8
Evan
I wanted more of Harlow, but something made me pause. It could have been the way she was tentative in the way she kissed me back or the way when I pulled away she huffed out a breath as if she wasn’t sure of herself. The garbage I mouthed off about being sorry was just that. Garbage. The truth is I’m not sorry. I want her, so much more than she’s prepared for. I’ll just have to ease Harlow into it.
I take her hand in mine and walk along the beach, our feet getting wet as we walk along the shoreline. Her shirt that keeps dropping off of her shoulder is making me crazy. It’s making me imagine all the ways I can taste her, the hollow of her neck and memorize every nook and cranny of her body.
My gaze drops down to her legs. Harlow has a pair of cut off jean shorts. They look like they were made for her figure, showing off her ass and legs. She’s a work of art. Her hair is unbound and blowing in the breeze and she’s trying to tame it with the one hand I’m not holding firmly in my own.
We walk for what seems like hours until Harlow says, “I need to get back. I have my bike locked up and I have a full day at the restaurant tomorrow and need to get some sleep.”
“I guess I can’t interest you in dinner at my place then?” I question her.
“Sorry, but my ice cream was my dinner. Rain check?” she offers.
“Absolutely,” I tell her as I bring her to the front of my body, her back to my stomach. I hold her there looking out at the water. The sun is long gone and all you can see is the night sky with the stars. I don’t want to let her go, but I know I have to.
“I’ll walk you back to your bike,” I tell her as we slowly make our way back to the pier where she was sitting when I first found her.
I know what I’ll be doing with that damn employee hand book when I get into the office tomorrow. I’ll be taking out the no fraternizing with other employees rule immediately. I can’t have anything getting in my way of having Harlow as mine, including a stupid rule I was so adamant about putting in there in the first place.
We arrive all too soon at her bike that she has stored near ice cream shop. I’m not sure I ever realized there was a Jeremiah’s over here. You usually don’t see them beachside, mainly just in the inner cities.
I watch her bend over to unlock her bike and I have to bite back a groan. Those damn shorts. Once I have her as mine, I won’t have to worry about her wearing something that seems so minute to others, but to me, I can see the perfect shape of her ass. Her cheeks are slightly out of her cut off shorts as she bends down and I make sure to take a step towards her to block the view from anyone who thinks they can look at what’s mine.
Once she has her bike unlocked and is standing with it, I bring my hand around and firmly hold the back of her neck. I want her lips on mine, one last time before I have to let her go.
Our lips meet and I take it slow, wanting to make this last. I slowly taste her lips, adding my tongue to the mix. When her tongue peaks out, I hold back my need to conquer and take over our kiss. I want to take this deeper and further, but now isn’t the time. I pull back and tell her, “I’ll see you tomorrow, ‘Lo.”
“See you tomorrow, Evan,” she says as she hops on her bike and heads towards her home. I don’t leave my spot until I can no longer see her and then walk my way home, feeling lost without her by my side.
9
Harlow
It’s been a month of Evan and I tip toeing around each other at the restaurant. He wanted to come out and tell everyone we are dating. I begged him not to say anything. He doesn’t realize I can’t lose this job. If I do, I could lose the only thing I have left of my family and, sure, a house is just four walls and a roof, but it means the world to me. It’s where I have the best of memories with Aunt Dot and she was the last one that made sure I had some semblance of stability even after she passed away.
“Evan, we can’t. Not yet, please,” I’m pleading to Evan to just wait a little bit longer, at least until after my probationary period of the ninety days. He’s not having any of that.