Home to You

I make my way up front and line the push mower up along the sidewalk. With one pull, it fires to life and I start my first pass. As I head back a second time, I spy a woman jogging down the street. First thing I notice is her outfit—tight gray shorts that accentuate lean, muscular legs, and a red sports bra. My dick actually twitches.

But what catches my attention next is the long, curly hair pulled high on her head. I know that hair. I’ve run my fingers through it more times than I can count and can practically smell the sweet, fruity scent of her shampoo. It’s actually probably my favorite of all fragrances.

Haven seems to startle when her eyes meet mine. Even through sunglasses, I can see the wide whites of her eyes. She stops running and walks over as I release the handle on the mower, shutting it down.

“This is where you live?” she asks, taking in the small but neat house behind me.

“This is it,” I confirm, letting my eyes roam over her body once more. It’s even more spectacular now that she’s standing directly in front of me.

“I remember when the Johnsons lived here,” she says.

“They both passed in the last five years. I bought this place a couple of years back from their daughter, Regina.”

She smiles off in the distance as she takes in the blue front door and white-painted porch. When she glances back this way, I notice, even behind her shades, it’s not my face she’s focused on. Her eyes are glued to my chest. My very shirtless chest. I follow her line of sight and see a few blades of grass stuck to my skin.

“So,” I start, a smile spreading across my face when she doesn’t even acknowledge I said anything. She just continues to openly gape at me, something that actually makes me preen like a peacock. “Did you know aliens landed on the football field this morning?”

Haven makes a noise in response but must not be listening.

So, I continue.

“Yeah, once they disembarked their spaceship, they started beaming people up left and right. I heard Principal Edwards was taken and has probably already been probed,” I state with a straight face, my arms crossing over my chest.

Her eyes flare before meeting mine. “That’s interesting.”

“Isn’t it? I’m not sure if they probe everyone or just the really smart ones. Who knows with aliens like that.”

Her eyes widen in shock and her sweet little mouth falls open. “Wait, what?”

Finally, I bust out laughing, shaking my head at her confusion. “You were totally ogling my chest.”

Her cheeks turn pink as she opens her mouth, stammering, “W-What? I did no such thing. I was looking at your house, the basket you have… hanging,” she insists, waving her hands toward my porch.

“If that basket was on my chest maybe,” I tease, secretly loving the fact she couldn’t stop looking at my body.

“I… no, it…” she sighs deeply. “Fine, I was totally checking you out. I’m so sorry,” she insists, covering her eyes with her hands. Her embarrassment is adorable.

“Hey,” I start, reaching up and moving her hands, “it’s fine. Actually, I rather enjoyed it,” I say with a wink.

“Well, who can blame me? I mean, you’re practically out here naked, Bash I bet every neighbor within a one-block radius of your yard is peeking through their windows right now,” she sasses, placing her hands on her hips.

“I’m half-naked? Oh, no, sweetheart. You’re out here, in public, in a bra and those tight shorts that make your ass look fantastic. If anyone is doing any peeking right now, it’s the men,” I argue.

“It’s hot!” she insists.

“Yes, it is. Hence, the lack of shirt.”

Her eyes fall down once more, but her gaze only lasts a few seconds. “Well, the years have been good to you, Bash.”

“And you as well, Have.”

Electricity starts to crackle around us, zipping through the thick air and pulsing through my veins. It’s almost hard to breathe when she’s standing in front of me, and no, I’m not talking about the heat of the day. I’m referring to that same sexual desire that’s always swirling around us and apparently is showing no signs of ebbing, even fifteen years later.

I wonder if she feels it too.

“Did you run all the way into town?” I ask, trying to get my brain away from dangerous territory involving her current state of dress.

“Yeah, I used to run on a treadmill with my trainer but haven’t really done much of it since I’ve been home. I thought it’d be a good idea to burn off that burger from last night,” she says with a grin.

A quick scan of her body confirms she can afford to eat a few more cheeseburgers without it affecting her whatsoever, but I keep that to myself. “How are your parents? It was good to see your dad last night at the game. I’ve seen them around town some, but not too much. I guess they don’t take in Tigers football games too much.”