Summer of Love

I always hated Thanksgiving because I had no family left to spend it with. Making a huge dinner just for one was a waste of time. All my friends were with their families having a grand old time, and I’m sitting at home staring at the ceiling in silence.

My Mom had long since passed away from lung cancer and my Dad was an alcoholic druggie who used and abused the system. He was a mean bastard, having beaten my Mom when she was alive and only worsened her condition. Growing up after she had passed away, he took his anger out of me until I was big and strong enough to give it right back to him. Since then, he has never laid a finger on me. When I was old enough to work, I was out of the house as much as possible. School and then off straight to work without breaking in between to go home. I avoided it until bedtime and I knew he’d be passed out on the couch with a beer in hand, snoring away like the slob he is.

Having grown up with a life like that, I’m surprised I turned out the way I did. I’m not a relatively mean guy, but piss me off and you’ll regret it. I’ve always grown up to be very possessive of my possessions, unfortunately just like my so called father. That’s why it bothers me so much to see that guy following Misa around everywhere.

I still recall the first time I ever laid eyes on her. She is the most beautiful, stunning creature I have ever seen except for my Mom. She was beautiful in her own right, the belle of the ball some would say. Misa was a whole other ball game. From her gorgeous silky black locks and golden she-cat eyes, to her rocking body and endless legs, she was something special. She intrigued me to the point where I followed her to work one day and discovered she was a maid at the unique maid cafe in town. Seeing her dressed up like that was something else...she was downright sexy. I wanted her to be mine, so when it came to the dance when the schools got together, I told her how I felt. I wasn’t aware until later that that Cian guy had confessed the same damn thing. It’s frustrating to ever get some alone time with her considering he’s literally always around.

Honestly, it was starting to piss me off. Here I am trying hard to win her over, make her mine and suddenly this guy shows up everywhere. It’s impossible to ever get her alone, even when she works. He’s like a bodyguard. I’ve been watching her carefully, seeing the way she interacts with him and at first, I thought there was no problem until she started smiling and that adorable blush lit up her face. It was then I knew he was a serious problem, an obstacle in the way of my goal. It wasn’t hard to imagine him putting his hands on her and it made my blood boil with rage. If I have my way, he’ll never touch her like that. It will be my hands that touch her skin, which will give her pleasure. He’ll never know what she feels like when I’m finished with him.

Feeling the anger rising just at the mere thought, I sighed heavily and looked out the window to focus my energy, my attention on something else. Living down town wasn’t a bad thing; it kept me closer to civilization, to Misa when she worked. She didn’t know it, but she passes right by my apartment every day on her way to work.

There was something about her that pulled me in. The awareness she possesses, the flirtatious smile and the way she ducks her head under an intense gaze. I noted those things when I first met her, and they stuck with me ever since. She had to be mine...she just has to.

I ran a hand through my hair and turned away from the window. Thanksgiving day; I have no idea what to do with myself. Everybody else is busy with their families and me...well, all there is left of mine is my drunken father who is currently passed out on the couch. It was then I decided to go check out the cafe and see if it was still open.

I tossed on a light jacket and slipped on my shoes, not even sparing my old man a glance as I stepped out the door, locking it behind me. I made my way through the empty streets, hearing laughter coming from the homes surrounding me, the streets lined with cars. All the families were having a grand old time.

I continued walking until I came to the cafe and was surprised to find that it was indeed open. I pulled open the door and saw it bustling with life. Looking around, I saw that Misa was nowhere to be found. I guess she wasn’t working.

The tall gorgeous redhead I usually saw working stopped by with a look of surprise and smiled, balancing a tray.

“Are you looking for Misa? She’s not working today, but I can tell you where to find her,” she said knowingly with a smile and I lifted an eyebrow.

Once I had the information I sought, I followed her instructions to the Secret Garden, a special place built by the government as a relaxation place. Mostly it was used for weddings with the different flowers that bloomed in spring and the tall pristine carved statues around the garden. The tall looming water fountain in the center added to the ambiance.

Just like the redhead said, Misa sat there on the edge of the fountain with a small picnic basket sitting on her lap, her head down. Though I couldn’t see her eyes, I couldn’t see her smile either. The way her shoulders were hunched, I knew something was wrong. Then, I remembered hearing about her brother through school, heard that he was killed in an accident like her parents had been. It didn’t take me long to realise that she was all alone now. It also didn’t take me long to realise that this is where I could wedge myself into her good graces and hopefully boot that other guy to the curb.

I stepped forward, shoving my hands in my pockets and turned on the charm.

“Come by here often?” I asked.

She gave a startled jump and her head snapped up to stare at me through wide golden eyes. Those eyes made my body warm and heart skip a beat within my chest. The power she held with those eyes...if only she knew what a glance did to a body.

She looked away, that lovely blush rising to her cheeks as she shook her head and smiled.

“No, not usually,” she said quietly and I moved to sit down next to her, keeping a respective distance.

“Oh?” I coaxed.

Her smile dropped as she toyed with the edge of the basket she cradled.

“I didn’t feel like staying at home, that’s all,” she said softly.

I could understand why she didn’t want to stay in an empty house. I felt the same though the old man was still there. The house might as well have been empty. I felt a twinge of guilt for what I was about to do, but I pushed those thoughts aside and gave her a crooked smile.

“Same here, hence the reason I’m in a garden. It’s just me and my father, but he’s not much company after he drinks himself to sleep,” I said honestly and sat back, listening to the water behind me trickle.

She turned to look at me curiously. God, she’s breathtaking. I wonder if she even knows the effect she has on men in general.

“I’m sorry about your father. That must be a hard thing to live with on a daily basis.”

I shrugged dismissively. I was used to it by now, having lived with it most of my life. It’s all I can remember growing up.

“It’s not a big deal, I can get out of the house whenever I want to when it gets too tough to handle,” I said with a charming smile and had the pleasure of watching that blush deepen as she looked away with embarrassment.

“Well, I made a rather large meal...would you like to share it with me?” she asked, casting me a dazzling smile and at first I was taken back. She had such a sweet nature...

I grinned. “I would be honoured.”

So, together we set up the picnic she had packed and seated ourselves on the blanket she had spread out on the ground near the fountain and arranged the meal she had prepared. I actually enjoyed myself, sitting and having a chat with her without that Cian guy hanging around. I found myself liking her more and more as the day progressed and her laugh was contagious. I found myself feeling better about the holiday, which is a first.

We had long cleared the blanket of the meal and now it was covered with different fruits, chocolate syrup and whipped cream she had made from scratch. She was a really good cook.

I bit the tip of a succulent strawberry, the flavour bursting on my tongue. “So, how long have you worked at the cafe?”

She sucked on a dripping chunk of pineapple and I stiffened when my unruly manhood twitched in my pants. I continued to smile and seem interested while trying to hide the growing bulge in my pants. She licked her fingers before popping it in her mouth and smiling sheepishly as she chewed.

Swallowing, she answered. “I’ve been working there since I first started High School. After my parents died, we could’ve used the extra income.”

After that comment, the atmosphere darkened and her smile faded as she realised all over again that her brother was dead. I chewed on my lip, wondering how to get her to smile again. Smiling, I dipped a strawberry in syrup and chocolate sauce before holding it up to her lips.

She hesitated at first before she cracked a smile and giggled, taking a bite off the tip to chew and the light returned to her eyes. I smiled and finished off the piece of fruit as she wiped her hands on her napkin with a sigh.

“Well I must say, this Thanksgiving has been pretty good,” she admitted with a smile and I winked.

“I’m here for your entertainment,” I teased and she laughed with the shake of her head.

“You know, you’re a pretty nice guy, Jordan,” she said honestly, a smile in her eyes and I grinned, leaning forward so our faces were only inches apart.

“I try,” I murmured, my eyes glancing quickly down to her lips and back to those cat eyes.

I leaned closer, our lips only a wisp away...

“Misa!”

She gave a jolt, her eyes flying open wide as she leaned away and looked toward the garden entrance where the voice had come from. I recognized the voice immediately and felt my blood beginning to flow hotly. The damn guy was everywhere...literally! I had wrapped up in my charm and he just had to barge in out of nowhere.

“Um, I’ve got to go,” she said hurriedly in a panic as she gathered all of her belongings and stuffed them back into the basket.

I sighed heavily with a passive face and shoved my hands in my pockets. I was not impressed to say the least, but I knew it wasn’t her fault.

“Yeah.”

She turned at my tone and her gaze softened with shame. “I’m sorry for leaving so quickly without warning, but...” she said softly as she stepped forward and rose on her toes to kiss my cheek and I blinked in surprise.

She pulled away and smiled shyly, stepping away while cradling her basket. “Thank you for the company. I had fun!”

With a wave, she turned and ran off through the opposite exit away from the voice and left me standing there, stunned. I lifted a hand and touched the spot where she had kissed me, the flesh warm and tingly. She had actually kissed me.

In the next moment, there were footsteps and the Cian guy burst around the corner out of breath, and paused to look around quickly with a worried face before running past me, not even passing me a glance. I glared at his back as I watched him disappear in the same direction as Misa and grit my teeth. My hands fisted in my pockets and I exhaled with anguish.

Either I had to get him out of the picture somehow, or I had to find some way to separate them.

A light bulb went off inside my head and I grinned.

I had the perfect plan.