by Joey Bush
“It was a little devastating but I can look back on it now and laugh. I think it’s your turn next. I have plans to make you over before I leave for school,” I said.
“Save the effort Jenna. It’s like putting lipstick on a pig. Let’s focus on tonight. Be prepared to fill me in on all of the details. YOLO Jenna.”
I groaned. “Don’t ever use YOLO again.”
“Well, it’s what you should be thinking right now.”
“Whatever you say Sayler.”
I drove home and I entered through the side door because I didn’t want Ryder to see me. He would be surprised to find that I’m his next-door neighbor. I was interested to hear him explain the sex manuals.
My mother was just leaving when I walked in the house.
“Hey, Jen.”
“Hey, mom.” I smiled.
“I saw our new neighbor today. I’m telling you. The man is blistering hot. He must be having a special guest tonight. I saw him setting up a table on the patio and it looked romantic. I suppose we’re out of luck – at least we will have a fine view of perfection,” she said.
I laughed uncomfortably. “You are going to Jonathan’s for dinner tonight correct?”
“Yes that’s the plan. He will drive me home so you won’t have to worry about me. Are you going out?” my mother asked.
“I’m going to see a movie and hang out with Sayler.” Sayler had used me to lie to her Mom, so I was just returning the favor.
“All right, well, have a great time. Last one home locks the door.”
“Got it mom. I’m going to go upstairs to shower and change, so have a good time,” I told her.
When I was done with my shower, I put on a sky blue tank top and jeans. As suggested by Sayler I wore my hair down. I slipped on some strappy sandals and the usual silver bangles. I looked at myself in mirror, exhaled deeply, and said, “Here goes nothing.”
Chapter Seven
I grabbed a pint of vanilla ice cream to have with my pie before I left. I walked out the side door and around the block before arriving at Ryder’s door with a very soft pint of ice cream.
I knocked on the door.
It quickly opened, revealing Ryder looking more devastating than ever. He was fresh out of the shower and his casual buttoned up shirt was open. He smelled…heavenly.
“You look beautiful. I didn’t hear you pull in the driveway.” Ryder gave me a friendly hug and a peck on the cheek.
“I don’t live far from here. It is a good evening for a walk.”
“I thought I saw your green car across the street.” My heart skipped a beat as he said it. “Though I suppose you don’t have the only Kelly green Kia Sol in the neighborhood.”
I chuckled nervously. “I guess not. I should get this ice cream in the freezer. It’s kind of melting. I will run into the kitchen real quick,” I said without thinking.
“Go right ahead Jenna. It seems like you have been in this place before.”
I could have just told him the truth, but I didn’t want to. I was enjoying it; I was going to play the game for as long as I could take it.
“No. The floor plan is typical for our neighborhood. Wow, great pie. You will have to share the recipe. What type of apples did you use?” I was having fun, knowing I had the upper hand for once. I knew they were granny smiths – the green ones.
“I forget the name – they were red,” Ryder said.
We were both full of lies.
“I see you have boxes of books and empty shelves. Why don’t I help you unpack?”
“You will have plenty of unpacking to do when you get to school. I will get to the rest of my shit eventually.”
Ryder had cleared all of his medicine bottles, so I missed an opportunity to ask about them. I had not seen that many medications since my father’s illness. My father was dying so it made sense. Ryder appeared healthy and vital. I was sure he wasn’t dying. There were many ailments and conditions that he could have had. Maybe he had stuff for his joints because he was so active.
Ryder was marinating the shrimp, so I wandered about the house. Of course, I pretended that I had never been inside before.
“You don’t mind if I check things out – do you?” I asked.
“Not at all. I’m an open book,” Ryder answered back.
An open book. What a liar. I didn’t even know his age. His hair wasn’t grey. Although the color of his hair would not be a clear indicator of his age. I was over analyzing things.
“I can see you have a viewing room. The screen takes up an entire wall.”
“Yeah, I like to relax to a movie. I binge watch a lot of television. I’m usually way behind and every five days or so I catch up,” Ryder said from the kitchen.
“What are you watching these days?”
“I love House of Cards. I’m a fan of Kevin Spacey and I love Robin Wright. She’s been a favorite since Princess Bride. I’m sure that pre-dates you.”
“I have seen The Princess Bride Ryder,” I said and laughed. “So, you think she’s hot?”
“Yeah. She’s older than you are, by about 20-years, but there is a resemblance. It’s a compliment in case you were wondering.”
“Thanks Ryder.” I smiled but he didn’t see as I was in the other room. Good thing, because then he would know I was interested in him.
“What do you watch?”
“I’m the same. I binge watch a lot of stuff. I have been into Game of Thrones lately and I’m going to start watching Orange is the New Black when I get a chance. When I was young, my mom got me all of the good animated features on DVD. I keep those around and pop them in occasionally. They will be antiques soon. Finding Nemo is a favorite.”
I sounded like a kid mentioning the cartoon flicks. It was my attempt at a little honesty.
“I love Dory. My mantra is just keep swimming,” Ryder commented.
“Not a bad one to live by,” I told him. ”Ryder, do you plan on a guest room back here? It’s pretty much empty. I see you have an office and a bedroom. Add on the viewing room, living room, dining room and kitchen and you seem to have an extra.”
I wondered about the room. In the back of my mind, I envisioned it as a love palace in which he would entertain his friend Sammy or Amelia from the club. Maybe he would add a stripper pole. As far as his bedroom went, it was sparse except for the bed. Maybe I was too focused on the bed. I did not want to get ahead of myself and think we would end up there.
“Yeah, I have some ideas about that space. I will tell you about it later. If you want to come in here, I can put you to work. Are you any good at throwing together a salad?”
“Very good. I was a vegetarian for about a week. For seven days, I lived on salads. My friend Sayler was eating a burger in my presence. I almost tackled her for a bite of the thing. I realized that pigs, cows and goats were a part of the food chain and not my friends. I retained a knack for building the perfect salad.”
I walked into the kitchen. It looked like a tornado had touched down. Simply marinating some shrimp had become quite the project. I tore up some fresh romaine and made a light Caesar dressing. When the shrimp was safely on the skewers, we headed outside. Ryder was wearing an apron, which I thought was extremely charming.
It was odd being in the shadow of my own home. I had a direct view of my bedroom.
“I love shrimp on the grill. My pal Leo lives on Pelican Island. He has a Johnboat that he takes out on the river. He nets these himself. He gets oysters as well. We will have to roast oysters sometime. Do you like them?”
“They’re an aphrodisiac aren’t they?” I asked.
“I think it’s a myth. I find that anything can be an aphrodisiac if eaten with the right person. Take shrimp for example.” He looked at me with an expression that ran right through me.
My hands began to sweat.
There was a slight breeze outside and the heat of the day had diminished. Still, things were heating up on Lewis Ave.
“To answer your question – yes I l
ike oysters.” I smiled. I liked that he assumed we would have the opportunity to roast oysters in the future.
“If I open a bottle of wine will you share? I don’t want to assume you drink alcohol. I was in Western Europe last year and I had fun selecting some bottles. I keep them on hand and they remind me of my trip and the fun we had.” Ryder eyes got big and I knew he realized that he said we.
“Were you joined by Sammy?” I asked bluntly, hoping he would not skirt the issue another time.
“Yes Sammy came over for a couple of weeks,” he stuttered. “You are fixated on Sammy.”
He was finally giving me something. This tiny revelation made me feel bold. “Not fixated. Just curious.”
He placed pulled a skewer of shrimp off the grill, placed it on a plate, and handed it to me. “I’m going to get that bottle of wine. I have a nice Pinot Gris. I picked it up in Rovere della Luna. It is a spot in Northern Italy. Sound Okay?”
I had no idea. “Sure anything. The shrimp is delicious and I love the fresh tomatoes. They are easy enough for me to grow. It is something about the soil here but people who live in New Jersey say they have the best tomatoes. I bet they say that about every state that grows the things. Along with zucchini, tomatoes are my only crops,” I said.
Ryder poured me a glass of wine. The glasses were free of water stains and suited perfectly for white wine. It was a definite step up from the boxed wine in a tumbler I shared with Sayler all the time.
“Interested in watching a movie after we eat some pie?” Ryder asked.
It was beginning to sound more and more as if we were on a date.
“Yeah. We can discuss what to watch over desert,” I replied.
“I have a theory about movie watching on dates.” Ryder sealed it – we were officially on a date.
“I think I know what you’re going to say. It leaves no time for conversation; therefore, it’s a bad idea.”
“No smartass,” he said, moving himself closer to me. “I think watching a movie or television is a great way to get to know a person better. There are certain to be differences but similarities too.”
“Yes Ryder, you can also find something out about another person’s age. It can be particularly helpful if the date is secretive,” I shot back.
“Give me one example.”
“If the person likes horror, there are usually sequels in the genre. Are you for example a Friday the 13th lover or were you still in diapers when it came out? You may know Part Five better.”
“You can’t use that trick on me. I don’t like horror flicks. I like a good film noir. I like Rebecca with Olivier, Body Heat from 1980, Basic Instinct, Fargo and shit like that. You can try to find out my age on that one but it’s impossible. There is nothing in the past 15 years because they haven’t made anything of quality.” Ryder was clearly proud of his answer.
“Basic Instinct. You really like blondes.”
“I do like Blondes. But I’m most fond of the scene where she flashes her pussy.”
My hands were drenched with sweat. Sweet Jesus.
“You are such a man,” I said and laughed nervously.
“Yes. I’m and proud of it.”
Ryder was silent. His green eyes shot through me.
“Jenna.”
“Yes, Ryder.”
“I’m 48-years old,” he announced and laughed as he walked inside to get my pie.
I knew was lying.
****
“You can’t go wrong with Apple pie a la mode. It is comfort food at its finest. The crust is flaky. Where did you get the recipe?” I asked, delighting in my little game.
“My Grandmother.”
Another lie. As fun as the game was, I was ready for some truth. “It is fun seeing you make a fool of yourself, but at I’m an honest person. I’m keeping a secret from you…I will share mine if you agree to do the same.”
“I suppose. I will tell you my real age—and that’s all. It is painful to see you struggle with trying to find out what it is.”
“Deal.”
“This is a big deal for me. It is for you to know only,” he teased and chuckled. He was having fun messing with me.
“I won’t tell a soul.”
“I’m 33. As a bonus, I will give you my sign. I’m a Capricorn.” Ryder breathed a fake sigh after he shared the top-secret detail of his life.
“You should be proud of your age. You seem like you’re 25,” I said.
“I think that’s a compliment so I will accept it. Thanks. Now you. Are you secretly a man who has had incredible surgery? Those tits look genuine.”
I laughed and took another sip of wine. He was really trying to make me blush. Ryder refilled my glass.
“My secret is much better than yours, but it’s harmless. My mother and I live next-door.”
“You what?” Ryder was confused.
“My mom told me there was a hot new man moving in next-door. She suggested I bring something by. A gift to welcome you to the neighborhood. I didn’t put a great deal of thought into it. I got a pie and brought it over. You were not here so I snooped around. When you sent me your address…I was stunned to find out you were the hot man next-door.”
“At least she thought I was hot. What does you mom look like?” Ryder joked.
“Shut up!” I giggled. “You were going on about your homemade pie so I couldn’t resist. You are so secretive and I saw an opportunity to play your game.”
“That explains a lot, like the car across the street. I guess the good news is that I might have a good view of your bedroom window.”
I giggled again. “So what’s with all of the sex books?” I managed to ask after I finished laughing.
“What sex books? The movers said they had some of my things mixed in with another’s. It must be his shit you saw.” He winked.
My heart pounded against my chest. I needed to change the subject.
“You must admit, this crust is pretty good considering it has been in the freezer for a year.” There—subject changed.
“To be honest Jenna, I couldn’t give a shit how the pie tastes. The pleasure is in watching you eat it.”
Oh. My. God.
I couldn’t find the right words to say in response so instead I stared at the moon that was nearly full. Although the moon and the stars seemed like a cliché romantic moment, it truly was.
Knowing his age was a start. It was a small piece of the puzzle that was Ryder Curran. I was eager to learn more. I was also getting a little drunk.
Ryder disappeared for a moment and I soaked in the ambiance.
“Are you ready for a movie? I bought this house for many reasons. Mostly, I liked the way the doors in the media room open onto the patio. It’s like watching a movie outdoors.”
“I guess this is a test to see if we’re compatible. What movie are we going to watch?” I asked.
He chuckled. “How about The Notebook?”
I was surprised.
“Sure, okay.”
“I’m kidding. I will do many things to please you but watching a chick-flick isn’t one of them.”
I tried not to think about the many ways he could please me.
“Thank god. The movie is good enough but too girly for me. What else you got?”
“I was thinking Gravity. It has George Clooney for you and I love the special effects. On the ultra-HD it looks fantastic.” Ryder loved his toys. I thought my 48” screen was advanced.
“I can give or take Clooney. He’s a little played out.”
“You don’t like older men?” Ryder whipped his head around as he was opening the sliding glass doors.
I laughed. “Older is fine. Not that much older though.”
“Just checking.”
Ryder collapsed on the couch next to me. It was obvious that we were the first to use the furniture. The sticker was still attached to the armrest. It was gray with random prints. I was happy that the place wasn’t decorated in a golf motif. He saved that for the bedroom. I noti
ced his decorators touch but I wasn’t preoccupied with it. He dimmed the lights with his phone. That damn thing did everything except wipe his ass. For all I knew, it probably did.
I could sense the energy between us charging.
Ryder’s finger was on the button about to press play. Instead, he dropped the phone and put his sinewy arm around my waist. I read Cosmo like every other American woman. We were all supposed to have an erogenous zone. Mine was wherever his hand moved. He pulled me close. Our eyes met as if there was some imaginary tether between us. His breath was sweet as the first time it hit my neck at the driving range. Ryder inhaled like he was preparing to take a leap. Tentative, he pulled back for a moment. I could sense that he wanted to kiss me but he was unsure how I would react.
I understood his hesitation. He knew I was much younger than he was. Didn’t he know that I was a willing participant? I had a few sexual partners in previous years. I had settled in a nice routine of having sex with Max, but we ended as friends as he left for college. It had been some time since I enjoyed the touch of a guy. Never had I had the pleasure of the touch of a man. I was ready. It felt like Ryder was the man I had been waiting for. He felt safe and the attraction was undeniable.
Our lips finally met. We began kissing rapidly and hard. His hand slipped beneath my blue tank top and settled on my belly.
“Are you okay Jenna?” Ryder asked against my lips and I nodded. “Come with me.”
Ryder and I rose from the couch. He pulled my tank top off and threw it on the floor. I stood in my white satin bra. The alcohol had taken effect on us both. Inhibitions were gone as he pushed me in the direction of his room. We didn’t stop kissing and neither of us wanted to. We weaved in and out of the boxes of his unpacked belongings. He was pushing me with his body as he pulled me closer. He had a firm grasp on my belt, which he used to guide me.
He pulled my head back with a firm grip on my hair and looked in my eyes. He seemed to be asking if I was all right with what was happening, as if either of us could stop. I was indeed okay with what was happening. I had wanted him ever since he wrapped his body around me to teach me how to swing a golf club.
We fell to his bed. We moved to the hum of the ceiling fan above. It provided a lovers melody. He reclined as I mounted him and felt his dick bulging through his jeans. I grabbed beneath his pants pulling them to his knees along with his boxers, revealing his hard cock. It appeared ready to blow.
