Free More Than Neighbors by Isabel Keats Page A

how absurd! He admitted she was pleasant to talk to, but nothing more. The problem, surely, was that he hadn’t slept with a woman for quite some time. Since he’d broken up with Alison, he hadn’t been out with anyone else, and human nature, after all, was human nature.
    Content with this explanation, Leopold turned off the water and dried himself. He’d space out his visits, as Catalina had suggested. It would be a shame, but it would be better to give up chess for a while than to get involved with a woman who so often drove him around the bend.
    Finally feeling more relaxed, he lay on the bed and tried to sleep, but it was as if he could still feel the soft touch of her lips on his, passionately responding to his caresses. With a grunt of frustration, Leopold hugged his pillow to him and sunk his face into it. He’d better ask Harry to introduce him to that woman he’d told him about as soon as possible.

CHAPTER 8
    By mid-December, the temperature was so low that when Cat took Milo out for a walk, she had to wear several layers of clothing, as well as a warm hat, woolen scarf, and thick ski gloves.
    Leopold hadn’t been to her apartment since the night he had kissed her. However, Cat had seen him a couple of times, on his way out, dressed very elegantly, so she deduced that he’d resumed his social life. She couldn’t complain; she’d been going to Christmas lunches and dinners since late November and was beginning to feel up to her eyes in so much food. She was also very busy with the play that her students were going to put on before the holidays. As the art teacher, she was responsible for the wardrobe and set, and though she was really enjoying the work, she barely had time for anything else.
    She was surprised, then, to hear the doorbell ring on a Friday when she had decided to stay home to add the finishing touches to one of the sets. She carefully set her paintbrush on the palette and went to the door, wiping her hands with her painting rag.
    “Oh, hi, Leo! It’s nice to see you again,” she greeted him, noting her neighbor’s haggard appearance. He looked exhausted, his short hair was a mess, his eyes were swollen and glassy, and despite his bronzed skin, he looked rather pale. “Are you all right?” Concerned, she stepped aside to let him in.
    “No, not really. I’m sorry to bother you, Catalina, but I came to ask you for an aspirin or something. I couldn’t find anything at home.”
    “Have you just got back from somewhere?”
    “Yes, I’ve been in Sydney. I’m a bit tired,” he confessed, rubbing his forehead wearily.
    “You don’t say. You look dreadful.”
    “Why, thank you.” He made a face.
    “Come in and sit down before you pass out. If you drop, I won’t be able to lift you off the floor.” He was so exhausted he obeyed without complaint. Collapsing onto one of the comfortable sofas in the living room, he closed his eyes. He opened them again when he felt a cool hand rest on his forehead; Cat sat beside him, observing him with a frown. “You’re burning up.”
    “It’s nothing. Give me a pill and I’ll leave you in peace.” He tried to be strong, despite feeling like a mangled dishcloth.
    “You need to start looking after yourself, Leo. If you keep this up, you’ll catch pneumonia. Shut it. Don’t say a word!” she ordered, seeing him open his mouth to respond. “I’ll bring you something.”
    She ran to the kitchen, warmed a cup of milk in the microwave, added a teaspoon of honey, and took a bottle of Paracetamol from the cupboard. She put everything on a tray and returned to the living room. Though he’d loosened his tie, he was still lying on the sofa with his eyes closed. When he heard her set the tray on the table, he opened his eyes again with some difficulty. “I don’t want . . .” He pointed at the cup of milk.
    “Drink it or I’ll make you!”
    Leopold saw her threatening expression and didn’t argue.
    “Very well. You’re worse than a