Claire

God, earlier tonight, he’d nodded, and I was on him. I’d let go of his hand and crawled over him, front-to-front, my mouth seeking his, like his was the only air I ever needed.

Something came over me.

I craved him like Smitty craved a piece of steak.

It didn’t matter that I was a grown woman who’d lost a child. With Aiken, I was a woman. A desirable (yet vulnerable) woman with wants and desires…needs I’d never needed before.

It was refreshing and scary as shit at the same time.

Even more shocking, I liked this version of me.

Our tongues had entwined, and my body had ached to rub against his.

I hadn’t grinded up on anyone since I was sixteen in my friend’s basement.

I was too old to act like that. Right?

Yet, I’d wanted nothing more than to create friction where it counted.

“This okay?” he’d asked, kind and gruff at the same time, his voice hoarse with want.

“Yes,” I’d breathed.

Now, as I wrestled with the covers, Smitty pacing the hardwoods—anxious from my own nerves—I wished I’d stayed, we’d done more, gone inside…that he’d had his way with me.

I was wanton and breathless over my neighbor.

My younger neighbor.

I had to get over that. In three years—longer than that—no one had made me breathless, let alone hungry with desire.

“One more mile?” We circled town, Aiken more than likely slowing his pace. As for me, I was dragging my ass faster than usual.

“Sure.” No way I’d ever own up to tossing and turning half the night.

All night.

“There’s a big coffee with lots of sugary vanilla in it at the end for you. How’s that?”

“Now you’re speaking my lingo, kid.”

“Pick it up, Richards.”

A quick pat on the butt had me looking every which way…

“I’m not a student, and I want to touch a lot more of you. I see you looking around. No one’s even paying attention to us.”

As if I were a coed, my cheeks flamed. I couldn’t look at him. His words had been so simple, yet so suggestive.

“Look at you…are you out of shape? Or embarrassed?”

My tank was soaked through, bra too, my thighs sticky, and salty sweat dripped into my eyes, but I pushed forward. “I’m not out of shape. It’s been a long time…a while since someone tapped my butt, let alone in public,” came through huffs and breaths.

“You mean, smacked your ass? I’m not a toddler, neither are you. You don’t need to say butt.”

“Yes, my ass.” I turned my gaze the opposite direction of him.

“Look at me,” he demanded, not even out of breath, and I did.

“It’s a mighty fine ass, Professor Richards.”

He winked, and I stopped dead in my tracks.

“Too much?” Aiken stilled next to me, tipping my chin up.

“Too much.”

“Noted. Now let’s go.”

He started running again, and I followed suit.

He was the lighthouse and I was a ship lost at sea.

We didn’t stop until we were in front of the Coffee Hut.

Slowing, shaking out my legs, I took in Aiken. Arms glistening, navy muscle shirt tight over his pecs, mesh shorts loose on his tan legs—he was any woman’s wet dream.

Do we have those?

“I’m not going to acknowledge you staring at me. I need my caffeine, missy.”

He opened the door and hustled me inside before I could deny my perusal.

We ordered and headed back outside, where I thought we’d walk back home.

“Let’s sit.”

Aiken pointed toward a small table under an umbrella. I couldn’t stop myself from staring at it like it was a ghost about to rise from the dead.

“You okay? Need some water? Richards?” He wrapped an arm around my sweaty back, and

I shook my head, trying to drag myself out of my own head.

“Used to come here with Abby on Sundays. We’d get coffee, decaf for her, regular for me, and we’d read.”

“Come on, let’s stroll home.”

If I were to be waterboarded and forced to say what I liked about this guy, I’d admit…he didn’t push. Aiken took cues and rolled with them.

“I’m sorry,” I said.

“Why? A walk is just as good as sitting with you. No need to explain.”

We passed the alley with the farmers’ market and Patsy’s Bar & Grill, where students went to do karaoke and slam poetry, both of us seemingly comfortable with silence. My iced coffee, sweet and refreshing, settled the errant thoughts tumbling in my head and churning in my belly.

Or maybe it was the guy next to me, patient and unfaltering?

On the next block, he said, “Lord, I went to this joint one night. What a meat market.”

“You went to Juicey’s?” I laughed…big, loud, hiccupping laughs.

“Hey, I looked it up on Yelp. It has good reviews.”

“Bet you don’t go back. That place is a cheeseball’s heaven.”

“Pretty much. I didn’t stay long.” His smile, infectious and wide, traveled the entire length of my spine, igniting an emotion I hadn’t felt in forever.

Hope.

Hopefulness.

“What are you up to for the rest of the weekend?” We crossed over into the residential neighborhood where we lived.

“Today, some grading. Tomorrow, I told Mary I’d come to her house for a pool party for one of her kids. You?”

“Some website work. The dairy farm wants me back out next week for a demo.”

“It’s probably cool to see…their place. All those cute, big, not-so-cuddly cows.”

“Hence the shitkickers.”

“Really?”

“No, just kidding. I like them. They remind me of home.”

For the briefest moment, a wistful look passed over his face, and I could tell he missed his own farm.

“And, turns out, this dairy farmer knew my grandparents. He mentioned he knew someone whose kid married a guy with my last name, and we got to talking. Maybe they have some information for me about my mom, but I want to finish the job first.”

“Don’t get your hopes up, though. I know you want this badly, but still. Take your time.”

He nodded and took a sip of his coffee.

When he was about to say something more, my name rang through the air.

“Claire!”

Turning, I found David barreling up to me on a bike.

“Oh, hey, David. What’re you doing over here?”

“Sylvie has me on a fitness jag, wants me to get rid of my tire. I mean, my waist.” He’d pulled over next to the curb and pinched the blubber around his waist.

“Good luck with that.” Back when we were together, he was always eating too many cookies and candies. It would be an uphill battle for him, but I didn’t really care. It wasn’t my worry anymore.

“Glad I’m running into you. I was thinking of going to the cemetery. I haven’t been since the funeral. Should I take anything?”

“David, please. I’m out for coffee. It’s my morning. I’m enjoying it. I don’t want to discuss the cemetery or anything to do with it.”

I felt the life ooze out of my pores. David’s dry, chilling personality was like a cold shower in the middle of January. Add in the cemetery chatter, and it was like I’d been doused in an ice bath.

For damn sure, he didn’t need to start invading my sacred spot with Abby. He’d already tarnished us enough.

“What’s the sudden interest?” I couldn’t help myself.

“It just seems like I should. The partners at work asked…”

“No need to explain any further.”

“Hey, I’m Aiken. I live next door to Claire.” Aiken extended his hand toward my ex, cutting the tension.

I watched David take him in, raking his gaze up and down him like he was the competition.

Funny, he’d left me a long time ago.

All of a sudden, I felt more confident. For the first time, I had the upper hand. It was foolish and a bit teenagerlike, but I didn’t care. I was standing there with someone who liked me, and he didn’t need to work off any tires around his waist.

“Your neighbor? The person who lives next door to my old house, you mean?”

“It’s Claire’s place now,” Aiken stood up for me.

A marching band took up in my chest, my heart beating hard and fast.

“Listen, boys, I have to get home. Work to do and all that.” In reality, I wanted to get rid of David and be alone with Aiken.

“Workaholic, this one,” David said, as if he knew what my life was really like.

“Nothing wrong with that. I have some work myself.”

Then, Aiken winked like he’d won the lottery. He took charge, taking my hand in his free hand, and said, “Nice meeting you,” before dragging me off like that hadn’t been the weirdest interaction ever. Or wildest.

“That’s your ex?” he asked when David sped by on his I’m-sure-very-expensive bike.

“Unfortunately.”

“Well, now I’m thinking no one’s ever smacked your ass quite right. What a cocksucker.”

All I could do was laugh the whole way home.