6. XANDER
Chapter 6
XANDER
S unday afternoon sunlight streamed through the corridor’s open windows, casting a warm glow onto the hallway as I reached my apartment door. The memory of yesterday's unexpected kiss with Lyca lingered in the air, leaving me breathless once again. With a quick exhale, I tried to shake off the disarming effect of that stolen moment.
As I fumbled for my keys, my gaze couldn't help but drift toward Lyca's door. It had taken all of my self-control yesterday not to burst into her apartment and take her in my arms again.
Good thing I had an important appointment yesterday or I would have ended up doing just that , I thought to myself.
The decision was impulsive. I found myself standing in front of her unit door, my heart pounding with an unfamiliar rhythm. Knowing she was on the other side of that door, I took a moment to catch my breath, the realization of the magnetic pull between us lingering.
Should I knock? What am I going to tell her?
I began to pace back and forth, attempting to formulate a plausible reason for this unexpected visit. I knew she was there because I’d seen her car in the parking area downstairs.
Maybe I could tell her about the pressure I always felt when team members teased me about taking after my father, or maybe tell her about the constant flirting from Phoebe that was beginning to disrupt my focus when I was at work.
But I couldn’t bother her with work stuff. It was Sunday! Damn.
Eventually, I took a deep breath, trying to steady the racing thoughts. With a newfound resolve, I finally raised my hand and knocked.
A handsome little blond boy answered the door. I was mesmerized for a while by his adorable appearance and the uncanny resemblance to Lyca.
“Hello,” he chirped, his eyes wide with innocence. “Are you looking for my mom?”
For a moment, I was taken aback by the unexpected encounter. Recollecting myself, I crouched down to his eye level, returning his friendly smile.
“Hey there,” I replied, suppressing a chuckle at his charm. “Yes, I was hoping to speak to your mom, Lyca. Is she around?”
He nodded. “Aren’t you the one who lives next door and always has very noisy parties?”
I laughed. “Yeah, sorry about that, buddy. It won’t happen again. I got rid of the party people.”
“Party people? You’re not one of them?” he asked curiously.
“Not anymore. I’m trying to be a better man.”
“Good for you!” the little one beamed. Then, he suddenly peered closer at me. His eyes lit up and he gasped. “Oh, wow! You look like that racer on TV, the one in the commercial of that drink! Uh… Ener… Ener-something Boost!”
I grinned, nodding. “Energlide Boost. Yes, that’s me.”
“Wow!” He then pulled me inside, closing the door. “Come on, I want to show you my drawing of a race car!”
Lucas tugged at my hand, his enthusiasm infectious. Following him inside, I marveled at the vibrant energy that filled the apartment. The living room was adorned with an array of colorful toys and drawings, a testament to the lively spirit of a young boy who called this place home.
As we settled into the heart of creativity, Lucas proudly presented a sheet of paper adorned with crayon strokes, forming a lively depiction of a race car. His eyes sparkled with pride as he held it up for my inspection.
“Look! I drew this race car all by myself!” he exclaimed, his voice filled with a sense of accomplishment.
I crouched down beside him, studying the drawing with genuine admiration. “This is incredible, Lucas! You're quite the artist. Tell me about your race car.”
With animated gestures, Lucas delved into an elaborate narrative about the imaginary race car, describing its sleek design, and the thrilling adventures it embarked upon in his vivid imagination. His enthusiasm was contagious, and I found myself captivated by the vibrant world he had brought to life on paper.
“Sounds so amazing!” I told him, genuinely forgetting about all my concerns and worries.
But the surprises didn't end there. With boundless energy, Lucas gathered his collection of miniature race cars, each one meticulously selected for its unique features. As he proudly showcased his treasures to me, it became clear that this young aficionado had an unwavering passion for all things related to racing.
“Check out these race cars! This one's the fastest, and this one can do cool flips!” Lucas narrated, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
I couldn't help but join in the fun, engaging in a playful exchange of race car knowledge. As the room filled with laughter and the joyful chatter of a budding friendship, I realized that this unexpected visit had transformed into a delightful encounter with a remarkable little boy.
“Both my mom and I love cars!” Lucas shared it with me. “It’s because her dad and her brother were both fans of racing! But Grandpa’s not around anymore. I don’t know where he is.”
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.”
“It’s okay. We’re not close, anyway. But Uncle Tom sometimes comes with Mom and me to racing events.”
“That’s nice. What’s your favorite racing team?”
“That’s easy!” Lucas exclaimed. “Steele Velocity Racing! That’s where my mom works!”
I grinned. “We actually work there together. I recently got transferred to the team.”
“Whoa! No kidding?”
“No kidding,” I repeated, making him jump up and give me a high-five.
As we continued to play together, I realized that this kid was quite talkative, which allowed me to learn more things about Lyca.
“Dad doesn’t like racing and cars,” Lucas blurted out.
“Oh. What does he like then?”
Lucas paused to think. Then he shrugged. “I’m not sure. Maybe baseball? Or basketball. We sometimes watch these games, or we play in the park with his friends and their children.”
“Oh, okay… When did you last see him?”
“A long time ago,” he answered, though he didn’t seem sad or bothered. “But it’s okay. I don’t miss him. I have plenty of fun with Mom, Uncle Tom, and my friends.”
“That’s wonderful.” I couldn’t believe I was having such a long, meaningful conversation with a six-year-old child and I was truly enjoying it. “I’m glad you’re happy even without your dad. You know I also grew up without a dad…”
His eyes widened as he stopped what he was doing and climbed onto my lap. “Tell me more!”
I shared some of my favorite childhood stories with him, which he listened to attentively.
“You’re a cool guy,” Lucas suddenly quipped.
I couldn’t help but smile. “I’m glad you can see that. I hope your mom agrees.”
“Do you like her?” he asked, catching me off-guard with his innocent question. Unsure of how to respond, I hesitated. Then he added, “She’s never had a boyfriend after my dad, but I always hear Aunt Jessie telling her to go on a date.”
I found myself laughing. “Really?”
“Uh-huh. I hope if I have a new dad in the future, it’s someone like you.”
My world seemed to stop. It was hard to process that comment at first because no one had ever said anything like that to me before. I was definitely moved. Suddenly, I pictured myself being a father, and it wasn’t so bad after all.
Fuck, maybe Phil’s right. I’ve changed. Or I’ve matured. That could explain why I don’t feel like hanging out with him and the others anymore.
Suddenly, I heard the sound of the shower stopping. Before I could react, though, the bathroom door opened. “Lucas, have you seen my —?” Lyca began to ask, but she stopped short when she saw me playing with her son in their living room.
I slowly stood up, feeling my hormones raging as I took in her gleaming blue-green eyes and the damp skin of her exposed arms and legs. She had a small yellow towel wrapped around her body, but I could easily imagine her without it, naked and extremely beautiful and alluring.
I felt my libido jack up. Heat quickly spread throughout my body. In my head, it was just her and me alone in this confined space. I had rushed toward her, ripped off the towel from her body, and taken her in my arms. I was running my fingers across her supple skin, feeling the electric currents zooming across my center, causing me to get really hard. I had one hand massaging the inside of her thigh and moving up to her hot wetness. I loved the way her sticky fluids stuck to my fingers as she moaned under my caress.
“What are you doing here?” she demanded, her sharp tone snapping me out of my daydream and bringing me back to reality.
I’m here to give you the best sex of your life , I answered in my mind. But aloud, I only said, “Hi, Lyca.”