Burned Gasoline (4 page)

              As sudden as the thought of his lips crossed her mind, her body seemed to automatically respond and pushed her face forward the short distance between them and made her swiftly placed her lips on his. She didn’t know why she had done it, and backed away in sudden panic.               “I’m so sorry!” She said alarmingly, and with Nova’s car seat on her arm she practically ran out of the building to jump into her car.
Man, if a quick getaway wasn’t so impossible with a baby and high heels.
She screamed inside, while opening the back door to place the car seat securely back in place. She barely made it into the driver’s seat, trying to find the car key to the ignition, when a light tap on the window startled her. She hadn’t even noticed him walking out behind her. But here he stood outside her car door once more… with her car key hanging off one of his fingers.
Damn it, I’m never going to survive this.
She thought.

              No chance hiding the fire burning brightly across the skin of her face, she rolled down the window and nodded politely, taking the key from his hand. Making very well sure she didn’t touch him, and not looking him in the eyes. She simply mumbled a thank you, and was about to roll the window back up when he stopped the motion with his hand.

              “Tell your husband to come in with the car next week and I’ll put the light in place, that way you don’t have to leave the house with the baby.”

              “There is no husband. I’ll be here next week. Call me when to come in with the car.” She mumbled, almost incoherently, and placed the key into the ignition letting the engine roar to life.

              “No husband… hmm, okay. Then I guess it doesn’t matter if I do this.” He said calmly, and to her total surprise bent his head into the car window and locked his lips with hers. The kiss was hard and soft at the same time, and with her head pressed back onto the headrest behind her she couldn’t move her face. As suddenly as he’d started it he broke it off. Only to come back just as quickly for a second taste.

              “I’m sorry.” He said with a low voice, tapping his hand on her rolled down window. “Have a safe drive home. I’ll call you when the part has arrived. You take care.” And with that, he left her car and stunned persona behind.

Chapter Five

              A whole week had gone by already and she had done her very best trying to get that kiss out of her mind, but it seemed completely impossible. She might have underestimated him. Perhaps he wasn’t as innocent and sweet as she had first thought when she had startled him staring into her car at parking lot that day. A shy guy would not simply ask about her husband, and then kiss her, right? Twice even, and then leave her without saying a single beep. For a whole excruciating week.

              Her mind was torn between waiting for his call regarding the car part’s arrival, craving to see him again and wondering if he would kiss her like that once more, and dreading it, feeling embarrassed that she had kissed him first. She usually didn’t do that, kissing random men she just met, but at the time and place, and the closeness of his open mouth she hadn’t been able to stop herself. His stubble had felt absolutely amazing against her soft lips, and she wanted to feel more of that. Much, much more. And since he came after and kissed her, it wasn’t difficult to understand he had liked it too.

              The phone suddenly rang, yanking her out of the naughty daydream. When she grabbed it she eyed the caller id - It was him. As if he had read her mind, knowing she was thinking about him.

              “Hello?” She said as sweetly as she could, trying to hide any hint of a sultry voice echoing through the wires.

              “Hi, Raylyn?” He asked plainly, as if nothing had ever happened between the two.

              “Yes.”

              “The piece you ordered for your car has arrived, and you’re welcome down at anytime so I can put it in. The light I mean. Put the light in place for you. On the car, that is.” His nervousness shone through, and it made her giggle. Trying to hide her amusement she placed a hand in front of her mouth, and nodded into the phone as if he could see her. “Raylyn?” He asked again.

              “Yes, yes, I heard you.” She mustered. “I can be down there later this afternoon after Nova’s nap. I’m not sure how long she’ll be down… are you going to be there long? When do you usually leave for the day? Sorry for asking, it just takes a lot of planning and diaper bag packing for one single outing.”

He was quiet on the other end. “Hello? Jeff? Are you still there?” She asked.

              “Um, you know what. To save you a trip, and waking your daughter up, I can come by your place with the part this evening after I get off work and put it in at your house. The light, again. Put the
light
into your
car
… just wanted to… you know what I mean.”

              Her hand went up to cover her mouth again, stopping another outrageous laughter sipping through her lips. “Oh, well that’s so sweet of you. Thank you so much. You don’t know how much extra work you just saved me. Are you sure it’s okay with you, though? You might have other plans for the night? It is Friday after all.”

              “No plans.” As simple as that. “See you at 5:30pm.” Click. Still holding the phone to her ear she heard nothing but dead silence.

              “I guess we’ll have a visitor later this afternoon, Nova. Should we clean up the place a little bit until then? Perhaps find some more plates and utensils, asking him to stay for dinner? What do you think?” She said to her daughter, smilingly chewing away on a piece of Duplo sitting on the soft bed comforter spread out on the floor.

              “I’m sorry, Nova.” She said softly, lying down next to her daughter on the blanket, stacking pieces of blocks together. “I know I should probably focus all my energy on you and our new home, but there is something about this guy… I can’t quite put my finger on it, but there is something about him I just can’t resist.” She smiled, thinking about what he might look like showing up at her home this evening.

              “I haven’t kissed anyone in a very long time. I haven’t hugged anyone in a very long time. Not since I got pregnant with you… which was almost eighteen months ago. It’s crazy, I know. But your daddy wasn’t too nice, or interested in me at the time of pregnancy for that matter, or even after you were born. I might tell you when you’re older, but… mommy left him because he liked to kiss other girls a little bit too much, and mommy didn’t like that. So, here we are you and I, together. I think we’re doing just fine. Let’s not talk about this anymore and try to figure out what to make for dinner. I think our guest might be starving after a long day’s work. Does meatloaf and mashed potatoes sound good to you?” Nova gurgled happily as a response.               “Alright, it’s set. Meatloaf and potatoes for dinner it is. Thanks for your advice.” She said, and placed Nova in her lap to read her a story.

*              *              *

              “Damn it, why did I have to tell her I was coming over? On a Friday. Talk about sounding desperate. Who else have I made home visits too? Who? Nobody. I’m strict about making sure people take their cars to me, and not the other way around. You know what I’m talking about right, Mollis?”

              He turned his head to the passenger seat, where his work partner sat like a statue looking out the window. His black Labrador retriever would follow him to the end of the world if she was ever asked to. When Marina, his ex-wife, left him after his dad passed away and there was no other solution than to move in and take care of mom, she had also left the puppy behind. “No strings attached,” she’d said after she’d packed her suitcase quickly. Almost too quickly for someone who said she didn’t have anyone special to go to, but still needed to get the hell out. “You keep the dog. I don’t want anything with me that reminds me of you.” That was the last sentence she ever spoke to him, and not a phone call, or visit ever since. Just two short text messages.

              He had his serious doubts of her leaving because of his parents, and had been close to following in her steps just to see where or with whom she was going. Since she’d never contacted him for financial support, he simply figured she must have found another man who could keep up with her demands of fancy things, spa treatments, partying, and someone with a job title sounding nothing like his. Hell, they’d met just out of high school, but she had never been happy just staying put in this small town and always hinted she needed to expand her views and live in a place where they had more amenities and a vibrant social life. Not like this
dust bowl
, as she called it. Albeit their marriage had been great for the first few years, there had always been a look of panic shining in her eyes when children came up in their conversations.

              “So, here we are, Mollis. You and I, in our dust bowl of the universe. Just you and I, my friend.” He said softly, rubbing his one hand over Mollis’ dark head, where the fur was always the softest and shone the brightest. The road turned into a pitchfork, and he knew to turn right at where the roads split, having been at the house before, helping the previous owner with the old tractor in the barn that refused to start at random times of the year when it was needed the most. “Always funny how that works.” He thought. “When you need something the most, it’s never there.”

              The highway was almost deserted this far out of town, but with the houses few and far apart he had no difficulty finding the drive way leading down to the old house with the large barn behind it. He stepped off the gas pedal and let his old Ford truck roll the last few feet until he placed it in park right next to hers by the barn door. He took a deep breath, and placed a sold hand on the back of Mollis and stepped out of the truck. His boots hadn’t even touched the ground before the side door to the house swung open and he saw her standing there with Nova on her hip, waving her hand wildly in the air.

              “Hi, so glad you could come.” She said. “You truly saved me so much trouble not having to go into town with Nova again. Want something to drink? Need help with anything?”

              My goodness was she chatty. Although he should have felt more like being run over by a bulldozer after his long work day, he found this pent-up energy just sizzling beneath the surface of his skin. He placed his hand on the brim of his baseball cap, and nodded politely.

              “I’m good, thank you. Um, I have my dog with me, do you mind if I let her out while I work on the car?” He called back across the yard, and up the steps to where she was standing.               “Oh, wow you have a dog?” She answered enthusiastically, and immediately took the few steps down from the porch and walked over to his truck with Nova hanging tightly to her side. As soon as she reached his truck, he opened the passenger door and let Mollis hop out, shake her entire body, and instantly sniff every part of Raylyn’s shoes and legs.

              “Sorry about that.” He said, and pulled Mollis back with a finger looped around the neck collar. “She just loves people.” He said apologetically once more, and told Mollis to sit at his feet while he rubbed her smoothly across her head once more, making the dog’s eyes close from the pleasure in his touch.

              Heat suddenly spread between her thighs, watching the dog’s response to his master’s hand. She wondered what that would feel like on her. Would she respond the same way; closing her eyes, and soften next to him?

              “Uhm, that’s a beautiful dog.” She said, interrupting her own thought process, squeezing her legs a little bit tighter together. With a thumb still rubbing the small spot between Mollis’ eyebrows he first looked straight up into her eyes, then let his eyes wander down her body to her legs, twitching together for strength and balance. Stopping the warm sensation building inside her jeans. With a small smile he looked back up into her eyes.

              “Thanks, her name is Mollis.” He said, and didn’t break the stare into her eyes.

              “Oh, that sounds like a great girl’s name.” She stated.

              “I know, but it’s short for Molasses; she’s dark and smooth.”

              “Cute.” She replied and hinged Nova further up on her hip. “So, if the light implant doesn’t take too long I just made enough food for dinner to feed one more if you’re hungry. You’re more than welcome to join us.” She said, eyeing him from head to toe. Trying not to make him notice she was checking him out. “Unless you have other plans, of course.”

              He didn’t say anything at first, barely rubbed Mollis’ head, flattening his whole hand on the top, and shook his head slowly from side to side.

              “No plans. I’ll let you know when I’m done and we’ll see what time it is. I should probably get started before it gets too late.” He answered, and reached into the back of the truck and pulled out the box containing the new light and his tool box.

              “Sounds great.” She said, and turned around to walk back inside to finish up the meal that potentially could include two adults tonight, not just one adult and one baby. That would be a change she hadn’t experienced since way before Nova was born.

              “Raylyn.” His voice stopped her in her tracks and made her turn around before hitting the steps up to the porch. “Thanks for having me over for dinner. I’m actually starving… and I haven’t had a home cooked meal in a very long time, actually.” He said shyly.