The Shower.
She couldn't believe she'd suggested it and she couldn't believe he'd said yes. She'd never normally consider such a thing with any colleague, however close they might be. It wasn't just the intimacy that troubled her, although it did, but the confession of need. It was rare for her to admit to needing a man and probably dangerous to admit to needing that one.
But he had agreed and he had arrived exactly on time and ready for action. He'd even brought pastries and they'd eaten them in the kitchen, nervously skirting around the edges of the reason he was there. He called the shower, "it" or "that thing" and she realised, with a touch of amusement, that he was trying not to think of it as a place where she would be naked. She didn't like to discuss it either, fearing to sound too much like a woman trying to sound as if she knew all about plumbing to impress a man who knew he wouldn't be there if she did.
After the pastries, they went into the bathroom. Laura smiled at him and said, "Have you ever done this before?"
He grinned disarmingly and said, "Not often."
"But you have done it?"
"My original answer may have implied a greater frequency than is actually the case."
"Ever?" she said.
"Not as such, no, but I'm good with cars. How different can it be?"
"Well,I've never gone far in a shower." said Laura, blushing as she noticed the double entendre a moment after he did.
His grin widened, "A criminal waste of the facilities. If you ever want your horizons broadened ... "
"Right now, I just want my shower fixed." she said, trying to push some rather insistent images out of her mind.
He nodded and went to work, but he shot her some glances that made her feel in need of a cold shower.
It was fascinating to watch him work, and not just for the rarity value. He took an instinctive approach. She would have looked for instructions somewhere, he just opened things up and poked about and tried a few simple tricks. He also had very attractive hands and watching them was fun.
Fairly soon, too soon, really, the shower was working. "If you'd like to give it a thorough test," he said, "I'd be very happy to scrub your back."
"Thanks, but I think I'll wait until I'm alone."
"Worth a try." he said.
"Thanks for fixing it." she said.
"Thanks for the opportunity. It's good to know I do have some uses."
"You're often very useful." she said.
"And decorative?" he said hopefully.
"Very." she admitted.
"If anything else in this place needs my skilful touch, I'm happy to try my hand at almost anything." His eyebrow activity somehow made that one of the filthiest propositions she'd ever heard.
"I'll let you know." she said.
He nodded and smiled and said he must be off and, at the door, his lips brushed hers and he said, "Think of me, whenever you use it. Better still, call me and say you're about to use it so I can think of you."
She sent him on his way with sincere thanks and then settled down with a cup of coffee and concluded that asking for his help hadn't been a disaster after all.
The End.