Outside the Box

by H. M. Montes

“Oh…uhm here put them on the table.” I stepped out of the way so he could carry them inside.

  “I think this weighs at least fifty pounds, or I’m just old.” He said after he put them on the table. We both stood there staring at the arrangement for a minute.

  “Aren’t you going to see who they are from?”

  “Where’s the card? All I see are flowers!” I told him.

  We walked around the table, “Here it is!” he pointed at it. I walked over to where he was and pulled the card out. I pulled it out there was a note, “Monday night can’t come soon enough, dinner?” S I smiled and rubbed my thumb across the card, there was no way it was his writing but it was the thought that they were his words. Then I felt panic rise, how did he know where to have them delivered? I didn’t want him showing up here before I had a chance to sort my thoughts out and talk to Derrick about everything.

  The buzzer sounded again, “Lexi, there is a Mr. and Mrs. Shaw here to see you, would you like me to buzz them up?”

  “Yes please.”

  I tried to give Clancy a tip but he wouldn’t take it. As he was leaving Harold and Carol exited the elevator. Carol smiled big and walked quickly towards me, enveloping me in a tight hug. “Look at you! Goodness, the change has been great for you.” She let me go then Harold hugged me, “Great to see you kiddo!” We went into the apartment, “Harold I don’t know what young man sent her these but I think you need to take lessons!” She walked around the table and smelled all of the flowers.

  Harold handed me a shoebox that had my mail in it, “I took another change of address down to the post office they said that it should stop being delivered to the house within a month.”

  “Thank You.” I smiled. I showed them around the apartment, then we all went and sat down in the living room, I told them about cosmetology school and that I was enjoying the accounting program. Carol noticed my tattoos and complimented how cute they were.

  “You like those but the naked chick on my bicep you wrinkle your nose up at?” Harold said and winked at me while waiting for Carol to reply. It wasn’t until we were talking about tattoos that I remembered that I never went back and got the third one I was supposed to get. I made a mental note to call and apologize.

  Harold had made reservations for us so I went and changed into a nice halter top black dress and the black gladiator wedge sandals. I dapped on some lip gloss, put a small amount of eye shadow and mascara on, clipped my silver hoop earring in and went back out to the living room. Harold let out a long whistle, “I have a date with two beautiful ladies, all of Manhattan is going to be jealous!” he said.

  On the drive to the restaurant Carol talked about the quilts she was making for the benefit auction for a little girl that was undergoing chemo therapy and radiation. Harold told me about the wreck a week ago, “He was just cruising down the highway at sixty five, then BAM, he hit a horse. Totaled the pickup and the horse limped away with a broken leg. A horse! That’s not something you run into every day.”

  Carole laughed, “So, have you met any men yet? The selection is surely far better than back home.”

  “Well, I…” I took a deep breath. “I’m talking to a guy, we have good Chemistry, I’m just so busy between college and hair school. I don’t really have much spare time. He’s really nice though, we’ve spent some time together.”

  “That’s great Lexi! What does he do? Is he a college student as well?” Carol asked.

  “He owns his own business.”

  “Oh…I figured he’d be in college.” She smiled.

  “There’s a super nice guy that I’m friends with that lives in the apartment building. We hang out every Sunday.” I knew that there was no way I could even begin to explain the whole situation to them. “I really like it here though, I’m glad I made the move.”

  “I told you kiddo.” Harold smiled big at me.

  We arrived at the restaurant, “Let’s get something to eat, this place is five star rated.” Carol clapped her hands before the valet opened the door.

  The restaurant was dimly lit, the tables had dark red table clothes with a candle in the middle. A small wooden dance floor was situated in the middle of the room, jazz music played softly and there were a few couples swaying together on the dance floor.

  While we were waiting for our meals to arrive there was a tap on my shoulder, “Can I have this dance?” I turned and there stood Steve, I had met him the first time I went to the club with Destiney, William, and Derrick.

  “Yes, you can.” I smiled big and excused myself from the table. Michael Bublé’s ‘Home’ played as Steve swayed me, and spun me around. “So, how’s everything been going? I figured you would call or text me.”

  I smiled and shook my head, “Way to long of a story to go into right now, and I’ve been super busy. How’s Bryce doing?”

  He turned us, “He’s right over there.”

  I waved at Bryce, he stood up from the table he was sitting at and walked over to us, “I’m cutting in now.” We finished the dance so I invited them to come join us at the table. They had Carol and Harold laughing so hard Carol had to excuse herself to go fix her makeup, twice. The evening was exactly what I needed, relaxing. Before we left I promised Steve and Bryce that we would go out for a movie when I had some free time. They hugged me and Carol and shook Harold’s hand before we left.

  After Harold and Carol dropped me off at my apartment, I decided it would be a good night to light some candles and soak in the bathtub. I lowered down into the lavender scented bubbly water, I hummed along as Colbie Caillat’s ‘Breakthrough’ softly played.

  Images of Spencer sent a shiver over my body, the way his piercing blue eyes looked into my eyes. The kiss we shared was so passionate and demanding, his touch against my face was so gentle. Even submerged in the hot water my skin tingled with goose bumps and my nipples pebbled as I remembered feeling his body pressing against mine. I squeezed my legs together to try and stop the tingling of my clit but it didn’t stop. His words echoed in my mind, “I can’t lose you again, I meant what I said.” I slid my hand up the inside of my thigh, slowly I massaged started to my clit and rock my hips. “Oh god…” I sighed. My nipples tingled with tightness, a memory of our first night together inside the ‘Box’ flashed. Me straddling him, “Spencer…” I moaned as my orgasm built then exploded while I pressed harder circles on my clit. His cum shooting deep inside me, filling me with his hot climax. My body jerked as I orgasmed and sloshed water onto the floor beside my bathtub. I steadied my breathing, rinsed my body off and went to bed.

  Sunday Derrick called and woke me up, I did like I usually would. I got out of bed, went and used the bathroom, fed Frank, took a change of clothes with me, and went to his apartment. We were laying in his bed, he was spooning me and rubbing circles on my hip between my tank top and the waist band of my shorts. “Are we ever going to get to be a couple?” he whispered?

  I rolled over so I was facing him, he brushed my hair away from my face, ran his fingers down my neck to my collar bone then looked back at me. “I don’t know, I like what we have right now.”

  His jaw muscle ticked, “We can’t be friends with benefits forever.” He lowered his mouth to mine. “Please Lexi, just give us a chance.” He whispered, then licked my bottom lip. I closed my eyes as he moved down my body and removed my shorts and kissed across my abdomen. My shirt came off next and was thrown over his shoulder to the floor. He covered my naked body with his, clasped my hands with his and slowly sank inside of me. We spoke no words we just stared into each other’s eyes as he slowly glided in and out of me. With his forehead resting against mine, his grip tightened on my hands, I wrapped my legs around his hips. I closed my eyes, images of Spencer’s body rocking against mine flashed through my mind. “Cum for me baby…” Derrick whispered into my ear and stilled as he exploded inside of me and my orgasm erupted around his pulsating cock. “Please can you give us a chance?” he asked again.

  “I…I can’t yet. Please just giv
e me some time?”

  His jaw muscle ticked again he finally nodded his head and said, “Okay.”

  He would be leaving on Monday for another tournament but it would only be for two days instead of the entire week. I helped him pack his bag, then we watched TV. Later that afternoon we decided to go out sightseeing since I hadn’t had a chance to.

  I tried sushi for the first time, Derrick laughed at me when I gagged and spit it into my napkin. We walked past landmarks and had random people take pictures of us in front of large bronze statues. I got to ride the subway for the first time, Derrick held my hand almost the entire day. “You’ve been here a month and you just now did all that. You might be as big of a workaholic as Destiney is.” Derrick said as we walked into the apartment building.

  “Hey, I only have five’ish weeks of cosmetology school left then things will slow down for me!” I said and pushed against him with my shoulder.

  “Christ I have to wait that long?” he asked me as he brushed his lips across my neck.

  “You don’t have to, we’ll still have Sundays. Unless you start dating somebody.”

  “Not gonna happen, I have the one I want right here with me. You’re just being stubborn for some reason.”

  I shook my head, I couldn’t tell him that I didn’t want to date him because I had feelings for another man. He kissed me hard before he stepped off the elevator so he could go back to his apartment. “I’ll call you this week, don’t forget Sunday we have my brother’s party.”

  “Okay.” I smiled and we watched each other as the doors closed.

  The apartment smelled amazing because of the flowers that Spencer had sent me, Destiney wasn’t going to be home until Monday night so I sent her a picture of them;

  L: Jasper sent me these yesterday!  

  D: Ur getting spoiled!

  L: Nonsense ;)

  D: I’ll see you 2morrow night.

  L: I might be going out for dinner with him. Yes I’ll give you detail’s when I get home.

  D: Duh! Luv U!

  L: Luv U 2!

  I took a shower then went to bed. I laid there thinking about how much things had changed since mom and dad passed away. Making the move made me grow up and explore new things, meet new people, and move forward with my life. Carter and I being friends again was a huge relief, I missed his sense of humor, and the way that he always knew how to make me smile. He had grown up a lot since he had moved away too, I tried to imagine what life would be like with him and I had we stayed together. But I couldn’t picture anything besides just us having a friendship.

  Monday Professor German was back in class, he was pleased with what everybody accomplished while he was gone and praised Spencer’s knowledge and dedication to helping the “Youth become smarter adults.” The day dragged by, mainly because he kept referring back to Spencer when he was a student at Columbia. Eventually I couldn’t even concentrate, I would find myself staring off day dreaming about Spencer.

  Spencer text me when I was leaving the campus to go to night class,

  S: Still on for tonight?

  L: Maybe?

  I laughed when he didn’t text me and called me instead;

  “What do you mean maybe do you not want to see me?” he asked.

  That voice, I sighed, it made my skin tingle every time I heard it, “I was just kidding, where are we going to go? Do I need to dress up?”

  “Well, since you haven’t bothered to tell me where you live…(he waited for me to tell him my address but I didn’t) I can meet you at The Vibe. You’ll have time to go home and get showered if you want. Or you can come straight there it makes no difference to me. I can have Joe pick you up.”

  “Tell him to pick me up after school, he’s use to having to wait on me while I get ready.” I said with a laugh.

  “I heard you were wearing a sexy little number Saturday night, wear that again.” He told me, I could tell he was smiling.

  “You’re having me followed?”

  He laughed his deep laugh, “Not hardly. That would just be creepy, I’ll see you later.”

  “Okay.”

  Class went great, I was successful with the three hair colors and the perm I put in on clients. When I walked out of the building Joe was leaning against the hood of the car.

  “We meet again beautiful.” He said with a big smile and opened the door for me.

  “Did he tell you where I’m meeting him?”

  He nodded his head, “He sure did.”

  I practically sprinted through the lobby of the apartment building, Clancy was just leaving as the elevator opened. “Everything okay Lexi?”

  “Yep I’m going to be late for a reservation, night Clancy!”

  “Night Lexi.”

  I rushed through the shower in record time, the dress I wore Saturday was wrinkled on my floor so I chose a different strapless black tube dress and put my gladiator wedge sandals on. I blow dried my hair, put some red chandelier earrings in and a red drop necklace. I threw my makeup into my purse and walked out the door.

  “Whoa, you look stunning!” Joe said when I walked out of the building.

  “Thank You!” I lowered myself into the backseat, pulled my makeup compacts out and applied my eye makeup.

  We arrived at ‘The Vibe’ it had floor to ceiling glass windows in the front, there décor and lighting gave a romantic dim glow to the inside. I gave the hostess my name and followed her through the maze of tables, through a set of double doors, and on to a terrace that over looked a garden that couples were walking through holding hands and hugging against each other.

  Spencer thanked the hostess and told her to give us a little bit before she returned to take our orders. He smiled big at me when she left us, “Fucking beautiful Alexia.” He slowly walked towards me never taking his eyes off of mine. I looked up into his eyes as he lowered his mouth to mine. He cupped my ass in his hands and pulled me against him, slid his hands up my back and softly ran his fingers across my shoulder blades. When his hands were cupping my face he deepened the kiss until I was dizzy and had to pull away.

  “You look pretty good yourself.” I whispered.”

  “Not bad for a creep huh?” he smiled.

  “Feed me, I’m starving!” I said and stepped away from him.

  A waitress came out to us and told us the chef specials for the evening so we both ordered the Scallion Beef. Spencer poured us each a glass of red wine, “Well, I think we need to go ahead and discuss some things.”

  I nodded my head, “You go first.”

  “I’d rather hear what you have to say first.”

  I took another drink, “That night in the shower, you told me you don’t do relationships. So what’s this? Why are we meeting?”

  “I said that because I knew that the feelings I feel for you are the stronger than what I had for my ex-wife. If she crushed me you’ll fucking ruin me.”

  I gasped, “Doesn’t it seem a little crazy that we’ve only had sex with each other and there are feelings there. I think it’s just lust, we are something new, something exciting for each other.”

  “I think you’re wrong.” He deadpanned. “Have you had sex with anybody else since the last time you and I did it?” he asked.

  “Well, yes. Sky…and a friend.”

  He raised an eyebrow at me, “Were you and this friend intimate when we were in the box together?”

  The death glare he gave me made me cringe, the waitress chose that time to bring us our food. I thanked her and looked at Spencer. He was leaning back staring at me with his arms crossed over his chest. I put my fork down, “Only once during and a couple of times since then. You can’t tell me you haven’t given in to another woman since me.”

  “I have.” He nodded once but still didn’t move to start eating his meal. I felt a knot of jealousy in my stomach. I nodded my head and took a bite of food. The beef melted in my mouth, the flavors exploded against my taste buds, he was still staring at me. “What?”

  “I ha
ted it, she wasn’t you. I even called her Ember, I was drunk and couldn’t get you out of my mind.”

  I laughed, “The drunk excuse only works if you’re dating and know you’ll get in trouble.”

  He finally started eating but continued talking, “Sky and you obviously didn’t have any chemistry. Is there chemistry with this so called friend?”

  I shook my head, “No, at first I thought there was, until I spent more time with you.”

  “And?” he asked.

  “It’s you that I picture when he’s kissing me, when he’s…”

  “Enough.” He said in an angry soft tone. “Does he know how you feel about me?”

  “He doesn’t know about you. All he knows is that I won’t have a relationship with him because of how crazy my life is.” I told him and pushed my plate away.

  He laughed, “He doesn’t know about me?! So you’re just going to string the poor guy along? For how long?”

  My anger boiled and I stood up from the table to leave, just as I was about to make it to the doors Spencer caught up with me. He locked the door and pressed my back against it, “Why did that make you so mad?” he asked with a smile.

  “You just made me sound like a whore.” I said through gritted teeth.

  “Don’t ever call yourself a whore again, and I sure as fuck wasn’t referring to you as one. I just don’t like hearing that some other mother fucker is getting you in his bed, getting touching this body, when I should be the only one doing it.”

  He pulled away, unlocked the door, grabbed my hand and led me out the back door to the garden. He handed the guy at the door some money, and walked us quickly to a large glass encased gazebo and locked the door behind us. Music was playing softly until he turned it up so that I could hear it better, he took my purse and laid it on the red velvet chair. When he had me pulled firmly against him he started swaying us to the beat of the music, he lowered his head and rested his forehead against mine, “I got all the answers to your questions, I’ll be the teacher You be the lesson, I’ll be the preacher you be the confession, I’ll be the quick relief to all your stressing…” he sang along with Aloe Blacc ‘The Man’ then his lips moved to my exposed shoulder. I gripped his biceps as he licked a slow path to the top of my dress. He used one hand to slide the zipper on the side of the dress down until I was standing in only my lace black thong and my gladiator sandals.