by Laci Leigh
I just happened to notice the bulge in his shorts.
Finished with the ice cream fiasco, or success—depending upon how one viewed the subject --we managed to stop by some of the local beach shops. We didn’t find anything too interesting, but enjoyed ourselves anyway.
The emerald green water rushed in, bringing with it the light sting of the salty sea spray as the waves lapped upon the sugar-white beach sand. The crowd was always the same. Teens in bikinis checking out the latest guys, retired couples walking hand-in-hand, stopping occasionally to pick up a sea shell. Then there were the pregnant women, some wearing bikinis and others in one piece suits. The ones Todd and I found amusing were the people who walked by wearing their bra as a binki top. This really wouldn’t have been too bad if they hadn’t purchased them from a Wal-Mart clearance rack.
It had been a really good day so far, and to end our outing we took a casual walk on the beach, chatting about the funniest times in our lives and even shared some embarrassing moments about our families.
Todd never mentioned where he grew up. Was he purposely being vague? I decided to find out.
“So, where are you from?”
“A small town. Nothing to really talk about. What about you?” He glanced away.
“I grew up in Hillsborough, a small town in North Carolina. I always felt confined and wanted something more for my life.”
“Ah, that explains the Southern accent.” He chuckled. “So you went to college, graduated, and buried yourself in a career.”
Tucking my hair behind my ear, I gave him a questioning look. “Pretty much. What about you?”
He inhaled deeply. “The same as you. I wanted more out of life. It was hard to find a job that paid well in a small town.” He stopped to pick up a seashell. “Not to mention they didn’t really want to give anyone a real job opportunity.”
He had my interest. “But you had goals.”
He rolled the seashell in his hands. “Yeah, you could say that. So you moved down here to Pensacola to start a new life.”
He’s taking the spotlight off himself. Why?
“So what were you running from, Katrina?”
Ooops! He’s getting a little too close for comfort.
I didn’t want to tell him the real reason, so I compromised.
“My mother died from cancer several years ago. My father hadn’t really been in the picture since their divorce when I was ten. Her death left me on my own, with the exception of my closet girlfriends, Jennifer and Wendy. We made kind of a pact that we’d stick together through thick and thin.”
“I guess your friends became like a family.”
“Yeah, you could say that. Jennifer’s the rich one of the bunch, and Wendy’s still trying to make it as a professional tennis pro.” I laughed. “Funny thing about Jennifer, she’s such a snob, and she’s going to stay with her grandmother in a little country town outside of Brewton this weekend. She’s really going to have a lot to say about that when she comes back home.”
“Who knows, she might get lucky and find herself a good ole country boy,” He drawled in an impressive Southern accent that made me laugh.
I looked out at the crystal blue waters for a few moments.
“Guess it’s time we headed back to my place. How do steaks sound?”
“I’m not quite hungry yet, but I’m sure by the time you have them ready I’ll be starving. “
“Don’t forget I promised you Mojitos.”
The awkwardness I’d felt was gone. I threw my head back and laughed. “Oh, I’m holding you to those Mojitos. And that’s a fact.”
Except for the poking around in my past, it had been the nicest day I’d ever spent with a man. I was really looking forward to having dinner with him.
***
He pointed me to a barstool where I sat and watched as he mixed a pitcher of Mojitos. He even put a little umbrella in my glass as an added touch. We chatted as we sipped on the drinks and he marinated the steaks in a blend of olive oil, soy sauce, parsley flakes, and ground white pepper—his own recipe. I offered to help, but his reply was, “Just sit right there and let Daddy do this.”
I admit having a man do everything was pretty interesting and impressive. Definitely something I’d never experienced. The last count I had for Todd was well over the one hundred mark. If he did something to lose points now, it really didn’t matter. He’d acquired all the necessary kitty points to take possession of Miss Kitty.
He made two Caesar salads and shoved them in the fridge, and then we stepped outside onto the patio where he fired up his massive gas grill for the steaks.
In some deep region of the male mind, there still existed the primal functions. Provide, protect, and fire it up! I honestly believed that starting a fire was more important to a man than sex. He might not want to admit it, but if a man was out in the woods by himself and a woman showed up naked and begging for it, he’d build a fire before he paid attention to the kitty.
I sat at the tall patio table and watched as Todd’s face and eyes lit up with joy when the flames leapt and the meat sizzled against the hot metal rack. It was amazing to see this sexy man transform into a crouched over, grunting cave-dweller.
“Ugh” He grunted, deep and low.
And here’s the cave man!
The flames grew higher, the sound and smell of meat charring hanging in the air. Instantly, he grabbed a bottle of water and spritzed the grill, taming the blaze. He turned the gas level down and joined me at the quaint patio table.
“Wait!” He jumped up and ran into the house.
To my surprise, he came back holding a jar candle, one that he’d purchased at Jandles. He placed it in the center of the table and lit it. The soft scent of lavender and lilacs filled my senses. He seated himself again, sporting a broad and proud smile. My caveman had brought me fire, a love token of the highest esteem.
My lips twitched, fighting back the urge to laugh. Maybe it was because I’d had one too many Mojitos, or that Todd’s basic instincts were rating at an all-time high. Honestly, I was expecting him to call me woman, sling me over his shoulder, and head toward the bedroom to mate with me. I took another sip of my Mojito. The vision flashed through my mind, and I spewed the drink, followed by a coughing laugh. Yep, I was drunk.
He chuckled. “Okay, I think you’ve had enough of the juice.” He moved my glass aside.
“No.” I forced the laugh back down. “I’m okay, seriously.” Once more, laughter popped out of my mouth like a balloon bursting.
At first his eyebrows lifted, but then he joined in. I knew he was laughing at me, but I didn’t care. More thoughts of him as a cave man continued flowing through my mind.
“Okay you need to share with your friend. What’s so funny?” he said, followed by another chuckle.
I shook my head, feeling my marbles rattle. “It’s the whole fire thing,” I snickered.
“Fire thing?”
“Yeah.” I tried to compose myself. “It’s something about men and fire. Like the cavemen in Quest for Fire.”
“Oh, I loved that movie!”
“I know, right? It was my mom’s favorite.”
“Can’t you just imagine us back in those days. Living like the Flintstones?”
“Oh, and our transportation was the dinosaurs.”
He almost choked on his mojito “Yes, and pterodactyls.”
Tears pooled in my eyes as I tried to breathe from laughing so hard. Todd’s face had turned a bright shade of red.
I pointed a finger at him. The vision that crossed my mind was Todd holding the reigns attached to a pterodactyl while I was on the ground with my slow-moving brachiosaurs.
“You would leave me stuck with the old family ride, the brachiosaurs!” I blurted out.
He shook his head. “Yes, and while I was on my pterodactyl I would yell down to you to hurry up—put that thing in gear and get a move on!”
His entire body shook with uncontrollable laughter.
“Oh
! I would call back to you and let you know I’m trading the family ride in for a sportier version. The velociraptor!”
“And I would gently remind you by saying, ‘Honey, you know those raptors only get ten dinosaur eggs to the mile, not to mention they are a one seater!’” He doubled over.
I snorted, which made him laugh even louder. We both wiped our teary eyes, and the laughter finally died. As if some cosmic change in mood and emotions had come about, our gazes met. Neither of us looked away. He was waiting for the green light to kiss me. The thought made me tremble, and he got his signal. He leaned over the small table. Pushing the candle aside, he cupped the back of my head and brought me closer. Our lips pressed lightly together. Points? What points?
My heart raced, thundering loudly in my ears. His tongue traced my bottom lip, urging my mouth to part and then his mouth consumed mine, our tongues chasing each other with undeniable passion. The intoxicating kiss became even more erotic, going on and on.
The light from the candle flickered against the back of my eyelids, and as I melted into the kiss, I smelled something funny. Something that smelled like…smoke!
I opened my eyes, to see the tiny umbrella on fire. I jerked back from him.
“Fire!” I screeched.
The best evening of my life suddenly turned into a catastrophe. Everything happened in a blur. Todd jumped, and his arm knocked the fire tipped drink over into the grill. The grill and steaks suddenly erupted into a fiery blaze.
“Get the extinguisher from the kitchen pantry!” He yanked his shirt off and tried to put out the fire.
I ran into the kitchen. Fortunately, I saw the pantry as I entered. Quickly, I grabbed the extinguisher, and when I turned, I saw Todd beating the grill mercilessly, trying to control the fire. I raced back to the patio and passed him the extinguisher.
He hosed down the fire, and we both silently stood by the grill, watching as the steam and smoke fluffed upward, exposing the two blackened steaks. They seemed to be lying in a silver casket lined with a grill bottom, waiting for the mourners to arrive.
I knew this was a huge blow to Todd’s ego. The man brought me fire and meat to impress upon me his caveman skills. Who was I to argue or doubt him? He’d made an excellent gesture.
“Dear friends,“ I began softly, “we are gathered here today to pay our last respects...”
Todd bowed his head. “And to mourn the loss of our dear friends the steak brothers. Who, by their premature death, did depart from us. “
“Their short lives shall always be remembered,” I continued, moving closer to him, slipping my hand around his.
Gently, he squeezed my hand. “We will always remember you, my dear friends.”
We both sighed.
“That went over well,” He said in a flat tone.
I laughed. “It could have been worse.” I felt the crashing pain of the alcohol and trauma of the fire in my head.
“Todd, I can honestly say I’ve had a wonderful day. But my head is really starting to spin, and it might be better if I go lie down. Do you want me to help you clean up.”
He squeezed my hand again. “No, I got it. Thanks for being such a good sport about this.” He shot me a sideways smile.
He walked me to the front door and gave me a hug. I placed a kiss on his cheek and hugged him back.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” I said, turning toward my house.
“I promise it’s not always like this.” He sounded like a wounded schoolboy—or caveman.
I looked at him over my shoulder. “If it’s not, it won’t be any fun.” I gave him a smile then continued home.
Chapter Four
Cat Calls
The next morning was Sunday, and I rolled out of bed with a smile on my face. For the first time in a while, I felt I had something to look forward to. My mother had always told me that not all that glittered was not gold.
Mother hadn’t known Todd.
Handsome, sexy, funny, charming, and hung like a horse. What more could a girl want? According to my kitty point meter, he would have to start all over today, but I was sure he would make it. Just in case, I thought it might be a good idea to get some fresh batteries for Bob. He’d been feeling a little down the last time we had sex.
The day pretty much started like any other day, coffee and computer. Jennifer, my best friend, was out of town visiting her parents, so I wouldn’t hear from her until the following weekend. I loved her dearly, but she never calls when she’s away on a trip. I couldn’t wait to tell her about Todd.
Around noon, I managed to tear myself away from the Internet and take a peek outside the window to see what Neighbor Todd was up to. I didn’t see his car in the drive and guessed he’d probably gone shopping. My attention turned to housework and laundry.
A couple of hours later, with the laundry finished and the house cleaned, I stretched out on the sofa to relax. I found a movie on TV and started to watch, but my eyelids kept getting heavier by the minute. A little nap wouldn’t hurt.
Eight o’clock that night was the time my eyes finally opened. After yawning and stretching, I forced myself from the sofa to get something to drink and found myself wanting to see Todd again, but as late as it was I didn’t want to bother him. I wondered why I hadn’t heard from him, though.
With a cold drink in my hand, I wandered over to the window and noticed not one, but two cars in his driveway. A white Mercedes SUV was parked directly behind the black Mustang. So, he’d spent his day with someone else. Ugly jealousy reared its head. I immediately slapped it back into a corner and told myself he had friends and needed to spend time with them. The next thought? What kind of friends?
Several weird feelings took over at once: dismay, sadness, anger, and I found myself traveling through different scenarios while remaining at the window.
“Oh, get a grip!” I said aloud.
Just as the words left my mouth, his front door opened, and I saw another man step outside with Todd. The other guy was equally as handsome. Tall, well built, clean cut, and dressed nicely. Todd walked with him to the white Benz and…
Hugged him? My jaw dropped along with my heart. I moved away from the window with my heart broken into tiny shards. Todd, that handsome hunk of the male species was… gay. I couldn’t believe it. Worse yet. Ewwwww… I’d kissed him! Oh this was so not good and made no sense. Why yesterday? Why had he asked me to spend all day with him? Why cook dinner? Why the kiss? Why the fuck had he brought me meat and fire?
My emotions went from heartbreak to anger in less than ten minutes. For the life of me, I couldn’t come up with a reasonable explanation. Last night had been gearing up to be a sex feast and it wasn’t. Yes, I’d left, but Todd didn’t stop me. He couldn’t have been that embarrassed over burning the food. Could he?
I plopped down hard on the sofa, my mind swirling with possible scenarios, but the picture of Todd hugging the other man wouldn’t budge. Suddenly the images of hot sex with Todd that I’d imagined so vividly faded far into the abyss. I buried my face in my hands. I wanted to cry. Another man would enjoy that thing! It wasn’t fair. He’d earned those damn points fair and square!
Without further delayor allowing myself to slip into a comatose state, I knew there was only one constant I could always depend on. It was time for BOB.
I stomped my way to the bedroom, and greedily, my fingers latched around BOB’s shaft as I pulled him from the nightstand drawer. I flicked the switch on to double check the battery strength. BOB would need to take more than the norm this evening. BOB came to life, buzzing softly in my hand. When I changed the speed to high and hit the motion button, the plastic cock swirled in my hand and slowly came to a complete halt.
Frustrated, I held it down and slapped it across my hand. The CPR I administered brought him back for a moment, only so I could watch in horror as the slow hum of death came once more. I beat him again and again against the palm of my hand, cursing venomously as he repeatedly buzzed and died. No, BOB couldn’t do t
his to me, not tonight. I needed him!
I took him with me to the kitchen, continuously slapping him, hoping to find at least one good battery in the house. Just as I passed the front door, the doorbell rang. SHIT!
I shoved my hand behind my back and opened it. OH, SHIT! It was Todd.
“Hey,” I managed to squeak out.
“Hey, I um …well, I wondered if you wanted to have a nightcap with me?” He held up a bottle of white wine and two glasses.
My brains melted and shut down. I stared at him, trying to figure out his intentions. He’d spent the entire day with an obviously good-looking man. Someone he probably had an emotional attachment to, then showed up on my doorstep for a nightcap? What the fuck?
“I…” Before I could finish, BOB suddenly revived with an attack of jealousy. He twisted and buzzed in my hand as my heart came to an utter halt. Heat flamed my face, burning my cheeks to what I was sure had to be a nice rosy red. I could only imagine the horror Todd saw in my eyes as BOB vowed to keep claim of me. Frantically, I fumbled with him behind my back, searching for the off button only to make it worse by hitting the high button instead. Off Bob went, louder than life.
Now you decide to work?
Todd’s expression changed from inquisitive to amused. Well, the cat was out of bag—or rather BOB was. There was no way I could hide my secret boyfriend any longer. He’d made his presence known and apparently considered Todd a threat to his dear Miss Kitty. Oh what the hell, it wasn’t like Todd had never seen a vibrator before.
“Oh, shit.” I gave in to my humiliation and wheeled BOB around and turned him off properly. “Come in.” My voice bared the full pain of my embarrassment.
Todd’s lips pursed together as he obviously fought back the urge to laugh. I stood in front of him, nervously combing my fingers through my hair, and closed the door behind him.