Chapter 29

Ian

 

 

The pounding of my feet hitting the pavement is soothing, and is a feeling I have missed. After spending the day yesterday trying to figure out whether to make the spare room an office or a gym, I decided to go with the latter. I wanted to get back in shape. Being with a young, beautiful woman had a way of reminding me of my softer bits that I wanted to firm up. I could feel young again mentally and physically. Both were going to require a lot of effort, but I was looking forward to the challenge.

I had put on one of my favorite playlists. The mixture of country rock with a little Maroon 5 for good measure kept my energy up as the sweat started to trickle down my back. My heart was pumping, and I could feel muscles waking up that had been dormant for far too long.

It felt amazing. I was sure I would be sore as hell in the morning, but it would be a good pain. I knew not to overdo it my first day out, and slowed my pace to an easier gait, allowing my heart rate to gradually drop.

Florida Georgia Line was pumping through my earbuds when they were abruptly cut off by an incoming text message. I slowed to a walk and pulled the phone out of my armband and checked the screen.

Lord, have mercy!

It was a picture from Tessa and was nothing more than a pair of black lace crotchless panties. My heart tumbled over a few times, making me seriously concerned for my health. I could very well have a heart attack right here on the street.

I glanced around, checking to see if anyone was watching me before immediately pushing the call button.

She answered the first ring. “Hello?” she said, in a perfectly innocent tone.

“You need to be at my house, now,” I said, leaving no room for argument.

She was giggling. I was rock hard, and she was laughing. Women had no idea how powerful they were. Or maybe they did. She had to know.

“Now, Tessa,” I demanded.

She stopped laughing. “I need to change, and I’ll be right over.”

“You better be wearing those,” I said, before ending the call.

I was in my own neighborhood, so it didn’t take me long to get back home. I quickly did some cool down stretches before jumping in the shower. It took less than ten minutes to clean up. I didn’t want to risk not hearing her at the door.

Pacing the living room, I waited for her to get her ass to my house. She was taking her sweet time it seemed. I picked up my phone, ready to call her and find out what was taking so long, when I heard a car outside. I pulled open the blinds and saw her coming up the walk wearing a pink dress. My passion was ignited. I yanked open the front door and pulled her in, not giving her the chance to knock or talk. I had waited too long. Niceties would have to come later. I had to have her right then and there.

***

“Are you hungry?” I asked her, sitting up and looking for my clothes.

She rolled over and stretched, revealing the full length of her beautiful, naked body. I had to admire it for a second before I looked away.

“I am. Are you going to make me breakfast?” she asked, sitting on the floor next to me.

I felt a little guilty that I had taken her right there in the entryway of my house, but I couldn’t stop myself. I stood, pulling on my briefs and picking up my jeans and the t-shirt that had been tossed on the couch. I left the shirt hanging there.

When I turned back to hand her the dress I had tossed away in my haste, she was holding up the panties. “These aren’t exactly functional, but, they’ll have to do I suppose.”

I laughed. “Functional, no; fucking hot, hell yeah.”

She giggled while shimmying them on. I had to laugh at her struggle to put the things on. It wasn’t easy with so many holes in the tiny scrap of material. I handed her the dress, and she quickly pulled it on, putting her bra in her purse.

“It’s Sunday,” she answered when she caught me watching.

I nodded. “Believe me, I don’t mind.”

I headed into the kitchen, pulled open the refrigerator to survey the contents, and was a little embarrassed by the slim pickings. Eggs and toast it was.

I could hear her in the living room, walking around. It felt strange to have someone in my house, inspecting my things. I had removed Miriam’s touch, which left the place a little sparsely decorated.

“I see you are one of those minimalists,” she said, walking into the kitchen.

I chuckled. “Well, I don’t know about that. I, uh, well, I recently cleaned up around here. Like boxing up stuff.”

She looked at me, a strange expression on her face. “Like you were a hoarder?”

“No. All of Miriam and Ally’s things. I finally boxed them up last week. I haven’t had the time or the desire to decorate the place. I don’t even really know what I like. I went from being a bachelor to married, and then a widower, all in a short period of time,” I explained.

“I get it. You don’t have to explain. Leave it as it is if you’re fine with it. You don’t need a bunch of crap on the walls and shelves. You can’t take it with you when you die and your crap will just end up in a box in some garage,” she said, shrugging her shoulders.

It was a bleak thought, but she was right. Our treasures on this earth were temporary. I could spend my money doing things I liked rather than buying trinkets that brought me no real happiness. I felt enlightened.

“You’re pretty smart,” I told her, leaning in to give her a kiss.

She laughed and shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know about that, but it is something I heard my first year in school from a psych major. It didn’t make a lot of sense back then, but after Talia died, I got it completely.”

“Are you a minimalist then?” I asked.

She laughed. “No. I should be, and I wish I was, but I like trinkets. I mean, I don’t blow a lot of money on stuff, but I do like shopping and I do like decorating my room and house a little. When I get a full-time job and have my own place, I hope I can restrict myself to the basics. I have no desire to have collections of stuff that has to be dusted all the time, and will ultimately end up in someone’s basement or sold at a thrift store for a dollar.”

Her words reminded him of their age difference. She didn’t have a job or a house of her own, or any of the adult trappings of life. She was still so very young.

“Can I help with anything?” she asked, looking around the kitchen.

“Sure, grab a couple of plates if you would,” I said, pointing to the cupboard.

She did so and quickly searched the kitchen drawers to find silverware. We sat at the tiny table and ate our breakfast. It was odd to be eating in my house with anyone besides Jake. 

“How was your visit with your mom?” I asked her.

“Great, actually. She’s been here before, but they were always rush in and rush out kind of visits. We spent all day Saturday wandering around, and it was really nice. I haven’t spent any real time with my mom like that since I was in junior high. You know, before I got too cool to go anywhere with my horrible, ogre-like mother who was so embarrassing,” she joked.

I had to laugh. “Isn’t it funny how we all go through similar stages? We love our parents and can’t be away from them, then we hate them for a while, and by the time we want them back in our lives, they are far away or gone for good.”

“Are your parents around?” she asked.

I shook my head. “No. We lost them both in a car accident about six years ago. It was pretty rough on Jake. He had just graduated high school.”

She looked sad. “I’m sorry,” she said, putting one of her hands on my own. “I can’t imagine that. You’ve really been through a lot.”

I shrugged. “I really wasn’t all that close to my parents. I mean, I loved them, and it was horrible of course, but it wasn’t life-shattering. Now, I sometimes wish I could call them up and chat or visit, but—well, it is what it is.”

“I suppose. I’m glad I have my mom,” she said, standing and clearing the table.

“I can do that. Sit down; you’re my guest,” I told her.

“Nope, you cooked breakfast, I’ll clean up.”

I looked at her, standing in my kitchen, with the sun streaming in through the window over the sink and highlighting her golden hair. How had I been so lucky to have her in my life? She was truly an angel sent to me to pull me out of those dark days.

“You keep looking at me like that and these dishes aren’t going to get done,” she said, with a coy smile.

I laughed. “Sorry, but you’re gorgeous.”

I watched the beautiful blush spread over her face and down her neck at my words. It only took a few minutes for the kitchen to be back in order.

“Stay,” I said when it looked like she would leave.

She shrugged. “Okay. I can stay for a bit.”

I grabbed her hand and led her to the couch where Dexter was sitting.

“This is the cat? You didn’t say he was half mountain lion. The thing is a beast!” she exclaimed.

Dexter thumped his tail and meowed, expressing his opinion of her assessment.

“Is he going to attack me?” she said, concern in her voice.

“Ignore him,” I told her pulling her down to sit next to me. We left Dexter to his own side of the couch where he eyed us with a great deal of suspicion.

“What were you doing when you called earlier?” she asked.

I laughed, a little embarrassed. “Running.”

“Like from a bear or on purpose?” she asked, with a slightly horrified look on her face.

“On purpose. No bears in the neighborhood that I know of. I used to run every morning, but I got out of the habit of doing it. I’m hoping to pick it up again. Turns out I actually enjoy running,” I told her. She didn’t look like she believed me.

“That’s cool, I guess, but please don’t ask me to go with you—ever. I can handle some yoga and maybe a few minutes on a treadmill, but I’m not the kind of girl you will ever see actually running,” she joked.

I pulled her into me. “Good to know and I’ll keep that in mind. You don’t need to run anyway; your body is absolutely perfect just the way it is.”

She reached up and kissed me. “Thank you.”

I sighed in contentment and leaned back on the couch, relishing the feel of her beside me. It felt right.