Chapter 5 Calvin
Calvin
It’s after midnight, and I’m sitting outside on my porch in shorts and sipping bourbon.
I didn’t have any luck finding a fuck for the night, so I just came home.
The men at the bar were not my type at all.
No thanks. I’m not that desperate. Still, I wasn’t able to find my distraction, so my mother’s words keep rattling around in my brain, festering, filling me with doubts about myself.
She digs her verbal claws into me and doesn’t let go.
God, why do I let her get to me so much?
As I sip my drink, headlights shine my way for a second, blinding me, when Seth pulls his soccer mom car into the driveway, coming home from wherever. The boys scramble out of the van, while he grabs his sleeping daughter from the back seat.
“Ah, finally had to knock her out, eh?”
Yeah, I’m being a dick, but poking fun at my neighbor is too much fun. And I don’t think about Mom.
He says something I can’t hear as he hands her off to his oldest son, who carries her inside. Then Seth heads my way.
Oops.
Perhaps I went too far. My stomach dips for some reason, and I smirk to hide it. I didn’t expect a confrontation, but I kinda like my rapid heart rate, and I may like him standing up to me.
When he steps up to my porch at the base of the steps, I stand and make my way down to him.
Seth keeps his eyes firmly planted on my face and doesn’t look at my bare chest like he did the last time. Bummer. “Why are you always poking fun at me about my kids?”
I shrug. “It’s fun?” I step closer, standing only inches from him. I can smell a lingering, citrusy cologne. “And you’re cute when you react.” That’s the most truthful thing I’ve said in a while. I lie to my mom, to myself, and to him.
His eyes pop wide, and his mouth moves, trying to form words, but nothing comes out. His reaction makes me smile even wider. “Cute? Are you… flirting with me?”
I press my face close to his ear to see what he does. He seems like the pearl-clutching type. “I just said you’re cute. That doesn’t mean I want to marry you.”
He takes a quick step back, folds his arms, and huffs. “You know, you’re a real turd. As if I’d want a relationship with you.”
“Turd?” I burst out laughing. “You know, it’s okay to say shit.
” I’m really not trying to bully him. There’s just something about his responses that draws me to him.
I like pushing his buttons a little. And it might be a little payback for his kids constantly trashing my yard with their crap or waking me up too early on the weekends with their damn outdoor voices, despite my constant requests that they don’t.
I’m probably lying to myself again, but I’m not sure about what. I’m too buzzed to figure it out.
I’m taking a large sip of my drink when my mind wanders elsewhere.
Is Seth this reactive during sex? I can see this pearl-clutcher secretly wanting to be debauched.
Fuck, that would be fun. He begs for something naughty, wanting to let go of those vanilla ways.
Vanilla can be fun, too, but I bet that’s all he does.
“Ugh, you’re impossible.” Seth turns on his heel and storms off, but then stops, turns around, and points at me. “You’re a… a… shit.”
That makes me laugh even harder, but I cover my mouth to hide it, and so he can’t hear me. “Good job, Dad.”
I shouldn’t tease him so much. I truly have nothing against him, except for the annoying toys.
Maybe I’ve been too much of a dick. I’ll make it up to him, perhaps have him over for a drink or something. I may as well play nice if we’re going to be neighbors for the next several years.
I’m sure he’d prefer a batch of homemade cookies. I snigger at that before downing the rest of my drink and heading inside. Chocolate chip cookies, it is.
As I make my way upstairs to my bedroom, Seth filters through my brain again, envisioning how much he enjoys naughty sex, but this time it comes with delicious visuals. The fantasies are strong enough to get my cock to respond.
When I reach my room, I strip out of all my clothes, turn out the lights, and open my curtains and blinds.
You’d think the last thing I’d want is sex or to be horny over a Boy Scout neighbor after talking to my mother.
I’m smart enough to know it’s the perfect way to filter out her words.
It’s compartmentalizing at its finest because at least it’s enjoyable.
That doesn’t mean Seth doesn’t periodically get the blood flowing down south.
I rest my arm on the wall by the window and wrap my fingers around my cock. There aren’t any houses across from me, but my house is angled enough that I can see parts of Seth’s place. It’s also dark, so I don’t worry about being seen.
As I languidly stroke myself, I imagine my neighbor peeking through his curtains as he watches me rub one out, enjoying the show I’m putting on for him.
His fingers curl into the collar of his pressed polo shirt to cool himself down, desperately trying not to get turned on as I swipe the precum from the head of my dick with my thumb.
He quietly gasps as I bring it to my mouth and suck off the bitter release.
Seth’s hand slips beneath his pants and underwear to rub himself as I pump my fist harder and faster. A groan slips out of him. He can’t help himself. He likes what he sees. He privately enjoys being a voyeur, while I openly love being an exhibitionist.
My head rests on the cool pane of glass as I get lost in my strokes. My hand twists on the upstroke and grazes the head of my dick. But it’s the fantasy of my neighbor that pushes me closer to my climax.
He unzips his khaki chinos and drags them down along with his underwear low enough to pull out his cock. He doesn’t want to get caught with his pants down by his kids. Seth is careful, but he’s desperate to come as he watches me.
The visual is not even that naughty, at least for me, but having Seth as my fantasy for the evening does me in.
It doesn’t take me long to come. The pressure becomes too much.
My face flushes and my heart races. I hold my breath as I chase my climax, aiming my cock at the window to shoot out my load all over the glass so he can see how he makes me feel. How turned on he gets me.
Once I finish coming, I deflate with a mix of lingering arousal, disgust, and regret. With a deep breath and a shrug, I pull on a pair of underwear. Then I grab my dirty T-shirt off the floor, clean my window, and toss it into the hamper.
I climb into bed, lying on top of the covers as the ceiling fan cools my heated skin, and the numbness washes over me, but I’m not tired.
My mother’s words continue to reverberate in my head like they always do.
She excels at bringing my ego down about a thousand notches, forcing me to dwell on it, almost obsessively so.
Eventually, I tune her out and fall asleep about an hour later after tossing and turning.
It’s Monday and lunchtime. Olivia offered to grab me some food, but the late September day is cool and free of humidity. I’m not about to squander a nice walk to my favorite sushi place.
The strip mall a few blocks away has all you could need, from coffee, food, groceries, books, and there’s even a little daycare place.
My mouth is watering for something fresh and spicy. Maybe I’ll get the yellow sun roll with mango. The sweetness adds a little something, making it one of my favorites.
Right when I grab the handle of the glass door, I hear rapid footfalls on the concrete, but they sound different.
They’re light and fast, not like an adult.
I look in the distance and see a little girl running, her blonde pigtails trailing as she giggles.
Not any little girl. Emily. That little hellcat…
I glance around, looking for Seth, but he’s nowhere to be seen. I debate going inside to eat or stopping her. I need to think fast because she’s not far now.
Mind made up, I let go of the door, step in front of her, and when she reaches me, I swoop her up into my arms. Before she can freak out, I say, “Hold up, little one. Does your daddy know you’re out here?
” She fights to get out of my grasp, but I’m stronger.
Not gonna lie, though, she fights hard. I didn’t expect that from a human the size of a chihuahua.
“Do you remember me? I live next door.” She stops fidgeting and looks into my eyes. “I’m Cal.”
“Cal?”
“Yep, easy peasy. And you’re Emily.”
“Emly!”
Maybe it’s not such a hot idea that she trusts me, but it makes my job easier as I pass by shops, looking for Seth.
“Where’s your daddy, pumpkin?”
She points farther down, but the only thing left is the daycare. Did she just fucking run out of there? Was she in daycare and escaped like some prisoner of Alcatraz?
“Tsk, pumpkin. I don’t think you’re supposed to be out here.”
What kind of facility was this that made it easy for kids to run out? In fact, I plan to have a word with the manager. How many other kids get out and get lost? It’s a wonder the dump is still open and not shut down by the state.
I open the door to Penny’s and utter chaos. It’s loud with music and screaming kids. One person is behind the counter, while others are making sure the kids don’t kill themselves. It must be exhausting keeping kids alive.
The whole area is blocked off with the counter and a locked gate.
That little escape artist.
“Did you escape, pumpkin? Aren’t you clever? I stand by the leash thing. No wonder your dad’s always twitchy.”
“Can I help you?” asks the young man with blond hair the color of mine, and his eyes are bluish gray, looking up at me. He doesn’t seem older than eighteen, but what the hell do I know? Then his eyes ping to Emily and widen. “Thank god! Your dad is freakin’, girl.”
“I assume you know this hellcat?”
The young man snorts a laugh. “We’re all familiar with little Em around here, since her daddy owns the place.”
I raise my brows and look around the facility, seeing it in a different light. It’s vibrant and stimulating.
“How’d she get out?” I ask.
He rolls his eyes and reaches for her. I hand her to him, and he sets her down before she runs off to play with her friends. “She does that, but I don’t know how. It’s like she knows when we’re not looking. I swear, she plans out her escapes.”
I chuckle, thoroughly believing him.
I almost feel sorry for Seth when she becomes a teen and sneaks out of the house to hang out with her boyfriend or girlfriend.
“Emily!” I look up in time to see Seth sweep Emily into his arms and hold her close. “Thank god! You need to stop running off, sweetheart. One of these days, your old dad is going to have a heart attack.”
The little girl grabs his face and kisses his cheek as if running away were the most natural thing in the world. Seth sets her down, and she runs off again. That’s when he realizes I’m standing there.
His brows sit low on his eyes, but he doesn’t appear mad, only curious.
“What are you doing here?”
I shrug and shove my hands into my slacks. “Just want to see what all the hubbub is about, and I suddenly remembered why I never want kids.”
He rolls his eyes so hard, I wonder if they’ll get stuck in his head. “Can you even be serious for one second?”
“This man brought in Emily. He found her outside,” said the young man.
Those thick eyebrows that were so low now shoot straight up as he takes me in. “Oh, well… I suppose a thank you is in order. I owe you.”
I wink and rub the scruff on my chin. “Yes, I’m sure I can think of some sort of repayment.” Before he can retort or complain, I say with a wave of my hand around the daycare, “This is yours?”
He looks around the facility before his eyes land back on mine. “Yes, I have four of them.”
“Well done. Leashes,” I remind him. “Or perhaps an electrical fence. Clearly, what you have here isn’t working.”
“You’re so weird. Em is a… special case. Anyway, thanks for bringing her back safely.”
I bow my head. “You’re welcome.”
With that, I turn and head back to the restaurant without a backward glance and with an angry stomach in need of sustenance.