Neighbors

by Ashleigh Royce

  “I’m your EX-wife and you aren’t entitled to know anything about me. Just like I didn’t know anything about any of the girlfriends you had while we were married. The only difference is, I’m not committing adultery.” I sign off on the paperwork and then step away to find John, one of the ER orderlies, to transfer Mr. Vargas.

  As I walk back to the nurse’s desk, I see Greg flirting with Sandra. It wasn’t unusual for someone to be flirting with Sandra, or that Greg was the one doing the flirting. When he realizes I’m there, he lifts his hand to Sandra’s cheek and gives it a light stroke. For some reason, he thinks it bothers me. Actually, I don’t care what he does any more. When I get closer, he raises his voice so I can hear him put the moves on Sandra.

  “So, I’ll pick you up at seven on Saturday. I have a reservation for seven thirty. Sunday is a barbecue so bring something comfortable to wear.”

  Sandra nods and smiles. She’s reeled in by Greg’s good looks, charm, and doctor status. A twinge of sympathy flashes through me, but it dissipates quickly. It’s none of my business. I’m sure Greg doesn’t care who he takes to the barbecue, it’s the possibility of him getting laid somewhere in the day that motivates him. I know he chose Sandra because he thinks it bothers me, or maybe it’s his fantasy about the submissive Asian woman. Either way, I don’t care.

  Greg gives Sandra a small kiss on the side of her cheek. The only thing I think of is how unprofessional he’s behaving.

  Sandra blushes and returns to her chore. Greg saunters to the elevator bank, presses the button, and waits. His immature behavior indicates that he thinks he’s fantastic. He turns to face me. I know it’s just to annoy me. I can’t let him know it’s working but not because he’s ensnaring poor, naive Sandra; it’s because he repulses me so much.

  My attitude changes from pissed to elated when I see Dylan walk into the ER.

  He scans the large, open room with his smoldering brown eyes. My heart speeds up and I wish he could detect it to find me. Then his eyes lock on mine. It feels as if the temperature in the room increases ten degrees. In a worn tee shirt, ripped jeans and heavy work boots, his long, urgent strides have him in front of me within seconds. He smiles. I smile back. Everyone else in the room melts away. He grabs me around the waist and pulls me toward him. And then he gives me the most amazing, passionate kiss I’d ever had. My mind floats away to some magical world as my arms circle his neck.

  When our kiss ends, he whispers, “I missed you.” I gently float back to Earth.

  Gladys is close enough to hear. “Ooooo-eeee! It sure seems that way,” she says.

  As if someone has pumped me full of air, I smile and say in a breathy voice, “I missed you, too.”

  The elevator doors open but Greg doesn’t get in. He waits and watches.

  “I know you don’t get off for another hour, but I just couldn’t be away from you any more.” His deep brown eyes search mine. “You said I could visit.”

  I smile.

  “Ah hem,” Gladys interrupts. Then I remember where I am.

  “Oh, sorry.” I back away from Dylan. “Gladys this is Dylan. Dylan, Gladys, the other nurse that works the ER with me.”

  Dylan reaches over the counter to shake Gladys’s beefy hand. Sandra walks over and I introduce her as well. Dylan seems unimpressed by Sandra. That makes me happy.

  Like a cat slinking up to rub against its master’s leg, Greg appears at the nurse’s desk. He pushes his hand in front of Dylan. “Dr. Gregory Lampert.” He emphasizes the word ‘doctor.’

  Dylan regards Greg up and down before taking his hand to shake. “Dylan Townsend. Oh, you must be Melissa’s ex.”

  Greg scrutinizes Dylan up and down, too, with distaste. After his assessment, he turns to me. “Going for the more rugged types these days, eh Mel?”

  I don’t answer.

  “Well, it was nice to meet you, Dylan, is it?” Greg tries to be superior.

  “Same here,” Dylan says. As Greg strolls away, Dylan says, “By the way, I don’t how you could let Melissa get away; she’s fantastic!” I feel my cheeks flush. No one has ever declared me as a positive before. “But I’m glad you did. It’s to my benefit. And I assure you, I won’t be making the same mistake you did.”

  I’m not sure if it’s the fact that Dylan stood up to Greg or that he suggested that Greg was capable of mistakes, but Greg smirks then pushes the panic bar on the door leading to the stairwell before he escapes the ER.

  “Mmmm-mm. You sure are somthin’ to look at,” Gladys declares.

  Dylan’s cheeks brush crimson and he shifts he attention to his feet. “Thank you, ma’am.”

  “Eileen is gonna be pissed she missed this,” Gladys says to me. Then she stands up from her chair and walks toward a patient curtain. I appreciate the gesture because it’s rare for Gladys to leave her desk for anything.

  “I’m sorry to bother you,” Dylan starts. “I just couldn’t stop thinking about you. I tried to paint the living room, but my brain kept replaying what we did on the couch yesterday. I couldn’t think straight. I even tried taking a cold shower. Melissa, I can’t get you off my mind.”

  I blush and look at my twisting fingers.

  “I promise, I’ll leave. I just needed to feel you in my arms and kiss you. Just once and I’ll go.”

  I feel so wanted and sexy. A small fire ignites inside of me and I know the only thing to quench it is him.

  “I’ll come straight to your house when I’m done here, okay?”

  He nods like a child who is promised a special gift. My lips press against his, but I don’t hold it as long as I would have liked because if I did, I’d have to have him right there. I don’t think the hospital administration would have been happy with that.

  It’s difficult to watch him walk away, but I know it won’t be long before I’m with him again. At least I get to see his great butt as he’s walking away.

  Thirteen

  Usually, I obey the law, but I find myself exceeding the speed limit by fifteen miles an hour on my drive home. Even my foot is excited to see Dylan again. After parking in my driveway, I sprint across the street to Dylan’s house. Again, the door flings open and he grabs me. He kisses me like we haven’t seen each other in months rather than minutes, and then he closes the front door. No words are necessary. The need for each other is consuming.

  He tugs the clip from my hair and my blonde waves cascade around my shoulders. His body is pressed to mine and I feel him. He wants me. The rush ignites me. I need him…now. There’s no time to speak.

  Strong hands are tugging my shirt up. I lift my arms. I make quick work at loosening the button on his jeans then pull the corners and part the zipper quickly before I slide the fabric over his powerful legs. His hands quickly remove my pants and I pull his shirt off. Clothes litter the floor.

  We aim toward the stairs with the intention of getting to the bedroom, but we never make it. I can’t wait. I need him. I pull him down on top of me and devour his lips. He groans into my mouth. A warm rush surges. My hunger is greater than before. I rake my fingers through his hair.

  Our bodies press together and I feel his erection against my thigh. It sends a wave of desire through me. He senses it. He pulls my panties off with one hand and then rids himself of his own briefs. I sit back on the stairs and he’s between my legs.

  “I need you,” he says.

  “Take me,” I respond. Then I groan with pleasure as he sinks inside of me.

  He grinds into me, pushing deep inside. His demand for me is invigorating. I’m intoxicated knowing he wants me. His hips thrust and I gasp as I clutch the edge of the step beneath me. My breathing is uncontrolled.

  I’m close to reaching the pinnacle, but then he lifts me and swings me around, never breaking our connection. It happens so fast. It’s intense and stimulating. Now I’m on top of him, in control. Large blonde curls fall forward. His hands glide up my back to support me. Finding purchase on the step, I use my feet to steady myself. I grasp his sh
oulders and then I move. Up and down. Slow and steady. Taking him over and over. The sensation is mind-blowing. He’s deeper and my back arches. His mouth is slack and his breathing heavy. I feel so powerful.

  The feeling is overwhelming. My body pleads for relief. I can’t hold back. I call out as I come around him. But I continue to move. His hands move to my hips and he holds me down on top of him. “Oh, fuck,” he cries out as I feel him release.

  My head falls forward, my hair cascading over his face. He kisses me as he pulls me off of him. He moves over so I can sit next to him on the step, both of us trying to steady our breath.

  A few moments pass. No words exchange. He grabs my hand and pulls me up the stairs into the bedroom. We stop at the bed and he pulls me into his arms. His hips press into me and I feel him grow. I can’t believe he’s ready again so soon.

  We still haven’t regulated our breathing. His tongue pushes into my mouth and curls around mine. My blood is on fire. He eases me onto the bed and is on top of me.

  He whispers in my ear. “I can’t get enough of you.” It energizes me. Suddenly, I need him again.

  I grab him and place him where I want him, where I need him. This time it’s slow and tender. His hips flex deliciously slow. He gazes at me with reverence and awe, yet it’s carnal and consuming. Each plunge causes me to climb.

  My back arches. His hands palm my breasts. A deluge of emotion explodes from within. I reach the top and give in to my orgasm. He continues to move and his hips grind into me once more before he reaches his own climax.

  We lie side by side, panting to catch our breath. A film of perspiration covers each of our bodies. Heat escapes me and causes me to shiver. Dylan reaches over and pulls the blanket across the bed. He wraps me in his arms before he covers us with the blanket.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Sorry? About what?” I ask, confused by his confession.

  “It’s just I can’t control myself with you.”

  “Are you crazy? That was amazing! You are fantastic!”

  He kisses me and holds me in his arms. I am happy and satiated.

  * * *

  “Gladys thinks you’re hot,” I say while I watched Dylan cook.

  “Oh?”

  “She wants to know if I’ve slept with you yet. She’s curious about your abilities.”

  “And what did you tell her?” He looks over his shoulder with a wicked glance.

  “I told her it was none of her business.” I smile. “I don’t want anyone else to lure you away.”

  He gives me a confident smile. “Will you stay the night?”

  “I have to get up early again tomorrow. Work.”

  “I don’t want you to leave. What if you get what you need and bring it here? I promise I’ll be good and let you get some sleep tonight.” Like an adorable little boy begging for forgiveness for stealing candy, his eyes are large and sincere. How can I refuse?

  “Okay, I’ll go get a clean uniform for tomorrow and I’ll be right back.”

  “Hurry. I’ll miss you.”

  I smile and sprint across the street.

  Once inside, I check my phone messages. There’s only one, from Tracy.

  “Hey, it’s me. Where are you? Call me.”

  I toss the things I’d need for the next day into a bag while I dial her number.

  “Oh my God, Mel. I haven’t heard from you. What’s going on?”

  I fill her in on my activities for the past few days without giving her too many details, particularly not any regarding the staircase.

  “See? I told you you’d sleep with him. How is he? I bet he’s good, right?”

  “Trace, it’s the best sex I’ve ever had.” I blush as I hear myself say it out loud.

  “I bet his body is rockin’,” Tracy says.

  “It is. But it’s more than that. He’s so attentive and wonderful. He cares about what I want and he wants to make me happy. He tells me he misses me and that he wants to be with me. I’m just not used to it.”

  “Well, don’t mess it up, Mel. Don’t recede into your head the way you do. You deserve to be happy, especially since that asshole stole two and a half years of your life.”

  “Speaking of Greg, I saw him today. He wants me to go to a barbecue with him on Sunday. He’s taking Sandra instead.”

  “Poor girl,” Tracy says. “She has no idea what she’s getting lured into.”

  “That’s not my problem. Well, I have to go. Dylan’s waiting for me. I’m spending the night again.”

  “You go, girl!” Tracy shouts into the phone. “Ask him if he has a friend for me,” she laughs. “Call me when you can.”

  “Okay. If I don’t speak to you before Saturday night, call me to let me know how the singles hook up party went. Bye.”

  When I return, Dylan kisses me as if I’ve been gone for years. It jump-starts my libido and we’re on each other again before I can even put my overnight bag down.

  Fourteen

  The next day there isn’t a minute of down time in the ER until lunchtime. I race to the cafeteria and bring back a handful of sandwiches for Gladys, Eileen and me. I don’t even get to finish my egg salad sandwich because we’re so backed up in the afternoon. Twenty minutes past my shift, I’m still making sure all of my patients are brought up to their rooms, discharged, or properly transferred to the evening shift. When I get home, there’s another note taped to my front door. It says, “In your yard.”

  My tired body inflates with a new burst of energy. I open the front door and toss my things onto the couch without stopping as I head toward the backdoor. I hurry through the house to the yard. Lying in the hammock, set up under the only two trees that are next to each in the yard, is Dylan, wearing nothing except a towel draped over his waist. A small bowl of grapes and a bottle of wine sit on a chair he’s set up next to him. In his hands are long-stemmed wine glasses, partially filled. My eyebrow climbs and many nasty thoughts fill my head.

  That delicious tingling feeling spreads across my body. I walk up to him and he looks at me with his warm, brown eyes.

  “Sorry I’m late,” I say.

  “You’re worth the wait.” His voice is sultry. He always says the right things. Heat churns inside me.

  “Why are you wearing only a towel?”

  “I thought you’d join me and we could make love while swinging in the hammock.” He’s wearing a devilish grin. “Why don’t you come here?”

  Easing onto the hammock carefully, I try not to rock it too much, but the glasses are too full as my weight shifts our cradle. Some white wine splashes onto Dylan’s thumb. I take each glass from him and place it on the side table individually. Then take his hand where the wine spilled and lift it to my mouth. Running my tongue up and down his finger I lap up the wine.

  I lick the outer edge of his thumb, then plunge it into my mouth…and suck hard. A sharp intake of breath tells me how I’m affecting him.

  I reach for one of the glasses of wine and take a sip. It’s cold and sweet. I lick my lips. Dylan’s watches my mouth. I hold a second sip in my mouth and kiss him, transferring the sweet liquid to him.

  “Mmmmm,” he purrs.

  I hold the glass over his navel and spill a few drops onto his stomach. “Don’t rock the hammock,” I say. I look at him for his promise. He nods. I take another sip of the wine and kiss him again, transferring more into his mouth. As he swallows, I track my tongue down his jawline. He moans. I continue down his neck, then along his collarbone. His chest is heaving. My trace continues down his chest and to his stomach.

  His body stiffens and he grips the edges of the hammock as I dip my tongue into the small pool of wine deposited in his navel. His breathing is rapid. I move the towel to uncover him just slightly. I continue my descent, licking, nibbling my way down. He steadies himself, trying hard not to move as I reach him. Moving further, I twirl my tongue around the tip. His breath hitches. Then I push him into my mouth.

  “Ohhhhhhh.”

  I pull back an
d do it again. He flexes his hips then raises them as I go down his impressive length again. He moans through clenched teeth. I push him deeper.

  “Ahhhh.” His eyes are closed and his head is back, absorbing all of it. “I can’t…”

  I pull him in deeper still. He cries out and his hips still. Warm, salty liquid oozes down my throat.

  He leans back into the hammock and his body relaxes.

  His muscular arms pull me close and we rock back and forth as he kisses me.

  “Are you okay?” I ask.

  He smiles. “I’ve never experienced anything like that. It was phenomenal.”

  We lay on the hammock a little while longer. Dylan is stroking the end of my ponytail. He pulls the clip from my hair and rakes out the blonde curls. “I like how you sip wine,” he says.

  I smile. “I’m glad you like my technique.” He laughs.

  We rock a while longer with my head on his chest. His heartbeat slows to a rhythmic beat. The chaos of the day starts to weigh on me. I feel myself start to drift, thinking about how wonderful Dylan has made me feel the past few days. His voice brings me back to the now.

  “I finished painting everything but the dining room.”

  “That’s great. How’d you get so motivated?”

  “I had to do something to keep my mind off of you otherwise I would have been back at the ER. I only have Saturday night and Sunday before I have to go back to work. I don’t want to waste those days doing stuff in the house. I just want to focus on being with you.”

  I am elated by his words. He really does want to be with me. An infusion of energy fills me. I roll out of the hammock. “Come inside,” I command.

  His eyebrow rises with curiosity. Grasping the towel around his waist, he follows. We just make it in the back door. I press my body up against his and push him against the counter. I yank the towel from his body and toss it onto the floor.

  I stand back and gaze at him. He’s got the most perfect body. I lift my scrub top and pull it over my head. Then I push the matching pants over my hips and down my legs. I stand in front of him in my purple lace bra and panties. His jaw is slack as he looks me up and down. His body tells me he’s pleased.