I can't stop staring at her. She's wearing a long flowing dress with straps, her hair is loose and wavy, she's applied very little makeup. She's got sandals on her feet, so she's so much shorter than I am. And she smells wonderful, too.
"Lindsey?" Stevie brings me out of my thoughts, a smirk on her gorgeous face.
"Sorry, I uh... you look beautiful." Beautiful doesn't do her justice, but my brain doesn't seem to be working right now. "Are you ready to go?"
"I am." Stevie nods her head, she closes the front door and locks it. Melanie and Jerry are spending their weekend somewhere else and Stevie is alright with that, I'm sure.
We get into my car and I turn the engine on. I fasten the seat belt before pulling out of the driveway and I feel Stevie's palm settle on my leg. She leaves it there for the whole drive and I don't mind. It's always the small things.
I'm not sure what Stevie enjoys yet, but she spends a lot of time by the pool, so I'm guessing she likes water, which is why we've just arrived to the beach. I glance at her and she's smiling, I think I made the right decision. Getting out of the car, I walk to the trunk and take out a basket with snacks and drinks, I also grab the blanket next to it.
Stevie loops her arm through mine and we walk near the water. I lay out the blanket and help Stevie sit down. She takes off her sandals and buries her feet in the sand. I make myself comfortable beside her, sitting Indian style.
"I've always loved the ocean." She says, staring ahead. "My Mom and I always enjoyed taking long walks along the shoreline."
"What's your mother's name?"
"Stella. I miss her." Stevie says, a hint of sadness in her voice. I wrap my arm around her shoulders and she leans into me. "I lost her really fast. She got diagnosed with cancer and it was too late to do anything. She never got sick, not even a cold. And then, she's telling me and Dad, she's got only a couple of months to live."
"I'm so sorry." I say, kissing the side of her face softly.
"My Dad loved her a lot. I never thought he'd be with another woman. Not that he's not allowed to, at least he could have met someone nice." Again, I feel Stevie's dislike for Melanie. "Mel is evil. It's all an act. She tries to be this lovely person, but she's not. She hates me and I'm sure she's telling my Dad every day how he should kick me out of the house at last. I wouldn't care if she at least loved him, but she doesn't. Mel loves his money and the lifestyle."
"What makes you so sure?"
"Because it's true. Because I caught her making out with her personal trainer. She begged me not to tell Dad, she said she'll stop, but I doubt it. I'm pretty sure there's a lot more than just making out going on." Stevie shrugs, adding. "But it's none of my business."
"Well, if your father is happy..." I trail off, unsure what else I could say.
"What about you? You mentioned a girlfriend and a son." Stevie tilts her chin up slightly to look at me.
I sigh, before speaking up. "We were together for years. Farrah was never my dream girl, but we worked as a couple. Things were easy with her. I was sure she and I would get married eventually, especially when Harry was born. He's three." A smile crosses my lips, thinking about my boy.
"What happened?" Stevie asks, her hand on my thigh, her nail drawing circles.
"I'm afraid that if I tell you, you'll run." I'm the one avoiding eye contact now.
"I promise, I won't." Stevie reaches for my hand, entwining our fingers together.
"One night I went out with a couple of friends. I wasn't supposed to be drinking, because I had work early in the morning. But one of the guys told us he got engaged and I thought, one drink would do no harm. One drink, then the second and another one... by the end of the night I was pretty wasted. I don't know what made me get behind the wheel and drive myself home, but I did. I was stupid and careless, I..." I chew on my bottom lip. Should I go on? I feel Stevie squeeze my hand, so I do. "I didn't see a man crossing the street. I didn't stop." Reliving that moment every time is horrible. It angers me, I feel extremely disappointed in myself. "He's in a wheelchair. Farrah was the first person I called and she straight away told me, she can't be with someone like me. She thought, I was a different man and I would never do something like that, that I would never risk my own or someone else's life by drunk driving. Then my boss fired me and I lost all of my friends, except Terry. It's- It's not been easy." I breathe out heavily. However, Stevie's still with me. That's good.
"That's.... harsh. I mean, I'm sure you didn't do it intentionally. I'd like to believe my friends and family would support me in a situation like this."
"There's nothing I can do to change what happened." I shrug my shoulders. "I've got to live with that night for the rest of my life, but I'm trying to move on. Terry helped me with a new job, which is a start. And I met you."
Our eyes lock, then Stevie leans in for a kiss. My fingers tangle in her long blonde hair, her palm is cupping my cheek. She parts her lips and I deepen the kiss. I push her on her back and her arms wrap around my neck as she moans, my hand on her hip.
I suddenly break away, shaking my head. "This isn't what we agreed on. I'm sorry."
"You're right. I got carried away." Stevie shyly tucks a strand of her hair away from her face and fixes her dress after I help her sit up.
The fact I can't allow myself to take this gorgeous, sexy woman right here, right now, tells me she has already stolen a part of my heart.
