by Paula Ridge
I do the same thing whenever I go someplace new. My GPS can be rather fickle and send me down the path of least resistance. There’s always a faster way. Finding it on the Internet is easy when I know what I’m looking for by punching in the address. It’s just a few blocks away so I decide to walk there from my apartment building.
The sun is dipping below the trees, splashing the sky with many different colors of the rainbow. This is what living is all about when you don’t have to take things too seriously. I have on a short white skirt to go with the canary yellow top. I kick myself when I realize it’s the perfect weather for one of my many summer dresses.
Coming from a big family means that I’m always getting hand-me-downs. Getting out and paying my own way makes it easier to find my style. It’s a little eclectic, with purple boots with a zipper to the top. They are very comfortable, despite appearances.
The huge sunglasses are this throwback to a different era where people knew how to express themselves through clothing. People live in competition against one another too much and my father is the same way. He always has to have what the neighbors have. The trailer we used every summer to go camping continued getting bigger until we finally outgrew it.
They are retired, but still living in their home. Their children, including myself, are no more than 20 minutes away in either direction. It’s a blessing and a curse to be in close proximity. Sunday dinner is always an interrogation by them and my siblings poking fun at my single status. There’s no reason to deny how I have been left behind with my siblings finding their passions and their significant others.
I love them dearly, but they can be a handful. The only thing they seem to be proud of is what I do for a living. It doesn’t make much money, but I enjoy every aspect - including getting paint on my face.
There is suddenly a set of footsteps behind me. The neighborhood is really nice, so the possibility of something bad happening is slim to none.
“You look like you’re walking to the gallows. I know; it’s the way I feel. I had the taxi drop me off a few blocks from my final destination, not sure I will be sound enough to drive home later. By the way, I’m Alex,” he introduces himself and I admire how he is willing to put himself out there, but he is barking up the wrong tree.
I turn and become breathless due to this masculine figure standing in front of me. He has several tattoos, but they aren’t cheesy on him. Those blue eyes of his peer right into my soul and I lose my train of thought in the face of such a beautiful specimen. His white shirt with a black tribal design is open, with a very thin white tee-shirt underneath, revealing his muscular torso to my eager eyes.
There’s no mistaking that he could be on the cover of a gentlemen’s quarterly. There’s also something hard behind those blue eyes.
I can’t speak and my clothing suddenly becomes a little too tight on my frame. I’m not the only one having that problem; something which is evident by the bulge in his cargo shorts.
“I’m... Melanie...” I splutter with my head in the clouds, unable to articulate anything more than my name.
“I wasn’t even going to come to this party, but I didn’t have anything better to do. Coming home from Haiti only 24 hours ago has me feeling a little jet-lagged. It’s not easy flying around the world protecting the interests of other people. I consider myself one of the lucky ones, though, to be doing something I love. Can you say the same thing? What do you do for a living? If you don’t mind me asking?” He says a whole host of words and I watch his mouth move with just the hint of his delectable tongue sticking out of his mouth.
“I’m a kindergarten teacher...wait...are we going to the same party?”
“That must be fun, seeing them before they develop into the people they are going to be. I’m going to a housewarming celebration at Shane and Amber’s new place. I believe that is the place. I’m guessing the cars in the driveway give it away,” he teases and then dashes ahead of me before scaling the backyard fence in one single bound.
I watch him until he disappears and then I make my way over to the fence. It’s easy to find the latch with my hand over the top. I’m scanning the crowd for any sign of him. Those in attendance are currently talking, with the scent of barbecue meat wafting in the air.
It’s not a good day to be a vegetarian, but I know from my discussion with Amber they have a plant-based substitute available.
I don’t see him anywhere, but I don’t know why it matters so much.
There’s a string of lanterns around the pool. Nobody is using the pool and the chlorine makes it a vibrant blue, so I can see down to the bottom.
A shadow looms over me and then there’s this splash. Everything becomes disjointed.
I’m standing there washed-out, looking like a drowned rat. I’m dripping water all over their cobblestone deck in multi-colors.
The water is bashing against the sides of the in-ground pool.
Nobody is coming back up after making such a scene. Everybody is mumbling and getting closer to the edge where there’s somebody sitting at the bottom of the pool in a Lotus position. I’m not sure what to make of this spectacle.
I’m not surprised to see the person responsible is...Alex!
He has the fortitude to approach me and speak like we are best friends. This means he’s a social butterfly that everybody gravitates towards. He wants to be the center of attention and doesn’t mind doing insane things to get there.
Ch 2 –Alex
I’ve always been one to make a grand entrance and this is no exception. Jumping from the top of the house after scaling the fence and the drainpipe makes me a conversation starter. Nothing I do is going to change the outcome of my death coming anytime soon. This is my way of living life to the fullest, without regrets holding me back.
Some people don’t understand where I get my reckless attitude from. It’s perfect for the military because I’m not afraid of going at it alone. They depended on me to pull out a miracle and it’s the same in private security. I have no problem volunteering for the most dangerous assignments.
I want to go out on my terms and not on some superstitious nonsense revolving around my father and grandfather dying when they were in their early thirties from heart problems. I’m already heading in that direction with my birthday around the corner. It’s a day that I have dreaded for quite some time, but it doesn’t mean I’m going to stop living because of it.
My doctor tells me I have nothing to worry about, but what does he know?
I open my eyes in the water and I can see them looking at me from above. My body goes into action after denying my lungs the oxygen they need to breathe. Swimming to the surface is a breeze and comes with the territory after training for underwater assignments.
I make a big production coming out of the water with my smile beaming on my face.
Shane points at me wearing this apron that says ‘kiss the cook’ on the front of it. I notice a few people surrounding somebody that is in the middle. They are offering this person several different towels and then they separate. I see a woman I recognize from meeting on the street, drenched from head to toe.
She does look good wet, but that is not what I should be taking away from this.
It’s my fault and I should be gallant about offering my assistance. Propelling myself up onto the deck in only my skivvies has the women in attendance gawking. Those black silk shorts mold to me like glue.
I walk in a straight line towards her with water following me.
“I apologize for getting you wet but it’s only water. I’m sure Amber has something dry for you to wear until your clothes are laundered. I hope you can forgive me. I get impulsive at times and do crazy things in the spur of the moment. It makes me feel alive,” I explain, but she’s really not listening to me and I can’t blame her for being a little miffed.
“You really should know your audience before you do something like that. I appreciate the apology but it’s not necessary. I’m a big girl. I’m not going to me
lt because of a little water,” she laughs and punches me playfully on the shoulder.
I like that she has a good sense of humor and doesn’t take things too seriously. I’m always afraid of making a bad first impression. Trying to please everybody is a fulltime job. It’s nice to unwind and forget about everything, without feeling like I’m doing something wrong.
Her blond hair catches the sun and I stare without meaning to. “I’m glad to hear that. It would kill me to think that I ruined any chance of you having a good time. You could join me in a double cannonball salute. Are you game? It’s not like you’re going to get any wetter,” I challenge and I’m not sure how she’s going to respond, until she dives into the water holding onto her knees with me following suit.
This time the splash is mostly localized to the other side of the pool where there are fewer people to upset. I have to admit that her sense of eccentricity is quite enticing. Her strokes across the pool are seamless and she appears to have been born in the water.
I admire her form and there’s no way that I can possibly keep up with her. Her athletic prowess is something to admire. Her skirt comes off and I think for a moment I’m going to get a brief peek at her unmentionables. This proves to be false when she reveals to be wearing a tasteful white bikini underneath.
She dangles her foot out of the water. Somehow, she took off her boots before diving in.
“I know what you were thinking. I’m not that daring.” She swims to the other side with me watching intently, feeling like this breath of fresh air that has come into my life.
She isn’t afraid of getting her hair wet like other women. This woman enjoys doing spontaneous things. She’s got this carefree attitude, something indicative of what you would find with children with no boundaries. It stands to reason her open mind comes from working with kids.
I’m not interested in anything that’s going to last longer than a cup of coffee. It’s not like I’m going to be around to enjoy it. Not even my colleagues know of my fear of turning 30 in the next couple of months. It’s like a time bomb going off in my head with the ticking getting louder with every day that passes.
She lifts herself from the pool and somebody is there to greet her with a beach towel to wrap around her waist. I breathe a sigh of relief to see that it’s Shane. He’s already taken and spoken for. It makes seeing her with another man palatable, despite the growing unrest inside my head. I want to get to know her better and she’s making it easy.
I snatch two beers from the ice chest with the water dripping off of my fingertips. Placing one against my chest causes me to shudder. I use the other to catch her unawares and she jumps out of her skin when I press the naked bottle against her back.
I swing it around until it’s in her hand. “I thought you could use this. I think I see the reason why you are a good teacher. You have retained some of that youthful innocence from your childhood. Not many can say that with a straight face and mean it. They get too caught up in life to understand it’s important to shake things loose from time to time,” I say with my hand on her back, guiding her away from Shane, but he’s already talking to somebody else before he even realizes my sleight of hand.
She takes that bottle by the neck and swigs it back like a true champion. This girl grew up around men. She knows how to have a good time without appearing dainty. There’s nothing delicate about her. She has curves in all the right places.
She takes a deep breath and clinks the beer bottle against the one I’m holding. “I’m not sure where you came from, but a lot of people could learn something from you. It’s not right to take life too seriously. The headlines are full of depressing topics, so I try to avoid the news as much as possible. Being with good friends and having fun is what life is all about,” she expresses, and I follow her into the house with my eyes glued to the backside of her white bikini.
She takes me through the house without even knowing where she’s going and I’m not complaining. The music playing outside is muted by the time we are in one of the spare bedrooms, which is tastefully decorated.
There’s no doubt in my mind Amber is the mastermind behind the decor. Shane didn’t know anything about paint colors. Swatches would have him scratching his head in confusion.
He’s lucky to have a feminine influence in his life.
I could only wish to have something like that but I’m not foolish. My time is limited and I’m going to make the most out of what time I have left.
I spin her to face me with my two hands on her hips. She’s warm to the touch and I sense a fire inside, pleading with me to come out. Her fingers tremble when she touches my bare chest and I’m biting on my bottom lip, afraid to get any closer at the risk of getting burned. I don’t mind a sinful excuse to explore her body but I’m not going to do anything without her express consent.
“It’s fun being a different person. Adult situations like this don’t happen often. I’m afraid to admit my life is finger painting and teaching kids the difference between right and wrong.” She reveals a little about herself but it doesn’t scare me away.
“What is the difference between right and wrong? I would like very much for you to educate me. Is it wrong to enjoy a woman’s company? Is it wrong to find her completely irresistible? I know it feels right to touch you like this. I know it feels right to be here with you. Is there really anything wrong with the way that we express ourselves physically? Can you answer those questions for me, teacher?” I can tell from the pout of her lips and that visible glaze in her eyes she wants me to kiss her.
I’m waiting to get that clear signal. There’s no better feeling in the world than when a woman takes a bit of the initiative to take the guesswork out. There’s that moment of awkward silence, getting ready to explode with a moment of passion to whet her appetite for more than what is on the menu.
I’m looking like a sizzling steak.
To help make up her mind there is a sudden array of fireworks outside the window in the colors of the American flag. It’s almost like fate has stepped in to give her a taste of what it’s like to run wild and free.
The way she grabs my hair and we look at each other tells me she is looking for satisfaction and is not afraid to seek it out.
Ch 3 – Melanie
It’s highly combustible and I probably shouldn’t be leading him on. The heat of his body and the sensual gaze from his piercing blue eyes is amazingly seductive. It keeps me guessing what is hidden underneath those pants. I’m not sure what to feel about him being half-dressed with a few errant drops of water still clinging to his chest.
“This isn’t like me. I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong idea. We’re having fun and maybe we have gone a little too far. It’s not like I’m trying to send you mixed messages. I’m just not sure I can be that kind of girl.” I’m licking my lips and avoiding eye contact, but my eyes stray in a southerly direction.
There’s no mistaking the hammer inside his pants, ready to nail me to the cross of my innocence. It’s not like I haven’t done things in the past. I think about them and I begin to soften to the idea of being pinned to the mattress while people are only a few feet away.
“I don’t want to put you into a position where you feel uncomfortable. I’m sure we can think of other things to do together,” he teases with a light brush of his fingers across my neck to make me moan underneath my breath.
“We have to stop before we go too far. I like you a lot, but this is moving a little too fast for me. Would you feel differently about me if I wanted to slow things down? God forbid, we actually talk and find out more about each other. This has been spontaneous and very unpredictable. I hope we can continue this trend. I have an idea. Since you like extreme ways to excite yourself, this might be right up your alley.” I write down an address on the palm of his hand thinking it’s going to be cute, but terrified he’s going to wash it off.
“I like being surprised. It doesn’t have to end here. We can still have fun in other ways. I’m not suggesting hav
ing hot, wild sex on that bed right there unless, of course, you want to. I think you know by now from your experiences with men that we don’t need much convincing. You just have to look at us the right way and we will be there waiting and willing,” he whispers hotly into my ear, with his right hand moving in a teasing motion along the waistband of my bikini bottoms, just dipping his finger beyond the threshold.
I swallow hard, wondering if maybe there isn’t a way we can find satisfaction in another way. I’m not a prude and I have this desire to see him in a vivid depiction of what a man really should look like down there. I move my tongue across my upper lip before taking a hold of his package in the palm of my hand.
“Is this the kind of thing you had in mind? Don’t even bother to answer. I can see from the look on your face you’re not exactly complaining about my touch. I do like a man that is responsive and doesn’t mind a woman taking charge. I’m not one to take these insane risks but you are becoming a bad influence on me. I think you know you are a bad boy and should be punished for your behavior.” I watch his face light up when I pull down his zipper and pop the button on his pants in one fluid motion.
I’m the one taken aback when I find out he’s not wearing anything underneath. I can feel the heat of his shaft and something sticky to the touch on the tip. My fingers glide down his impressive shaft, paying particular attention to the throb of that muscle down the back.
“I’m not sure where you are going with this but I’m 100% on board. How can any man resist a sexy woman putting their hands on them? I’m pretty strong and can resist practically anything but this is in a different league of its own.” He’s breathing a little bit faster.
I’m watching his massive chest rise with each breath.
“I take it you like what I’m doing to you. Is there something particular you would like me to do...with my hands?” I offer, but I’m quick to add those last three words to keep him from thinking this is going to escalate any further.
