Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
~AUGUST~
August: What are you up to, pretty girl?
Isend the text as I’m sitting on the balcony at my apartment, looking out at the city of Tampa.
It’s not a great view. You can see the city, with the ocean in the very faint distance.
Or at least that’s what I tell myself that I can almost see.
I never really get there as much as I wish I did.
That’s why I think I’ve convinced myself that it’s easy to spot from this balcony.
I lean back farther in the chaise lounge, waiting for a reply. Thankfully, I don’t have to wait too long.
Hendrix: I am at my apartment, just hanging out.
Interesting. I watched her leave with her friends. I assumed that they all would have hung out. Maybe even planned a girl’s night. But it doesn’t seem like that’s what happened. So, if I had called up the boys tonight, they would have been with their girls. Not able to hang out with me.
August: Ash with you?
I pick up the glass of Scotch that I’ve been nursing, waiting for her reply. I’m sure he is. I doubt she’ll be able to come over to see me tonight. He wouldn’t allow it. I’m sure he was pissed that she was gone all night with me last night. My answer comes in faster than I thought it would.
Hendrix: He is actually out tonight. There’s a friend that he used to work with that is actually down here in Tampa on some business. He went to meet him for dinner or something.
August: So, you’re alone like me, huh?
I wanted to type something else entirely. I wanted to tell her that she should come over here to me. But instead, I decide to go with some patience and see where her head is tonight. See if she even wants to see me so soon after last night.
Hendrix: That I am.
I grin, that’s encouraging. Her answer is simple and she’s a smart girl. She has to know that I’m going to invite her to come over here.
August: Feel like seeing me tonight? You can come here or I can meet you for a drink if you want.
I wait for her to respond. I remind myself that I’m playing the long game right now.
I want this to be more than a booty call.
I want her to be more than just hookups.
To do that, I have to make sure that our interactions aren’t just about fucking.
Even though I’d love to lose myself in her curvy body for the rest of the night.
I grin thinking about all the ways that I could make her come and moan.
God, I want to do that.
I grab my drink and down the rest of it, hoping it helps to calm me and to remain patient. Her next text comes through, and I snatch up the phone to read it.
Hendrix: What did you have in mind?
I grin looking at the phone. She’s intrigued. I decide to play a little.
August: Just what I said. Coming over to hang out with me at my place. Or we could meet up at the bar.
I watch as the bubbles pop up and disappear in our chat. Finally, she hits send.
Hendrix: You’re not worried about anyone seeing us at the bar?
August: That’s why I suggested my place, silly girl.
I wait to see which option she’ll take. But then I add a little more.
August: I’m alone tonight too, so if you have another suggestion, I’m game.
Hendrix: I’m beat. Can I just come over?
I smile at my phone. Of course she can come over.
August: You know you can. Come right on over.
Hendrix: Have you eaten?
August: I haven’t. I’ll order us some food when you get here.
Hendrix: See you in a few.
August: Can’t wait!
I’m so happy she wants to spend time with me.
It makes me think that maybe she’s not going to worry too much about how I perceive her based on what she told me.
Or that she doesn’t care if her brother gets angry that we’re hanging out together.
Sure, he might not be home right now, but even still, he’ll probably guess where she is when he gets home.
A half hour passes and no Hendrix. I start to wonder if she changed her mind or if her brother came home and asked her not to leave.
She would probably just give in and spend time with him to keep the peace.
After all, I don’t know how long he’ll be in Tampa.
I can’t get upset with her for wanting to stay home with him.
Just when I’ve given up hope that she’s actually coming to see me tonight, the elevator dings once in my living room, letting me know that someone has chosen my floor.
I grin and make my way through the open balcony door and into my living room.
I face the elevator, waiting for it to reach my floor and for Hendrix to walk through those doors.
The chimes signal its arrival. Slowly, the doors open and there she stands.
My Hendrix.
Looking so much like the girl she was when I met her in college.
Her long brown hair is hanging in loose waves, like when she has showered but let her locks air dry.
She is wearing a pair of men’s athletic shorts and an oversized black cropped tee.
She’s holding a bag of takeout from In- N-Out Burger in her hand. I take her in and grin.
“I bet you didn’t even realize that there was an In-N-Out Burger in Tampa,” she tells me as she makes her way farther into my living room.
“No, I knew,” I say, teasing her.
“You didn’t. You needed me to tell you. Just like you did back in college.” She giggles, and her laugh is infectious.
I walk over to her, taking the bag of takeout and placing it on the coffee table. I push strands of her hair back from her face so that I can fully see her. “Is that a fact?”
“It sure is,” she says, grinning back at me.
“Thank you for bringing me dinner. I could have ordered something,” I say, studying her eyes. Watching as they are smiling back at me. She looks so relaxed, comfortable and easygoing right now, not like the last time that I saw her. I love it.
“You’re very welcome. I figured that you still can’t survive unless someone is feeding you. Tonight, it will be me,” she announces, sidestepping me and moving to sit on the couch.
“I’ll have you know on many nights, I take care of myself.”
“I bet you right now if I got up and looked in your fridge, there would no actual food in there. Snacks, sure, you always had those. But nothing that you could make a real dinner with,” she teases me.
I shake my head, holding my hands up in surrender. “You are right, that is still not a talent that I have. But in my defense, I never needed anyone to cook for me. And if I remember correctly, neither did you,” I remind her, shooting her a wink.
She flushes, “But I still learned.”
“Good for you, now get in there and make me something to eat!” I demand in a teasing one.
She shakes her head. “You are still such an ass.”
“An ass that you brought dinner for.” I reach for the bags and begin unpacking them.
“Shouldn’t you have gotten something a little healthier for the athlete in training?
” I tease her, even though I really couldn’t care less.
She’s smart enough to make her own decisions on what’s for dinner. I just like to give her shit.
That comment earns me an eye roll. “I’ll be just fine. Don’t you worry about what it is I’m putting into my body.” I don’t miss the way her tone changes when she says, ‘my body.’
I stare at her for a moment before stalking over to her and leaning down so that we’re face to face. “What if that’s the only thing that I worry about?”
Her breath hitches and she smiles. For a moment, I think I’m going to get a serious comment out of her, but she deflects. “I’m not the one who should be concerned about healthy habits, considering the number of women that you bring home on a weekly basis.”
I fake a laugh, even though the comment wounds me. I mean, she’s not wrong, but I just don’t like to be reminded of it.
“Relax, I’m only teasing you,” she says, pushing at a piece of my hair that falls onto my forehead.
I just nod and lean in, pressing my forehead against her. I hear her sharp inhale of breath and watch as she swallows. I get the urge to lean in and kiss her. But I don’t. Instead, I back away and touch her nose gently before rising to full height and saying, “What else is new?”
I move over to sit on the opposite side of the couch, giving her some distance.
I don’t miss the way she shifts in her seat, and I’m hoping she’s trying to resolve an ache that has been stirred up between her legs.
I know the feeling well; I’m sporting a partial half the time I’m around this woman.
She’s so sexy and confident, even in the smallest things.
She has no idea, which makes her even sexier.
“The food is going to get cold,” she finally says, getting up and dividing up the food. The smell of fried goodness and burgers fills the room.
My stomach grumbles in response. I had no idea how hungry I was. “What did you get?”
“Same thing I always used to get,” she tells me.
It stops in me in my tracks that she remember the order that we used to place every Friday night so many years ago. “You did?” I stammer out.
“Yeah, I did. Two burgers, single patty, both with no tomato and one with extra pickles for you. I also grabbed a fry for us to share. Although you’re not in season anymore, so maybe you want a whole one. Which is fine, I’ll just steal a few.”
“I can share,” I say quietly, staring at her.
I can’t believe she remembered. It’s something that probably seems too simple to her, but it hits me like a punch in the gut. I walk over to her again and gather her up in my arms. I place a tender kiss on her lips and pull away so that I can see her hooded eyes staring back at mine.
“You are incredible,” I say to her.
She grins back at me and shakes her head. “All I did was remember our takeout order.”
I shake my head, “No, it was so much more than that. For me anyway.”
I release her and head off into the kitchen to get plates.
“Where are you going?” she calls after me, confusion in her tone.