Lara knew this was going to be one of those days where everything that could possibly go wrong, did. At the unearthly hour of 6 a.m., an horrible screeching sound woke her up. Sitting bolt upright in bed, she cursed heartily and yanked the window open. She squinted in the glare of the early morning sun and saw a man in the parking lot of her gated home, huddled over some kind of equipment. Infuriated, she pulled on a pair of jeans, shoved her feet into some slippers, and stomped outside.

As she got closer to where the man stood, the noise grew even louder, drilling into her brain and guaranteeing a headache that would likely last the rest of the day. She walked right up and tapped him on the shoulder, a little harder than necessary. He turned and looked at her, mild surprise registering on his face, and turned off the machine.

"You know what time it is?" she snapped. "Shut off that thing before I call the landlord."

He regarded her with a bemused smile. "It's off."

Lara glared back at him, suddenly noticing his broad shoulders, smooth dark skin and sexy smile. She also noticed that he looked about 10 years younger then she was. "Listen," she said, injecting more hostility into her tone than was needed. "I would appreciate it if this didn't happen again." With that, she walked back to her apartment, feeling his eyes upon her. It wasn't until she got back into her apartment that she realised she had forgot to put on a bra, and that her thin white cotton t-shirt didn't leave very much to the imagination. Letting out a string of curses that would have made her mother weep with shame, she stripped off her clothes and got into the shower.

She saw him several times over the next few weeks, working on different sections of the complex. Each time, he would wink or smile at her insolently, and she merely gave a small wave in return. She was annoyed by the way her stomach dropped whenever he looked at her, and she went to lengths to avoid running into him.

One evening, as she was returning from work, she heard the voice of her landlord in the hallway. Mr Prince stopped by every few weeks to check on his residents, most of them young professionals or graduate students whose parents still paid their rent. Lara had no parents to lean on, she had been on her own since she was 18 and she had worked hard to be able to live in this charming apartment complex with around-the-clock security. She turned the corner and almost bumped into Mr Prince, who was talking to one of her neighbours.

"And here is the high-powered lawyer!" Mr Prince gave a hearty laugh and patted her shoulder. Lara was about to respond when her eyes rested on the young man beside him. She realised he was the very same man she had been avoiding.

He was dressed very differently, a crisp white button down, spotless boot cut jeans, and black loafers. A tiny diamond earring gleamed in his ear. He smiled at her amiably and she noticed that his canine teeth were a bit long, giving him a slightly crooked, but appealing smile. He had cheekbones that any model would envy and perfectly sculpted lips. She realised she was staring and snapped her attention back to Mr Prince, who was asking about her day.

"Long," she said with a smile. "But it looks like it was a busy one for your employee here."

Mr Prince gave a loud guffaw and slapped the young man on the back. "Employee! You hear dat, Joshua?" The man gave a sheepish smile and continued observing her. "This is my son, dear," her landlord said, still chuckling. "He likes to work with his hands, so I let him help out with the maintenance."

Lara tried to hide her embarrassment. After exchanging a few pleasantries, she was about to excuse herself when Mr Prince stopped her.

"Joshua going take a look at the broken pipe in your bathroom," he informed her. Lara opened her mouth, then closed it again, unable to think of a good reason why he shouldn't. Joshua was still looking at her, his eyes seeming to burn holes through hers. "Alright," she said airily, and bidding them both good night, she retreated to her apartment as quickly as possible.

She was sprawled across her couch watching the evening news when there was a soft but steady knock on her door. When she opened it, Joshua stood there in all his 21-year-old glory, holding a small toolbox. He smiled, an air of casual confidence about him that both intrigued and irritated her. "Miss me?" he joked, as he stepped past her, leaving a trail of heady cologne in his wake. "I decided to just get the work done tonight."

She nodded and left the door open, hoping that he wouldn't stay long. The last thing she needed in her neat and well-planned life was to get involved with a boy barely out of his teens.

She stalked into the bathroom, leaning down to point to the cracks in the sealant. "This is where the water is leaking from," she said. She was about to straighten up when he leaned down, reaching over her to feel around the cracks. His cheek was almost brushing hers, his breath a pleasant scent of cinnamon. She wanted to move away from him, but he was practically hunched over her, blocking her from standing up. How long did it take to check a broken pipe anyway?

She couldn't help but notice how close his lips were to hers. His face was smooth and unconcerned, only a slight furrow in his brow as he looked at the pipe. He leaned closer to her, his lips drifting towards her, and startled, she jerked her head away, banging it loudly against the tiled wall of the bathtub.

He stood up straight immediately. "Lord, you arite?" Her head throbbed and she gritted her teeth in mortification. "I'm fine."

He stretched out an arm to stop her hasty exit. "Hold on nuh, lemme check." She allowed him to brush her hair aside, separating the silky strands as he looked for a bruise. "No permanent damage," he murmured after a moment. He was standing very close and blocking her pathway once again, his hand planted against the wall next to her head. She continued to rub the sore spot on her head, trying to keep her gaze focused on his eyes instead of his mouth and the glint of his canines as he smiled at her.

When he kissed her, it was so fleeting and unexpected, it took her a few seconds to realise what was happening. His lips brushed her cheek, then the corner of her mouth, and then covered her lips with a gentleness she hadn't experienced in a long time. He leaned back, gauging her reaction. "Don't do that," she said. "You know how old I am?"

He gave a soft laugh and ran his fingers along her arms, sending a jolt of electricity burning across her skin. "What difference does your age make?" he asked, stepping just a tiny bit closer. Lara was sure it made a hell of a lot of difference, but it was hard to come up with a convincing argument when he was standing so close to her, her body betraying her with its eager response. He kissed her again, and he did taste like cinnamon, his arms moving around her waist to crush her to him. Her reserve shattered, she kissed back with fervour, hardly able to believe she was allowing herself to be seduced by this beautiful boy.

Footsteps clattered in the hallway and she realised with a start that her front door was open. She pulled away and wrapped her arms around herself, feeling self-conscious.

Joshua gave her a self-satisfied grin, and picked up his box of tools. As he strode towards the door, she felt a stab of disappointment. "You're leaving?" she asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

He paused, giving her a wicked grin. "Oh, I'll be back," he said. Lara returned his smile and shivered a little as he shut the door.

Sitting down, she tried to remember her reasons for avoiding Joshua. As she relived the feel of his arms around her, she found that she could not think of a single one.