To Catch a Falling Star

by L. Duarte

  “Don’t, um, don’t say things like that.” She turns away. Her fingers slightly tremble as she fiddles with the stereo. At her every move, the bells jingle. I examine her small waist and the generous curves of her hips. And, yeah, I crave her body. Her ass seems to fit perfectly in my hands.

  With two long steps, I’m standing so close to her that I can inhale her scent. Her body emanates warmth that slowly envelops me and draws me near.

  “You are a woman with many fascinating facets, Mel,” I whisper against her ear. She is so still. My dick hurts because it’s so close to her ass.

  “I, um, I need to go…” She turns and sidesteps to escape me. I swiftly block her way.

  “Why? Do I make you uncomfortable?” I reach for her hand, bring it to my mouth, and kiss the pads of her fingers. I bite her pinky softly. “You sound so damn sexy with these rattling bells.” I smile. My fingers twiddle with the tiny bells of the bracelet.

  “You are such a cocky bastard. No, you don’t make me uncomfortable.” Her teeth scrape her lower lip. “I have a class to teach.” She inhales a deep breath, pulls her hand away, and squares her shoulders.

  “Please, let me by.”

  “How about the playlist? Can’t dance without music can you?” I smirk.

  “Yeah,” she says and hits play.

  “I guess I’ll watch you as I wait for Lucas. I’m a bit early,” I say playfully.

  “Sure. Whatever,” she says, sounding frustrated. Oh, someone is being self-conscious.

  I try to focus on something else other than the thought of those bells jingling as I make love to Mel. My dick presses hard against my gym shorts. Hell, it’s more and more difficult to be near her without touching her. Lately I’ve fantasized about her in her cop’s uniform. Tonight when I think of this outfit, jerking off will be a completely new level.

  The office has a small window with one-way glass. It provides a front-row seat, while offering me privacy to spy on her.

  As the women line up, Mel stands in the front of the class. She greets her students and, nervous, she occasionally glances at the one-way window. She knows I’m watching her. She begins instructing her students, but the sensual music muffles her voice.

  Then, she frowns. Her gorgeous face becomes focused. I smile. She is trying to block the thought of me staring at her. Oh, Mel, you’re so mine. Don’t even bother fighting it. You’re as attracted to me as I am to you.

  Mel raises her arms, inhales deeply, and sways her hips. My fucking world stops. Her body hypnotizes me with its sensual, erotic movements. My dick is so hard it hurts. I wonder if it’s possible to come just watching her hips moving side-to-side, thrusting, and lurching forward and back.

  Goddamnit.

  My eyes stare at her hips for the next half of an hour. Bewitched by her sultry and voluptuous body, I startle when Lucas cracks the door open. He wears the same police uniform as Mel.

  “Hey, dude. You’re early.” He closes the door and smiles at me.

  “Hi, Lucas, yeah, I got here early, and was watching Mel. Damn, she can move those hips.”

  “You might want to wipe off the drool.” He points to my chin.

  “Kind of obvious, huh?” I squirm uncomfortably in my seat, hoping he doesn’t notice my tented shorts. But, it’s kind of hard to miss at this point.

  “Yeah, right now it’s all over your face. Gotta warn you though, Mel is a special person, and a few of us are overprotective. Just be aware of that.” As if to prove a point, he removes his gun from his belt and collects the bullets before locking them away in a safe.

  “However, having said that, I would like to see Mel find someone special to make her happy.” He takes off his uniform shirt and puts it on a hanger. Without a trace of embarrassment, he changes into sweatpants and sneakers. I don’t usually pay attention to a man’s body, but Lucas is perfectly chiseled. It increases my awareness of my lanky figure.

  “Step on the scale.” He grabs a clipboard and points to the corner of the room.

  “The dietitian I told you about will stop by to talk about a new diet. You need to gain some weight, man,” he says after he checks my weight.

  “Yeah, I’ve never been this skinny. I’m having a hard time eating.”

  “I’ll give you the name of the protein shake I take. It’ll help you bulk up.”

  “Has Mel dated since her husband passed away?” I ask, glancing toward where she still danced.

  “No, Mel has never dated anyone other than Tim. They had a thing for each other since kindergarten, started dating at the age of thirteen, and got married when they were twenty. In all honesty, Mel has not even kissed another man.”

  “Whoa.”

  “Let’s get some measurements.” He pulls a measuring tape from a shelf.

  “That’s hard to believe. Look at her, she’s gorgeous.”

  “She never had eyes for anyone else, man. Sometimes I wonder if she’ll ever fall in love again. Losing Tim has been tough on her.” He wraps the tape around my bicep and scribbles something on a piece of paper.

  “Lift your shirt; let me measure your chest.” I snatch my shirt off. He encircles the tape around my chest. I hear the door open. Shit, I really don’t want Mel to see me again without my shirt. I look like a freaking gangly teenager boy. Pathetic, I know, but standing next to healthy and strong Lucas I’m ashamed of my body.

  “Sorry, I didn’t know you were…” Her eyes glance at my naked chest, then she turns to leave.

  “That’s okay, Mel. Just taking some measurements.” Lucas smirks as he jots down my numbers. “No need to turn all red.”

  I quickly shrug the shirt back on, putting us both out of our misery.

  “Oh, well. I’m leaving. See you at class tomorrow.” She gathers her purse and iPhone, clearly avoiding eye contact with me.

  Shit, I want to follow her like a puppy.

  “Christ, Tarry, you gotta work on not being so obvious. Will and Uncle Dan will be all over you if they suspect it you have the hots for Mel.” Lucas shakes his head.

  “In all honesty, I don’t give a damn,” I mumble.

  “Well, you should. Mel is not the type to confront her father. She is crazy about the old man. If you want a chance at her, you gotta play by very outdated rules. Completely opposite of the rules from the world you are used to.”

  “Yeah, no shit,” I say.

  “Let’s go see what you got on that boney ass of yours.” Lucas points toward the dojo floor.

  WHAT THE HELL is wrong with Tarry? No, what the hell is wrong with me? Yeah, it is the sight of that bare chest. Oh my. Tarry’s build is perfect. Though he is skinny, he has broad shoulders and narrow hips. God, I unashamedly stared at him. How embarrassing is that?

  Anxious to be away from Tarry, I dashed out of the gym. I climb into my car and turn the key in the ignition. The engine doesn’t start. Shit. I take a deep breaths and repeat turning the key to the on and off positions, willing the car to start. I continue the process, but the car remains impassive, refusing to produce even a sputtering sound. Crap. Frustration floods me. I can’t afford to spend more money on this piece of junk.

  I call my mechanic, who is, for obvious reasons, on speed dial. He is towing a car cross town, so it’ll be at least an hour before he gets here. I lean back and do the math of how much money I have in savings. Yeah, I’ll have to take another double this week. This is bad timing.

  I close my eyes and tears threaten to fall. But I rebuke them. I’m not crying over a car. The reality is that each time my car breaks I have an emotional breakdown. And my car breaks pretty often. This is something that Tim took care of. I really dislike anything mechanical.

  I call my mom. “Hey, Mom, I’m running late to get Ella.”

  “Sure, honey, is everything okay?”

  “Yeah, it’s fine. I should be there in an hour.” I tell her.

  “Okay, I’ll have Ella showered, and put her pj’s on.”

  “Thanks, Mom.”

  “Of
course, hon. And I’ll have a plate of dinner for you.”

  “Oh, Mom, you’re the best. I’ll take it home with me. Thanks a million.”

  “Sure, sweetie.”

  I lean back and close my eyes. My traitor’s mind reels back to Tarry. Really? I can’t seem to remember life before Tarry. You are pitiful, Mel.

  My heart speeds up as I think of his lips, soft and warm, tauntingly caressing my fingers. A jolt tugs at my core at the thought of him biting my pinky. I don’t think I’ve seen something so sexy in my entire life. I curl my fingers and bring them to my chest. God, the man knows how to tempt a woman. How to say no to that? I hate to admit it, but I’m wet and feeling deeply wanton.

  A soft tap on the window yanks me out of my reverie. I glance out. My eyes meet Tarry’s concerned expression. I roll down my manual window.

  “Are you all right?”

  “Yeah, I am okay. Baby Honey is not feeling too good though.” I attempt a smile.

  “Do you want me to check on it for you?”

  “Do you know anything about cars?”

  “No.” He raises his brow.

  “It’s okay. I called a tow truck.” As if on cue, a blipping light flashes behind us.

  “Oh, he’s here.” I jump out of the car.

  “Hey, Mel, is Baby Honey sick again?” Mike flashes me his flirtatious smile. He hugs me, lifting me off the ground and kisses my cheek. He was Tim’s cousin and best friend. Back when we were teens, they used to spend hours repairing an old Charger.

  “Yeah, she’s getting old and worn out.” I offer him a warm smile.

  “Gonna have to let go of her one of these days, Mel.” He collects the keys.

  “Yeah, I suppose so.” I turn to Tarry and make the introductions.

  “Hey, man,” he warmly greets Tarry who simply nods in return.

  “Do you need a ride?” Mike asks.

  “No, I’m driving her home,” Tarry interjects with a harsh voice. The hell he is driving me home.

  “Good, ’cause I already have another car to tow. There must be a full moon or something.” Mike flashes a smile and kisses me again. “See you, maybe we can go out to catch up or something.”

  “Yeah, sure, I would like that. I’ll call you tomorrow to get the diagnostic,” I say as I get Ella’s booster seat from the back.

  “Sure, I’ll give Baby Honey priority, since she’s a regular.” He winks at me, then waves to Tarry.

  “Let’s go,” Tarry snaps. He snatches the car seat from my hands and grabs my arm without even looking Mike’s way. Arrogant ass.

  “Bye, Mike,” I squeak as Tarry drags me to the Jeep.

  “If you didn’t want to give me a ride, why did you offer?” I snap.

  “Friendly mechanic, huh?” He opens the Jeep door for me.

  “Mike is my husband’s cousin.” I frown. “Not that it’s any of your business.”

  “Whatever. He’s just too friendly.”

  “You sound like a jealous boyfriend,” I protest, sinking in my seat.

  “Where to?”

  “My parents’ place. Ella is there.”

  He turns the engine, then merges into traffic. With his eyes focused on the evening traffic, I use the opportunity to examine him. His shaggy hair is drenched and his cotton shirt clings to his chest. He smells of sweat and a faint scent of cigarettes. My insides clench. He looks so delectable. I shake my head, exasperated with the direction my thoughts keep taking.

  Now, whatever happened to operation avoidance? It seems that at every corner I bump into him. I need to spend more energy in planning my life better so our paths will no longer cross.

  He pulls over in the driveway. I say a little prayer that Mom and Dad don’t see me in Will’s car. I’m not in the mood to explain that my car is broken again.

  “Can you wait for a moment? I won’t be long.”

  I climb the stairs and zoom inside the unlocked front door. Inside, Ella storms my way and jumps in my arms. I squeeze her tight. “Hey, baby, I missed you.” I glance at Mom, who shoves a plate of food on my hands.

  “Here is your dinner, honey. Ella is all set for bed, except for her teeth.”

  “Mom, I can’t thank you enough,” I say already turning to leave.

  “No need, Mel. Bye, honey.” She waves to us.

  “Bye, Grandma.”

  Please, please, Mom, don’t follow us. I repeat the mantra. She doesn’t. Relief rushes through me, as I close the front door.

  “Is that Uncle Will?” Ella asks.

  “No, honey, that’s Uncle Tarry. He’s giving us a lift.”

  “Cool, I like him.”

  “Come on, honey, hurry.” I usher her inside the car.

  “Hi, Uncle Tarry.”

  I buckle the belt on Ella’s booster, slide inside the car, and urge Tarry to speed away.

  “Hey, Ella.” He flashes his rock-star smile at the kid. She melts under his charm.

  “Mommy is in a hurry.” She giggles.

  “What’s the matter? You don’t want your parents to see me?” He frowns and, momentarily, seems hurt.

  “No, it’s not that. I don’t want them to know my car is broken again. Will is going to preach a living hell to me.”

  “Why don’t you accept his offer for a new car?”

  “It would be too much. I don’t know if he told you, but Will bought me my house. I can’t take more from him. It would be wrong.”

  “Not if he can afford it.” Tarry shrugs.

  “I’ll be the judge of that,” I snap. Besides, I like this car. It was Tim’s.

  The five-minute drive seems too long. Tarry and Ella talk about her day at school, and I redo the math in my head. Do I really only have this much money? Can I even rent a car?

  Finally, he pulls over in my driveway.

  “Thanks, Tarry, you are a lifesaver,” I say, as I get out Ella and her car seat.

  “Can I come in?” He smiles, already out of the car.

  “Um, it’s late, and Ella has to be up early tomorrow for school.”

  “I won’t stay long,” he says, unaffected. Does he always have to have his way?

  “Oh, I want to show you my guitar. It was Dad’s, but Mom said I could have it.” Ella tugs his hand and guides him to the back door.

  I cringe. Is the entire world against my operation avoidance?

  “Ella, you’ve got to go to bed,” I say, unlocking the kitchen door.

  “In just a minute, Mom. I promise,” she begs and I can’t deny her request. Truth is, Ella doesn’t ask for much. When she does, it’s hard to say no.

  I set the plate on the kitchen counter and observe Tarry and Ella. She hauls him into the living room where her guitar lays next to the old piano. Tarry’s tall build fills the room.

  “Mom is going to teach me, but she hasn’t had the time.” She hands him the guitar. My heart contracts when I hear the comment. I did promise her, but I’ve been working so many hours.

  “Maybe I can teach you a few things I learned to play at your age.” Tarry lounges on the couch and strums a few chords.

  “Cool, can I tell my friends? Mom says that I shouldn’t tell people about you or Aunt Portia. She said some people like to say bad things about you because you’re famous.”

  Oh, God, what else is Ella going to tell him? I need to get her to bed.

  “Oh, yeah, is that what your mommy says?” He smiles.

  “Yeah, mommy said that you’re very nice, but some people are jealous that you’re handsome and a good singer.”

  “Is that so?” He glances my way.

  “Hmm-hmm. When can we start the lessons?” she asks.

  “Well, right now, you’re going to bed, missy.” I intervene.

  “OK. Bye, Uncle Tarry,” she mumbles and pouts.

  “Bye, Ella, I’ll set up a lesson with your mom, okay?”

  “Yay, that’s cool.” She jumps on him and kisses his face. “Mommy, can I at least tell Courtney?”

  “We’ll talk abo
ut it tomorrow, okay. Now let’s go brush your teeth.” I turn to Tarry. “Give me a minute, I’ll be right back.” I smack her butt lightly as we climb the stairs.

  I WATCH THEM go up the stairs. Ella’s giggles are adorable. She is a smart kid. And a perfect excuse for my return.

  As I wait, I study the room. It’s a small house, but it radiates warmth. Mel likes colors. The living room has a red and inviting couch. Picture frames embellish the yellow walls. I stand and examine the photos. The majority are snaps of Ella. But there are dozens of pictures of intimate moments between Mel and Tim.

  I study him. He was good-looking. A pang of jealousy stings my chest. The pictures show an easy demeanor that would make you want to meet him. In addition, he is a goddamn hero who died for this country. I immediately recognize a gut-wrenching mixture of jealousy and admiration.

  After a few minutes, Mel is back. I don’t hear or see her, but the air becomes thick with her sensual presence. I glance over my shoulder to see her silently peering at me.

  I smile, hoping I don’t look as pathetically lost as I feel. “You two made a perfect couple.”

  “Thank you. It was a long time ago,” she says with grief lacing her voice. A crushing desire to embrace her overwhelms me.

  “I want to propose a truce,” I say.

  “Sorry, but you have me at a disadvantage. I’m unaware of us being engaged in warfare.”

  “Oh, but we’re,” I say and my voice is raspy. I clear my throat. “And so you know, I don’t engage in any battles I don’t intend to win.”

  “Get to the point, Tarry,” she snaps.

  “For the duration of my being your chauffeur, I promise to avoid kissing you.”

  “You must be kidding.” She puts her hands on her hips. Oh, those tattooed hips. The thought almost makes me retract my proposition. She frowns with an outraged expression. I need to bring the big guns to convince her.

  “Also, I’ll keep your misfortune with Baby Honey a secret,” I explain.

  “Are you trying to be funny? What do you think I am, thirteen? Listen, pal, I couldn’t care less if anyone knows my car is momentarily indisposed.”