Page 10 of A Little Spilled Milk

If second-guessing the events of tonight were in the Olympics, I’d have a gold medal. And by the time I was inside and had poured the milk into my bottle, I felt guilty for not being thankful enough. At least I didn’t think I had been.

I put the flashlight on my phone and shined it on the counter, took out a piece of a note card, and thanked him for the milk before sneaking over to his place and sliding it under his door.

There. I did a good thing. Now maybe he’d forget about how awkward it had been. Or I made it worse.

I didn’t bother with the shower—the hot water tank was connected to my electricity and nobody wanted a cold shower. Instead, I climbed into bed with my bottle and fell sound asleep with Gur in my arms.

When I woke up the next day, I had a message from the maintenance team in my inbox. They needed my door unchained and would be here within the hour. When I went to make sure the door was ready for them, there was a note back from Emory.

Anytime, Vinnie. You can come have a drink or I can pump for you again. I hope you and Gur got a good night’s sleep.

“He wrote me back.” I felt like I was back in middle school when we all passed notes around.

I got ready for work, his note playing over and over again in my mind.

6

EMORY

I'd been checking my phone, watch, and computer clock all afternoon, unable to concentrate. That was so unlike me. I had vice-like concentration, blocking everything else out while I worked.

Not today, though.

At five on the dot, I logged out of my account and turned off the computer. After tidying the room and making sure everything was in its place, I closed the door.

I had more milk orders than usual this evening, and as Vinnie wasn’t home, I pumped, wanting to get that out of the way so I could concentrate on what was most important: letting my next-door neighbor know I’d like to take our relationship one step further.

When the pumping was finished and the mason jars in the fridge, I showered, and dressed in my new shirt and pants. Dinner was leftovers from last night, but I angled my body toward the door while I ate, anxious to hear when Vinnie slammed his front door.

He always did, a habit that I’d like to change.

I tensed as someone strode along the corridor. Mrs. Jenkins didn’t stride, and it was about the time when Vinnie usually arrived.

Now I had to wait until he showered, and what about dinner? He rarely bought takeout, and I’d wrongly assumed he was trying to eat healthy, reducing oil, sugar, and salt, but he was struggling with money.

I allowed one hour, during which my clients arrived. It was almost as if they knew I needed to go next door and came earlier than usual. After the last one left, thanking me profusely for the milk, I closed my door and knocked on Vinnie’s.

Nothing. Had he gone to bed or was he peering through the peephole and avoiding me?

I raised my hand to knock again when a small voice from inside asked, “Who is it?”

Hoping he wasn’t ill, I said, “It’s Emory, your next-door neighbor.” There was only silence, and I plowed on. “I’d like to talk to you if you’re free.”

“Okay.” He didn’t sound certain, and I had to strain to hear.

But the door unlocked and Vinnie appeared, dressed for bed. Not in his adult PJs but footie ones emblazoned with bunnies. He was holding his stuffie in one hand and a paci in the other.

Awww, he was Little, and he was so adorable. My cock swelled, but he wouldn’t have been able to see it because the light at the entrance wasn’t bright.

“May I come in?” He nodded and closed the door behind me. “Have you had dinner?”

“Yes, sort of.”

That didn’t sound as if he'd eaten a proper meal, and the remains of a sandwich were on the table.

I slipped into Daddy mode. “If you want to be big and strong, you have to eat some protein, plus vegetables and fruit.” Worried he didn’t have money for food, I told him to sit at the table and I’d be back in a minute.

Returning with one of the batch-cooked meals I’d taken out of the freezer this morning, plus fruit and a dessert, I placed the meal in the microwave and opened kitchen cupboards and drawers, looking for a plate, cutlery, and a napkin.

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