14. XANDER
Chapter 14
XANDER
I ’m fucked.
This was the only thought in my head as I stared at her from afar. She’d just appeared at the racetrack during one of our practices, and she reminded me of a radiant stream of light in an otherwise pitch-black cave. She walked with confidence and a friendly smile on her face, chatting with some of the racers.
I couldn’t help but admire her natural beauty. And yes, imagine her wearing nothing. In my mind, it was just me and her alone, undressing one another and kissing like there was no tomorrow. I could picture her full breasts and how they had felt in my hands that fateful evening. I longed to entangle my fingers in her long blonde hair and kiss every inch of her body, making her moan with pleasure.
Suddenly, she glanced at me. I froze, feeling like a rabbit caught in the headlights of a car. She gave me a faint smile, which I immediately returned. I then remembered how I’d been waiting outside of her unit door the past few days, just hoping to “accidentally run” into her.
Yesterday I was lucky. “Oh, hey!” I’d greeted nonchalantly, acting as if I had just come out of my own apartment. “Heading to work?”
“Yes. What about you?”
“I have a guesting at this TV show, so I’ll go to the office in the afternoon.”
“Oh, wow. Good luck and have fun.”
“Where’s Lucas?” I had asked her.
“Uh, with my mom. He stayed at her place yesterday, but I’m picking him up later.”
You were alone all night in your apartment, and you didn’t let me know? I was in my unit being a stupid couch potato and fantasizing about you!
I must have been gazing at her intensely because she took a step back and gave me a weird look. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” Everything.
We had been playing this game of hide and seek, or cat and mouse, for what felt like forever. Neither of us had taken the risk to escalate it, too afraid to make the next move, whatever that might be.
In that moment, I wanted nothing more than to take her in my arms and make love to her right there outside her door. She stood there, her eyes locked on mine as if waiting for me to kiss her. But then, one of the other neighbors came out and greeted us, destroying the moment.
“Earth to Xander! Hey, man!” Someone's voice pierced through my reverie, fingers snapping right in front of my face.
Startled, I stepped away and saw that it was John, another new racer. I knew him, though, from previous races when we were both still in different teams.
“Are you going to get into the race car or what?” John asked.
I realized I was standing by the car door, having paused mid-motion, my thoughts consumed by the irresistible woman who dominated my mind.
“Yeah, yeah,” I answered, snapping out of my trance-like state.
“Man, you’ve got it bad,” he suddenly teased, a knowing grin spreading across his face.
“What are you talking about?”
“Her.” He nodded toward Lyca who was now sauntering in our direction. My eyes took in the cleavage peeking from her blouse, the mesmerizing blue-green of her eyes, and the sultry sway of her hips as she walked.
“She’s super hot, right?” John added, grinning when I didn’t respond. “I’d give anything to get into her pants and feel her…”
“Shut up, John,” I snapped, irritation seeping into my voice. His crude words had my blood boiling in just a few seconds, but I tried to keep my anger in check. “Come on, let’s just practice.”
I grabbed John by the shoulder, but he shrugged me off, his eyes focused on Lyca who was now nearing us. She wasn't looking at either of us; instead, she seemed to be heading toward someone else. I looked behind me, and her friends, Drake and Andrew, standing there.
However, before she could reach them, John came forward and stopped her. “Miss Taylor, I’m sorry to disturb you, but I think it’s very important that I get an appointment with you very soon.”
“Why? What’s wrong?” I heard her ask him. She looked genuinely concerned, oblivious to the fact that he was simply making it all up.
John could be a good actor when he wanted to. I could see that clearly, but surely Lyca wouldn’t be fooled by him She had to see through this act! After all, she was supposed to be good at reading people.
John launched into his carefully crafted tale, his words laced with urgency and desperation. With practiced ease, he spun a narrative of intense anxiety and performance issues plaguing him on the racetrack, painting a vivid picture of the turmoil he was facing.
“It's like I'm trapped in this endless cycle of doubt and fear,” John explained, his voice tinged with frustration. “No matter how hard I try, I just can't seem to shake it off. Every time I step onto the track, my mind goes blank, and I freeze up. It's like I've lost my edge, and I don't know how to get it back.”
As he spoke, I couldn't help but marvel at his skillful storytelling. The lines between truth and fiction blurred seamlessly.
From my vantage point, I could see Lyca's expression shifting as she listened intently to John's tale. Her brow furrowed with concern, her eyes filled with empathy as she absorbed his every word. She was clearly invested in his plight, her professional instincts kicking in as she began to assess the situation and formulate a plan of action.
“Please, I need to talk to you now, if possible,” John pleaded, his voice dripping with feigned desperation.
I scoffed in disbelief, wanting to peel him away from Lyca, to protect her from whatever he was planning.
Lyca hesitated and I saw a flicker of doubt crossing in her eyes. But then, to my dismay, she said, “Let me just talk to Drake and Andrew for a while. I’ll see you in my office in ten.”
“Great!” John exclaimed, a triumphant grin spreading across his face. When she moved on, he winked at me, and I couldn’t help but glare at him, my frustration mounting.
Because I was so pissed off, I found myself racing at a faster speed around the track. I almost lost control at one point, but I immediately caught myself before an accident could occur.
“Damn!” I yelled, banging my palms on the wheel as I slowed down and pulled over. I checked my watch and realized that John’s one-on-one session with Lyca must be ongoing now.
I sat in the car, seething with frustration. Conflicting emotions were stirring up within me.
Part of me was furious with John for manipulating the situation, for exploiting Lyca's kindness and empathy for his own selfish gain. I wanted nothing more than to storm into her office, to confront him, and put an end to his charade once and for all.
But beneath the anger lurked a deeper, more unsettling emotion—a pang of jealousy that caught me off guard. The thought of John alone with Lyca, sharing intimate details of his life with her, sent a surge of possessiveness coursing through me, a feeling I struggled to reconcile with my rational mind.
As the minutes ticked by, I found myself unable to sit still, the need to know what was happening in Lyca's office driving me to action. With growing urgency, I slipped out of my car and made my way toward the office building, my footsteps quickening with each passing moment.
Approaching the door to Lyca's office, I hesitated for a brief moment, torn between the desire to protect her and the fear of intruding on her privacy. I could hear their muffled voices inside.
“This is stupid,” I muttered, pacing back and forth in front of the office. “If I come bursting in, what are they going to think about me? And what excuse can I give?”
To my shock, the door swung open then. Lyca poked her head out and saw me. “Xander? What are you doing here?”
I froze. My mind was blank. “I just… uh…” I cursed inwardly then blurted out part of the truth. “I just… wanted to talk to you, to see you… I wasn’t sure how long your meeting would last, so…”
“Oh. We’re actually about done now.”
“Don’t worry,” I quickly said. “Maybe I’ll see you tonight at home.”
“Uhm, I won’t be home tonight.”
What? Where the hell are you going?
But all I managed to say was, “Oh, okay. Anyway, see you around.” And then I left, my mind spinning with frustration,