My Knotty Landlord Ch. 01

What on earth had I agreed to?

That was the question I kept asking myself.

Let me recap. I first met Anne a few months back. I had just finished my first year at university and needed a new place to live. I found her online listing for her spare bedroom. It was perfect: cheap, safe, and close to campus. It blew the other locations I had toured out of the water.

The cherry on top was my soon-to-be roommate.

We met at a nearby cafe to get a feel for each other. Right away, I was struck by her beauty. She was about a decade older than me, maybe a bit more than that. She was tall, with gorgeous dark hair that fell down her back in waves. Her white blouse, pencil skirt, and heels gave her the quintessential 'I will step on you' look that businesswomen strive for.

Her piercing eyes stared at me from behind dark rimmed glasses as I walked to her table. Her cherry lips were curled into a half smile. I gave her an awkward wave, as I tried not to run away in fear. It was like walking up to a lioness resting in the hot sun. Relaxed, but deadly.

"Anne?" I asked. I felt my voice tremble a little bit.

"Hi, Lily," she said. "Please, have a seat."

I sat across from her at the table. Her gaze was fixed on me, and I was having trouble making eye contact. I felt underdressed, like I had walked into a job interview wearing sweats and a t-shirt. I tried to remind myself this was a casual meeting, between two prospective roommates.

"Sorry about the get-up, I came here straight from work," she said, as if reading my mind. "Here, my treat."

Anne slid me a cup of coffee. I grabbed it, glad to have something to occupy my hands.

"Tell me about yourself," she asked.

"Oh, me? I'm a freshm-- sophomore, at the local university. I'm studying neurobiology, and I'm on the swim team and a part of the photography club... what about you?"

The words came out in a hurried jumble. I took another sip of my coffee, suddenly aware of how my hands were shaking. Calm down, Lily. When did you get so awkward?

"Woah, you have such broad interests. And neurobiology? I could never!"

Her laugh was a bit dorky; I couldn't help but smile when I heard it. It was disarming.

"I work for a tech business based--"

She kept talking but I was having trouble listening. She had bent forward over the table, resting her chin on her hands. Her low-cut blouse was hiding nothing.

"Did you hear me?"

"Huh?"

Shit.

"I said, do you want to come back to my place?"

"Already?" I said nervously.

Anne laughed. I suddenly realized how stupid I was acting. I reminded myself this was my future landlord, not some overly ambitious date. I sipped on the coffee, and hoped she didn't notice how hot my cheeks were burning.

"I think I've gotten a feel for you," she said with a smile. "Now we just need to make sure the place is up to your standards. Ready?"

I went out to the street with her. She walked fast down the sidewalk despite wearing tall heels. I struggled to keep up. She turned her head to look back at me.

"Hopefully you like everything. If you are still interested afterwards, we can discuss the rent. I know it must be hard for a young student in this city, so we can compromise on a reasonable price."

I nodded my head. I wasn't sure she saw me, but she kept talking anyway.

She told me about her schedule, her frequent weekend trips, her expectations for noise levels and guests-- it sounded like things would be relaxed and flexible.

"Do you like to cook, Lily?"

"I don't really cook. I lived in a dorm last year."

"Great! I love to cook. It will be so nice to have someone to taste my food. And I can show you a few things!"

"That sounds nice."

We rounded a corner. The sidewalks were wide and clean, here. The brick buildings were tall and covered with ivy. Tall trees along the sidewalk blanketed the street with shade. It was the beginning of autumn, and some of the leaves had the first hints of orange.

"This one is mine. I'll show you around."

She started walking up the long, concrete steps to the front door. I followed behind her, trying to avoid staring at the back of her skirt and her long legs. At the top, she opened the door for me, and gestured for me to enter.

The front room was tall. The interior was modern, with dark paints and dim lighting. To my left, a staircase went up to the second story. Beyond the staircase, a hallway led into a kitchen.

To my right, a living space was decorated with an L-shaped sofa that faced a large television. Cardboard boxes were piled around the coffee table, filling the space with junk.

"Sorry about all the stuff. I'm still reorganizing all the crap that was stuffed in the spare bedroom."

I was thoroughly impressed by the spacious area. Compared to my dorm, it was like a palace. Anne must have noticed me standing there with my arms limp and my mouth open, because she laughed.

"Impressed? This is what selling your soul to a corporation can get you. Even still, I have to rent out the spare bedroom. Speaking of that, why don't we go check it out?"

She gestured for me to go up the stairs. The steep staircase creaked loudly. I turned to glance back at Anne. She was staring at my butt, glancing up at my face when she saw me turn my head.

"Do you work out, Lily? Sorry, I couldn't help but notice."

"Oh, it's okay... like I mentioned, I swim for fun. The university has a nice pool."

Is she a bit... friendly, or is that just me?

"That's nice. I have some gym equipment in my room. If you need it, help yourself."

Despite being in reasonable shape, I was still out of breath by the top of the staircase. She pushed past me and showed me my bedroom. The walls were painted a dark navy. The room was mostly empty except a bed frame, a dresser, and a small window facing the street.

"Wow," I mumbled. "It's..."

"Boring?" she offered.

"--full of potential."

"That's a good way to look at it."

The rest of the tour was rather uneventful. She showed me the bathroom we would share, the well-stocked kitchen. I asked about an unopened door between the entrance and kitchen.

"Oh? That goes down to the basement. There is a bit of a mold problem, so I keep that door locked."

"Gross," I replied.

"Even paradise has its troubles," she said with a shrug.

She led me back to the front entrance.

"Well, Lily, what do you think? Will it be a good fit for you?" she said while spreading her arms towards her surroundings.

I slipped my shoes on and picked up my bag.

"I think it will be great, Anne. And the price is perfect. Are you still okay for me to move in next week?"

She smiled and said, "Of course! Do you want to have dinner sometime before then? We can get to know each other a little better?"

I looked around awkwardly. "I'm not sure... I'm pretty crammed with coursework. I'll text you. Sorry, my ride is waiting."

I stepped out the front door. The air was cold now that I had gotten used to the warm interior. Anne was standing in the doorway, watching me as I walked out to the rideshare that I had ordered on my phone. She waved at me goodbye, before shutting the door.

On the way to my parents' house, I stared out the window and pondered the last few hours. The house was better than I imagined-- cozy, furnished, quiet. Anne's demeanor was intimidating at first, but we seemed to get along fine. She appeared well-adjusted and mature-- more than I could say for most potential roommates my age.

She was extremely... friendly? I wasn't sure if that was her age, confidence-- or just an odd quirk to her personality. I didn't mind it. It was sort of intoxicating to be adored by such a beautiful, put-together woman. I wasn't sure if 'adored' was really the right word... I wasn't sure of anything yet when it came to my relationship with Anne.

I texted her later that night that I was interested in moving in with her. We agreed on a price point, and she offered to help me move my bags and boxes with her car. She asked me again about dinner, but I ignored the offer for now.

Later that night I sat in bed and read one of my coursebooks. It was a dry passage about the biology of neurons. It was going a bit slower than usual-- I kept having intrusive thoughts about Anne.

Neurons are a type of cell that can connect to others--

They way her blouse hugged her torso and chest.

--can release neurotransmitters, chemicals that signal for the continuation of--

The way her hips swayed while she walked.

--receptors detect the increased concentration and begin a positively reinforced reaction--

The way she smiled at me. Her disarming laugh. Her piercing eyes.

I got up to go take a cold shower. Before I left my room, I grabbed my phone and typed a new message.

"Does tomorrow work?"

A friend dropped me off at Anne's condo as the sun started to set. I waved goodbye to him and stood nervously on the sidewalk. Her place seemed more intimidating than I remembered.

I looked down at my outfit, making sure my second impression would be a bit better. I wore a maroon turtleneck sweater over a dark skirt, and a nice pair of boots. My long, dirty-blonde hair was braided down my back. The outfit made me feel confident.

I took a deep breath and started walking up the steps. I went to knock on the door, but it swung open. My hand hung in midair as Anne smiled at me.

"Hi! Welcome," she greeted. "Wow, look at us! Twins!"

She was also wearing a sweater over a skirt. Her top was black, a shade lighter than her dark hair. The skirt she wore over her stockings was horizontally striped, alternating between blue, white, and gray. She still wore her dark rimmed glasses and bright red lipstick.

"Cool," I replied awkwardly as I stepped inside.

The house smelled amazing-- the air was filled with the fragrance of spices and herbs. I placed my handbag on the couch and slipped my boots off.

"Make yourself at home. It basically is your home, I guess! I'm going to finish cooking in the kitchen."

I sat gingerly on the couch, resting on the edge of the leather cushion. It didn't really feel like home quite yet. I readjusted my skirt, which had slid up a little. The television was playing quietly next to the large front window. It was a nature documentary.

Anne shouted from the kitchen, "You are in bio-something, right? I put on something you might like, but feel free to change it!"

I couldn't see the remote anywhere, so I just left it on. A mountain lion chased a hare across a steep mountain slope. The leopard caught the rabbit in its mouth but lost its footing. Both creatures plummeted down the cliff. I winced as they hit the ground, but luckily, they seemed fine.

I didn't really have the stomach for ecology-- I was a cellular biology gal. I looked around the room to distract myself.

The room was still filled with cluttered boxes. I peeked inside the nearest one-- old clothes and picture frames. I glanced towards the kitchen, where I could hear Anne working busily.

I fished out one of the picture frames. It was an old photograph of Anne. She looked about a decade younger, maybe my age. She was with a group of friends, at what seemed to be a concert. A second woman had her arms around Anne's shoulders, and they were both smiling. I carefully placed it back where I found it.

I kneeled on the couch to reach the next box. I peeled it open, slowing down when the cardboard flaps made a loud noise where they ground against each other. My eyes widened as I examined the contents: the whole box was filled with bundles of rope. I pulled one out and looked it over. It had a soft texture-- I couldn't decide on its purpose. Sailing, perhaps?

"Dinner's almost ready!" Anne yelled as she started walking back into the living room.

I quickly threw the rope back in the box and closed the lid, hurrying back to my seated position. She turned the corner and stopped to stare at me. I wondered if she knew I was snooping-- and if she even cared.

"How's it going, Lily?" she said.

I started to apologize before she continued, "Relax a little! Lean back, get comfortable. Dinner is still a few minutes away."

I gave her a quick smile before gently scooting myself backwards on the sofa and leaning back, trying to fix my obviously uncomfortable posture. Anne came over to the sofa and looked around for a space.

"Yikes, what a mess. Can I sit next to you?"

She flopped down next to me, squeezing between me and a wall of boxes. I was uncomfortably aware of how our hips pressed together. She leaned back, and her arm grazed mine. We watched the documentary for a few minutes like that.

"This is horrible!" she shouted, as the injured mountain lion started tearing apart the rabbit. "I love it..."

I sat in silence, agreeing with only the first part of her assessment.

She leaned forward, entranced by the documentary. I could smell her perfume-- a subtle, flowery scent. I examined her shoulders and back, hugged tightly by her sweater. I admired her hair, tied up in a perfectly messy bun.

"What kind of stuff do you have here?" I asked, trying to dispel the silence between us.

She turned to glance back at me.

"Just old junk. Pictures, clothes, mementos... stuff like that."

Another long silence.

"Were you a sailor? I saw a bunch of rope in one of the boxes."

She glanced back at me again, cherry lips twisted into a smirk.

"A sailor? Sure, something like that," she giggled.

"Which box had the rope?" she asked.

I reached my arm up to point to my left. "Over there, I think."

She crawled over me, straddling my legs to reach the box. She was a bit taller than me, but it was still strangely comfortable having her legs around me, and her butt resting on my knees. I tried not to squirm as I felt her warm stockings press against my skin.

I thought it was weird how comfortable I was with all the physical contact, but it just felt natural.

I heard her hand shove into the box, and rifle through it. She leaned back over and I saw her carefully unraveling one of the bundles of rope.

"Do you know much about sailing, Lily?" she asked.

I shook my head.

"One of the most important skills is tying knots. Attaching one thing to another-- securing something important. It is the difference between arriving at your destination and sinking into the abyss. Therefore, every sailor should know at least a few good knots!"

I nodded my head, listening intently. Sailing had never seemed so interesting. I was getting sort of uncomfortable with her weight on my legs, but I dared not say anything.

"I need something to demonstrate with... can I use your hands?" Anne asked.

"Sure," I said quietly.

She held the loose strand of rope in her teeth, while she reached down with both hands to grab my wrists off the sofa. My hands were pulled together above me.

"Hold still," she commanded. "And pay attention."

I held my hands together where she had placed them, parallel and pointed up into the air. She showed me the rope between her fingers, which she had doubled back against itself.

"This is a lark's head. It lets you wrap twice as much rope with a single motion and is an excellent starting point for any knot or tie."

She started coiling the double stranded rope around my wrist. The loose wraps of rope felt soft against my skin. I was completely oblivious to any potential danger-- I trusted her completely.

"Do you see the lark's head, here? At the beginning of the loops? I can snake the ends through it and draw it back around..."

I listened intently.

"That lets me redirect the rope around the center. Like this! That's called a cinch."

I gasped quietly as she jerked on the rope, and the coils around my wrist all tightened at once. My eyes widened as I examined the tie. The ropes were now firmly pressed into my skin. I tested the binding and found it quite snug.

"How does that feel?" she said quietly.

I saw her looking at my face, reading my expression. I hoped my cheeks weren't too red. I was acutely aware of my sudden arousal. Why is sailing so hot?

"Good..." I whispered. "It's very secure."

I could feel my heart racing, but my mind was surprisingly relaxed.

"Good! Do you want me to untie it, or do you want to try to get out yourself while I finish dinner?"

I thought carefully as I twisted my hands against the rope.

"I'm fine like this..." I offered.

She slid off of me. I watched her stand up and watch me for a few moments before turning around and heading into the kitchen.

While walking away she said, "don't use your teeth on the rope!"

As soon as she vanished from sight, I started thrashing against the binding with my full strength. It had no give. The knot, or cinch, or whatever she had called it was not loosening at all. I twisted and pulled each hand in opposite directions, but it had too much traction around my wrists. I tried to reach the knot with my fingers, but it was just out of reach.

I knelt up onto the sofa, trying to get better leverage. I was breathing heavily as I fought against the restraint. After a minute, I gave up and fell back onto the couch with a sigh.

I looked into the dining room. Anne was bringing two plates of food out to the table.

"Did you get free?" she shouted.

"Not yet," I replied. I gave the rope one last testing tug. "I think I'll need your help."

I noticed her wide smile as she walked over, and I felt a tinge of fear. I realized I was completely helpless to this woman I had barely known for a two days. I felt my heart pounding in my chest, but I started to relax as she grabbed my hands and started untying the rope.

"How did that feel?" she asked.

I replied as she continued unwinding the rope, "Very secure, but a little scary."

"That's fair. After dinner, I'll let you practice it on me, if you want. Were you paying attention to how I did it?"

I nodded.

She threw the rope to the side and offered me a hand. I accepted it, and she pulled me off the couch.

Dinner tasted amazing. We talked about work, about my school. The conversation moved to relationships. We were both single. There was an awkward pause after that, and I wondered if I had struck a nerve. She seemed to recuperate, as she started talking about her passion for cooking. She had clearly mastered the art-- I was finishing my food way too quickly. I slowed down and tried to focus on the conversation.

"Tell me more about your sailing," I asked.

I saw her glance away. Her eyes darted up and a half-smile crossed her face. She seemed lost in a memory for a moment, before she spoke.

"I used to sail back in college. I was part of a club."

"And did you practice on people a lot?"

"Oh, yes. That was standard procedure, in case of pirates or mutineers."

We both laughed at her joke. I was incredibly curious but was too shy to pry further.

After dinner, she cleared the plates while I sat on the couch. I had offered to help, but she said there would be plenty of chores to do after I moved in, but not while I was still her guest. I sat on the couch, rearranging some boxes so we would have more room. I grabbed the remote and turned the television back on.

After a few minutes, Anne walked out of the kitchen.

"Well, Lily. I can drive you home...?"

"Can I stay a bit? Let's finish the documentary," I replied.

"Of course!"

She sat pressed up against me again, even though I had made room by shifting some of the boxes. I didn't mind.

Anne grabbed the remote and turned the volume down on the television. I glanced at her, and she was smiling at me.

"I almost forgot! You need to practice that knot before you forget everything!"

"Sure," I replied. I was a bit nervous, but still eager.

She slid off the couch and onto the floor, kneeling in front of me. She grabbed the rope from earlier and offered it to me.