Forever and Almost Always (4 page)

"Hey, you guys showed up." Dax slid the door shut behind him and took a seat on the cooler next to where I was standing.

"We did. It was a long walk, but we made it." I chided.

"Ah, a funny girl huh?" His eyes were entirely focused on me and my mouth was suddenly extremely dry.

"I try." I laughed.

He didn't say another word, but just sat there staring at me with that come hither stare. I knew what he was doing, because I was doing the same. My mind was silently undressing him, remembering what he looked like with his shirt off and wondering if I would ever get the chance to see the rest of him? Our eyes were locked on one another, when Taylor cleared her throat.

"Okay, well this is fun and all, but I have to get home soon." She gave me the secret look we had rehearsed, and I was suddenly bummed out that I was the one that had to take her home.

"Already?" Dax's friend's voice came as a shock to me, given the fact that he hadn't said a single word since coming out back with Dax. I glanced over at Taylor who had a look of shock on her face. Apparently, she hadn't been expecting him to respond either.

"Yeah, I um...I have to get up early tomorrow." This was a lie on Taylor's end. In all actuality, Taylor had a baby girl at home and she didn't want Aaron to know. At least not yet.

"Oh, okay. You guys coming over for the party tomorrow night?" Dax stood from his seat and moved towards the sliding glass door.

"I think so." I looked in Taylor's direction to see if she had an answer, but she was busy staring at the ground. "Alright, well I better get her home. I guess we will see you guys tomorrow." I started making my way in Dax's direction to head inside, but he stood there unmoving. He cracked a sexy grin and I could feel myself getting excited. If a look from him could do that to me, I could only imagine what his hands could do.

"You should come back over after you drop her off." He whispered next to me, so only I could hear.

Taylor and Aaron were busy talking, so I took the opportunity to attempt to have a conversation with him. "I'll try."

"That works for me. Well, thanks for coming over. Sorry we weren't here when you first got here."

"Its okay. I guess I'll see you later."

"I hope so." His hand grazed mine before he reached for the handle and opened the door for me to walk through.

Taylor and I made our way to the front door, Aaron and Dax in tow. We waved good-bye to Wilton and everyone else, and then made our way down the front walkway. I glanced back over my shoulder hoping he was still looking at me as I walked away, and sure enough, he was. A smile quickly spread across my face and I quickly rounded the corner so he couldn't see my excitement.

I grabbed my keys from inside my house real quick and made my way back out to the driveway, where Taylor was waiting for me.

"Girl, you've got it bad." She laughed.

"Shut up, and get in the car."

I knew the inquisition would start up sooner rather than later, and just like clockwork, as soon as we hit the main road, Taylor started in.

"So, are you going to go back over there later?"

My head snapped over in her direction, "You heard that?"

"Um, yeah. Aaron and I both heard it." She laughed.

"I don't know. Honestly, I don't know how comfortable I feel going over there by myself just yet. I know it sounds stupid, but it just feels..."

"Weird?" She chimed in.

"Yeah, a little. But, I really want to see him. I don't know. Whatever, this is bullshit." I laughed. "I've never been this nervous about being around a guy."

"Maybe it's because he’s a guy
worth
being around. No offense, but your last relationship was one for the books."

I knew exactly who she was referring to, and she was right. After being in such an abusive and controlling relationship, maybe I just wasn't used to someone being genuinely nice to me. "Yeah well, let's just forget all about that one."

"I have a feeling this is going to work out for the best. Wouldn't that be funny if you guys ended up falling in love? So awesome, you falling in love with the boy next door."

"You're so dumb." I playfully smacked Taylor on the shoulder, but I couldn't help but wonder the exact same thing. It's not like I was looking for a husband at the age of twenty, but I would take anything
this
guy was willing to offer.

We pulled up outside of Taylor's house a few minutes later, and I was amazed that she had actually let the topic of discussion drop. I put the car in park and turned towards her. "What do you think I should do?"

"I don't know, hun. You need to decide that on your own."

"I think I'm going to play a little hard to get. I gave so much to the last shit head, this time I want a guy to work for it."

"I like that idea."

I leaned across the armrest and gave Taylor a hug, "Thanks girl. I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?"

"Yeah, you don't have to pick me up though. I'm going to borrow my step dad's van and I'll come over when he gets home from work."

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow."

As my tires hit the asphalt coming off of the dirt road from Taylor's house, I turned up the stereo to a deafening volume and slammed my foot on the gas. I took the long way back to my house, as I jammed out and contemplated just how I wanted to go about this whole "situation" with my neighbor. As much as I liked him, and looking
at
him, my past wasn't too far in the back of my mind. I wasn't willing to give everything to another guy so quickly. If he really wanted something with me, then he was going to have to work hard for it. And just like that, my mind floated back to his tight muscular body, keeping me occupied the rest of the way home.

When I pulled onto my street, I was secretly hoping that he either wasn't home anymore, or had already fallen asleep. Apparently I wasn't that lucky. I pulled into my driveway and quickly cut the lights, so I didn't attract any unwanted attention to the fact that I was back. I slipped out of my car, and slowly pushed the door into place. I knew I was being juvenile, but I really didn't want to hurt his feelings either. I quickly made my way up the walkway to my front door and made my way inside. I wasn't in the least bit tired, and now I was extremely bored steer having to take Taylor home, but I was determined to stand my ground and stay home. I glanced out the blinds in the dining room that faced his driveway, and noticed that Aaron's car was no longer parked out front. Actually, there weren't that many cars left outside of their house at all, so I assumed they turned in early.

I shook my head at my stalker behavior and made my way to my room. My mom was working tonight, so I knew she wouldn't be home until morning and that gave me free reign of the house. I slipped on my bikini and made my way out back. Hey, a cold pool was basically the same thing as a cold shower, or at least I hoped.

Chapter Seven

Dax

I knew I wouldn't be able to wait that long to see her again, but there were enough people over that I could keep myself busy for the next little while. I tried to be involved in the conversations that were floating around the living room, but my thoughts were completely consumed by her. All I could picture was her long beautiful blonde hair, cascading down her back. Her soft sun-kissed skin, and those amazingly gorgeous lips. What I wouldn't give for those lips to say my name. I glanced down at my watch and realized it was only ten o'clock, but judging by the tightness of my pants, it was time to call it a night.

I drank down the remainder of my beer and made my way to the kitchen to put it in the garbage can. Her house was still pitch black, so I could only assume she was still gone and my face fell in disappointment. As much as I wanted her to come back over, I was almost one hundred percent positive she wouldn't. I cracked open another beer and downed about half of it, when I felt a hand come down on my shoulder.

"Dude, I'm sure you'll see her again. She
does
live next door."

Aaron started laughing and all I could think to do was punch him, so I did. In the shoulder, but still hard enough that he would shut up. "Whatever, dude. She's just a girl."

"Uh huh. Okay man, well I'm out of here. I gotta work in the morning. We hanging out tomorrow night or what?"

"Wilton says we're having a party tomorrow night, but I'm not quite sure how long I'll wanna hang out. Maybe we should just hang at your house. I'll call you after work."

"Alright, talk to you then."

"See ya."

I finished my newly open bottle and turned to throw it away, when I noticed her back porch light go on. I knew she lived with her mom, so I wasn't sure if it was her or her mom, but I was determined to find out. I slipped out the back door unnoticed, and then made my way quietly over to the wall that separated our houses. When I got closer, I heard the faint sound of music playing through a boom box, and assumed it was Charlee. She was diving into her pool, just as I glanced over the wall. The moonlight hit her tan toned skin and I almost lost it. What was it about this girl that had me questioning all logic and reason?

I only stayed out back for a few more minutes, long enough to watch her swim a few laps and then I made my way back inside. There was obviously a reason she didn't want to come back over. I finished my cigarette and made my way to my bedroom. No one even noticed me as I walked through the living room, and that pleased me. I wasn't really in the mood to deal with the people that Wilton had invited over. I closed my door, stripped down to my boxers, and climbed in bed. I wasn't looking forward to work tomorrow and six in the morning came far too soon. Within seconds I was drifting off to sleep with visions of Charlee bouncing around in my head.

I woke up suddenly around three in the morning, gasping for air. I wasn’t quite sure what was going on, but I was worried enough to get up and try to catch my breath. I made my way through the pitch-black house and into the kitchen, when the shadow passing through the adjacent kitchen window caught my eye. I quickly downed the small glass of water I had grabbed and made my way out back.

“Mother fuck-“ I caught myself from finishing that sentence as I attempted to make my way over to the back wall with bare feet. The rocks hurt like a bitch, but I was willing to deal with the pain, if it meant I would catch a glimpse of her. I made my way around the side of the house where the garbage cans sat, and I glanced over at the half open window in front of me. There she stood, in a small black, spaghetti strap nightie. Her hair glistening under the small rays of light illuminating the kitchen. She looked as though she had just gotten out of the shower or something along those lines, but honestly who takes a shower at three in the morning?

She was even more beautiful than I had remembered. At three in the morning this girl looked like a goddess. I watched her every move as she finished her glass of water. Seconds later, she glanced over in the direction of my house. Her piercing blue eyes twinkled as a forlorn look crossed over her face. I didn’t know this girl well enough to know what she was thinking, but if she was anything like me, it was me she was thinking of.

She turned and started walking away, and I let out the breath I hadn’t realized I had been holding. This girl literally did things to me that I had never felt before. The only serious girlfriend I ever had, I had thought was love, but given how I was feeling about Charlee, I think it was pretty safe to say that it was never love with my ex. I never looked at her as though nobody else existed in this world, but with Charlee. Well Charlee, was a whole other feeling all in itself. I wasn’t quite sure how to explain it, but the word love was definitely being tossed around in my head.

When her house went dark, I took that as my cue to head back inside. As I made my way back to the house, I glanced down and was grateful that everybody was asleep, or couldn’t see me at least. I was only in my boxer briefs and nothing else. Now I totally looked the part of a perverted stalker. I laughed at myself as I slowly walked across the sharp rocks beneath me. I was suddenly wishing I would’ve remembered to put on a pair of shoes.

I quietly made my way through the house and back into my bedroom. I slid under my covers, resting my head on my arm that was now behind my neck. I lay there staring at the ceiling in awe. They say when you meet “the one” that you’ll know, and now I found myself questioning everything I had ever been told about love. I barely knew this girl, but she was definitely getting under my skin. Since the day I met her, I had this sudden obsession with
needing
to see her. It’s not as though anything traumatic had happened in a past relationship to where I didn’t want one ever again, but I was only nineteen and wasn’t sure if that was even something I wanted at this point in my life. I was perfectly content with being single. I didn’t have to answer to anyone. I could come and go as I saw fit, and I didn’t have to put my heart out there to possibly get hurt.

~ ~ ~ ~

My alarm started blaring like it always did at six in the morning during the week. I stuck my arm out from under the sheets, fumbling around to find my alarm clock. When I finally caught it, I slammed my hand down on it to stop the obnoxious sound it was making. I thought about chucking it across the room, but then I would have to go out and buy a new one, and that was the last thing I wanted to do.

I pushed the sheets down to my feet and stretched my body out the length of the bed. I so wasn’t looking forward to work today. I rarely if ever called in sick, but today might just have to be a personal day. I was a welder. I have been since I graduated high school. It was good money and an even better trade to have, but it was exhausting work. I love doing what I do, but some days I wondered what it would be like to go to an office everyday, instead of sweating my ass off under a metal helmet in the blaring Arizona sun. The end product was always what made the job worth it. I had done everything from simple fences to freeway over pass railings, and even a barn or two. It always amazed me the beautiful structures that could come from a few tons of metal and a simple welder.