Forever Yours

by Lisa Evans

  I’m home.

  Hugging my parents after having picked up my luggage, I feel a bit better. This was a good idea, I think to myself. I’ve missed them, and it can’t hurt to live with them until Janelle and I are able to move into our new apartment downtown. Thinking about it, I cannot wait to see it. She mentioned it being on Main Street, which is where Clark’s Diner is located, so who knows if I’ll end up loving it or not. If Clark’s married with kids now, maybe it’ll hurt seeing him every now and then.

  While dad carries my things to the car, mom and I catch up. She’s been so worried about me being away all this while, and though she and dad came to visit me last Christmas, I’ve missed her a lot. Talking on the phone or through video chat really isn’t the same thing as seeing someone in person.

  “So, are you excited to come stay with your parents for a couple of weeks or what?” dad says the moment we get in the car.

  “Sure dad,” I say, rolling my eyes.

  “Leave her alone,” mom says, slapping him gently on the arm. The three of us laugh, and it feels so good to be back.

  Leaning my head against the window, I realize just how beat I am from all the stress and pressure of the past few months. It’s going to be great to spend some time just doing nothing at all, no projects, no early morning classes to attend, no grades to worry about…

  All I’m going to do right now is relax and enjoy myself. Maybe read a book or two just for fun – I sure could use that after all those thousands and thousands of textbook pages. As I start thinking about all the fun stuff I can do here in Summerville (go swimming in the lake, go horseback riding, go hiking in the woods – the list is long) dad pulls up on Main Street.

  There it is. Clark’s Diner. Looks like it’s closed, which is odd because if I remember right, Clark’s Diner is never closed. Not even on Christmas.

  My heartbeat gets faster as I remember the last time I saw Clark, and I blush. I still cannot fathom that I dared kiss him on the cheek. I’ve thought about that moment thousands of times, recalling it while lying in bed alone at night… My lips against his stubbled jaw, the look of surprise on his face afterwards, the way my belly felt all warm as I walked out of there…

  My heart is beating so fast right now I can hear my pulse thudding in my ears. Images of Clark smiling and laughing swirl around inside my head, and I close my eyes for just a moment. I hope and pray that he’s still not spoken for, because I kind of think that I’m still hopelessly in love with him.

  When we pull up outside the house, both of my parents start acting weird. It’s like they’ve got something going on that they don’t want to tell me, but I can’t figure out what it is. Is something the matter? Did they turn my bedroom into a gym and now they worry about what I’m going to think? Whatever it is, I hope they find a way to let me know soon enough because we’re about to walk inside the house in about a minute.

  The house looks the same from the outside, just like when I left it some four years ago. It’s where I’ve lived my whole life, it’s where I grew up. The only place I’ve called my home apart from the dorm room back at college, but that wasn’t ever really home. It was just a room with a bed, a desk, and a bookshelf. Although I had some good times there, and made a couple of friends there as well, it never did feel as good as being back home in Summerville. This is where I belong, I can feel it in my bones. My gut is telling me this is the right place for me right now.

  “Honey,” dad hollers at my mom. “Could you give me a hand over here?”

  “Sure thing, hon’,” mom replies. “Sweetie,” she says, looking over her shoulder at me while walking over to dad. “Why don’t you go on inside? We’ll be right there.”

  “Whatever,” I say, still thinking about how weird they’re acting. What is up with them? Maybe they’ve re-decorated the whole place and don’t have the heart to tell me.

  Opening the door, I walk inside the house. And when I step into the living room, it feels like my heart is going to stop.

  Standing there, a mere couple of feet away from me is Clark, along with Janelle and some other friends of the family.

  “SURPRISE!” they all yell out and start cheering.

  All I can do is laugh and smile at each and every one of them. I’m so happy and definitely surprised. My eyes go back to Clark’s face, and when I see him tilting his head to the side, and looking at me with those smoldering, dark eyes of his, I think that I’m going to die.

  I guess my heart still pounds for him. I just hope he’s still available. If he’s not, I won’t know what to do…

  Chapter 2

  CLARK

  WRAPPING MY ARMS around Alicia after not having seen or spoken to her in four excruciatingly long years feels so good I could die.

  She looks the same, but also different somehow. Still, I’m sure she hasn’t changed that much. She’s got to be the same sweet person she always was.

  Reluctantly letting go of her even though I want to keep pressing my body against hers, I cup her face in my hands and tell her that it’s good to see her. Her glorious blue eyes sparkle like the water down in the lake does on a summer’s day, and I melt. Damn, she’s so beautiful and sexy that I wish we were all alone in here right now, just the two of us. Then maybe I’d try to kiss her and confess my heart’s deepest desires, which is that I’m still in love with her and that I’ve been waiting for her to come back.

  “How are you?” I ask her, placing my hand on her shoulder.

  “I’m good, I’m great really,” she says, smiling. That dazzling smile of hers is so seductive, I wonder if she knows it. I bet she doesn’t even begin to realize how perfect and exquisitely beautiful she is. She’s amazing, a sight for sore eyes, and I want her to know that. A girl like her always needs to feel beautiful. She deserves it.

  My body quivers from touching her, and I sense my blood rushing to the center of my body. How I’ve waited for this moment. How I’ve yearned to be close to her again. Within arm’s reach. I bet she still has no clue that I’ve been longing for her every single waking moment of these past four years since I last saw her, but I have. And I can’t wait to get her alone, because I want to hear everything about what she’s been through and whatever she’s got on her mind really.

  “We should catch up,” I say, winking at her. “Soon.”

  “Sure we will.”

  “Good. I can’t wait.”

  I hope she’s not intimidated by my frankness, but the way I figure it, I’ve gotta be upfront about this. I cannot risk having her slip out of my fingers again. No. Because my mind’s made up. I’m going to seduce her this summer, and I am going to make her mine.

  In a way, she already is. I’m gonna make sure she can’t say no to me.

  Ever.

  Initially, I didn’t know if I ought to accept her parents’ invitation to join the surprise welcome home party they planned for Alicia, but I’m really glad I decided to come here today. She looks so happy my sweet, darling Alicia, and it feels so good just to be near her.

  I bet she’ll be surprised to hear I decided to shut down the old joint just to be here as well, but it’ll be my way of showing her how much she means to me. She’s my entire world, and she needs to know it.

  Watching her walk across the room, talking to everybody, smiling and laughing just like the girl I’ve always known her to be, I catch her stealing glances at me. I can’t help but wonder if she feels the same way about me as I do about her, but then again, it might just be wishful thinking. Not that it really matters, because I’ve decided I’m going to make her mine. She belongs with me, and as far as I can tell, she’s still not sporting a ring on her finger, so she’s not promised to anyone else either. I did ask her dad about it a while back, just to check if she was seeing anyone. But all he said was he hadn’t heard any talk about any boys since she started high school. That was about the same time she started taking shifts at the diner, and I can only hope it’s because she’s started having some kind of a secret crush on me. Bu
t again, that just might be wishful thinking on my behalf.

  “Hey Clark,” Alicia’s father hollers at me from the kitchen.

  “Yeah?”

  “How about you give me a hand with these burgers?”

  “Sure thing,” I tell him, wondering if he has any clue about my intentions with his daughter. If the tables were turned, I’d be beating the crap out of him for even thinking the things I’ve been thinking about his daughter. Let alone planning to do those very things to her…

  Heading outside to the garden, I crack a couple of jokes, make my future father-in-law feel good and make sure he’s having a good time. Meanwhile, I keep my eyes on Alicia. She keeps darting her eyes over at me every now and then, and whenever our gaze meets, it sends shivers of desire down my spine. I can tell I’m growing harder with each look she gives me, and I wonder how she’d react if she knew about the effect she has on me. Would she get scared and shy away from me?

  I can’t help but want to feel like there was something more than just friendliness to that kiss she gave me on the cheek before she left me in the diner. It had to be something. It just had to. I could feel it. And I’ll be damned if I don’t find out soon. I’m going to let her know what my intentions are, and she better get ready for it. Because I’m not taking no for an answer.

  She is mine. In every way shape and form. And I’m going to teach her that.

  I’ve waited for her. I’ve waited a long time for her. Every single night I’ve laid in my bed waiting for her to come back. Now she’s here. Right where she’s supposed to be.

  Once the burgers have been cooked to perfection, I serve hers the way she’s always wanted them at the diner. Don’t really suspect she’s changed her taste over these past few years, so I spritz some ketchup and some mayo on the burger, along with two slices of cheese. Then I head on over to her where she’s standing, talking to her friend Janelle.

  “Hey Alicia,” I say, holding out the plate to her. “I thought you must be hungry after that flight. Still into plain ones with mayo, ketchup, and cheese?”

  “Of course!” she hollers, and laughs. “I can’t believe you remembered.”

  “How could I forget?” I say, and lock my eyes onto hers.

  “Ooh, I’m gonna get one as well, be right back Alicia,” Janelle says, and then vanishes out of my sight. Good. I’m glad she and the rest of the guests are gathering by the food. It gives me a chance to talk to Alicia alone.

  “Go on,” I say, handing her the plate with the burger on it. “Have a bite.”

  Alicia’s tiny fingers brush against mine as she accepts the plate. The sensation sends arousal through my bones, and I feel myself hardening in my jeans all over again. God, her skin looks so good. And I love the fact that she’s still not wearing much makeup. She’s gorgeous in her own skin and she doesn’t need to cover up.

  “Thanks, Clark,” she whispers, and digs her teeth into the burger. “It’s delicious,” she adds, and shuts her eyes while enjoying the food. “Yum,” she mumbles, and it pleases me. I just wish I could make her moan like that for reasons other than food. “You’re the best.”

  Heading home later that night, I think about how good it is to have gotten to talk to her. Finally. It’s been way too long since we last spoke, and I’m going to make damn sure it doesn’t take four more years until next time.

  Entering my place, I toss the keys on the table by the door, and then head into the shower. All the while, I’ve got Alicia’s beautiful face on my mind, and as I lather myself up inside the shower, I keep thinking about her. Thinking about how much I want to be with her. She belongs right here with me, and I cannot wait for that moment when we’re finally able to be together.

  As the water from the showerhead trickles down on my torso, I allow myself to do what I haven’t done in a very long time. Grabbing hold of myself, I think about Alicia’s sweet face, and her beautiful body, and that sexy smile of hers as I fantasize about making her mine. And I come harder than I’ve ever come in my whole life.

  Chapter 3

  ALICIA

  ABOUT A WEEK has passed since I got back here, and it’s been a week since I last saw Clark. Even thought I would have loved to have gone down to the diner to pay him a visit sooner, I really haven’t had the time. There’s been so much stuff to take care of at home, and so many friends to hang out with whom I haven’t seen in so long, that I haven’t really gotten around to doing what I want the most.

  Which is seeing Clark.

  As I get ready for the day, I recall the surprise party and the way he winked at me, and smiled at me. Was he flirting with me? Maybe he was just winking at me to be friendly. I don’t know. Maybe it was all in my head. Surely he was just being nice. Though I heard someone once say that winking is always flirting. Always.

  Putting on a yellow top and a pink polka-dotted skirt, I pull my hair back into a ponytail. I want to look my best today when I head into town to meet with Janelle, so I decide to go with some sheer lipgloss. I don’t really do makeup, and I feel just as pretty without it as I bet I would with some.

  Grabbing my purse, I look at the time. It’s a quarter to ten, and I’m meeting Janelle at ten sharp at Clark’s Diner. I hope he’ll be there, because my heart is just so anxious to see him. I knew it when I saw him at the party, that it still belongs to him. I’m hopelessly in love with him, always have been, and probably always will be.

  Janelle’s car is already parked outside the diner when I arrive. Smiling, and jittery with nerves all over, I catch a glimpse of my reflection in the rearview mirror before heading inside. I haven’t been to Clark’s in ages, and I’m so excited I can hardly contain myself.

  Crossing the street, I feel my heart thumping inside my chest as I head for the entrance. Part of me feels weird about coming here as a customer, and not for work. I remember how happy and excited I always was about coming to work, simply because it meant I would get to spend hours and hours next to Clark. I wonder if he ever figured it out, the reason why I was always flushing around him, and always acting so awkward? Did he ever see through me? I was crushing so bad on him back then, and nothing’s really changed. I’m still pining for him.

  Wondering what Clark would think if he ever found out about the way I feel about him, I enter the diner and spot Janelle immediately. She’s sitting at the same table as always, in the far corner, her nose nestled in a book.

  “Hey buddy,” I say, and place a hand on her shoulder.

  “Oh, hiya Alicia,” she exclaims. “I didn’t see you walk in.”

  “Well, you did have your nose glued to the pages of that book,” I saw, and giggle.

  “Sorry, you know me.”

  “I sure do.”

  Both of us laugh heartily as I sit down opposite of her. In my spot, I’ve got a perfect view of the counter. But there’s no one there, no Clark, no Suzy, no no one.

  “Is Suzy working today or…?” I ask Janelle and reach for the menu.

  “I haven’t seen her, but Clark’s here and he’s in one of his moods again.”

  “You don’t say,” I reply, and glance at the menu. Everything looks exactly the same as always, except he seems to have upped the price on coffee somewhat.

  “Yeah, I think it’s best if we stick to toast and coffee, because that guy over there,” Janelle says and points to a fellow across the room.

  “What about him?”

  “Well, he wanted to change his order…”

  “Oh no.”

  “Yeah, and Clark wasn’t really up to it.”

  “He wasn’t huh?”

  “Nope. He wasn’t hearing it. So we’d best stick to anything straight off the menu today I guess.”

  “You’re right.”

  This is exactly why Clark’s got that reputation about him in town. Everyone seems to think he’s such a grouchy old guy, when the person I know is such a gentle, sweet man. Never for as long as I’ve known him, have I ever felt intimidated by him. He’s never raised his voice at me or s
o much as frowned at me.

  Scanning the menu, I wonder if he’s serving pancakes today or not, and decide that it’s worth the question. It says loud and clear that pancakes are only served on Saturday mornings, and today is Friday. But I hope he’ll make an exception for me.

  “Hello ladies,” a voice hollers from across the room.

  “He sure sounds a lot more chipper than ten minutes ago,” Janelle whispers, raising an eyebrow in surprise.

  “Good morning Clark,” I say, and almost swoon when I see him. Moving with the pride of a tiger, he walks across the room and heads straight to us.

  “How are you?” Clark whispers, and places a hand on my shoulder. It feels so good whenever he touches me, and I sense sparkles of arousal flow through me. His hand lingers on my shoulder for a while, before he removes it to take down Janelle’s order.

  “I’ll have a big cup of coffee and a cheese toast, please,” Janelle says.

  “Uh-huh. And you?” he asks, turning all of his attention back to me. His look is so intense it’s almost terrifying, and I shiver.

  “I uh…” I mumble, trying to stay focused. But it’s impossible, especially when I sense the back of his hand brushing against my arm. Why is he doing this? Why is he touching me? It’s like torture having him touch me when I’m not allowed to touch him back. Can’t he see what he’s doing to me?

  “Truth of the matter is,” I say, and glance up at him. “I was kind of wondering if you’ve got any pancakes going this morning?”

  Cracking into a smile, he says, “For you sweetie, I’ll do anything. Janelle, you want pancakes?”

  “Sure,” Janelle says, looking even more surprised than earlier. “Pancakes sounds great.”

  “Great,” Clark says, and keeps his eyes glued on me. “Pancakes it is.”