Forget Prince Charming. Natalie Stenzel

voice and consistency. So, ready for dinner? I’m starved.” He shoved his hands in his back pockets. The posture stretched the denim taut across his hips, emphasizing his flat belly and the fullness behind his zipper.

      Wrenching her eyes from the sight, Haley swallowed hard and tried for a breezy smile. “Kitchen’s in there.” The direction was basically moot, since the first floor of her apartment was one big room, divided only by the flow of furniture. And the pizza was already sitting on the kitchen table.

      “Great.” Rick moved into the kitchen area. A docile Sherlock padded along behind him then dropped down on a braided rug for a nap. Rick casually glanced at an antique teddy bear collection arranged above cabinets painted a cheerful yellow. Smiling at some inner thought, he turned his attention back to the pizza box.

      Haley joined him in the kitchen, careful to sidle around the table so it was always positioned between her body and Rick’s. “So, um, have a seat.”

      “Thanks.” Rick dropped easily into a chair and flipped open the pizza lid. While Haley lifted a piece out, strings of cheese dangling from the slice, Rick popped the tops of two beers and slid one across the table to her. “I wasn’t sure what you liked, so I just ordered a garbage pizza. I figured you could pick off anything that you didn’t want.”

      “Mmm, no. This is great.” She sank her teeth into the loaded-down slice, thankful for the distraction of food.

      Once they were both satisfied, leaning back comfortably in their chairs, Haley grinned lazily at Rick. “Thanks for the pizza.”

      Ah, pizza, the great equalizer, she mused silently. Watching each other slurp dangling strings of cheese and lick tomato sauce off fingers tended to knock down any barriers to communication. No longer intimidated, she felt downright benevolent. In that mode, she gave way to her curiosity about the man seated in her kitchen, a stranger to her until just a few days ago.

      “So, neighbor, tell me about yourself. Are you new in town or just new to the building?”

      “Just new to the building.” His face was curiously blank.

      “Are you native to the St. Louis area?”

      He shook his head. “I grew up in Chicago and moved here about five years ago.”

      “Chicago, huh? And so you moved here to work at a bike shop?” She gave him a puzzled look.

      He paused. “That’s right. I like St. Louis. Is that a problem?”

      “No, of course not.” She shrugged. “I guess you just strike me as a little more cerebral than the average jock. I thought maybe…” She gave him a speculative look.

      He returned the look. “You thought that maybe…?”

      “Well, I just wondered if you had other ambitions. I mean, I’m sure a bike shop’s a lot of fun, but…”

      “But?” His smile was even more challenging.

      She studied him, then tried a smile. “But nothing, really. I was just curious. We are playing get to know your neighbor, right?”

      “Right.” He relaxed back in his chair, but his eyes were still alert. “So, neighbor, what about you?”

      “Well, you know about the toy shop.”

      His smile widened. “I like your toy shop.”

      “Thanks.” She relaxed, her smile easier.

      “So are you from here originally, then?”

      “Born and bred in the area. Although there are days when I think I could easily be convinced to move to Timbuktu.” She made a face. “My mother…worries.” Remembering her harsh words earlier that day, and a telephoned apology that didn’t quite make up for it, she felt a tug at her heart. “She worries a lot, actually.”

      “I see.” His smile widened. “And should she?”

      Haley cocked her head, thinking, then grinned. “Well, now that you mention it…” She waved off the idea before continuing in a more serious tone. “No, not really. I’m pretty tame. Not all that bright sometimes.” She paused, reflecting briefly on her erstwhile boyfriend and various dates who’d been just like him. “But probably not dangerous to others.”

      “Just dangerous to yourself,” Rick surmised, nodding. “I guess you’re referring to your love life?”

      She looked down at the napkin she’d begun to shred. “What makes you say that?”

      “Oh, probably something to do with your geek-hunting project. And that nauseating conversation I overheard at the computer store today.”

      She scowled at him. “I thought we were calling a truce, neighbor.”

      “Truce or no truce, you can’t just leave me hanging.”

      “Oh, I don’t know. I think I could leave you hanging very easily.” She stared pointedly at him.

      Rick laughed. “By my neck at the end of a rope, you mean?”

      “It’s sounding awfully tempting, yes.”

      “For such a little thing, you can be pretty blood-thirsty.” Rick’s eyes glinted with mischief. He opened his mouth, no doubt intending to provoke her further.

      The screech of her chair sliding back from the table cut off whatever he might have said. She smiled determinedly. “I guess we’re through here.” She stood up and folded the empty pizza box over, dropping empty cans and dirty napkins on top of it. Balancing the mass, she turned to dump it into the trash. “Well, Rick. It’s been fun. I’m sorry you had to leave so suddenly, but I understand how things can be. Don’t be a stranger. Really.” She smiled winningly at him, hoping he’d simply follow her lead.