Page 20 of Small Town Swoo
Still, I took my time pulling that zipper down, and as the two sides of her uniform parted, I became so distracted by the sight of her upper back and a tiny mole she had just to the left of her spine, I went a little too far. Her nude bra strap appeared. I zipped it back up a few inches, letting my fingers brush her skin.
A shiver rippled through her, and when I dropped my hand, I heard her exhale, as if she’d been holding her breath.
About half an hour later, I pulled up in front of her house, left my car parked on the street, and waited for her on the sidewalk. It was early May, and the temperature was cool but not cold. The smell of spring here was different from the smell of spring in California. More fresh and green, with a trace of dampness to it.
She came out the front door a minute later wearing jeans and a thick sweater, her hair loose and curly around her shoulders.
“I need a favor,” she said as she came down the walk. “I can’t tie my stupid shoes.”
Laughing, I knelt down and laced up her sneakers in the light cast by a street lamp, then popped to my feet again. “Anything else?”
“Yeah. Can you come over tomorrow morning and wash my hair? Give me a nice smooth blowout?”
“I could try, but I’m not sure you’d get the look you’re going for.” Unable to help myself, I reached out and touched one of the soft strands hanging by her cheek. “Besides, I like the curls.”
Her cheeks bloomed with pink. “Thanks.”
My eyes dropped to her lips. They were also pink. Full and round, luscious as a strawberry. Somehow I knew they’d taste as sweet.
It would be so easy. One step forward. A hand on the back of her neck. A tilt of my head. A stroke of my tongue.
She glanced to her right, breaking the spell. “I thought maybe we could walk. It’s kind of nice out.”
“Sure,” I said, stepping back. What the hell was the matter with me? I was supposed to be here working on myself. Somehow I doubted that messing around with Ari DeLuca would show the universe I was deserving of a lucky break.
But fuck, it would be a good time. I had ideas for that mouth.
I zipped up my hoodie a little higher and shoved my hands in my pockets.
At the end of her block, we turned left onto Spring Street, which sloped down toward the harbor. “Hey, did you get my note?” I asked. “The check engine light in your car is on. You should take it in.”
“Yeah, I know. I will.” She sighed, keeping her eyes on the sidewalk. “I’m just afraid of what a mechanic will tell me. I can’t afford any expensive repairs at the moment.”
“Austin could take a look at it for you.”
“Austin?”
“Yeah. He’s pretty good with cars.” I had no idea ifAustin knew shit about cars, but what I did know was that Ari wasn’t going to let me take her car in as a favor. And I didn’t feel right letting her drive around in that thing. It wasn’t safe. “I’ll trade cars with you tonight, and swing by his house tomorrow. Let him take a peek under the hood. If there’s anything that needs immediate attention, he can probably do it.”
She thought for a moment. “I guess that would be okay. If he’s not too busy. But don’t let him do it for free.”
“I won’t.” It wasn’t really a lie because Austin wouldn’t be doing a damn thing. I was going to take her car to an actual mechanic. “Where should we go for a drink?”
“There are a few new places on Main Street,” she said. “A wine bar called Lush and an English-style pub called The Mermaid. We could try one of those.”
But the bars along Main Street were all closed—it was a Sunday night, after all, and not quite tourist season yet—so we walked three blocks north and ducked into the town’s gas station convenience store. There, we bought a six-pack of beer, a bottle opener, and two hot dogs. After warming them in the microwave, we decorated them with condiments, and Ari wrapped them back up in foil while I paid for everything.
“Nice night,” said the woman at the register, looking back and forth from me to Ari.
“Perfect for a picnic,” I said with a smile.
She stuck the six-pack in a brown paper bag. “Enjoy.”
Outside, we headed down toward the harbor and crossed Bayview Road. “Want to go sit by the water?” I asked.
“Sure.” Ari glanced toward the marina to our right and Waterfront Park to our left. “Seawall or dock?”
“Let’s walk out on the dock,” I said.
