MoreThanNeighborly

by Stephanie Adkins

  “Aren’t you going to ask?” he questioned.

  Confused, she shook her head. “What? You mean am I going to ask what you’re looking for? I have no idea.”

  He smirked again. “No. I meant, aren’t you going to ask me what happened? Why she’s no longer my girlfriend?”

  Although she was curious, what business was it of hers? Why would he think she even cared?

  “I don’t feel it’s any of my business,” she replied.

  He turned and looked at her and the serious expression on his face made her heart skip a beat.

  “You have a leak in your evaporator coil. That’s why it’s not cooling as it should. I can replace the part of the coil that’s leaking, but I don’t have the proper tools in my truck. I’ll run by the hardware store on my way home from work tomorrow and pick up what I need.”

  Instantly, she felt foolish for hoping he might divulge something about his breakup with the wanton blonde.

  “I hate to put you through so much trouble. How much money do you need for the parts? I’ll get my wallet.” Before she could make her way out the door, he took hold of her arm. Turning to face him, she noticed the room had suddenly become much smaller. He seemed to loom over her in a way that startled but also excited her.

  “You don’t have to pay for anything. I told you all I want as payment is to share a cup of coffee and some conversation with you.”

  They were so close she could feel his breath against her lips, and she tried to swallow past the lump in her throat. Just being so close to him was intoxicating.

  “I know you didn’t ask, but I’ll tell you anyway,” he said.

  “What you saw in my bedroom is the reason we broke up. I know you might find that hard to believe, but it’s the truth. The sex was amazing, but that’s all it was…just sex.”

  He released her arm and she knew she probably should step away from him, but she remained in place, wishing desperately he would kiss her. His lips looked so gentle and yet masterful. After witnessing what he was capable of doing with them, she fought to keep her legs from collapsing beneath her.

  “You make that sound like a bad thing,” she remarked, her voice merely a whisper.

  “Do you know what it’s like to want more?” he asked, his voice soft and hypnotic. “To be able to lie next to someone, to feel each breath they take and hold that person close to you until the sun comes up?”

  She couldn’t reply. She couldn’t think of anything to say that would sound adequate enough. Each word that fell from his lips left her more and more entranced.

  All she could do was look into his eyes and hope he couldn’t hear her heart hammering against her chest. Rather than take her in his arms, though, he gave a small smile and stepped away from her. In an instant, her body mourned the warmth and closeness.

  “I’m sorry. I’ve probably said too much. Sometimes I don’t know when to keep my mouth shut.”

  Replacing the panel on the air conditioning unit, he gathered up his toolbox and walked around her into the hallway. Out of nowhere, he seemed almost shy.

  Trying to find the right words to say, Kristen was stopped short by the obnoxious ringing of her cell phone. Jerking it out of her pocket, she turned it off without even bothering to look at the number. She didn’t want to worry about work at the moment. All she wanted was to finish this intriguing discussion.

  “You’re a busy woman,” he said with a laugh, pointing at her phone. “I’ll stop by tomorrow after work if that’s okay. It shouldn’t take long to fix.”

  As he walked to the front door, she managed to find her voice again. “Okay. I’ll see you then.”

  As soon as he stepped outside, she fell against the door. Damn him! Why hadn’t he kissed her? And why the hell was it so difficult to remain calm around this man?

  Taking a deep breath, she walked back to her office. Work was what she needed right now. Sitting at her desk, she took the cell phone from her pocket and returned her boss’s call. Propping the phone between her shoulder and ear again, she pounded the keys in frustration while waiting for him to answer.

  Now wasn’t the time to be distracted with thoughts of Austin McKenzie…or anyone else for that matter. She had a job to do and at the moment it took precedence over everything else in her life. Having learned from experience, facing a deadline was much easier than dealing with men…and the worries that came with them.

  *

  True to his word, Austin showed up on her doorstep a few minutes after his work truck rolled into his driveway late the following afternoon. The events of yesterday played through her mind constantly. Unable to work, she had spent the past hour pacing the floors and looking out the window every time a vehicle drove by.

  She had thought a lot about what he’d said yesterday. As much as she hated to admit it, there were still moments when she missed the closeness that came with being involved in a committed relationship. She had pushed those thoughts from her mind after Randy left, but occasionally they would resurface as fleeting reminders of what she was missing out on. She never let it keep her down for long, though. Her life was full and she was blessed in many ways. She enjoyed coming and going as she pleased and not having to answer to anyone. Also, she couldn’t deny that it was less taxing on her heart. Another relationship would only complicate matters.

  Anxious about Austin’s arrival, but not wanting him to suspect that, she waited for him to ring the doorbell twice. The same crooked smile greeted her as yesterday. His work clothes were dusty and his hair had little pieces of what looked like sawdust in it.

  Lifting a hand instinctively, she only just stopped herself from running her fingers through his hair to shake the dust loose. She recovered by brushing her hand over her hair. His face was smudged with dirt and he wiped his boots on the welcome mat before stepping inside.

  “I apologize for the dirt. I know I must look pretty bad,” he said sheepishly.

  “You look like a person who enjoys their job. There’s nothing wrong with that.” Her pulse raced. You also look masculine, sexy, rugged and gorgeous.

  Down the hallway they proceeded again, and into the small laundry room. She flipped on the light switch by the door before stepping to the side.

  “I’ll just get out of your way, then, and leave you to your work. Is there anything I can do to help or anything I can get for you?”

  Austin set his tools down and smiled.

  “No thanks. I think I can manage. If I do need something I’ll come find you, but this shouldn’t take very long. I’ll be out of your hair in no time.”

  She returned the smile…silently hoping he wouldn’t rush.

  *

  Austin never spoke a word the whole time he was there. The only sounds she heard were his tools running and a loud clang every now and then. After about an hour he finally emerged from the tiny room.

  At the dining room table, glass of water in hand, she peered out the window at the quiet street until she heard him walk in the room. his face flushed. Setting his toolbox on the floor, his face flushed, he wiped his forehead with an old rag that had seen better days.

  “Here, sit down. Let me get you something to drink.” She motioned to the chair across from her. “I’m sorry. I know how hot it can get in that small room since it doesn’t have a window.”

  Austin sat down as she walked into the kitchen to pour him a tall glass of ice water.

  “It’s okay. With my job, you get used to the heat.”

  A chill ran up her spine when his fingertips lightly grazed hers again as she handed him the glass. Stop it, Kristen. Just stop it.

  “Thank you.”

  He placed the worn rag in his pants pocket. Sitting across from him, she suddenly felt at a loss for words, which rarely ever happened. It was very irritating, to say the least.

  “Wait at least a couple of hours before you turn the unit back on. I replaced the section of the coil that was leaking and it should work fine now.”

  She grinned widely. She wa
s looking forward to being able to sleep comfortably again.

  “Thank you so much, Austin. I really appreciate all you’ve done to help me. Are you sure I can’t repay you somehow?”

  The gleam in his eye was disarming.

  “I told you. This is all I want in return, to share a drink, and some conversation with you.”

  Feeling the color rise to her cheeks, she looked out the window briefly.

  “Are you planning on attending the block party tomorrow night?” she asked, trying to break the uncomfortable silence by changing the subject.

  “Tell me more about that. Mrs. Lorna didn’t say much about it other than it’s a big event around here.”

  She couldn’t help but smile again at the mention of her elderly friend’s name. Mrs. Lorna used to love the block parties. She and her husband would take their fold-up chairs and sit on the sidewalk, their cardboard fans in one hand and a glass of lemonade in the other.

  She was always surprised they stayed outside as long as they did with the heat and humidity, but they would just sit there and fan themselves, talking to every child and adult who passed their way. She was going to miss their presence this year.

  “We always have a block party the week before the neighborhood kids go back to school. It’s tradition. We rope off the street, set up some tables, and everyone brings some type of food or drink. There’s music, dancing, games…you name it. Everyone looks forward to it. I bet you’d enjoy it too.”

  Austin stood up, walked over to the kitchen sink, and placed his empty glass in it. Returning to her side, he gave her a wink before picking up his toolbox.

  “That does sound like something I’d enjoy. I’ll fix my famous Mexican dip. Where I used to live, I was known for it.”

  Kristen laughed as she walked with him into the foyer. For some reason, she just couldn’t picture him in the kitchen cooking.

  “I can’t wait to try it,” she said as she opened the front door. “Thank you for your help, Austin. I really do appreciate it.”

  When he turned to face her, she was immediately drawn in by his hazel eyes once again. “You’re welcome. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow night then.”

  Afraid her voice would come out sounding shrill and girlish, she simply nodded and watched as made his way off the front porch and across the yard to his house. With one last wave, he disappeared inside.

  Chapter Three

  Kristen could hear the party in full swing while she finished dressing and she cursed her boss for making her stay late to finish editing Sunday’s edition of the Sentinel. They had been working on a major story over the past two months and it would finally be making its debut that weekend.

  Normally she would have been excited about it but she had been looking forward to spending time with Austin at the party, and now she was running two hours late. Looking at her reflection one last time in the full-length mirror, she turned to check herself from every angle.

  The short, powder-blue sundress highlighted her long legs and tan complexion, which pleased her. Her hair cascaded around her bare shoulders, and the dress color brought out her blue eyes to perfection. She couldn’t help but smile.

  She chided herself for being so preoccupied with seeing Austin. She had talked to a lot of handsome men in the past year and he was really no different. Of course, she had seen more of him than she had seen of most other men too. The color rose to her cheeks as she pictured him tied to his bed, his cock fully erect. She hadn’t been able to get that image out of her mind, and it was maddening.

  Maybe, if nothing else, they could enjoy a friendly romp in the sack. Just the thought made her quiver in anticipation. Flipping off the bedroom light, she bounced down the stairs and grabbed her strawberry cheesecake from the refrigerator before heading outside.

  As soon as she stepped onto the front porch, she was barraged with the sound of laughter as the neighborhood children played along the street on their bicycles, roller blades, and skateboards. Smoke rose from the barbecue grills stationed along the sidewalk and a couple of men in their “Kiss The Cook” aprons were busy flipping burgers and hot dogs.

  There were several tables under the tents that were lined up along the street, and Kristen made her way through the crowd to place her cheesecake on the table that displayed the other desserts. As usual, the tables overflowed with food, and at both ends of the long row were huge chests loaded down with ice and canned drinks. Tiki torches and lanterns were scattered here and there for lighting, while jars of citronella candles were placed around the tables to ward off mosquitoes and other pests.

  The whole atmosphere was wonderful and Kristen couldn’t help but breathe it all in. She looked forward to this every year. Several of the kids stopped to talk to her. As they hugged her in their tiny embraces she felt that familiar ache inside. She had hoped to have a child of her own by now, but once Randy left she had pushed the thought to the back of her mind as she became consumed by her job. Still, at thirty-two, she knew her biological clock wouldn’t tick forever.

  With a sigh, she watched as the children ran off to play in the various activities along the street. Someone had set up a game of horseshoes on their lawn, while others played basketball and touch football.

  The sun was just beginning to set as she looked around the huge crowd in search of Austin. A couple of single men from the neighborhood stopped her, and with a forced smile, she did her best to avoid the conversation that always seemed to present itself when they were around. They had hounded her for several months, but she didn’t have the heart to tell them she wasn’t interested. Sure, they were cute and all, but they were also divorced with young children, and she made it a strict rule not to get involved in situations like that.

  Hearing the sound of a woman’s laughter above the crowd, she turned to see Austin and one of the local divorcées leaning against one of the tall oak trees that lined the sidewalk. The striking redhead moved in closer and whispered something in his ear, which made him laugh, his cheeks flushing a bright crimson.

  She watched as the woman touched his arm, tilting her head in a flirty way that made Kristen’s stomach wrench in knots, although she had no idea why. It wasn’t as if he was hers to claim, anyway. Still, she couldn’t help but notice how handsome he looked in his black dress pants and gray shirt, which hugged his muscles and made her long to touch them. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she went back to the food table. Picking up a paper plate, she scanned the table, finding it hard not to want to try it all. Everything looked delicious; plus, she hadn’t eaten all day.

  “Don’t forget you promised to try my Mexican dip,” came a familiar voice.

  Her heart leaped into her throat as she turned slowly to see Austin standing directly behind her, his eyes bright and charming.

  “Is that so?” she drawled playfully.

  Coming to stand beside her, Austin leaned in close, his lips just inches from hers. She thought at first he might actually kiss her this time, until she realized he was leaning over to pick up his bowl of Mexican dip from the table. Holding it in front of her, he smiled like a Cheshire cat.

  “Here you go,” he said, taking a spoonful and putting it on her plate. Setting the bowl back down, he grabbed a handful of tortilla chips and put those on her plate too. “You have to eat this with tortilla chips. They’re the best kind.”

  She laughed at his enthusiasm. Actually, it did look delicious, with its layers of beans, fresh tomatoes, olives, green onions, cheddar cheese, salsa and sour cream. She scooped some onto a chip and ate it while he continued to watch. She was taken by surprise at how good it tasted.

  “Oh wow,” she said, taking another bite. “This is delicious, Austin. There’s some type of seasoning in the beans. What is that?”

  “Sorry. No can do. A good chef never tells his secrets,” he replied, grinning. “Come on. Let’s eat. I’m starving.”

  Picking up a paper plate, he followed her as she walked from one end of the table to the other. Everything loo
ked delicious, but she stopped herself from going overboard. Austin, on the other hand, loaded his plate to overflowing.

  “You’re going to make yourself sick,” she said, trying not to laugh.

  His crooked smile melted her heart. “It would be worth it. I haven’t been around this much food in a long time. I don’t want to miss anything.”

  After getting a couple of drinks from the ice chest, they walked over to her front porch and sat down on the steps. For several minutes they ate in silence as they watched the kids playing. They were deep into a game of tag, and Kristen laughed as she watched one of the little girls chase after a boy twice her size.

  “She’s something else,” Austin remarked. “When I first got here, she followed me around for a long time before I finally asked her if she would like to dance.”

  His tender gesture took Kristen by surprise, and at first she didn’t know what to say. She could picture him doing that. He had that type of fun personality that would make children want to cling to him.

  “That is so sweet. Do you have children of your own?” She knew from talking to Mrs. Lorna that he didn’t have any kids, but she didn’t want him to be aware of that.

  “No. Not yet, but I hope to someday,” he said, after taking a sip of his drink. “What about you?”

  Slightly uncomfortable with the question, she wasn’t sure how to answer him. Still, he had a way of making her want to be open and honest. There was really nothing to hide, anyway. Most people who knew her well already knew about her past with Randy. Unfortunately, it was a well-known subject in this small neighborhood.

  “There was a time when I wanted children of my own, and part of me still does. Things just kind of happened and I got wrapped up in my work, so I haven’t thought about it as much as I used to.”

  Nodding, he seemed to understand what she was saying.

  “Ah. Randy.”

  Just the mention of his name was enough to make her lose her appetite. She shouldn’t have been surprised that he knew the story, but still it made her uneasy. Looking around the busy street, she tried to think of something else to talk about.