Chapter6
What are you doing here?” she sputtered. “I told you that I can’t meet you tonight.” She sighed. “Why won’t you take no for an answer?”
“Because I’m persistent. It’s one of my better personality traits.”
She couldn’t believe what was happening. “Stop. You have to leave. People can’t see you here.”
“What people?” he said with a laugh. “I didn’t even drive here. I parked over in the little greenbelt around the corner. Besides, your property is freakin’ huge. Who’s going to see me out here. I could scream out your name and no one would even notice.” He turned around and raised his arms up in the air as he began to yell. But he couldn’t even get her name out before she put her hands over his mouth and pulled him inside. She shut the door behind them.
“What’s the matter with you?” she said smacking his arm.
He laughed. “Don’t even act like you’re mad. I see that smile,” he said putting his hand gently on her cheek.
She could feel her cheeks flush. “Well now that you’re here, what is it that you want?”
“I want to take you out. I wanted to show you something,” he replied. “You’ll love it.”
She gave him the stink eye. “The driver just left. Did he see you?”
“No. I saw him leave. I didn’t see any other cars in the driveway so I just assumed that you were alone.” He took a step toward her. “Come on. Let’s go on a little adventure.”
“Why are you so determined with me?”
“Don’t you believe in fate?” he asked.
Her eyes gazed into his. She tried to avoid it but when they made eye contact, she just melted. She always forgot just how handsome he was until he was right in front of her. “I…” she started. She had a comeback for this a second ago. She had some witty response to get him out of her house. “I…um…”
He placed his hands on her waist pulled her close. The presumptuousness of the action took her by surprise but she wasn’t put off – which surprised her. Her face was inches from his. “You need to slip out of these clothes,” he said to her, seductively. His eyes searched hers and softened when they found hers filled with desire.
“Wh…Um…” she sputtered.
Then, just as fast as it happened, his eyes returned to their normal twinkle. “Come on. I told you to wear pants for tonight.” He ran his fingers through her hair. “And as much as I like doing that, you should probably put your hair up in a ponytail too.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Prick,” she said.
He chuckled. “Don’t make me beg.”
“I think I will,” she said playfully.
Without hesitation, he got down on his knees and pressed his cheek against her stomach. “Please,” he whispered.
Jeez, even his begging makes me weak in the knees, she thought. “Fine,” she said.
He looked up at her. “Great! Meet me in the greenbelt. There’s a break in the fence. I’ll be there waiting for you.” He got to his feet and kissed her cheek, then left through the front door.
Molly just stood in the foyer, not knowing what just happened. “He’s like a tornado,” she said to herself. “Just whips through here and then he’s gone.” She looked down at her clothes. Her hands gravitated toward her stomach, where he had pressed himself. Just one touch. That’s all it took. She felt weak in the knees again. “What am I doing?” she said to herself as she ran up the stairs to get dressed.
* * *
It was already dark out. Molly felt a little self-conscious as she slipped through her fence and walked toward the small greenbelt in her neighborhood. It was a lush patch that the city owned. Or maybe it was the county. She didn’t know, nor did she care. The neighbors thought it was an eyesore and wanted to divide it up amongst themselves but all of their inquiries had gone unanswered. There was a rickety chain link fence that surrounded it, which did nothing to keep the kids or the vagrants out. Or the handsome suitors, it seemed.
Justin tossed a helmet at her. “Put it on,” he said in a loud whisper, backpedaling his motorcycle out of the green belt. “Come on, before I start it or all your neighbors will look out their windows and see you and me together.”
She quickly did as she was told, then hopped on the seat behind him. She had never been on one of these before. Her mother said that they were dangerous and forbid her to ever date someone that owned one. Molly giggled to herself and wrapped her arms around his chest. The closeness made her heart skip a beat.
“Hold on,” he said. Then he started the engine.
Looking around, she could see lights turn on in a handful of windows around the neighborhood. This time, she laughed out loud. “Go, go, go,” she said, her voice muffled through the helmet. They sped out of the neighborhood. Any other day and she would have been worried about the neighbors but on this particular night, she was sure that Justin could convince her to do anything.
They rode for a while. She leaned when he leaned. Hugged him to feel close and safe. Watched the stars move from side to side as they wound around hills and along windy roads. They finally stopped at a small bar. It didn’t look like a biker bar. It looked more like a saloon. It was complete with those swinging saloon doors that led to a smoking area on the patio.
“I’m not so sure about this,” Molly said taking off her helmet.
“Don’t worry about it. Everyone’s really nice here. Just give it a chance – fifteen minutes. If you’re not having fun by then, we’ll leave.” They both got off the bike. “Scout’s honor,” he said, holding his hand to his heart.
“You were never a scout, were you?” she asked.
“Well no, but let’s just pretend,” he said, taking his helmet off. He set his bike on its kickstand. With helmets under their arm, he led the way into the Black Stallion Saloon.
It was dark, like most bars. The mood lighting was set with recessed lights, mirrors, and neon signs of beer slogans. On one side there were a couple pool tables that were full of patrons. On the other side was a raised dance floor, which looked like a tripping hazard for drunks. And there were a lot of drunks.
“Justin,” said the woman behind the bar. She looked hard. Molly didn’t want to run into her in a dark alley. Her curly blond (and white) hair was pulled up in a messy bun. A cigarette stuck out behind her left ear. However, unlike most of the bar wench stereotypes, her face was soft and friendly, with just a glint of homicide in her eyes. “How you been, sweetheart? You ready to elope with me yet?”
He shook his head. “Not if you’re still married to that brick shithouse,” he replied with a laugh. He put his arm around Molly, “I’d like you to meet Molly Richards.”
“Well, by golly, you got yourself a girly.”
“Well, I wouldn’t call her that, just yet,” he said. “We’re just here to have a good time.”
She held out her hand. “I’m Suzie,” she offered. “I run this little tavern. It’s nice to meet you, Miss Molly. You seem like a sweetheart.” She motioned toward Justin. “He’s a sweetheart too. Don’t worry. He tries to act all tough but he’s a big softie.”
“Shut up,” Justin said with a smirk.
Suzie let out a belly laugh. “What can I get you two? First drink’s on me.”
“Just a soda for me,” Justin said. “I’m driving.” He turned to Molly. “What’s your poison?” he asked.
Molly shrugged then turned to Suzie. “Um,” she said, suddenly aware of how soft her voice was against the backdrop of the bar. “Kahlua and coke?” she asked.
“Coming right up.”
“We’re not going to stay long,” Justin said and he pulled some money out of his wallet. “So I’ll pay this round.”
She pushed his money away. “I haven’t seen you in a while, boy,” she said. “So don’t worry about it. You keep your money.” She smiled at him. Her harsh glare turned motherly for a moment. “You look good. Happy and healthy. Your dad would be happy to see you like this.”
He didn’t say anything to the comment. Just smiled and nodded. He led them over to a booth after they got their drinks. Instead of sitting across from each other, she pulled him over to her side so they could sit next to each other. He put his arm around her. “Not so scary, right?” he said.
“We just got here. Scary things might still happen,” she said. She rested her head on his shoulder. It felt nice. It was also different than she was used to. “Is this really where you wanted to take me?” she asked.
“No, no, this is just a pit stop. We’re headed to somewhere a little quieter after one more stop.”
They didn’t chat much at the bar. It was too loud to talk. But they did get to watch the patrons and celebrate in their victories (winning at 9 ball, successful line dance, and even a marriage proposal). They left after a couple drinks and headed to a small minimart.
“Supplies,” he said.
She cocked her head to the side. “Supplies for what?”
“Nothing too scandalous, Miss Goodie Two Shoes”, he said. He led her down the aisles and had her pick out the color of a small notebook (purple), a disposable camera (which cost a lot more than she remembered), a small first aid kit, a pen, and a small, knit, drawstring backpack. He placed all of the items in the bag and put the bag in one of the side saddles. “You’ll want to change that bag eventually,” he said. “Probably into something a little more waterproof. But it’ll do for now,” he added.
Molly didn’t let her confusion ruin the rest of the ride. They had turned back already and were headed in the direction of her house. At least that’s what she thought until he pulled off the side of the road.
They stopped at a small bluff that overlooked the city. It was beautiful. The twinkling lights of the city were a warm juxtaposition to the white lights up in the sky. As she stood there, he handed her the drawstring bag. She watched him as he pulled out a blanket from the other saddlebag. Along with it was a notebook and a pen. He set a couple of small lanterns on the ground and in between them, laid the blanket out. Then plopped down on it. He motioned for her to sit beside him.
“Okay, I’ll bite,” she said. “What are the notebooks for?”
He handed her his. “Read it,” he said. She took it from his hand and opened to the first page:
Live in a house by the lake.
There was a photograph taped to the page. In it was a picture of a tiny lakeside cabin with a date written underneath it: July 15, 2010.
The next page read:
Explore a cave.
Underneath the title was a picture of Justin and a friend with helmets and goggles on. They also looked as if they had climbing gear on. Behind them was a small waterfall. Underneath was a date: August 24, 2004
Was he showing off a list of accomplishments? “What is this?” she asked. She continued to flip through the pages: navigate an underwater sub, climb a volcano, hold a monkey, have a meaningful conversation with a stranger, go on a blind date, work on a pottery wheel, drink moonshine, donate blood, get a tattoo, visit my father’s grave, etc. The book was halfway full of ideas. Some of them had photographs taped to pages. Some had receipts or ticket stubs. A lot of them were empty except for the title.
“It’s my bucket list. It’s the one thing that I promised my dad I would do. Well, kind of. I remember him working on his when I was a little kid. He took me surfing for one of the items on his list. He left me his book in his will – amongst other things.” His eyes seemed as distant as the stars and as pensive and thoughtful as the men who visited them. “I told myself that I would do what he did. That was his legacy. He led a great life. That’s why everyone in that stupid town loves him so much.” His voice began to break. He coughed and cleared his throat before continuing on. “Anyway, I thought that you would get a lot from this kind of project too.”
“A bucket list? Isn’t that kind of morbid?”
“No, actually. I always thought it was the opposite. I mean, he really lived because of his. You’re looking for a little adventure, right? I think this is what you really need.” He took her empty notebook in his hand and scribbled on the first page, then handed it back to her.
“Find my passion in life,” she read aloud. It was her turn to be pensive.
“Not everyone is lucky enough to know what their passion is. I don’t know what mine is yet.” He took his book from the blanket. “This is helping me figure it out. But I tell you what,” he said laying his head down on the blanket. “It’ll be a lot of fun.” She could feel his gaze on her as she began writing things down in her book. “Well you can’t just leave me hanging. I was being all loquacious and thoughtful.”
Molly laughed. “You inspire me,” she said.
“What are you writing?”
She hid her notebook from his view. “It’s my list. What does it matter to you?”
“Oh is it dirty?” he asked. “Some kind of secret fetish.”
“Don’t be silly,” she said, holding it close to her chest.
“Don’t think I won’t go after it,” he said, reaching out to grab it. She rolled away from him playfully. They rolled around on the blanket playing keep away for a while before he finally had her pinned to the ground. Her giggles subsided as she stared into his eyes. Their deep breaths slowed and mimicked one another as he leaned in for a kiss. His lips gently caressed hers, toying with her for only a moment before passionately falling into the moment. His hands moved away from her hands and found themselves on the sides of her face and neck. His mouth was forceful as was the passion that she felt through them but his touch was warm and tender. He pulled away, suddenly, leaving her wanting more. She had just begun to reach for him when the notebook caught his eye. She reached for it instead but they both got to it at the same time and fell into giggles and laughter again. “Read it to me?” he asked, finally letting go.
“Okay,” she said. She rolled over onto her stomach, letting the light from the lamps illuminate the pages. “Find my passion.”
He nodded.
“Write a book.”
“Oh,” he said. He nodded. “I can see you being a writer.”
She smiled. “Learn how to drive.”
“You don’t know how to drive?”
“I’ve lived in the city my whole life. I never needed to learn how to drive. And now we have a driver so…” She shrugged.
“Okay, fair enough. No judgements. This is a judge free zone.”
“Stand under a waterfall.”
He smiled. “It’s an amazing feeling.”
“Receive a fan letter.”
He grinned. “That says a lot.”
“About me as a person?”
“About your goals in general. It means that you want to inspire people. I meant it in a good way. Remember? No judgements.”
“Own and live in a tiny house.”
“You?” he started but stopped himself. “Sorry.”
“Do I not seem like the tiny house type? You know, I didn’t buy the house that I’m living in. Kevin bought that hou-” The mere mention of his name darkened the mood. “Sorry.”
He shook his head. “Don’t apologize. I know that you’ve got a fiancé. I’ve always kind of known.”
“You have? But I didn’t have my ring…”
“Yeah, well, I guess your ring is a little too small, because I felt the indentation when I handed you that book,” he replied. “But I wanted to see you anyway. Some connections run so deep that you can feel it in your bones when you first meet.”
* * *
She flopped down on her bed and stared at the ceiling. Molly had already changed into her yellow baby-doll nightie after a shower. It was her theory that lingerie wasn’t just for the pleasure of other men. She loved the feeling of wearing something sexy just for herself. They felt wonderful against her skin and made her feel good about herself. The house might have been warm but it was big and lonely when she had to spend nights by herself. If Miguel and Stephanie didn’t have families of their own, she often thought about asking them to spend the night so she wouldn’t have to be by herself. As it was, she gave them both the weekend off. Kevin will be home tomorrow, she said to herself.
Her phone buzzed on her nightstand. Kevin, she thought. At least he didn’t text me while I was out with Justin. That would have been awkward. She picked up her phone and was surprised to see a text from a number she didn’t recognize.
“I loved our time together,” it read. She
“Right now, I’d probably blindfold you and spread your legs. I’d surprise you when you felt my warm wet tongue sliding up your inner thighs and closing in on your…”
Molly stopped reading and set her phone down beside her. She was breathing deeply and her cheeks felt hot. What was he saying, she thought. She pulled her phone up and continued to read.
“You know I would tease you mercilessly,” the next text read. “And I would take my time. My sweet, sweet time taking those sweet juices into my mouth.”
“Jeezus…” she said. She could feel the moisture in between her legs. Her fingers typed vigorously. “What are you doing to me?”
“Hopefully making you wet,” he replied.
“I’m not going to respond to that,” she typed back, fighting away the response that she wanted to say. Mainly something to the extent of, Please keep going.
“Mmm… I wish I could taste you right now. I bet you taste amazing.”
She smiled and leaned back, resting her head against her pillow. Well, I’ve never had any complaints, she thought. “Well, you’ll just have to keep dreaming then.”
“You’re good at playing hard to get,” he texted back. “What other games do you like to play?”
“Games that you won’t get to play,” she responded, giggling to herself as she sent it.
“Give me a chance. I bet I’d be good at your favorites. I’ll tell you mine, if you want,” he offered.
“What makes you think that I want to know what you like to play?”
“You want to know. You’re thinking about it. I can tell. You’re imagining what I’d be doing if I was there with you right now. Come on. What are you wearing?” he asked.
She began to type, “None of your…” but she stopped before she finished. She looked down at her nightie and erased what she was going to type. She’d never sexted Kevin before. She had tried to in the past but he always told her that she was distracting him from work.
Molly took a quick selfie, only showing him the spaghetti straps on her shoulders and the pillow behind her head. As soon as she sent it to him, a wave of regret went through her mind. “No, no, no,” she said aloud. “This is wrong.” She replaced her phone on the nightstand and crawled under the sheets. When her phone dinged at her she jumped up and quickly picked it up, without hesitation.
“You’re gorgeous,” he texted back. “Simply stunning. I can only imagine how soft your skin is. Can you feel my lips kissing those beautiful shoulders of yours?”
It took her breath away. Her heart ached. She wasn’t thinking with her brain anymore. She wasn’t even thinking with her heart. She didn’t know what she was thinking with anymore and she didn’t care. “Where are you?” she texted back. “God, come back. I need to feel you.” She sent it and jumped out of bed. She left the phone on her sheets and ran down the stairs, not even waiting for his response. She opened the front door and fount him standing outside in the pouring rain.
“Can I come i-” he started, holding his phone in his hand. The words disappeared from his mouth as he stared at her. His eyes fell on her translucent, yellow teddy. She watched his mouth as it fell agape.
“Get over here,” she said. She pulled him inside and shut the door behind him. He kissed her instantly, holding her against him. The textures were overwhelming. His cold and clammy skin, damp with rain. His leather jacket. His rough denim jeans. His soft lips. His fingers, which combed through her hair. She moaned softly and stripped him of his leather jacket. It fell with a thud on the hardwood floor.