Neglected Desires

Chapter 12

Maybe thirty minutes later and we were piling my slightly over stuffed suitcase and a smaller bag of odd and ends into his trunk when a small voice caught my attention.

"Alexa!" I turned to see Kevin staring in my general direction with a look of utter disbelief. The small child's jaw dropped open slightly and I knew for a fact that he was no longer looking at me.

"Hey Kevin." Going over to my neighbor Alysha's 4 year old son I stooped down and give him a hug, which he excitedly returned. Alysha and I had lived next to each other for the past six years and we had become close over that time. Kevin was like a nephew to me and Alysha like a sister. Before we broke our quick hug, Kevin took that opportunity to whisper in my ear.

"Do you know who that is?" A small laugh escaped my lips at the sound of wonder that coated his innocent voice. Pulling back I looked in his wide eyes before looking over my shoulder to see Prince standing in front of the car, his right hip leaning against the hood with his arms crossed over his chest, watching the scene play out before him. My eyes caught his and a smile caressed his features.

"Oh him?" Mock surprise in my words, but Kevin was far too young to hear that. "He's just a friend. Why? Is he someone important?" Kevin's small dark eyes shifted from me to the man by the car and back to me as if he was seeing someone that wasn't quite real.

"That's Prince." The child's voice was no more than a whisper, as if saying his name too loud would make him disappear into thin air.

"Is it?" Giving Kevin a disbelieving look only to have him look back at me like I was crazy. A small laugh came out, unable to hold it in anymore. "You wanna meet my friend?"  I held a laugh a I watched Kevin nod vigorously.

"Kevin! There you are." His mother came running down the stairs, a big smile came over her face as she noticed me "Alexa!" She waved as if I hadn't noticed her.

"Hey Alysha." Pulling her into a tight hug.

"Girl, I'm so glad they got this thing handled with the apartment complex." She laughed slightly and I noticed the black eye she had was finally starting to fade and her lip was healing up nicely.  "I missed being at home you know."  I nodded as she turned her attention to her son, "and you young man, what have I told you about running out of the apartment?"

"Sorry momma." The boy hung his head as he kicked at the ground slightly.

"I think he was just a little excited to see me, and he wanted to meet my friend." Looking over to Prince who was still patiently waiting, watching me as though he was amused at seeing me in my everyday life. Looking back to Alysha I saw her look over my shoulder and her face remained completely unchanged.

"Is that..." Her voice changed a little though.

"Yeah," laughing at the similarities between mother and son, "come say hello." I took Kevin's hand in mine and led them both over to the car.

"Friend?" She asked as she followed by my side. I shot her a smiling look that told her it was complicated.

"Prince, I'd like you to meet my neighbor and close friend Alysha."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." He flashed her his brilliant smile as he gently took her hand.

"Pleasures all mine." her voice shook slightly.

"And this," gesturing to the small child in the green t-shirt and black pants still holding my hand, "is Alysha's son Kevin." Prince crouched down to the child's level.

"Hey Kevin, how you doin' little man?"  Kevin's smile was so big it threatened to take over his little face.

"Are you really Prince?"

"I sure am." The older man giggled quietly.

"Wow and you have a cool car."

"Yeah, you wanna see the rest of it?" Prince glanced up at Alysha and I, we both gave him a small nod before I passed the small child's hand over to Prince. "Come on, I'll let you sit in the drivers seat." They walked over to the drivers side and Prince helped Kevin into the drivers seat.

"Have you been ok?" Turning to Alysha I asked what we both knew was a loaded question.

"Yeah," she looked down for a moment, "he hasn't been back and I still have the restraining order."

"Good." Rubbing her arm reassuringly.

"So Prince huh?" She was eager to change the subject and I understood why.

"Something like that?" I could feel myself blush at her question. "Actually, I'm gonna be staying with him for a month or two."

"I can certainly see why." Her words mixed with a laugh as she looked over my shoulder at his ass as he was bent over half way in the car.

"Knock it off." Tapping her arm with a smirk on my face. "Oh," reaching into my purse I tore off a part of an envelope and grabbed a pen, jotting down a number, "call me if you need anything while I'm gone. Anything." I said handing her the number.

"Thanks Alexa." We hugged again.

"Ok Kevin," she called the little boy who's head popped out the window, "time to let Prince and Alexa get on their way." The small boy ran over to me as fast as his little legs could carry him and wrapped his arms around my right leg.

"Can I come with you?" Laughing I dropped down to his level and gave him a big hug.

"Maybe next time little guy." Prince's voice hit my ears and brought an involuntary smile to my lips.

"Why are you going with him?" Kevin ask me with all the innocence of a child.

"Well," straightening his cartoon decorated t-shirt, "you remember how I used to babysit you sometimes?" His head nodded. "Well Prince needs me to babysit him for a little while." Alysha could barely contain her laughter behind me and I saw Prince shaking his head with a smirk, "but don't worry I won't be gone forever." Pulling him in for another tight hug, "take care of your mama." I whispered to the little boy. Kevin let me go and walked over to his mother, taking her hand and I walked over to the car and got in.

"Thank you Mr. Prince." 

"Anytime little guy." A few minutes later and we were on the road heading for "home" as Prince had said earlier. Home, the word sounded funny even in my head. I was going to his home, but we had just left mine.

" I gave Alysha the main house number so she can reach me if she needs." My words finally breaking the twenty minute silence we'd been traveling in.

"Of course, that's no problem." His right hand came down to rest on my legging covered thigh. "You two have been friends for a long time?"

"Yeah, little over 6 years I think. She's a really great person." My voice trailed off as I waited for the inevitable question

"What happened to her?" And there it was. Turning to look out the window I drew a deep breath.

"Kevin's dad vines around from time to time and he always leaves some sort of lasting impression on her." He only nodded with a decidedly displeased look on his face

"Kevin seems like a good kid."

"Yeah, he's gonna be a good man when he grows up." He laughed quietly, shaking his head. "What?"

"I can't believe you told him you're my babysitter." Turning in my seat I studied the side of his face and let myself recall the conversation we had in my bedroom just before leaving.

"Well," I began as I leaned over to him, placing a kiss on his neck, "sometimes you act like a little baby," before he could give the response he was obviously planning I reached down his body taking a firm hold of his cotton covered member eliciting a soft moan from his lips, "and I know I'll be sitting on you soon."