May, but it was also Molly begging Flynn. Her eyes closed and her head leaned back as she whispered, “Please.” 

The thought of him sliding slowly into her was her undoing. She came, hard and loud, she wanted him to hear her pleasure. 

Molly slid down the couch and flopped into a satisfying lump. “Thank goodness he’s making dinner today,” she mumbled and took a little nap. 

That night at dinner she felt a little embarrassed by her brazen behavior, but she didn’t regret it. He watched her a little closer, or at least it seemed that way to her. She liked the attention and the way it made her feel. By the time they had moved to dessert, she decided to test the waters. 

Her eyes were locked on his and she slowly sucked the vanilla custard from her spoon. He adjusted his position and she looked down for a moment as she spoke. “I read another story today. It was especially...” she let the thought hang while she swiped a little custard on her finger and sucked it off before finishing, “Juicy.” 

Flynn cleared his throat. “Oh?” 

“Mmhmm.” 

“Did you enjoy it?” His voice was soft. 

“I enjoyed myself,” her voice was just as soft. Then she surprised even herself by asking, “Did you?”

Flynn had a moment to look embarrassed, but when she didn’t break eye contact he seemed to collect himself. A dog barked somewhere in the distance cutting through the silence. 

“Yes,” he finally responded. 

“So you could hear me all along?”

“Yes.”

Molly stood and walked to her railing. “Do you enjoy what you hear?”

“Yes.” He walked to his railing, closing the distance between them. 

“I like that you’ve been listening to me.” Her bottom lip quivered slightly and she gripped the cool metal. The need to kiss him was almost too much.  

“I can’t wait to hear you again. Hearing your sounds…” He took a deep breath. “Are they you, Molly, or are they acting?”

She leaned towards him and whispered, “They are all me. All my pleasure.”

He made a soft sound and closed his eyes.

“Flynn?”

“Hmm?”

“Would you like to hear me read for you?”

She watched him tense against the railing. 

“What do you mean?”

“Tomorrow night. After dinner. May I read to you?”

He hesitated and for a moment she began to panic thinking she had crossed a line. “Yes.”

Molly relaxed and released the breath she hadn’t known she was holding. “Good. As for now, I think we should probably say goodnight. It’s late and you have two Zoom meetings to prepare for.” 

Flynn groaned but gave her a grin that melted her heart. “You’re right. I’m not sure I’ll be able to focus on either of them.” 

She giggled and began cleaning her table. “You’ll be brilliant, I have faith.” 

“That makes one of us.”

Molly blew him a kiss and walked into her apartment. As soon as the door was closed she squealed softly and cried out. “Eek, that was so bold!” She looked at her reflection and her cheeks were flushed and her eyes looked a little wild with excitement. 

It took a few hours of tossing and turning before sleep finally took her.
 

~Flynn~

“Do you enjoy what you hear?”

Flynn stood on the balcony facing Molly frozen by the casual query posed by his most temptingly sexy neighbor. He had already been failing miserably to act aloof when she told him she had been reading another erotic story aloud in her apartment. 

Of course, he had been eavesdropping on her. He’d been anticipating her doing another audio for the last few days, and when she finally did, it sounded as if she was pressed against the wall separating their spaces. He heard each voracious groan and moan so clearly, they fed his imagination as he pictured himself right there with her.

Now she was asking if he listened in on her and what did he think about it. But more than a question, it sounded like an invitation. To both, he answered simply, honestly, “Yes.”

She looked pleased.

Relief flushed through him instantly, and just as quickly opened up his feelings of boldness and desire.  She peppered him with more questions about his experience listening to her, and each time he answered with increasing conviction, “Yes.”

They were both at their railings, facing each other, as close as they could get to each other without toppling over the sides. The magnetic pull of their attraction to each other was off the charts.

“Would you like to hear me read for you?” she asked.

He was taken aback, the question almost not registering, but a second later there was nothing he wanted more, nothing that he was more ready for. “Yes,” he replied, hands gripping the balcony railing.

It was almost devilish on her part, but Molly then suggested they do it another night. In actuality, she was being considerate having noticed how exhausted he seemed before dinner and the fact that he had a couple of early online meetings.

It felt like he was doused with cold water again, but he agreed with a resigned sigh.  Better to take their time and savour the experience. Besides, it wasn’t as if either of them was going anywhere.

So they called it a night and they returned to their apartments, but not before Molly blew him a kiss with those lovely lips of hers which he somehow felt on his cheek… his neck… chest… belly…

Crap.

A little while later, Flynn continued to pace around in his apartment, restless. Everything from dinner had fully sunk in. Molly’s look, her words, the provocative tones of her voice… It was as clear as water that she felt the same way as he did.  Knowing that kicked his adrenalin level up another notch, while also knowing that this damned shelter-in-place order was going to keep them apart indefinitely. It was going to drive him crazy.

Now he knew how a chained up dog felt with his bone just beyond his reach, just getting hungrier and hungrier.

Though it was late, he knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep yet. He decided to do more prep for his morning meetings. He spent a little time working on some documents, then when he checked his work email, the first message he saw was from his supervisor sent curiously late.

Flynn frowned as he read the subject line: “Next phase city re-opening and back to work protocols.”

And as he read the message, his eyes blinked open wide. “Holy shit,” he muttered, and then over and over repeatedly as he scanned the news on the web which he had been largely ignoring for the past few days.

Finally, after God knows how long now, the city was moving to lift the social distancing orders and allow limited interaction.

Flynn looked at the wall dividing him and Molly. Now, he really wasn’t going to get any sleep.

For a moment, he thought of heading straight to her door. He checked the clock: “2 a.m.”

Flynn dragged his teeth together, but finally closed his eyes and sighed, expelling a long stream of air, calming himself. 

He can wait, he told himself. He can wait.

But what to do with that antsy feeling crawling under his skin right now?  Well, if he was going to be out of confinement and meeting people again, it was probably a good time to do more laundry.

Tossing a load of whatever was lying around his place into a basket, he headed out the door. As he walked slowly down the hallway, he stopped by Molly’s door and looked at it for a long moment. Impulsively, he raised his hand… but just managed to stop himself from knocking.

He can wait. He can wait.

Flynn continued walking to the elevator.


~Molly~ 

“You can wait. You can wait,” Molly said to herself as she stared up from her bed. 

She had slipped into a light sleep, but not before reading an article saying they were going to lighten the restrictions. That thought had excited her and guaranteed that Flynn was first and foremost on her mind as she dozed.

She'd repeated the "You can wait" mantra so many times she was now saying it in her sleep. In her dream, they stood feet apart facing each other. He was trying to close the gap and she kept saying, “You can wait.” Out of pure frustration, she woke with a groan. 

Now alert, and knowing it was still the middle of the night, she sighed wearily. “You've waited this long. You can wait a little longer.”

However long that meant.

She rolled around on the bed for a while trying to find the right position and finally tossed aside her blankets. It was no use. This was going to end up the same way, with her continuing to think of Flynn until her naughty little fingers busied themselves. With a deep long sigh, she got out of bed to get a drink of water from the kitchen.

As she walked in her bare feet through her apartment in the dark, she suddenly paused and looked toward her front door.  Something compelled her to just walk out, go to Flynn's apartment and knock, quarantine be damned. 

She shook her head and scolded herself, “You can wait, Molly. You can wait.” The ache between her legs that seemed to always be present disagreed.

Molly jumped a little at the sound of a door shutting in the hallway. Pinching her brows, she listened as footsteps approached her door and then stopped just outside of it.

Quietly, she tiptoed to her door and peeked through the peephole.

She blinked and caught herself from blurting, “Flynn!"

She noticed he was holding what looked like a basket of laundry in one arm. More importantly, he held his other hand up as if he was going to knock. Just as she reached for the doorknob, though, he turned and briskly walked away.

Molly continued to peek through her door, confused.  She wasn't sure why she was hesitating; maybe she thought she was still dreaming? 

‘What are you doing? Open the door,’ she screamed at herself and finally opened her door. Just as she turned and looked down the hallway, the elevator closed.

Feeling a swell of disappointment, she sighed, went back into her apartment, and shut the door slowly.