Angry Annie

by Dawn L. Chiletz

  “How about we take a shower and after we can have lunch. We’ll call it a date. Unless there’s somewhere else you’d rather be.” Covering my nipples with my fingers, I let my bra fall to the floor. I step past him and into the shower. Once I’m hidden behind the curtain, I remove my underwear and glance out the curtain to see he’s facing the door. I toss them at him and they hit him in the back. I can see him inhale sharply. “Totally up to you.”

  I pull the shower curtain closed and step under the water, silently praying. I didn’t know I had that in me. I hear the bathroom door close and lower my head. Wrong again. What was I thinking? Just as I’m about to allow myself to feel like a loser, the shower curtain pulls back and a naked Rhode steps inside with me.

  “Hi,” he says in a whisper.

  “I didn’t think you were coming.” I can’t help but smile shyly.

  He lifts his hand and wipes dirt from my cheek.

  “I’m not letting you get the wrong idea again. I’ve always wanted you, but so you know, you’re going to have to see a lot more of me from here on out.” His eyes lower as he scans my body. When did I ever think he was shy?

  As my fingers trail down his chest to his stomach then his package, I bite my lip. “I definitely like seeing more of you.”

  He reaches for the bar of soap and runs his hands over it repeatedly, creating a lather as he stares me up and down. “There’s so much dirt. I have my work cut out for me.”

  “I expect you to clean every inch of me. I’m pretty sure there’s dirt even in places you can’t see.”

  I’m usually not this confident. I don’t know what’s gotten into me. There’s something about how he looks at me that makes me feel like I’m the most beautiful girl in the world. Knowing he thinks I’m hot gives me extra confidence. Leaning my head backward, I let the water rush over my hair. The water trickles down my neck and my breasts. I run my hands over myself and stare into his eyes.

  His eyes darken and I know that if I ask, I can probably have anything I want at this moment. He steps into the water with me. His soapy hands caress my shoulders as he carefully washes them. My skin tingles under his touch.

  He gazes down at my breasts as his hands trail from my neck to my chest. He washes each breast carefully, paying soft attention to my nipples. I’m starting to shake again, but this time the vibration is coming from my core.

  I reach out and take the soap in my hands. His shoulders are broad and muscular. I have to touch him.

  His hands trail down my stomach to my belly button and he moans as he reaches my hips.

  I knead my soapy fingers into his shoulder blades and he relaxes under my touch. His eyes meet mine and I can’t help but stare at his mouth.

  He steps closer to me until my breasts are against his bare chest. Gazing down into my eyes, he runs the back of his fingers against my cheek. Seconds feel like minutes as I wait and beg for his mouth with my eyes.

  His lips gently touch mine and it’s more than I imagined.

  Curling his hand up my back to my neck, he pulls my face toward his.

  His kiss is soft and tender. But his hard dick flicks against my leg. I smile as he kisses me and he returns the expression knowingly.

  “You wanted me hard.”

  “I want everything hard.”

  He gives me exactly what I need as his tongue invades my mouth. He’s no longer tender. His tongue licks mine and I gently suck it to let him know all the things I want to do to him.

  He groans. “I’ve never met anyone like you. Do you always say what you want?”

  “If I tell you I want you inside me, will you go there?”

  “I’m done saying no to you.”

  “Then give me everything.”

  His lips crash against mine as he devours my mouth with his. Grabbing ahold of his back, I knead my fingers into his flesh before trailing them down to his ass. It feels even better than I thought it would.

  I lift my leg and he pushes me into the shower wall, pressing his hips into me. I feel his tip at my entrance and I bend slightly to give him access.

  His dick slides into me and we both moan out loud as his tongue molds with mine. He feels so good inside me, I never want it to end.

  He breaks the bond by lifting my legs around his waist. He turns off the water and yanks open the shower curtain. The cold air hits my warm skin and goosebumps break out all over my body.

  He carries me out of the bathroom and slowly drops me onto his bed.

  “I’m going to get your sheets dirty,” I say as he stands over me and reaches into his nightstand for protection. I gaze down at my body and his. We’re both still covered in mud.

  “The dirtier the better,” he says as he climbs over me and uses his hands to spread my legs.

  “Ooh!” I say with surprise. He’s strong and forceful. I like it.

  “Here’s what’s going to happen,” he begins as he presses the tip of his penis into my folds.

  I arch my back and try to pull him in, but he won’t let me.

  “I’m going to make love to you. Then we’re going to clean up, have food, and I’m going to eat your pussy for dessert. Understand?”

  I nod because it’s all I can do. He might just be the most perfect man I’ve ever known. No one has ever left me at a loss for words.

  “Is that a yes, Joss?”

  “Fuck yes, it’s a yes.”

  He slowly pushes into me and I’m reminded of how long it’s been. My girly parts scream out in happiness as he claims my body the way he’s already claimed my heart.

  “THAT WAS THE BEST dessert I’ve ever had,” I say with a laugh as I roll over to face him, leaning my head on his chest.

  “I’d have to agree with you there,” he replies, kissing my forehead.

  After we ate lunch, we washed our clothes, showered for real, and changed his sheets. Then he kept his word.

  “Holy hell! It’s almost one!” I shout when I notice the clock on the nightstand.

  “Yeah, we’ve been at it for a while.”

  “I need to get over to Annie’s. I need those reviews.”

  I try to sit up and he pins me down, crawling on top of me.

  “Why is this so important to you?”

  “This story? It’s my chance at showing my boss, Darla, that I have what it takes to be a writer.”

  “And the magazine thinks a story on how people do reviews will draw interest?”

  Turning my face away from his, I stare at the wall. I haven’t been truthful with him and now I’m worried about what will happen when he finds out what I’m really up to.

  “What is it?” he asks, concerned.

  “How did you and Annie meet? I mean, you’re so protective of her. How did that happen?”

  He pushes up and sits on the bed next to me. “I moved here a few years ago. I lived in Texas most of my life, but I’d decided I needed to branch out on my own. Annie was . . . well, she was Annie and it was refreshing. I instantly liked her.”

  “Was she nicer back then?”

  “Nice is a relative term, don’t you think? Annie says what she thinks and I respect that. But I also feel like she does it to protect her heart and I get that too.”

  Pulling his bedsheet around my chest, I sit up to see him better. “What do you mean?”

  “My father is a professor. A Rhodes scholar,” he says, making quotation marks with his fingers around the word Rhodes. “He wanted more from me than I could give him and after a while, I stopped caring about his feelings to protect my own.”

  “What did he want from you?”

  “He wanted me to be a doctor like him. He didn’t care what kind, so he said, but I think he wanted me to go into medicine. Torrance Bennett needed a son who measured up to the family name.”

  He lies across the bed and leans on his arm. “I was always fascinated by nature. I knew I loved planting things and watching them grow. My passion has always been seeing the potential in something small and seemingly insignificant and
knowing someday with care it could be so much more.”

  I smile at him as he speaks. He has the same intensity in his eyes as I do when I talk about writing.

  “But dear old dad wasn’t happy with that. He’d never come right out and say it. He’d sashay around his feelings and use innuendo to get his point across. I told him I wanted to start a landscaping business. He told me I should go into horticulture and teach. He wanted me to get my doctorate. I got my bachelor’s and I was done. He knew I liked working with my hands. There’s no way in hell I could stand wearing suits and sitting at a desk all day. It’s not who I am.”

  Touching his hands with my fingers, I admire every callus. We both use our hands, just in different ways.

  “I would have rather he came right out and told me he hated the idea rather than grimacing every time I talked about it. I think it’s one of the reasons I liked Annie immediately when I met her. She told me she didn’t like me within the first minute we met. Of course, now I know she doesn’t mean any of it. But I would have rather my father just come out and say he didn’t like who I became, or that he was disappointed in me rather than have to read between the lines my entire life.”

  Pulling my knees to my chest, I stare down at him on the bed. “Your father and my mother make quite a pair.”

  He reaches up and pushes a strand of hair from my eyes.

  “So Annie said she didn’t like you? That doesn’t surprise me. How did you end up cutting her grass?”

  He sighs and sits up to face me. “Her yard was a disaster. There were weeds everywhere. Her bushes were out of control. I couldn’t stand it. I got the feeling either she didn’t care about how it looked or couldn’t keep up with it. When I saw the inside of her house for the first time, I knew it was the latter. I told her how much I loved yardwork and begged her to let me take care of it. She waved me off and I took that as a yes.”

  He really is a good guy. I know it in my heart. It makes me feel even worse about what I’m doing. What if he gets mad at me?

  “You okay?” he asks. “You do that a lot.”

  “What?”

  “Get that far off distant look in your eyes. What’s going on in that head of yours?”

  “Wouldn’t you like to know,” I say with a smile.

  “I would.”

  I can’t help but watch his mouth move as he speaks. The stubble around his lips is the perfect length. It feels so good when he kisses me and frames the amazing lips I suddenly need to kiss again.

  Reaching out with my hands, I pull his face to mine and press my lips to his. A soft kiss changes into a deeper kiss and before I know it, I’m lying on top of him.

  I pull back and sigh. “I can’t start this again.”

  “You kissed me,” he says, lifting his hands in the air as if he’s innocent.

  “I know, and as much as I want to kiss you all day long, I really do need to go.” I stand up and stretch my arms above my head. I turn to face him and he’s grinning.

  “Let me date you.”

  His words take me by surprise. “Isn’t that what we’re doing?”

  I walk out of the room to check if my clothes are done in the dryer.

  He follows me, equally naked, through the house. “I’m serious.”

  “I know you are.” I pull out my underwear and slide it up my legs. “So am I.”

  He watches me for a moment then tilts his head to the side. He’s freaking adorable.

  “So what do you say?” he asks.

  “I say you can mow my lawn anytime you want.” Clasping my bra, I reach for my jeans. They’re nice and warm.

  “Really? So this was about sex with you?”

  I stop dressing and lean into him. “Of course not.” He doesn’t seem to believe me so I feel I need to explain.

  “Do you know how many actual relationships I’ve had in my life? One. One that lasted longer than a few months and that was in high school. I don’t know how to do this. Sex is all I’ve ever known. To me, this feels like dating because I already know so much about you.”

  He locks his fingers around my waist and holds me against him. I roll my fingers over his tanned chest. His eyes darken and I sense things are about to take a more serious turn. As much as I want to be with him, I start to feel scared.

  “Joss, I’m not going to lie to you and tell you I know what I’m doing either because I don’t. I’ve never actually wanted to date someone until I met you.”

  “Is that a good thing?” I ask nervously.

  “A very good thing. I just need to know if you want more, too.”

  “I can tell you with absolute honesty that I know I think about you way too much.”

  “That’s not an answer, Joss.”

  Pulling my shirt over my head, I kiss his lips once more. “You don’t really know me. What if you don’t like me when you do?” I try to sound confident but inside the question burns. The real question is whether or not he’ll still like me when he finds out my true motives with Annie. I’m secretly afraid I’m already too close to him. If he finds out my truth and leaves me, I don’t know if I’ll recover. I need to protect my heart.

  “I don’t think that will happen.”

  “You don’t know that. I don’t want to get hurt.”

  I turn toward the door and he pulls me back. “Hey, do you remember what I said to you earlier in the bathroom? How I wanted to wait and date you? I still do. Don’t let this make you think otherwise.”

  I bite my lip and gaze down at his perfect body. “You should never ever wear clothes.”

  I rush toward the front door and blow him a kiss.

  He shakes his head and leans on the doorframe. “I’m going to date the shit out of you,” he yells as I shut the door behind me.

  I close my eyes for a moment and lean my back against his door. I don’t want to admit it out loud, but deep down I know I want everything with him. It’s like I was his from the minute I saw him. Something inside me is changing and I like the way it feels. But I know I’m not being honest and it’s holding me back. I feel sick over the whole thing. Maybe I should walk away. Could I do that?

  Gazing up at the sky, I beg, “Please don’t let me ruin this.” As I make my way to Annie’s, I know in my heart, I’m going to destroy it.

  “ANNIE, OPEN UP! WE need to talk.”

  “Whatchoo yellin’ for?” she asks as she rounds the corner of the house.

  I step down off the porch. “Where were you just now?”

  “I’m going to work. Harold needs me for a couple of hours.” She holds out my bag. I almost forgot all about it. When I don’t take it, she drops it to the ground.

  “Wait, but we need to talk.”

  She waves her hands in the air and marches toward her car. I pick up my purse, rush over, and jump in the passenger seat.

  “Oh no, you don’t!”

  “If you’re going to work, then so am I. Do you realize this is supposed to be our last day together?”

  “Not my fault you weren’t around.”

  “You know damn well where I was! I was looking for Stupid. You’re welcome, by the way.”

  She eyes me up and down. “You aren’t dirty no more.”

  “Well, I was filthy no thanks to you. You didn’t even offer me a paper towel.”

  She smiles as she places the car in reverse. “I knew lawnmower man had something for you to wipe your face on.”

  I do a double take at her and force myself to look out her window to avoid smiling.

  “Ahh!” she says, pointing her finger at me and poking my arm. “I knew it. Who owes who a thank you now?”

  “Whatever happened, assuming anything happened, has nothing to do with you.” I cross my arms.

  “How was it?” she asks as she turns the corner and stops at a light.

  I gaze out the window.

  “I’m not blind. That boy has a body like a truck. If I were younger I would’ve gone after him myself.”

  I roll my eyes at her but can’
t help but laugh picturing them as a couple.

  “He’s a pain in the ass. I hope you’re taking him off my hands.”

  My inner dialogue rages in my mind. I need to get at least some of my worries off my chest before I explode. “I don’t know if it’s going to work out.”

  “Why?”

  I shrug.

  “Child, you didn’t go this far to give up on your dreams. Sometimes you have to do what you have to do. Not everyone is going to like your decisions, but it’s your life.”

  Turning to face her, I feel like we aren’t talking about the same thing. I look away and bite on my nail. I don’t know how to respond to that and I feel as if I’ll get myself into trouble if I do, so I zip my lips for the rest of the drive.

  We pull into the dollar store parking lot and she turns off the ignition. I need to make sure she knows I haven’t forgotten.

  “Annie, we need to talk about these reviews.”

  “I gotta work now.”

  Pressing my fingernails into my palms as she huffs her way inside, I decide to take this time to think through exactly what I’m going to say to her and how best to say it. I’ll wait until after her shift rather than lose my cool in front of her coworkers.

  I follow her into the store and am proud when I walk past a large section of potato chips and don’t feel the need to stuff my face.

  “Ms. Joss!” Harold shouts as he wheels a cart over to me. “You come in to get some things?”

  “Not today.”

  He seems disappointed.

  “Do you mind if I hang out with Annie? I promise I won’t keep her from working. I don’t want you to fire her.”

  “Fire her?”

  “Yeah. I know she really likes this job.”

  He moves closer to me and waves me away from the register. “If I tell you something you have to promise me you won’t say a word to Annie.”

  I nod.

  “’Cause ain’t no one want Annie pissed off at them. Know what I mean?”

  “More than you know.”

  He glances over both shoulders and whispers, “I don’t pay Annie to work. She volunteers.”