Alone With Alexa (An Erotic Romance) (2 page)

My mother never did speak to me about Ryan,
and I was glad she didn’t, because I would have confessed that he
was all I ever thought about, and that the happiest part of my day
was waking to find him in the kitchen, dressed in a suit, ready to
go to work. The second best part of my day was when I heard the
garage door opening around six o’clock when he came home. Mom
typically arrived twenty minutes later. It was summer, and, besides
my part-time job at the movie theater, I occupied myself with Xbox
LIVE and hanging out at the pool with friends. I had achieved the
perfect shade of bronze, my skin glowing from the effects of the
sun.

On the following Saturday, I was surprised to
find their bedroom door unlocked, but disappointment registered
when the sleeping form on the bed was my mother. The shower ran in
the adjoining bathroom, and I tiptoed to the door, as the water
suddenly ceased. I peeked through the crack and gasped. Ryan’s wet,
naked form was on full display. He was drying his hair with a
towel, but it was his broad shoulders, toned chest, and the
flatness of his belly that had my attention. Tendrils of dark hair
covered him, especially his groin, where to my amazement, his penis
jutted out, looking pale and rigid. He must have sensed that he was
being observed, because he glanced in the direction of the door.
Our eyes met for a moment, until I moved away and returned to my
room, feeling like my tummy was about to burst wide open with
pleasurable tingles.

We were going to spend the day at the lake,
and I rushed to get ready. Ryan didn’t mention what had happened to
my mother, for which I was grateful. I knew it was wrong…but I
couldn’t seem to help myself. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw
him naked. This sent little shivers through me. Mom packed the
cooler with drinks and sandwiches. We piled into the truck and
drove to the lake, with the windows down and wind blowing hair into
my face. I caught Ryan staring at me in the rear-view mirror,
making the tingles in my tummy return with a vengeance. Was he
thinking of this morning? I certainly couldn’t forget it. After we
parked, we found a spot on the sand and opened the portable chairs.
Mom put down a blanket. There were families in the water and people
lying out, getting tanned. I could have invited my friend, Rebecca,
but I wanted to focus all of my attention on Ryan.

“Can you get my back?” mom asked.

“Sure.” I squirted sunscreen onto her pale
skin.

“I’m taking a canoe out. Who’s gonna join
me?”

“I will.”

Ryan smiled slightly. “How about you,
honey?”

“I’m going to relax for a while, if you don’t
mind.”

“Looks like it’s just you and me,
squirt.”

That thought pleased me endlessly. “Yep.”

He sat on the blanket, Indian style. “Can you
get my shoulders?”

I watched as mom rubbed the lotion into his
skin, wishing my hands were touching him. I glanced at the sand,
moving it around with my fingers.

“You should get yourself, Alexa.” She handed
me the sunscreen.

“Thanks.” I lifted the t-shirt over my head
and took my shorts down, revealing a light blue bikini. Ryan’s eyes
were on me.

“That’s last year’s bathing suit, isn’t it?”
asked mom.

“Yeah.” I rubbed the lotion into my arms.

“We need to go shopping.”

“I love shopping.” I grinned at Ryan, who
eyed me.

“That top’s hardly adequate.”

I massaged the lotion over the exposed masses
of my boobs, the flesh jiggling with the contact. Instinct told me
that men liked them, and Ryan was no exception. That was why I only
wore V-neck t-shirts.

I gave him the lotion. “Can you get my
back?”

“Sure.”

My hair was in my hands, being lifted up. The
feel of his fingers on me sent a jolt of awareness straight into my
tummy, where a distracting buzz began. The contact was far too
brief, and, before I knew it, he was done. Disappointment
registered, but I swallowed it.

“Grab a hat, and let’s get a canoe.”

“Okay.”

Mom lay back on the blanket. “Have fun.”

“We will.”

“Bring some water with you.” She handed me a
bottle.

“Thanks.” I followed Ryan to the dock, where
we paid for a canoe. He gave me a lifejacket, which I refused to
take. “No. I’m good.”

“Take it.”

“Ugh. Come on. I know how to swim.”

“I don’t care.”

I eyed the bulky orange vest with disdain.
“This sucks.”

“You have to wear it.”

It would hide my boobs completely. “This is
so stupid.”

He grabbed a set of oars. “You gonna help me
row?”

“No.”

“Yes you are.” He smiled, the edges of his
eyes crinkling. “Come on, Alexa. Don’t look so bummed.”

“I can’t get a tan with this stupid thing
on.”

“It’s the rules.” He whispered in my ear,
“Maybe you can take it off on the lake. But these guys won’t let us
on, unless we’re wearing them.”

I perked up. “Okay.”

We climbed into the canoe and situated
ourselves, while Ryan released the line. His paddle sliced through
the water. “Get the other side.”

“Sure.” I was eager to get away from the
rental shack, so I could take the bulky life jacket off. The lake
was a lengthy rectangular shape, and there were areas that were
completely cut off from the noisy shore. Twenty minutes later, when
the shack was a tiny blip in the distance, I removed the
jacket.

“If you drown, your mom will kill me.”

“Not gonna happen.” He continued to paddle
gently, the water lapping against the side of the craft.

“You’ve got quite a tan.”

It pleased me endlessly that he noticed that.
“Thanks.” His attention paused on my chest, and then he looked
away.

“You wanna go through some of the
marshlands?”

“Sure.”

There were people up ahead in a canoe. I
squinted into the distance, wondering if they were heading in our
direction. Minutes later, they drew near, and Ryan said, “How ya
doin’?”

“Good, and you?”

“Great. Thanks.”

We passed them, entering the wetland area.
The reeds came up on either side, blocking the view. Croaking toads
and buzzing insects surrounded us, along with a cacophony of
squawking birds. There was a smaller body of water up ahead, which
was entirely secluded. Ryan paddled us into it.

I stared into the brownish water. “Are there
fish?”

“For sure.” I sat on the floor of the canoe,
leaning my head against the back of the seat, staring at Ryan, who
held an oar. He wore a baseball hat, shadowing half his face. “We
should talk.”

I swallowed, suddenly anxious. “About
what?”

“The shower this morning.”

“What about it?”

“You shouldn’t walk in on people like
that.”

“I didn’t know you were in there.”

“I had the water on, Alexa.”

“Not when I showed up. I had…to pee.”

“You have your own bathroom.”

I shrugged. “It was an accident.”

“You really should knock.”

“I will. Sorry.”

“I didn’t mention it to your mother, because
I knew it would upset her.”

I chewed my lower lip. “Yeah, probably.” He
stared at me without speaking. I sat up, seizing a water bottle
from the bottom of the boat. I unscrewed the top and had a sip.
Fluid sloshed out, wetting my chest. His eyes followed the
direction of the droplets. “Can I ask you something, Ryan?”

“What?”

“Do you want to see me naked?”

His look sobered. “That’s hardly
appropriate.” The paddle sliced through the water. “We should head
back. Put your lifejacket on.”

No! I don’t want to go back yet
.
“Can’t we hang out for a while?”

He paused the motion, the paddle partially
submerged. “I…guess.”

“Do you want some water?”

“Thanks.”

I leaned in to hand him the bottle. He seemed
tense, watching me suspiciously. It was almost as if being alone
with me was making him nervous. I scooted closer. The canoe dipped
from side to side. “There is something we should talk about,” I
murmured.

He cleared his throat, eyeing me warily.
“Yeah?”

“Mom’s birthday’s coming up. What will we get
her?”

The impersonal question relieved him, because
his shoulders dropped slightly. “What do you think she’d like?”

“Women love jewelry, don’t they?”

“From my experience, yes.”

“Did your first wife like jewelry?”

This had surprised him. He blinked rapidly.
“Julia loved jewelry.”

“Are you sad she died?”

“Alexa.”

“I’m sorry. You never talk about her. I just
wonder what she was like.”

“Yes, she liked jewelry. Yes I’m…sad she
died. Of course I am.”

“Why won’t you talk about her?”

“Alexa.” His expression looked pained. “There
are some things that are very personal.”

“Did you love her more than mom? Is that why
you won’t talk about her?”

“Jesus! What a thing to ask. No, I didn’t
love her more than your mom. They’re both unique and individual
women.”

“What was she like? Did she like to travel?
Did she make brownies? Did she make them for you?”

He placed the oar inside the canoe and took
the hat off, running his fingers through his thick, brown hair.
“What the hell am I gonna do with you?” He met my stare. “I’ve got
photos on my computer, honey. I can show them to you later. We
traveled a lot before she got sick. We went to Italy and Greece and
Spain. She loved Europe. She loved the history and the
architecture. Being an artist, she appreciated the museums. Yes,
she made brownies, but she didn’t eat them a lot.”

“She sounds like a nice lady.”

“She was.”

“Do you ever talk about her with mom?”

“Sometimes. I don’t really like to dredge up
the past.”

“Mom’s so jealous of other women.”

“How do you mean?”

“She’s jealous of me.”

“What?”

“I overheard you talking. She thinks you like
me. She doesn’t like it when you stare at me. She thinks I flirt
with you.”

He squirmed on the seat, grasping the oar.
“Get your life vest on. We’re heading back.”

“Is it true?”

“It’s not polite to eavesdrop on people. Go
on. Get your oar. Help me row.”

I moved to the other seat and grabbed the
orange vest, thrusting my arms through the holes. “I’m sorry,
Ryan.”

He had his hat back on. “Sorry for what?”

“Actually, I’m not sorry. I’m glad I saw you
naked. You look really nice without clothes on. Who were you
thinking about when you were in the shower? Was it me?”

“Just row the fucking boat and shut up,
Alexa,” he snapped.

Bingo! He was thinking about me
.

Ryan avoided me for most of the next week,
making sure we were never alone in the house together. If I
happened to be in a room by myself, he would breeze in and then
leave just as quickly. I didn’t mind, because at dinner, he was my
captive. He typically sat on the other end of the table, and I
would stare at him while he ate, which from the slightly tense
expression on his face, bothered him. The conversation was mundane
and neutral and slightly stilted, but that didn’t matter. Just
being in the same room with him made my tummy tingle and my body
reverberate with the sweet buzz of sensual recognition. When I was
alone in bed at night, with my hand in my panties, rubbing myself,
that’s when I let my fantasies run wild. Ryan had no idea, but he
was my lover. He made me cum every night.

Early Saturday morning Ryan and I were in
mom’s car in the yet to be built area behind our house. When the
economy was booming, the builders had planned this community,
laying down roads and marking plots. When the Great Recession hit,
construction halted overnight. All that remained were the roads.
Ryan was teaching me how to drive, because I had put it off for far
too long now, and it was not going well.

“Let out the clutch slowly.”

“I’m trying.”

“You gotta do it slower.”

I hadn’t been able to get into first gear. My
attempts were rough starts and stops, followed by the car stalling.
“Maybe I should drive the automatic?”

“Your mother wants you to learn on a
stick.”

“I don’t know why. Most cars are
automatic.”

“I think she wants to give you this car,
honey.”

I sighed. “Shit.” The vehicle shook and then
stalled. “I’m not good at this.”

“Yes, you are. Now, put it in park, and try
again.”

I had a horrible habit of stomping on the
brake, which made the car shudder to an abrupt halt, forcing Ryan
to brace himself on the dashboard. After ten or more of these
jerking maneuvers, I swore he had turned green.

“Are you all right?”

“Just fine.”

“You don’t look fine. Am I making you
sick?”

“Nope.”

“Oh, Ryan,” I giggled. “I’m sorry. You’re
gonna barf, aren’t you?”

“Let’s give it another try. Put it in park,
and start again. Okay?”

“I’ll try.” I turned the key, and nothing
happened. “It won’t work.”

“Is the clutch in?”

“Oops, forgot that.”

“Put the clutch in.”

“Okay, here goes.” The engine turned over,
the car vibrating lightly.

“Now first gear. With the clutch in.”

“Got it.”

“Great.”

“Now what?”

He gave me a look. “Give it gas, and slowly
let the clutch out.”

I followed these instructions, and to my
amazement, the car began to move, although it shuddered slightly.
“Omigod!” Excitement raced through me.

“That’s great.” He sounded relieved.

I gripped the steering wheel. “What now?”

“Follow the road.” My movements were jerky
and less than confident. Ryan’s hand was on the door handle. “Give
it a little more gas, honey.” My foot pressed the pedal a touch too
aggressively, and we charged forward. “Easy.”