Page 40 of The Blind Date

"A peck is still a kiss, and if it wasn’t on the lips, then where was it?” I could practically hear the naughty suggestion in her tone. Before I could deny It, I heard Jeremy call out for her in the background. “Listen, Jeremy is finished with his shower. I have to go now, but I'll call you some other time, but this conversation isnotover! The next time we speak, I want all the juicy details!”

“There are no juicy details, but sure. Talk to you later.” I was barely able to finish talking before she ended the call.

Since it was nearly midnight and Dad still hadn’t called me back, I could only assume that he was either wrapped up in something else or had fallen back asleep. Either way, it didn't seem like my boiler was getting fixed tonight so that left me with no option other than to head to bed.

Grumbling to myself, I put everything back the way it was in the utility room and retreated to my bedroom. Before I could pull back the sheets, a sharp knock sounded on the door.

Who on earth was knocking on my door at this time of night? Didn’t they know what time it was? And did they seriously think I was going to open it?

Please! I'd seen enough horror movies to know that only idiots opened the door at this time of night.

ChapterNine

In all the movies, the dumb blonde was always stupid enough to open the door and make it easier for the attacker to kill her in whatever sick way he pleased. Well, too bad I wasn’t dumb, and this wasn’t a movie. I was, however, blonde, but I prided myself on not falling into the dumb blonde stereotype.

There was no way I was going to open the door, but there was also no way I could sleep while this incessant knocking continued. The longer it went on, the more worried I grew until I allowed my fear to get the better of me. Unable to hold myself in check any longer, I reached for my phone and punched in the three numbers that would have the police at my door in less than ten minutes if needed.

“Saffron?” A familiar voice called out to me between the knocks. “Saffron! Can you please open the door? I know you’re in there! My dad told me you’ve got a plumbing emergency.”

My eyebrows furrowed together in confusion as I slipped my phone back into my pocket. My teeth dug into my bottom lip as I hesitated, but it quickly vanished when Cedric called out to me once again, growing grumpier and grumpier with each passing second. Before he could wake the whole building with his booming voice, I swung it open.

"Cedric? What are you doing here?" I tightened the robe around my body and crossed my arms over my chest, my stance defensive.

“Your dad called my dad and asked if he could send over an engineer first thing in the morning,” Cedric explained, pushing past me to let himself into my apartment without asking. “I heard there’s something wrong with your boiler. So, where is the old guy?”

“Sorry, what’s going on here?” I swivelled around to face him, my eyebrows knitted together. “Why would my dad call your dad about my boiler?”

“Because my parents own a plumbing and engineering company.” He shrugged and put down his toolbox on the kitchen counter. "Don did say first thing in the morning, but when my dad heard that it was your boiler, he was adamant that someone needed to come down and take a look at it right away. Unfortunately for us both, that someone is me.”

“You’re going to fix my boiler?”

“Don’t look so surprised, darling. I’ve picked up a few things from my dad over the years." Cedric leaned casually against the counter. Whether it was his casual outfit of a hoodie and jogging bottoms or the smouldering look in his eyes as they ran up and down my robe-clad body, I wasn't sure, but there was just something about Cedric that looked like he belonged here.

I could imagine him in my kitchen in the morning, making coffee and eggs for us before we left for work. I could imagine both of us here in the evenings, cleaning up after dinner as we decided which movie to drift off to. Him washing, and me drying. I couldn't explain it, but Cedric Barlowe truly looked like he belonged here. In my kitchen. In my apartment. In my life.

I had to squeeze my eyes shut and shake my head to rid my mind of the thought.

Clearly, I was very tired.

“I’m sorry that you’ve had to come here so late,” I frowned, suddenly very subconscious of the time. If this wasn’t booty call hour, I didn’t know what was. “You should head home. Maybe if you have the time, you can come back to check out my boiler after work tomorrow?”

"I'm already here, so it would be silly for me to leave now without taking a look at it.” A ghost of a smile played on his lips. "Besides, my dad didn't make me come here. He asked if I could make it as you were in a bit of a pickle, and I said yes. If I didn't want to come, I would have said no."

“I have to admit, I’m surprised.”

"Don’t be,” Cedric grinned, his words flying completely over my head. "Now, are you going to show me that boiler of yours, or do you plan to have me stand here all night so you can continue staring at me?”

"It's just around here.” I led the way to my utility cupboard, gesturing for him to follow. “I don't know what happened, but when I got home today and went to take a shower, the water was freezing and wouldn't warm up. My landlady says it's old, so it probably needs replacing.”

Cedric hummed in acknowledgement, but other than that, he was silent as he did some preliminary checks. Of course, he managed to turn it on straight away.

“This is quite an old model. They don’t make these anymore,” he whistled lowly and leaned in to further inspect the big piece of machinery. “If you’re getting a replacement, what do you need me here for?”

“I’m not sure if the replacement boiler is a definite, and even then, the earliest my landlady can arrange an appointment for someone to come check it out is Sunday." My tone was laced with frustration.

“Sunday,” he murmured. “Now, that’s a problem.”

“So, do you think you can fix it?” I asked, my fingers crossed that he would say yes, even if just temporarily. “At least until Sunday, so I don't have to shower in freezing cold water?"

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