“You’re welcome,” he said with his stunning smile, which seemed to melt my heart even more.
Over breakfast, we talked about the game and the celebration at the bar, and even our disastrous karaoke challenge. Laughing, I totally embraced his presence and felt like we really belonged together. It was odd and even funny, but I could sense our strong connection moving another notch higher.
“So you mean you stayed for the night?” I asked incredulously.
“Yes,” he said. “I hope that’s okay.”
“It is,” I said, gazing at him with my heart beating extra fast. “Real sweet of you, actually.”
“Hhmm… thanks, I guess. I’m rarely described as ‘sweet’.”
I laughed. “Well, you are… in your own way…”
Suddenly, my cellphone began ringing loudly, interrupting our conversation. When I saw that it was Mom, I suddenly went into panic mode because I just remembered we had this family thing tonight that I had not prepared for yet.
“Mom, what’s up?” I said casually, signaling for Stryder to stay quiet.
After greeting me and asking how I was, she went straight to asking what time I was planning to come home for dinner. Mom’s sister and her husband had just arrived with their kids from Australia where they had migrated to years ago.
“Uhmm…” I began hesitantly, feeling another wave of headache coming. “I’m not feeling so well, Mom.”
“Oh, please, please, you can’t back out now!” my foster mother cried out.
“Okay…” I said uneasily, not wanting to disappoint her. “I’ll just rest some more and perhaps get there before dinnertime.”
“That’s great, sweetheart,” Mom said with relief. “Pop will be very happy to see you!”
She sounded so excited so I really couldn’t let her down. Because I had been busy lately, I hadn’t had the time to visit them. Besides, I also wanted to check on Pop and make sure he was alright.
“Okay, I’ll see you later,” I said before ending the call.
“Your mom?” Stryder guessed.
I nodded. “Her sister had just arrived from Australia so she’s throwing a small dinner party tonight.”
“Where is home again?” he asked.
“Green Meadows,” I said, referring to my hometown in the suburbs.
“That’s even farther than Burchnell, Alex’s hometown,” Stryder remarked, narrowing his eyes. “You can’t drive for more than four straight hours in your condition.”
“I’ll be fine,” I insisted. “I just need some meds to relieve this headache.”
“Let me drive for you,” he suddenly offered, to my amazement.
I wanted to ask if he was sure, but I didn’t want him to change his mind. This was too good to be true, considering how I had been doubting his intentions lately. Perhaps this would help us grow closer, and he’d finally let his guard down just enough for me to step in for a real relationship.
Without realizing it, I fell asleep on the couch as we were watching TV. When I opened my eyes again, he had meds ready for me along with Chinese takeout lunch.
“This is too much,” I said as I stretched and sat up. My heart was soaring as I gazed up at the man it was beating for.
“Complaining already?” he joked.
I threw my hands up in the air, laughing. “Definitely not! But beware, I might get used to this.”
He grinned, but there was a look of uncertainty in his eyes. Or perhaps I just imagined it. I decided to just let it go, though, rather focusing on the happy moment.
After we ate and I took the medication he bought, I felt a lot better. “Thanks so much, Stryder,” I said from the bottom of my heart, squeezing his hand.
“You’re welcome,” he answered, looking into my eyes as his other hand covered mine. “I’m glad you’re okay now.”
A tingling sensation ran down my spine, but I chose to ignore it. There was a voice within me that kept asking what we were to each other now and where our relationship was headed. However, I was afraid to speak out and risk ruining the bubbling joy in my heart.
He plopped down beside me on the couch and took me in his arms. Grinning widely with a mischievous glint in his eye, he softly growled, “Now it’s time for you to pay me back…”
“Really now?!” I exclaimed, laughing. My heart was beginning to pump harder just as I felt a damp sensation between my legs.
Without another word, he leaned forward to kiss me. Our lips met in a passionate, delicious kiss. We fell back on the couch with hands groping one another and our legs intertwining. I could feel him growing above me, making me even more aroused.
Pieces of our garments were strewn across the floor as we both stripped naked in a hurry, eager to feel each other’s bodies, the heat within us blending together in fiery ecstasy.
He sat up gently, pulling me up with him and leading me to the bathroom where we showered and had wild sex under the warm running water.
Time seemed to hang suspended in the air, as if the entire morning hadn’t gone by yet. I felt like I was frozen in a romantic movie in which the next scene was totally unpredictable. It was both exciting and terrifying.
In the afternoon, Stryder helped me pack my things for a two-night stay. Then we dropped by his house so he could pick up his stuff.
I suddenly remembered him mentioning about his photography hobby. “Hey, why don’t you bring your camera?” I quipped. “I promise you’re going to love our house by the lake, the forest and the mountains, all the wonderful scenery…”
He didn’t say anything for a moment, hesitation clear on his face. Then before I could urge him once more, he simply shrugged and grabbed his camera.
I didn’t prod because he always appeared to hide behind invisible curtains when we talked about this supposed hobby of his. It was like a taboo subject, so unlike how he opened up about football.
“You sure you’re willing to stay there for two nights?” I asked him when we were heading back to the parking area.
He shrugged. “I’ve got nothing better to do, so I guess I’ll have to settle with spending more nights with you.”
I made a face at him, but eventually laughed.
“That’s if it’s fine with your parents,” he added as we got into the car.
“Don’t worry, they’re cool folks,” I assured him. “Ever since I graduated from college, they just sort of let me do my own thing. They really gave me a lot of freedom.”
“That’s amazing,” he said, looking really surprised. “Wish mine were that cool.”
“What do you mean? Are your parents strict?” I wondered.
He began to drive as I peeked at him curiously. His facial expression was unreadable.
“My dad’s a pain in the ass about football,” was all he said, his eyes fixed on the road. I noticed his jaw tightening and the muscle on his arm becoming rigid as his grip on the wheel tensed. I’m guessing this was a painful and uncomfortable topic for him, so I decided not to push further. I knew he’d open up once he was ready.
Chapter Eight
Stryder
The road trip turned out to be a lot of fun, especially when Tasha dropped the whole photography thing and just let me be. She seemed to sense, too, that I didn’t want to really open up about my problem with my parents.
We sang along to old radio hits, even though we were out of tune. Laughing together as we munched on chips, I glanced at the woman sitting beside me. With the windows down, her hair was whipping around her face insanely, which made her look even more alluring and sexy.
For some reason, the sound of her laughter seemed to relax me and make me forget all my worries. She kept me entertained, too, with more stories of her stunts, while I chipped in about my most hilarious and most embarrassing moments as a football player.
Finally, the road turned to a wider curve and I saw the signage of Green Meadows in wood-like carving. Around us, there suddenly appeared to be endless meadows of greenery, dotted with tiny white and yello
w flowers.
“Now I know why they call it Green Meadows,” I murmured, looking around in admiration as I cruised the car along.
Tasha smiled. “Yeah… Beautiful, isn’t it? God, I’ve missed this place!”
“So you grew up here?” I asked.
She nodded. “Been here since I was adopted…”
“It must have been hard adjusting to a new family and a new place,” I said, seeing her eyes take on a faraway look when I quickly peeked at her face.
“Yes,” she said, suddenly grinning. “I was a difficult child.”
“Hah! I’m not surprised,” I commented, making her give me a friendly slap on the shoulder as we laughed together.
We passed by some woods, which she said she had explored on her own when she was only eleven years old. She’d gotten lost, which had sent her foster parents into great panic and had caused chaos in the neighborhood.
“People here can be so naïve,” she told me. “I guess it was totally different for you.”
I nodded in agreement, recalling my childhood days. I had grown up in the city and had lived in Windfield all my life.
A wistful feeling filled my heart as I remembered that fateful day in the playground when I had broken down and cried. My parents were never really there for me, much more so when they had separated. The pain seemed to slice through my heart sharply as if it had just happened the previous day. Quickly, I forced it to the back of my head and tried to focus on the directions Tasha was pointing out.
When we finally reached their home, which looked more like a mountain cabin by the lake, I couldn’t help but feel a whole lot better. I took in the natural surroundings, with the mountains in the distance and the cool, crisp breeze. It was certainly a lovely place to live in.
“It’s pretty great out here,” I remarked as we went up the front porch. “Why did you leave?”
“I’m not used to being cooped up in one place,” she answered. “Besides, I’ve explored every area of this whole town. I wanted something more dynamic, more exciting! The city was calling out to me!”
“Yeah, makes sense,” I said, nodding as I followed her into the house. The front door was unlocked.
“Hello!” she called out, her voice echoing a bit.
The charming, rustic interiors seemed to be straight out of a countryside home magazine. I immediately felt at home. There was a sense of peace and love in the air that enveloped me and made me feel safe and serene, opposite of how I felt whenever I was in my father’s house.
An old man suddenly appeared, tapping his cane on the floor as he stared at us with a big smile on his dopey face. Beside him was a lovely old woman who must have been gorgeous back in those days. She also had a friendly smile on her face.
“Mom! Pop!” Tasha exclaimed, rushing to give them a hug. They were all obviously happy to see one another. I doubted if my mom would ever react that way.
They launched into quick, semi-told stories as I sort of lingered in the background and watched them in fascination.
Suddenly, the old woman seemed to notice me. “Who’s this young man, Tasha?” she asked kindly.
“Oh, this is my good friend Stryder,” she explained, motioning for me to come closer.
“How do you do, ma’am?” I said politely, extending a hand. The old lady shook it, the smile not leaving her face.
“I’m very good, thank you,” I replied. “You’ve got a lovely home here.”
Mrs. Rodriguez actually blushed. But before she could say anything, Tasha went to introduce Mr. Rodriguez to me. He was just as welcoming.
“Is this the special young man who had swept you off your feet?” the old man asked in a teasing tone.
Tasha and I were both taken aback. She was quick to answer, though. “No, Pop. He’s just…” she paused and glanced at me uneasily, “…a friend.”
“Really?” Mrs. Rodriguez said in disbelief. “But you’ve never ever brought anyone home from the city.”
That comment stuck with me. I looked at Tasha in surprise, but she refused to look back at me or even say anything. Instead, she changed the topic and rambled on about her career as she led us all to the kitchen.
We all enjoyed a cup of coffee and the home-baked cookies that Tasha’s mother had prepared. I couldn’t have enough. They were so damn delicious.
Right after, Tasha excused us as her parents went back to preparing the meal for that evening. She pulled me out to the backyard, but not before taking my camera from my bag. Handing it to me, she pointed out the beautiful lake scenery at the back of their house. The glistening water was greatly tranquil, seemingly fusing with the foot of the mountains in the background.
I looked up at the sky. The sun was beginning to set, splashing gentle hues of orange and pink over the whole panoramic view.
“Start shooting now,” Tasha ordered. “Come on. Show me what you’ve got, Cooper!”
My fingers began to slide across the surface of the camera, just feeling the object and familiarizing myself with it again after a long time that I had not used it. As I gazed at the wonderful miracle of nature happening before my eyes, I instinctively brought the camera up and started clicking away. I adjusted the settings and operated the controls with no second thoughts, everything coming naturally to me as if I had been doing it consistently all these years.
The combination of sheer passion and grit washed over me as I took photos of the breathtaking scenes around me. I felt like I was on cloud nine, doing what I had been born to do. Tasha seemed to fade into the background and she intentionally turned silent, giving me space and freedom to do my thing. I could, however, feel her presence the whole time. It was like she was pushing me to embrace this side of me, even though she was just standing there watching me.
I finally stopped when the sun had gone down completely, leaving us in complete darkness except for the illumination of the moon on the lake.
I put the camera down, my head spinning slightly and my heart beating fast with the thrill and joy. Those few minutes had been awesome! I’d felt so driven and lost in the moment.
“That felt great, didn’t it?” Tasha said softly as she approached me.
I nodded in agreement as I placed an arm around her and kissed the top of her head.
She smiled and took the camera to check out the snapshots. Her eyes widened as she looked at them. “These are so good!” she exclaimed in an excited tone. “You should really pursue this, Stryder.”
I hesitated. She quickly raised a hand to silence me. “No buts,” she said sternly. “I will not let you waste your talent.”
I shook my head, chuckling in disbelief at her utter stubbornness. “You’re impossible,” I said.
She grinned. “I know, right? And that’s why you just can’t resist me!”
I laughed, knowing the joke was half-meant. It made me think about what I was doing there with her.
Just having fun, a little voice whispered in my head. I nodded, trying to convince myself that that was all there was to it.
Chapter Nine
Tasha
After checking my reflection in the full-length mirror in my old room, I smiled with satisfaction. I had taken great efforts to curl my hair and pin one side neatly with a shiny silver clip. I had on an old school eyelet dress that Mom had just sewn for me. It was not my usual garb and a little off my personal style, but a big part of me wanted to please her and make up for lost time.
Besides, I had to admit the dress made me look a lot more feminine yet very grownup. Aunt Lenny will surely love it.
When I went out into the hallway, the guest room door opened, too. Stryder stepped out, wearing a pair of dark jeans and plain blue button-down long sleeves. He’d rolled up the sleeves, though, for a more casual look.
As soon as he saw me, the approving and lingering look on his face gave out his actual thoughts. “You look amazing,” he actually said, making my heart flutter.
“So you like this look, huh?” I asked, grinning and twirling ar
ound.
He suddenly grabbed me by the waist and pulled me close to him. I could feel my heartbeat reverberating through my chest. It was a miracle he couldn’t hear it, the way it was pounding so hard.
“I like all of your looks, Tasha,” he whispered. “You’re very beautiful.”
“Thank you,” I said, looking up at him, mesmerized by the moment. He was about to kiss me when we heard Pop calling us.
We broke apart and hurried downstairs just as two little boys burst through the front door, playing with their toy cars. They were holding the cars up in the air, imagining a flying race while acting like commentators.
Pop and Mom tried to hug them, but they were a bit elusive, oblivious to us and lost in their own world. We simply laughed as we watched them in amusement. They didn’t even seem to notice that they were already in a strange house without their parents.
Soon Aunt Lenny came with Uncle Billy. She quickly shushed the kids who ignored her and simply continued their game. She rushed forward to embrace me and then my parents while her husband shook our hands.
“I’m so sorry about these boys,” she said, looking a little shaken but still beautiful. “They’ve been at it all the way from the hotel and as soon as we parked here, they ran out of the car and into the house!”
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