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Lucy knocks on the door feeling a little jittery, she has the wine she bought behind her back and her heart is racing a little. She doesn’t know what it is about standing on Tim’s front step but there’s something. It’s almost new and exciting every time. It takes a minute for the door to open, and it finally does. Tim stands there in just his sweat pants, a shirt and a small smile on his face.
“Hi.” She says before he can say anything. “I just moved in. I wanted to come by and give you something.” Tim raises an eyebrow and she pulls the wine bottle from behind her back. She hands it to him and he takes it before opening the door more.
“Thank you.” He says. She steps inside the house her arm brushing his.
“It was the neighborly thing to do.” She says.
“Okay.” Tim says and he shuts the door behind her. “What is happening right now?”
“I am just being neighborly.” She says sending him a smirk. She looks around the house, it does look better since they got all the boxes out. She spent hours just putting stuff away and on the walls. Tim helped and just watched her—he never said a word but just let her decorate how she wanted.
It was their house after all.
“Right.” Tim says and he looks like he’s finally getting it. “You are doing a bit.” He turns around and she follows him into the kitchen.
“I like how you decorated.” She says sliding onto one of the stools. Tim puts two wine glasses on the counter and fills one up. He pushes it towards her with a soft smile on his face.
“Thanks. My live in girlfriend decorated.” He says. Lucy bites her lip from smiling.
“Oh.” She says. “You aren’t single? So it would be inappropriate to say I’m undressing you in my mind?” Tim gapes at her and pours his own glass of wine.
“Pause.” He says. Lucy straightens up. “Really? You are undressing me in your mind?”
“Do you mind?” She asks and she imagines how easy it will be to get Tim’s clothes off. Thank god for sweatpants.
“I don’t want another woman undressing me in her mind.” Tim says and he takes a big drink of the wine. “So yes.”
“Noted.” Lucy says. She doesn’t want another woman undressing Tim either. She did it everyday but it was for her only. “Unpause.”
“Unpause.” Tim says. He takes another big gulp of the wine.
“How long have you been living here?” Lucy asks. “Alone?”
“Eight years.” Tim says. He leans across the counters reaching for her hands but stops. “As long as I’ve known my live in girlfriend.”
“Oh. So you’ve been alone all this time?” Lucy asks. Tim looks around Lucy follows his gaze to Kojo.
“No.” He says. “I have my shared dog with my girlfriend but—” He stops and shrugs. Lucy pushes some hair back from her shoulders.
“You must really love her.” Lucy says. Tim’s face lights up a bit. Lucy’s heart starts pounding in her chest.
“I do.” He says. “She’s the love of my life.”
“Pause.” Lucy says. “Excuse me? You can’t just throw that out there when we are doing a bit.”
“Why not?” Tim asks. “It’s true. You are the love of my life. I have never asked anyone else to move in with me. I wouldn’t let anyone else decorate the house. You are it.”
“But—” She pauses and the words are are hard to find. “Isabel.”
“Isabel wasn’t the love of my life.” Tim says. “And that’s over.” Lucy nods and shifts in her seat. Tim doesn’t want to talk about his ex wife and neither does she.
Especially when—
She slides off the stool and pulls her pants up a little. She’s aware of Tim’s eyes on her. She’s wearing a thong that she knows he will love. But it was riding up and she was a little uncomfortable.
“Sorry for bringing her up.” Lucy says looking at Tim.
“It’s fine.” He says. “What’s going on?” He gestures to her. And if she wanted to she could show him.
But she wants him to wait a little. Just a little bit longer.
“That’s for later.” She says. “Unpause.” Tim groans a little, shaking his head.
“How long is this going to go on?” He asks.
“How long until your live in girlfriend gets home?” She asks. Tim sighs and takes another drink of his wine. Lucy does the same, and then walks around the counter. She steps closer to Tim and gives him a smile.
“So it’s just us?” She asks. Tim shakes his head, and points to Kojo in the corner.
“No and the dog.” He says. Lucy steps in between his legs. He hesitates before he puts his hands on her hips.
“You know I would never cheat on you—my live in girlfriend.” He says softly. “Especially since I got her trust back. And she agreed to move in with me. And I promised to be a better communicator.” He says softly.
“And she’s the love of your life.” Lucy points out.
“That too.” Tim says. “You see. I never thought I would fall for my rookie. But she was very irritating some days.” Lucy hits him on the chest.
“Watch it.” She says. “I might know your live in girlfriend.” Tim rolls his eyes and looks at her.
“But she was different. I stayed to finish training her.” He says. “And she somehow managed to stay in my life and I just—”
“Oh.” Lucy says. “Pause.” Tim looks relieved and his grip gets a little tighter like she’s going to disappear.
“Yes?”
“You have never told me all this.” She says. Tim shrugs and stands up. He looks down at her, and moves one of his hands just above her ass.
“I’m trying to be more open about my feelings remember?” He asks. “So this is just the start.”
“I like this version of Tim.” She says. “Sweet, loyal and honest.” Tim hums softly and moves his hands down more.
“I love you Lucy.” Tim says. “I’m doing everything in my power not to mess this up again.”
“Good.” Lucy says and she runs her fingers through his hair. “Do you want to know something?” Tim nods and he looks eager.
Lucy steps back and pulls down the waistline of her jeans a little just so Tim can see the almost non existent waistband of the thong. She bought the skippers pair available and maybe she would regret it but—
Tim’s eyes darken. “You are evil.” He says. “You have been wearing that the whole time.”
“Yep.” Lucy says. “Unpause.” Tim gapes at her, and she can practically see the wheels in his head turning. He looks at her, and then schools a neutral look on his face.
“Listen.” He says quickly. “It’s been great but my girlfriend is going to be home soon and I really want to spend the evening with her.”
He pushes Lucy towards the door, and Lucy must say he’s playing the part well. “I guess I better go.” Lucy says. Tim opens the door and she steps outside before turning to look at him. “It’s been great getting to know you Tim.”
“Thank you neighbor..girl.” He says. He shuts the door without another word. Lucy shakes her head and waits a few moments knowing Tim is still behind the door just waiting.
She pulls her key out and inserts it into the lock and pushes the door open. Tim is waiting for her with a soft smile.
“Hi.” She says and she steps right up to him to give him a kiss. “I’m home.”
“Finally.” He mutters. “There was this chatty, flirty neighbor girl.” Lucy snorts and pulls him down for a kiss.
“Really?” She asks. He nods and tucks some hair behind her ear. “Did you like her?”
“Not as much as you.” He says. He backs her up towards the bedroom and presses her against the door. “I love you. Even if your tactics to get me into bed are a little weird.”
“Who said I wanted to get you into bed?” She asks. Tim shakes his head and backs her into the bedroom and then pauses his fingers going to her waistband. He pulls her jeans down and she steps out of them.
“You like?” She asks even though she knows the answer. Tim doesn’t say anything, he just falls to his knees and pulls her closer.
“God.” He mutters. “You are—” He pauses and looks up at her. There’s something like realization in his face.
“What?”
“You are incredible.” He says. His hand trails down her leg, and then he stands up and looks at her. “You are home.” There’s something else behind his words, but she doesn’t have time to think about it because he’s pulling her into a kiss.
“I’m home?” She whispers putting her hand on his cheek. “Good.” Tim smiles at her, and brings her hand down to kiss it.
“Welcome home.” He says his voice soft but buttery. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”