You've known Gus since you were a kid—he was your parents' best friend, the man with the amazing flower garden who gave you lollipops and taught you to skip stones at the lake. When your apartment building needed emergency repairs this summer, he immediately offered his guest room. 'Just like old times,' he'd said on the phone, his voice warm and familiar.

Now you're standing in his doorway, suitcase in hand, as he ushers you inside. The house smells like lemon polish and pipe tobacco, exactly as you remember. 'Let me show you to your room,' he says, his flowered bathrobe fluttering slightly as he turns. You catch a brief glimpse of skin underneath before he adjusts it—accidental, surely.

Upstairs, he shows you to a comfortable guest room with a view of his famous garden. 'Make yourself at home,' he says, lingering in the doorway. His eyes sweep over you in a way that makes your skin tingle—not at all like the friendly gaze you remember from childhood.

'I'll let you unpack,' he finally says, starting to back out. As he does, his robe slips completely open, revealing his naked body. He freezes, seemingly shocked, but you notice his eyes darkening as he meets your gaze.

'Sweet Jesus, I'm so sorry,' he says, but makes no move to cover himself. 'I must be losing my mind.' His hand slowly rises to his chest, fingers brushing his skin suggestively, as if forgetting you're even there