Just Roomies

"No, I agree. I don't mind sharing. But the thing is, I've got a lady who comes every week that takes care of most of the cleaning, laundry, and everything else. She's even kind enough to cook a few meals, and does some baking for me, too."

"Oh." Looking pensive, she thought that over for a moment. Then she looked up at me and gave a firm nod of her head. "Well in that case, then I want to pay my half for her services, too."

I knew she was just trying to keep things fair, but she didn't have to sweat it. Things were cool as they were. My amah Marita, was on the company payroll, and had been for as long as I could remember.

I decided I'd better explain how it worked. "Ava, the lady who comes in has been working for me since I was fifteen. And she's on the company payroll. So, you don't have to worry, everything's taken care of."

She looked a little confused. "You've had a maid since you were fifteen? How is that even possible?"

Though I rarely talked about it, I realized it might be time to tell her a bit about my history.

"Actually, I moved here to live with my uncle and his family the year my parents died, just after I'd turned fifteen." She looked so shocked that I reached for her hand before I told her the rest. "I had my own wing in my uncle's condo building, so I had my own help, too. Most people here have live-in help. Though, I enjoy my privacy a little too much to have a maid under foot twenty-four seven. So, I only have her come once a week, or whenever I need her."

Her eyes brimming with compassion, looking up at me, she stroked a hand across cheek. "Oh, Andrew, I'm so sorry to hear about your parents. That must have been awful for you to lose them so young."

I nodded, thinking back. "Yeah, it was pretty bad for a while. And being an only child, once they were both gone, I really missed them."

Her voice hushed, she asked, "What happened?"

I couldn't help but smile as I thought of them. "It was Valentine's Day, and my mom loved opera, though my dad wasn't exactly a fan. Still, he thought he'd surprise her. He left work early to take her out for dinner, so they could get to the Opera House in time to see a performance of Carmen, that he knew was one of her favorites.

"He was almost home, when he got caught in a white-out on the highway. And unfortunately, he was killed when he got pinned between some transport trucks in a twenty-car pile-up. I remember when the policeman came to the door to tell her what had happened, my mother was so distraught she actually dropped to her knees, collapsed and fainted."

"Oh, she must have really loved him."

"As a kid I used to be embarrassed, they were so affectionate with each other and never tried to hide how they felt. They were like honeymooners, they were still so in love, always kissing, grabbing at each other and laughing together.

"I think when she lost him, she just couldn't go on. My mom passed away in her sleep a couple of months after I lost my dad. The coroner said she died from heart failure, but everyone knew she died of a broken heart. After her funeral, my father's brother, my Uncle Jack, brought me back here to live with his family, and that's how I wound up living in Hong Kong."

Wiping at her eyes, she just looked so sad, as though she could feel my pain. Slipping my arms around her, stroking a hand over her back, I said over her head, "But I'm fine now. My folks have been gone for a long time. And my uncle has always treated me like a son. So, I was lucky he was there for me, and still is now."

She pulled back, trying to smile, but failing. And for the longest time we just looked into each other's eyes, and I so wanted to kiss her, sure that I'd ever met anyone as sweet.

Not even sure how, but somehow, I found the strength to step away. I'd made her a promise to keep things platonic, and considering that she hadn't actually moved in yet, I didn't want her to think I had an ulterior motive for asking her to room with me. I knew if I lost my head, gave in and kissed her, she'd have to wonder exactly how platonic things were going to be.

After I'd set the table, I still decided to have a shower, while Ava whipped us up a tasty chicken and veggie stir-fry. Turns out, in addition to being gorgeous, she was a whiz in the kitchen, too.

As we ate, side by side at the center island, I realized that I hadn't shown her the rest of the flat yet. After we'd cleared up from dinner, we walked to the end of hallway and I showed her my office that allowed me to work from home whenever I had the chance. "Feel free to work in here whenever you want." I pointed everything out. "It's got a printer with a scanner, and pretty much everything else you'd need."

Her eyes going everywhere at once, she nodded, looking impressed. "Gee, this flat is even bigger than I thought."

"And," I said grinning, "there's still one more room that I don't use much."

I chuckled at the way her eyes lit up when I slid open the pocket door to the dining room. Though occasionally, I enjoy having friends over for dinner, more often than not, I use it for playing poker with my buddies. "If you ever want to invite friends over for dinner, you could have them all in here. The table opens up big enough to seat ten."

I smiled as I watched her eyes darting around the room, going from the long, elegant rosewood table and high-backed chairs, to the series of Hong Kong inspired watercolors lining the walls, and the thick, pale green and beige oriental rug sitting under the table. She actually shivered as she let out a giddy laugh. "This is such a gorgeous room." Turning her head, her eyes dancing with excitement, she smiled up at me. "I can't believe this place. It just keeps getting better and better."

Exactly what I wanted to hear. I really wanted her to like the flat, hoping she'd stay and decide not worry about looking for somewhere else to live.

Heaving a delighted little sigh, after one more look around the room, her face lit up with the prettiest smile, as she looked into my eyes and told me, "I've got a feeling I'm really going to enjoy living here, Andrew."

I already knew that I was going to love having her living here with me. Though I kept trying to tell myself that I wasn't attracted to her that way. She was just so pretty with an innocence about her that brought out a protective side in me that I never knew I had, making feel like I needed to know she'd be safe - preferably under my roof with me.

All I knew was the way she threw her arms around my waist, pressed her face to my chest and hugged me tight, sure as hell wasn't helping me to keep my hands to myself. As I carefully patted her back, rolling my eyes at the feel of her nipples pressed tight against my chest, I decided what I needed to do was go out and get laid. Then maybe we could co-exist, without me walking around hard all the time.

AVA

Sitting up in bed, propped up on a few pillows working on some sketches, as I looked around my new bedroom, I still couldn't believe how lucky I was to have stumbled onto a place like this. It was like nothing short of a dream come true. To find a flat as amazing as this in the heart of the city, that I could actually afford was a miracle in itself, but having a roommate like Andrew was more than I could have ever wished for.

Not only was he the sweetest guy I'd ever met, he'd also proven that I could trust him, and so far, he'd been nothing but fair. It had to be fate that the two of us had wound up sharing that cab, or I wouldn't be here now.

Heaving a sigh, I picked up my tablet again and went back to drawing the sleek black evening gown I'd been working on. Hardly anyone knew that I dabbled in fashion design. Though it was mostly for fun, secretly, I kind of hoped that one day I might be able to turn it into something more.

As I worked on the fluid lines of the dress, a little part of me regretted our decision to keep things platonic, already imagining the fun Andrew and I could be having, if we were sharing more than just the flat.

Though, I wasn't even sure if he was into women, I decided I'd better not rock the boat. Because if we crossed that line and things didn't work out, I'd dread the thought of having to look for another place to live. Especially, having to leave here.

Waking up in the morning, I lifted my head off the pillow, and could hear Andrew puttering around in the kitchen, and decided I'd better wander out to see what he was up to.

"Feel like going for a little drive today?" he asked, handing me a cup of tea.

"But, will the roads be clear?" From the sounds of that wicked storm, I imagined it would take at least a few days to clear away the damage.

He shrugged. "Should be okay. It doesn't take long for things to get back to normal here. The stores are probably all open, and come Monday, we'll all be back at work. I was thinking, we could drive out to your place and get your things, so you can get settled in here."

"Providing, I can find a cab."

He leaned in, and whispered, "Well, I've got a car parked downstairs, so luckily, we won't have to hunt for a taxi."

I blinked at him, surprised. "I didn't know you had a car."

He shrugged as he stirred his coffee. "Finding parking anywhere on the island is almost impossible, so I mostly take cabs wherever I have to go for work. But it's nice to have a way to get around on weekends to explore the island, or if I want to go out somewhere for dinner."

I realized, once we were ready to head out to see if I still had an apartment after the typhoon, it felt kind of odd to be back in my skirt and blouse, I'd gotten so comfortable wearing Andrew's shorts and T-shirts.

As the elevator opened to the lower parking level, we met Gunther coming back from a workout, judging by the body-hugging tank top and shorts he was wearing, and the sweat running down his face.

"Hey, neighbors," he said with a smile, stopping for a moment to talk.

"We're just heading out to get Ava's things to move her in," Andrew explained.

Gunther gave me such a lecherous smile, it actually sent chills up my spine as he leaned in and breathed against my ear, "Just remember, I'm free whenever you are, sweet thing. Whenever you've got some time, I'd love to show you around."

Fighting the urge to shudder, not even sure what to say, I took a step closer to Andrew, who instinctively wrapped my hand in his.

Though Gunther was a good-looking guy, there was just something about him. He had kind of a dangerous edge that had me thinking that I could trust him about as far as I could throw him.

Undeterred, Gunther just laughed when he noticed that Andrew had grabbed my hand. "Well, you and your 'roommate' have a good one," he said. "And I'll see you around later."

Once Gunther got in the elevator, as we walked towards Andrew's car, curious, I asked, "What does Gunther do for a living?" It was hard to tell from the way he dressed, since it looked like all he ever did was work out.

Waggling his eyebrows Andrew shot me a smile. "He manages a factory here that used to produce shavers and grooming products, for his company back in Germany. But since so many men have given up shaving, they've switched to making sex toys."

"Oh." For some reason Gunther being involved in something like that didn't surprise me, as I imagined him personally trying them out on all his lady friends.

Andrew chuckled, probably thinking the same thing. "Yeah, that's Gunther."

"Wow, nice set of wheels," I blurted, forgetting all about Gunther, I stopped in my tracks, as Andrew opened the passenger door of a gorgeous low slung, silver-gray Mercedes.

He just shrugged, like it was no big deal. "It gets me around." Yeah, so did my bicycle back at home, but nothing like this.

Heading across the island, we could see the damage the storm had done, from all the broken, twisted trees along the route. Though it was still a beautiful drive heading out to Shek O, with the sun brightly shining down on us as we navigated the winding curves of leafy Tai Hang Road with glimpses of the sparkling blue sea, just beyond the lush green foliage.

We'd nearly reached the beach, and Andrew surprised me when he suddenly took a sharp right turn and headed down a little laneway. I looked up confused, as we drove up to a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant that I never knew was there. Pulling into a parking spot, he made me laugh when he leaned close and whispered in my ear, "Best prawns on the island," as though it were a well-guarded secret that he didn't want me to share.

After we were seated at a simple wooden table overlooking the water, I just couldn't get over the view. The South China Sea looked like it went on forever with the sun glinting off the waves.

I listened as Andrew asked our waiter for a catty of steamed prawns with spicy soy sauce for dipping, along with a bowl of steamed rice and sautéed baby bok choy. Curious, I asked him what a catty was, since I didn't have a clue.

"It's an old measurement that's still used in a few places in Asia, usually in markets and some older restaurants like this one. It's about a pound and a third, which is usually just enough for two," he said with a wink.

A moment later when our food was set in front of us, I was glad that he'd done the ordering, since everything looked perfect.

The place was nothing fancy, just an old, weather-beaten stucco building facing out onto the water, but the food was absolutely amazing. As I gazed out at the shimmering blue sea from our table overlooking the beach, I decided I should stick with him, if I wanted to learn the ropes.

Obviously, he knew just where to eat, hmmm, and what to order, too. As I savored the delectable taste of the succulent prawns dunked in the spicy soy sauce, I wondered if we should be ordering another catty.

After we'd enjoyed two helpings of prawns, along with the rice and bok choy, thinking we were done, we both rinsed off our hands in a bowl of warm water with lemon slices. A moment later, I could barely believe my eyes when the gray-haired waiter reappeared, graced us with a shiny gold-toothed grin, and set down a huge platter of tropical fruit. Since Andrew could speak Cantonese, I had no idea how much he'd ordered.

His eyes dancing with amusement, Andrew peeled me a lychee. Grinning right back, I opened my mouth and let him pop it in. But thankfully, before I tried to swallow it whole, just in time, he warned me about the pit, as I enjoyed my first taste of the sweet, slightly perfumed tender fruit. "Mmm, that is good. And so's the starfruit," I said, following his lead, after I trimmed around a piece and had a taste, I held a slice to his lips, too.

We laughed as we ate, sharing little bites of all the different fruit. When I had a taste of the juicy, small yellow, orange-fleshed mango, I actually rolled my eyes, sure that I'd never had one that tasted so fresh, or nearly as sweet and juicy. "Everything is just so good. Now I know why you come here."

"I know, right?" he agreed, as he kept peeling us lychees, and laughing as I happily let him feed me.

It occurred to me as he smiled into my eyes, that if we actually were out enjoying a meal together like this, as more than just roomies, I would have considered it a perfect date.

As I turned my gaze to the water, though I knew it was silly, I felt a little pang of jealousy as I wondered how many other women had sat here with him, undoubtedly enjoying the same treatment.

Of course, I had no reason to care who he saw, or if he even had a girlfriend. If we were just going to be sharing a flat, his love life meant nothing to me. At least that's what I knew I had to tell myself, if I was going to be able to live with him without getting too involved - or wind up getting hurt.

When I went to wash my hands, I stopped in mid-stride when I walked into the ladies' room. A little surprised to see that there was no toilet, just a cement slab on the floor with a hole in the middle and two indentations on either side, where I assumed you put your feet. I'd used outhouses before, but never had to stand and aim to relieve myself.

Laughing, as I washed my hands at the sink, I imagined it would be a little dicey for anyone who'd had a few drinks, glad now that we'd only had jasmine tea with our lunch.

Andrew was looking a little guilty when I walked out of the washroom to meet him. "Sorry about that. I probably should have warned you that the bathrooms are pretty basic. But there are other places back in Repulse Bay, if you want to go there."

I slipped my arm through his as we walked back to the car. "With food that good, I could care less about the facilities."

He smiled at me, looking pleased.

As a kid I'd roughed it, often camping without washrooms. So, I wasn't the type to turn up my nose over something so trivial, especially after we'd enjoyed such a terrific meal together.

After we'd navigated the winding road down to my beachfront flat, avoiding a few broken trees sitting on the road along the way, as we pulled up in front, I was relieved to see that the old place was still standing. Although, I noticed the beach, normally packed with beach goers, was nearly deserted, except for the crew, working to clean it up.

Part of me felt a little sad to be leaving. My neighbors had become such good friends, and there were so many helpless animals roaming around, always looking for someone to feed them. Though I knew they'd be cared for, since no one would let them starve, I still felt bad, having to say goodbye to my little beach community.

Knowing I had no choice, since my building was going to be gone soon, and I was lucky to have found such an amazing place to live with Andrew, I decided I could live without the waterfront view, though I knew I'd miss my friends.

"Looks like the windows held," Andrew remarked as we looked over my ground floor unit, though I was a little nervous about going inside, afraid of what I'd find, like maybe everything I owned sitting under a foot of water.

I guess, sensing my hesitation, Andrew put his hand to my back, gave me a little nudge and nodded at the door. "I think we'd better take a look inside."

Before I'd even got up this morning, Andrew was kind enough to have loaded the trunk of his car with his suitcases to help me pack my clothes, along with a couple of extra bags for anything else. Watching him carrying them in to help me pack, it occurred to me then, that I'd honestly never met anyone so thoughtful.

Working together, it didn't take long and we had everything ready to go. Thankfully, since my flat came furnished, I didn't have too much to pack.

Heaving a sigh, I took one last look around, surprised that I was getting a little teary-eyed.

As tired looking as it was, with its faded green walls, and well-worn teak floors, since it was my very first home here, I was a little sorry to see it go. Especially knowing that it would soon be reduced to a pile of rubble.

Wandering over to the wall of windows, taking a final look out at the beach, I murmured, more or less to myself, "Gee, I don't think I've ever seen it so deserted. Now, I kind of wish I could go in for one last swim."

Andrew came up beside me. Stroking his hand over my back, he said, "Then, why don't we?"

I eyed him up and down, smirking. "Well, one of us doesn't have a swim suit."

Chuckling, he shrugged. "I could wear my boxers. They're black, so no one would notice. And I'll just go commando on the way home." He nodded at the water. "The water looks pretty calm, and we'll just have to be careful stepping around all the flotsam and jetsam washed up on the beach."

"Well, I'm game if you are," I said, feeling a little giddy as I smiled up at him, already imagining how hot he'd look in just his boxers - especially once he got them wet.