"Evening, Miss Parker," the security guard said from the front desk of her high rise condo building.

"Evening," Gina answered, flashing him a friendly smile.

Crossing the marble floored lobby, her high heels created a slight echo in the grand foyer. She was proud to live in such an establishment. She had worked hard as an editor of a parents' magazine, and she was finally earning enough to live more comfortably. She pushed the elevator up button and stepped inside as it opened for her.

"Hold the elevator!" a male voice called urgently. She quickly pressed the open door button. "Thank you," said the voice behind her.

She pressed the eleventh floor button. She stepped back as his hand pressed PH.

His cell phone rang and she looked up at him as he held up the phone to his ear. "Yeah?"

Her brown eyes met his spectacular gray eyes and she quickly looked away, so she wouldn't be caught gawking at him.

He had wavy brown hair and a face that belonged on the cover of G.Q. Not to mention the suit that he was sporting on a six foot tall, well cut body.

She looked up at the numbers climbing across the top of the elevator doors and counted as she tried to steady her rapidly beating heart.

Oh my god, he is so gorgeous! Don't blow it! She thought, biting her lip so that she wouldn't say anything idiotic to him out loud, like I want to bear your children.

"No, no. I'll have it for you tomorrow morning," he said to the person patiently, but with a growing tone of annoyance. "No! That's not what Peterson said!" he nearly yelled, catching himself, he glanced at her. He mouthed to her Sorry.

Gina gave him a small, understanding smile.

He took a step away from her to the other side of the elevator, "Look, I promise I'll have them for you tomorrow. What am I supposed to do then? I just got back. It can't be done. What? Say that again, you're breaking up. I'm in an elevator," he looked at her again. He rolled his eyes as if she were a part of the conversation. And as if she knew that the person he was talking to was always difficult to deal with.

"Yeah, you talk to Peterson then. That's what he told me. It's not going to happen tonight..." he pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration.

The doors opened and Gina stepped out, glancing back as the door started to close. The guy nodded and smiled at her as if saying goodbye. She smiled back, but wasn't sure if he was able to see it as the door closed.

Gina sighed as she made her way down the hall to her apartment. She lived in a huge building and barely knew any of her neighbors, let alone the gorgeous hunk in the elevator. She nodded at a couple as she passed them by. They nodded back, barely noticing her.

Some neighbors nodded back and others ignored her. Gina had lived in the building a year and, so far, she was only on speaking terms with the security guard and her immediate neighbor to the right, Liz.

Gina thought of the guy in the elevator. She hadn't seen him before, but that didn't mean that he hadn't lived there just as long as she had or longer. She often saw people she didn't know in the building and then never saw them again. Thank goodness for the security guards in the lobby that looked after them, she thought, anyone could come and go as they pleased and the people that lived there wouldn't notice or care.

She opened the door to her refuge from the hustle and bustle of the big city. Simple pleasure met her feet as she slipped off her heels into the soft beige carpet. Gina tossed the mail on a side table and made her way to the kitchen. She opened the stainless steel refrigerator and studied the contents. Some milk, an apple, and some cheese that she couldn't remember when she bought it. She closed the door on a sigh, picked up the phone, and ordered a pizza.

*****************************

The next morning she stepped into the elevator going down. Her eyes met those of the guy she had seen the night before. Gina hit the already lit Lobby button and took a deep breath for an ounce of courage. She didn't do well talking with hot guys. Well, any guy.

"Hi," she said, nodding to him.

"I'm on my way," he replied, shuffling some large envelopes in his hands.

She looked at him puzzled and then saw that there was a Bluetooth earbud in his ear. Gina blushed in embarrassment that she thought he was answering her.

"They're great, I swear."

Gina looked up at the lights counting down the floors. They came in handy in uncomfortable circumstances.

"I'll be there in ten. Has anyone talked to Bridget?"

Gina glanced over at him and he was watching the lights above the door, as well, with an anxious look on his face.

"Okay. See ya in a few," he touched at his side. She assumed to turn off his phone.

Gina stepped into the lobby. He stepped out with her, nearly brushing against her as he tried to make a quick exit.

"Sorry. Excuse me," he told her, touching her arm lightly. His eyes met hers and she fell into them, stunned by how gorgeous they were. He was. He gave her a quick nod and then dashed quickly by her.

******************************

"Hey, Gina," her friend, Anna, at the magazine's office said, stepping into her office.

"Hey," Gina answered, pushing away from her computer.

"Did you get a chance to read my article?"

"Not yet. Working on Mitchell's. I will next," Gina replied, pushing back her honey blonde hair.

"Not to change the subject, but what are you doing tonight?"

"Hmmm....eating ice cream and watching reruns," Gina said with a sigh.

"No, you're not. You're coming out with me."

"Anna, I'm really not in the mood."

"Come on. You keep saying you need to meet people. Men people, in particular," her blue eyes flashed in mischief.

"I don't like the bar scene."

"Who does? But they go, so we go."

"No, thanks."

"When was the last time you had a date?"

"That's not the point."

"It is the point. Do you even have any prospects?"

Gina laughed. "If I did, would I be sitting at home alone, eating ice cream in front of the TV?"

"Please?" Anna begged, pursing her lips into a cute pout.

"Oh, alright." Gina sighed

"Your thighs will thank me!" Anna crowed as she headed out the door.

"I'm sure they will."

******************************

Gina checked her mailbox, packed again with bills to pay, catalogs to wish for things she couldn't afford, and perhaps a letter from her mother, who refused to learn that there were such things as email and texts.

She flipped through the mail finding what was expected and then came across a letter that was not for her. It was labeled Oliver McKnight with the apartment number of PH4. For some reason, the mailman could not get the fact that PH4's mailbox was right above hers. It was a different name than what she used to get, a William Estagrove.

Gina and William were used to exchanging mail. She had met him once at the mailbox and he had admitted to having to slide mail into her box, as well.

So much for William, and welcome to the building, Oliver, she thought, as she slipped the envelope into his slot, where it belonged.

An hour later, Gina pulled her hair up and critiqued herself in the mirror. She dropped her hair and brushed it again. The phone rang announcing Anna's arrival.

"Be right down," she said into the phone. She grabbed her purse and headed out.

Gina stepped into the elevator and fell into gorgeous gray eyes. He was wearing a white tee shirt, black jeans, and a soft leather black jacket.

"Hi," she said softly, as her voice left her. He looked like he had just stepped out of an advertisement for a motorcycle.

"Hey," he answered with a light, but incredibly gorgeous smile. He adjusted a black bag over his shoulder.

She pressed the already lit lobby button and prayed that her voice would, one day, come back. Gina watched the elevator count down the floors, counting down with it mentally to get her heart rate to slow down.

The doors opened. He put his hand on the inside of the door and gestured with the other for her to exit the elevator.

Gina numbly slipped past him, the scent of the leather of his jacket, and a scent that was all him, enveloped her so much so her knees actually weakened. She tripped over her own feet.

Strong arms came around her waist and pulled her against a hard body. "You okay?" he asked, taking her by the shoulders to help her straighten. Away from him, darn it.

She nodded.

"Okay, great. Have a good night," he said, nodding to someone behind her and left her side.

"You too," she managed to recover herself and call after him, but he was halfway to the front door. She stepped into the lobby fully and walked over to where Anna was waiting.

"Who was that?" Anna asked, her voice laced with curiosity.

"I don't know. Some guy that lives in the building," Gina said with a shrug.

"He is hot! And you don't know his name?! What's wrong with you?!" Anna demanded, slapping her lightly on the arm.

"I don't know anyone in the building."

"You need to change that. Starting with him."

"I try. No one wants to talk to me. They'll say hi and then they shrink away to their own apartments."

"Maybe you need to move," Anna said, not so helpfully.

"I'm not moving again."

"You're finding out his name," Anna ordered.

"We'll see. If, I see him again." Gina hoped she would. She wanted to find out who he was.

*****************************

The next day she checked her mailbox again, finding four bill looking letters for Oliver McKnight. Gina slipped them in his box. She was going out of town for the weekend to visit her brother and considered this. What if he was expecting something important and then she didn't put it in his box until Sunday night? She wanted to make friends, not make enemies. Gina pulled out a notepad from her purse. On it she wrote:

Mr. McKnight, my mailbox is below yours. I often receive your mail. I've spoken to the post office several times in the past year about this, but they do nothing. I don't mind putting your mail in your box. However, I will be out of town Friday and Saturday, so I wanted to let you know in case you were expecting any important mail. I will make sure it gets in your box on Sunday evening. Sincerely, Gina Parker.

She slipped the note in his box and gathered up her mail and went up to her apartment.

*****************************

Oliver McKnight slipped the key in his mailbox and took out his mail. He found a note in his box. His gray eyes scanned the note reading it curiously. It was nice of his neighbor to write him the note and to be consistently giving him his mail. Oliver had no idea that there was any problem. He pulled out a pen from his camera bag, pulled the pen top off with his teeth and turned the note over. He wrote:

"Ms. Parker, I will call the post office and see what I can do. Sorry for the inconvenience. No rush on my mail. Get it to me whenever you can. O. McKnight."

His cell phone rang. Oliver spat the pen top out and closed it back over the pen.

"Yeah?"

"Hey, Ollie, it's Corbin."

"Hey, what's up?"

"Got a shoot for you next week in Greece. You up for it?"

"Greece? For how long?"

"Five days. Why don't you make it a vacation? Stay an extra week. You have some down time in your schedule; I can avoid filling the slots."

"Vacation? What's that?" Oliver asked sarcastically, tucking all of his mail but one under his arm and headed to the elevator.

"I know it's been a while. You've had a good two years."

"Incredible," Oliver said opening a copy of his direct deposit slip of his last pay check. He liked getting used to the extra zeros at the end. And as his manager, Corbin liked his paychecks as well.

"You're the best photographer out there and every magazine knows it now."

"Uh-huh. So who's this for?"

"Fashion Today. The models are Tessa and that new girl Janice something."

"They're cool," Oliver replied, hitting the elevator up button. He'd worked with them both and they were easy to work with. Not much drama like a lot of models caused on set.

"So you'll do it?"

"Yeah, I guess. And I'll take you up on the vacation. I wouldn't mind doing a little sight seeing in Greece," he said, stepping into the elevator.

"I'll set it up."

"Thanks, chief." He hung up on his friend and sighed as he leaned against the elevator wall. Waiting for the ascent to the penthouse level, Oliver continued opening his mail.

It'd be nice to have some time off, he thought. He'd been working practically seven days a week, every week, and at least sixteen hours a day. Oliver wasn't complaining as he was making the best money he'd ever made. But he needed a break.

Oliver called the post office as soon as he got into his condo unit. They assured him that they would correct the problem and he tucked the phone back in his pocket.

"Yeah, right," he muttered.

If the neighbor said she'd talked to them several times before, he believed her. Why would she make that up? And he'd had issues with the post office before.

When Oliver had gone on a back to back photo shoot to Australia and then to Spain, he stopped the mail for three weeks. Ollie didn't get his mail back going for another month on top of that and his bills were late. It took him another three months to straighten out the mess that his credit score was in.

Oliver thought that over. He had set up direct deposit or online billing for most of his bills, but the new bills that were associated with the apartment like his utilities, phone and cable, wouldn't go in to effect for automatic e-payments for another month. Plus, if he left the mail coming, his box would get full, possibly overflow considering how tiny his box was. And so would his neighbor's, Oliver assumed, since she was getting his mail, as well as, her own. Piled up mail was the curse of his job.

Ollie pulled a sheet of paper from his printer, which was one of the few things unpacked. He wrote neatly in script on it: "Ms. Parker, I have spoken with the post office and they assure me they will correct the problem with our mail. I was wondering though, if I could trouble you for just a bit longer. I am going out of the country on business/vacation for two weeks next week, and at this point, given the current problem with the mail, I'm hesitant to stop the mail. Would you mind checking my box and holding my mail for me? I can leave the key in your box when I leave, if that's ok, and pick everything up from you when I get back. Just let me know either way. If not, I will arrange for someone else to take care of it. You can put another note in my box, if you want or give me a call on my cell: (555) 507-7896. Thanks, Oliver McKnight, #PH4."

He went back downstairs and slipped it in her mailbox.

"Hey, uh, Henry, right?" Ollie said to the night security guard.

"Yes, sir," He answered.

"I'm Oliver McKnight, the new tenant in Penthouse 4."

"Yes, sir."

"I was wondering do you know a Ms. Parker that lives here? Uh, Gina, I think."

"Yes, sir."

"What's she like?"

"Nice girl. Always says hello to me. Always a smile on her face."

"Girl?"

"Girl to me. She's young, like you. Late twenties, early thirties maybe. Hard to tell, nowadays, everyone looks young to me."

"Huh."

"I know what that brain is turning over, young man. She is a pretty thing too. Don't think she's seeing anyone. Haven't seen anyone to pick her up," Henry said with a wink.

"Good to know," Oliver smiled back.

"Why're you asking?"

"Oh, um, I need someone to hold my mail for a couple weeks. Going to Greece. We seem to have some kind of mail mix up. Ms. Parker's been getting my mail and putting it in my box. So, I figured if she does that then maybe she wouldn't mind holding everything for a bit."

"I'm sure she wouldn't mind. Why don't you go up and ask her?"

"I don't want to disturb her. I put a note in her box with my number. Thanks, Henry."

"No problem, sir."

****************************

Gina checked her mailbox the next day and found two notes from Oliver McKnight. She considered the question of checking his mailbox. She didn't know him. What kind of mail and how much he got?

She sighed. It was a way to get to know a neighbor. He was probably an old man with a name like Oliver. But, at least, it was someone. Maybe he could be like a grandfather figure. Both of Gina's grandfathers had died before she was born. It'd be nice to have someone that she could maybe play chess with or knit a sweater for. Someone to have company with.

Gina quickly re-read his note and turned over the paper that he'd written the request on.

"Mr. McKnight. I will be happy to take care of your mail for you while you are away. Gina Parker." She slipped the note into his box.

Gina moved to the entrance of the mail room to go back to her place and she bumped into someone.

"OH! Sorry," she helped and looked up into the gorgeous gray eyes of the guy she was so happily starting to often see in the elevator.

"No problem," he answered, his eyes moving to look her over with a smile. "We have to stop running into each other like this."

Gina blushed and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Ha, ha," she said with an eye roll, trying to play it cool.

He moved towards the mailboxes. She pulled herself together and turned to introduce herself. His cell phone rang.

"Yeah?" he answered it, leaning against the wall with an exasperated sigh.

Gina chickened out. Well, he was on the phone, she argued with herself. She would introduce herself another time, Gina promised herself, and headed towards the lobby elevators.

****************************

"What is it with me?" Gina asked Anna on the phone.

"You're just shy around guys."

"It's horrible. He was standing right there. I just had to open my mouth!"

"Try, Hi, I'm Gina. And you are?"

"It won't come out! And god, he's gorgeous!" Gina said, rubbing her forehead.

"And what about this Oliver guy?"

"I've never met him. We just keep trading notes. He's going to put his mailbox key in my box before he leaves and I guess I'll meet him when he gets back. I think he's old though, I mean, Oliver?"

"Yeah. Do the letters smell like Bengay?"

Gina chuckled. "No, but I think it's time to hone up on my bingo skills."

"I'm taking you clubbing."

"No, anything but that," Gina groaned.

*****************************

The following week she found an envelope in her mailbox with just her name scrawled across it. She opened it and found a key and a letter.

"Gina, thanks again for watching my mail. I'll send you a postcard. We'll see whose box it ends up in. I'll be back late on the 15th. I can pick up everything the next day. Maybe I can take you to lunch as a thank you? See you then. Thanks again, Oliver McKnight."

"How nice." Gina tucked it under her arm as she got the rest of her mail out.

She collected his mail and kept it in a basket on her hallway table. A week past and she received a beautiful postcard. It looked like a photo and on the back was a note:

"Gina, Greece is beautiful as you can see in this picture I took from a boat on the Mediterranean. Have you ever been? If not, I'm sort of a picture taking nut so I got a ton of pics to show off to you. Hope all is well with the mail and that you're not buried in it. Throw away any junk mail if you want. See you soon. You might even get this after I get back, I guess. Later. O. McKnight. P.S: I sent this to my mailbox, whose box did it come in?"

She smiled. Hers.