needed to get her grading done quickly, if she was going to have any time to herself this evening. Although she wanted to be finished, she found herself lingering over the pages of Joey Murray’s workbook. It was, as usual, untidy but correct, much like the boy himself. His name instantly conjured up images of his uncle. She could practically see him taking the helmet from his head and shaking his hair, even though it was not long enough to have any effect.
She shook herself and turned back to grading the workbooks, stopping only when she heard a knock at the door. It would not be David. He wouldn’t be home for hours. She rose and opened the door nervously.
Mike stood there, clutching a helmet under one hand and holding out another hand to her.
“Don’t be a square all your life,” he said. She found herself reaching out and taking the helmet, not even asking why he had come to her apartment. For some reason, she was not even surprised that he knew where she lived. It seemed right somehow.
He took her over to the bike and sat on it, leaning far enough back for her to slip onto the seat just in front of him. She felt the warmth of his body through her clothes and felt a shiver of anticipation, as he brushed her arm reaching out for the handlebars.
His helmet was just a few inches from her shoulder, and he was holding her firmly in place as the bike moved forwards. She felt like screaming in fear and delight, loving the sensation of the bike roaring beneath them. Finally, they shot down the street, as the bike carried them away from the house.
Mike didn’t go far, just to the end of the street; but, by the time he stopped the bike, she was panting and breathless. He pulled off his helmet and laughed at her. “If you’re this excitable, wait until we hit the open road.”
“Oh, I can’t,” she gasped. However, she knew that she would go anywhere that he wanted to take her.
“Sure, not tonight,” he said, as though he had already made plans, “but you might ask me in for a coffee.”
She giggled, not sure why she felt so light-headed and amused. He walked down the street with her, as they headed back to her apartment.
***
As they sipped coffee on the sofa, she asked, “What about Missy-Ann?”
He paused for a second and then said, “She’s gone again.” He put down the cup and spread his hands as far apart as possible. “She’s like the wind. She blows in, she blows out. I’ve always been there for her, but it doesn’t really mean anything.”
She couldn’t think of anything to say, so she took a big gulp of coffee. Instantly, she started to cough. He clapped her on the back a couple of times, which only seemed to make it worse. She ran out of the room to try and recover, but he followed her into the kitchen. He placed his hands on either side of her body, as she leaned against the sink.
“Look,” he said, “I’ve never had to deal with a situation like this. Joey was annoyed with me that Missy was there. Plus, I was wishing myself that she hadn’t turned up just then. So, we got into an argument, and she left. Then, I came straight here to explain.”
She took a sip of water, trying to gain some time to think. “To explain what?”
He took the glass from her and turned her around. His hands were firm and yet soft, and he leaned forward and kissed her, gently at first and then more urgently. She was surprised that she didn’t resist more. Instead, she felt her legs trembling, as his lips crushed hers.
He let her go as quickly as he had caught her up, and she had to hold herself up against the countertop. He was looking at her, his dark eyes burning holes into her flesh. They both jumped as the front door crashed open, and David could be heard staggering around the living room. Elena heard him fall over the couch and then fall onto the floor with a resounding thud.
She and Mike looked at each other and then
She shook herself and turned back to grading the workbooks, stopping only when she heard a knock at the door. It would not be David. He wouldn’t be home for hours. She rose and opened the door nervously.
Mike stood there, clutching a helmet under one hand and holding out another hand to her.
“Don’t be a square all your life,” he said. She found herself reaching out and taking the helmet, not even asking why he had come to her apartment. For some reason, she was not even surprised that he knew where she lived. It seemed right somehow.
He took her over to the bike and sat on it, leaning far enough back for her to slip onto the seat just in front of him. She felt the warmth of his body through her clothes and felt a shiver of anticipation, as he brushed her arm reaching out for the handlebars.
His helmet was just a few inches from her shoulder, and he was holding her firmly in place as the bike moved forwards. She felt like screaming in fear and delight, loving the sensation of the bike roaring beneath them. Finally, they shot down the street, as the bike carried them away from the house.
Mike didn’t go far, just to the end of the street; but, by the time he stopped the bike, she was panting and breathless. He pulled off his helmet and laughed at her. “If you’re this excitable, wait until we hit the open road.”
“Oh, I can’t,” she gasped. However, she knew that she would go anywhere that he wanted to take her.
“Sure, not tonight,” he said, as though he had already made plans, “but you might ask me in for a coffee.”
She giggled, not sure why she felt so light-headed and amused. He walked down the street with her, as they headed back to her apartment.
***
As they sipped coffee on the sofa, she asked, “What about Missy-Ann?”
He paused for a second and then said, “She’s gone again.” He put down the cup and spread his hands as far apart as possible. “She’s like the wind. She blows in, she blows out. I’ve always been there for her, but it doesn’t really mean anything.”
She couldn’t think of anything to say, so she took a big gulp of coffee. Instantly, she started to cough. He clapped her on the back a couple of times, which only seemed to make it worse. She ran out of the room to try and recover, but he followed her into the kitchen. He placed his hands on either side of her body, as she leaned against the sink.
“Look,” he said, “I’ve never had to deal with a situation like this. Joey was annoyed with me that Missy was there. Plus, I was wishing myself that she hadn’t turned up just then. So, we got into an argument, and she left. Then, I came straight here to explain.”
She took a sip of water, trying to gain some time to think. “To explain what?”
He took the glass from her and turned her around. His hands were firm and yet soft, and he leaned forward and kissed her, gently at first and then more urgently. She was surprised that she didn’t resist more. Instead, she felt her legs trembling, as his lips crushed hers.
He let her go as quickly as he had caught her up, and she had to hold herself up against the countertop. He was looking at her, his dark eyes burning holes into her flesh. They both jumped as the front door crashed open, and David could be heard staggering around the living room. Elena heard him fall over the couch and then fall onto the floor with a resounding thud.
She and Mike looked at each other and then
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