Sweet Little Lies

Ch. 15 Frustration

    Ajax West
At 11:25 a.m. I start to head back to the house. Manual labor hasn't taken my mind from Harp. Not even for a second. Meeting her for lunch has been on my mind all morning, along with questions about what she could be wearing, the color of her panties and just how far she'll let our kiss go today. I take the back steps two at a time entering directly into the kitchen. The loud beep of the smoke alarm and Harp cussing up a storm greets me. Biting back the laugh that wants to so badly come out. I watch as she waves a dirty dish towel in front of the alarm hoping to silence it. I walk up behind her and take out the battery.
'Thank God, for that!" She yells, clearly annoyed.
I look around the usually pristine kitchen finding it a bit messy. "What happened here?" I ask, keeping the amusement out of my voice.
"Rosa's sick so I thought I'd cook lunch. Big mistake." She answers bitterly.
"Awe, sweetheart I'm touched you'd cook for me." I respond, walking back towards the window and holding my hand over my heart.
Her eyes narrow to slits as she watches me push up the kitchen window letting in some much need fresh air. "I bet you are. Here it is." She says, walking to the stove. Lifting a casserole dish from the stove top she turns toward me. The thick black layer of charcoal covering whatever was in the dish makes it indistinguishable.
"Wow you made....That." I reply, scratching my head. Thank the heavens she laughed. I smile as she walks to the trash. I can't imagine what I'd do if she expected me to eat that. "I guess we're going out for lunch." I say, as she puts the dish in the sink.
"I guess we are. Unless you're happy with just a sandwich. I think I could make on of those without burning the place to the ground."
"I don't want to risk it. My parents might get upset if they come home to find the house in ashes."
She rolls her eyes. "I'd just blame it on you and your mom wouldn't even get mad."
I smirk knowing shes right. "Are you calling me a momma's-boy?" I ask, in mock outrage.
She shrugs innocently looking over her shoulder as she heads for the front door. "If the shoe fits."
I follow her closely. "You know I have pretty big feet. You know what they say about that, right?" I ask, watching her backside as she walks in front of me.
I hear her huff. "Big feet, Big ego?" She teases.
As she goes to open the front door I put my hand against it, keeping it shut and effectively pinning her against the door. With her body still facing forward. I whisper in her ear. "What they say is true you know." I pause only briefly and lower my arm to the door handle. She moves to the side allowing me to open it all the way. I can tell she's thinking about what I said and it makes me smile, She probably doesn't even feel half the sexual tension I feel in her presence.
As she walks past me I hear. "You suck." Her irritable behavior makes me chuckle. Maybe someone does feel what I'm feeling.
"Oh, sweetheart. I certainly do. Do you have anywhere particular in mind? Or should I just surprise you?"
"Ajax!" She scolds, but the hint of pink on her cheeks tells me she likes it.
Opening the truck door for her I watch as she starts to climb in. I help her by holding her bottom in the palm of my hand. When she slaps my hand away I laugh. "I was helping you. Its called being chivalrous."
She snorts loudly. "Its called being a pervert." I shut the door without responding and walk to the driver side. Once behind the wheel I turn to her, but she stops me before I can say anything. "If you say one more thing sexual I'm getting out." She warns, wagging her finger at me.
"I was just going to ask, Where you do you want to eat?"
Her eyes narrow not believing me for a second, but answers. "I don't care. Where do you want to eat?"
I start the truck and head toward the road. Smiling I answer, "I could really go for what you got between your thighs."
Her groan makes me throw back my head laughing. "Ajax! Knock it off."
"I'll stop, but it'll cost you." I warn her, smiling from ear to ear.
The look she gives me could freeze ice. "And just what that be Mr. West?"
"Dinner with me tonight."
"Done." She agrees readily.
"I should've asked for more."I grumble, wondering what else I could've gotten out of the deal.
"But you didn't." She sings, amused.
I drive the rest of the way into town deciding to just go to the local diner, Amelia's. Harp fills me in on some of the finances and I listen politely. Getting seated at Amelia's is easy, Kira puts us in her section and we look over the menu. "What are you going to get." Harp asks, still pouring over the items. "Everything sounds good."
"Chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, green beans and biscuit." I answer, listing off what I get a good 3 out of 5 times I come here.
"Mrs. Hershaw made me a big breakfast this morning so I want to eat light." She says, more to herself then to me.
"Hey, guys. Know what ya'll want?" Kira asks, stoping at the table. I wait for Harp to order and then order for myself.
After she walks away with our ticket I ask, "Since you ordered a salad, I hope that means you'll be plenty hungry for dinner. I'm making my famous spaghetti and meatballs."
"You mean your mothers famous spaghetti and meatballs?"
I chuckle, "That very one."

Harper Morgan

    Sitting across from Ajax in the worn vinyl seats at Amelia's diner I think about all the sexual things he's said today. I watch his throat as he tips back of glass of cold tea, for some reason drawn to the thick corded muscles on his neck. His eyebrow raises in question when he notices me watching him, so I ask him the first thing that pops in my head. "Have you heard from your parents since they left? I thought Mr. West would check up on me but he hasn't."
"Yep, every night. They're not going to call and check on you. They know you're doing a good job."
"I didn't really think they'd need to check on me per-say, but the Ranch at the very least. Just to know how things are running since the switch."
He shakes his head. "We don't even talk about the Ranch. Most nights they just want to know how things are going with you and I."
"You're joking." I say, giggling.
He smiles back. "I wish I was. Unsolicited advice is the worst kind of advice."
"I don't know. The rate you're going I think you should gather all the advice you can get." I tease. I watch his lip lift slightly on one side of his mouth, and it sets my heart racing. Oh God that mouth. He leans forward in his seat my eyes not leaving his lips.
"And the rate you're going we won't even make it back to the Ranch." He says, quietly. My eyes meet his and there's a promise in them I don't know how to decipher. "Your eyes are talking sweetheart, and I like what they're saying."