Chapter 1

The fencing Between Us

I did n't know heartbreak could hit this hard.

I was leaning against the fence in my backyard, phone pressed to my ear like it was the go piece of her I had left. `` Come on, Jess ... don't do this. We can fix it. Please. '' My voice cracked, and I hated how desperate I sounded. But I couldn't avail it.

Three years together. She was my first of all everything. Now she was off at some college a k nautical mile away, talking like I was a ho-hum phase she'd outgrown. Like I wasn't even worth keeping.

The line went perfectly. Just silence.

I stood there for a patch, staring at the patchy grass, the weight in my dresser heavier than it had been all week. I felt pathetic. Nineteen years old, heartbroken over someone who'd already moved on. I didn't even feel angry. Just… hollow.

That's when I heard her voice, mild, warm, and surprisingly close.

'' You okay, sweetheart ? ``

I looked up, startled. Katherine, my next-door neighbor, was standing just on the other side of the wooden fence, a garden hose in one deal, sunglass pushed up on her head. She was wearing a black bikini top that hugged her chest of drawers just right, cleavage practically spilling over. Her hide had that soft tan glow not manipulate, not sunburnt, just very. Her body was the form that turns heads at every age, curvy, thick in the well slipway, with an ass that looked amazing even in shorts.

I tried to play it off. `` Yeah. Just ... life sentence clobber. ``

She smiled at me, eyes kind. `` breakup sucking. But trust me you'll survive. ``

I laughed awkwardly. `` Is it that obvious ? ``

She nodded with a smirk."You were yelling into your phone like it owed you money."

I rubbed the spinal column of my neck."Damn. Sorry about that."

"Don't apologize. I've got a son about your age. I know how boisterous it gets. Look, if you ever wan na talk, or just hang out, don't be a alien. We're neighbor now."

I looked at her, really looked and for a second, I forgot how shitty I felt."Thanks. That ... actually means a lot."

She gave me a blink."You'll bounce back. And in the meantime, lemonade's always cold over here."

Then she turned around .... and yeah, I absolutely stared. I didn't even try to hide it. That ass. That walk. The little spring. Goddamn.

The succeeding few daylight blurred together. Mostly belatedly nights and mindless scrolling. I tried going for tally, hitting the gym, blasting medicine too gaudy anything to drown out the quiet.

But every good afternoon, like clockwork, Katherine would number out to the pool.

It was her routine. A towel over the professorship, big sunglasses on, and that same two-piece ... or sometimes a dissimilar one, smaller even. The fencing between our yards wasn't heights enough to freeze my view from my bedroom window. Not even close. She must've known. parting of me wondered if she did it on purpose.

She'd lay out, oil up, stretch in way of life that had me holding my breath. Sometimes she'd read, one leg draped lazily over the other. Sometimes she'd just close her eyes and tan, her chest rebellion and falling slowly, peacefully. And I'd be watching, barely blinking with a rock-hard problem in my boxers and the Saame question running through my mind over and over :

What would it experience like to touch her ?

I shouldn't have been thinking it. She was probably xx year sure-enough than me. Married. My neighbor. But none of that stopped the mentation or the way my body reacted to her. Every meter she bent over to adjust the pool umbrella, I swore she was going to bring out me.

She was a woman, not a female child. And somehow, that made everything worse.

One even, just before sunset, I caught her looking back at my window. Not for long. Just a quick glance. But it happened. My heart jumped. Did she know ? Could she tell I'd been watching ?

I ducked away from the blinds, suddenly embarrassed, but something in me buzzed with something else too.

Not shame.

Not quite.

Chapter 2 :

Lemonade and Curves

It was just after noonday when I finally worked up the brass to walk over.

I'd seen her lying out again — same Bikini as before, maybe even less material this time. The top strained to hold those knocker in, and her hips curved like something out of a aspiration. The sun made her skin glow. She was lying on her stomach this prison term, legs slightly parted, and I'd been staring long enough to forget what day it was.

I didn't architectural plan on saying anything. I was just going to walk past the fence, maybe wave, maybe say hi. Instead, she turned her head, smiled, and called out to me before I even got the chance to decide.

"Tommy ! You gon na walk past me all summer or you gon na come say hello ?"

I stopped mid-step, hands in my pocket."Didn't wan na interrupt."

"Interrupt what ?"she said, sliding her sunglass up."I'm literally just lying here trying not to dethaw. ejaculate keep me company."

I hesitated. My heart was thudding. It wasn't the heat.

"seminal fluid on, I don't bite."She grinned."Unless you ask nicely."

That line hit somewhere low in my abdomen. I laughed, hoping she didn't hear the way my vox cracked.

I opened the gate and stepped into her backyard. The heat hit concentrated here — or maybe that was just her. The smell of coconut tree oil and sun-warmed skin drifted in the air. I tried not to stare, but she hadn't bothered adjusting her top when she rolled over, and those tits were half out. My eyes didn't stand a chance.

She noticed. I know she did.

"Lemonade ?"she asked, already rising from her chair.

"Yeah. That'd be nice."

"cum in. Too hot to place upright out here."She grabbed a towel, draped it loosely around her hip, and walked toward the sliding field glass door. Her ass swayed with every stride, towel doing nil to hide it. I followed like a dog chasing a steak.

inside, her home was gorgeous. Open base programme, spick kitchen, cool air laundry over me as I stepped in. She moved like she owned every in of the space — graceful but unbothered, sure-footed in a way most people only pretend to be.

"Have a seat,"she said, pouring lemonade into marvellous glasses."You doing okay these days ?"

"acquiring there,"I said."Breakups proceeds time, I guess."

She handed me a glass and leaned against the counter. No upsurge, no ineptness — just Katherine being Katherine.

"Well, I meant what I said before. If you ever need anything — even just to vent — I'm around. My husband's out of Town again, so it's just me rattling around in here."

"Where does he go ?"

"piece of work stuff. Conferences, customer meetings. He's in Ohio this week, I think."She sipped her lemonade."Comes with the job. Keeps him busy."

"And you ? Doesn't it get dull ?"

She smiled again — something about it felt dissimilar this time. Like there was a mysterious tucked behind it.

"Oh, I find slipway to stay entertained."

I laughed nervously."I guess being married must help. You know ... always having someone there."

She tilted her head."You mean for company, or for sex ?"

My mouth opened, then closed again."I—uh ... both, I guess."

Katherine laughed — not mocking, just amused."That's an good answer. Refreshing."

I shrugged."I don't know. I guess I always thought grown-up relationships just had ... More of that stuff figured out."

She walked toward me slowly, still holding her glassful, and leaned her hip against the table just a foot from my knee. Her bikini top was still barely containing her. Her scent — something subdued and sweet — wrapped around me.

"You'd be surprised,"she said."A lot of people just go through the apparent motion. Some don't even verbalize about what they really want."

I swallowed."Like what ?"

Her centre met mine."Like what turns them on. What they wish they could ask for. What they need."

My face were burning, but I couldn't look away.

She took another sip and smiled."Anyway ... didn't mean value to fright you off. I just like honest conversations."

I nodded slowly, my throat dry."Yeah. No, I like that too."

She turned, walked back toward the sink, and I caught myself watching the muscles in her back move — the soft line of business of her shank dipping into full hips. My thoughts were all over the place.

Then she said,"You know what else helps after a breakup ?"

I looked up.

"Being wanted. Feeling desired again. Reminds you that you 're not the problem."

My essence jumped a petty. I wasn't sure if she was still talking about me, or if that line was meant for herself. Maybe both.

I didn't response. I just took a tedious sip, trying to play it cool.

We talked a little tenacious — about college, about the heat, about her flowers dying because she forgot to body of water them. But the solid time, there was this current running under it all. A tranquillise, electric automobile buzz that said this wasn't just a friendly visit.

And when I finally stood up to go, she walked me to the door. Hand on my shoulder. A grinning that lingered just a bit too long.

"Come by anytime, Tommy. threshold's always open."

The whole walk back to my sign, I could still finger where her bridge player had touched me.

The lemonade tasted sweet on my tongue, but not as sweet as her voice.

And that towel ? I couldn't stop picturing how easy it'd be for it to fall.

Chapter 2 :

Lemonade and Curves

It was just after noonday when I finally worked up the nerve to walk over.

I'd seen her lying out again — same bikini as before, maybe even less fabric this time. The top strained to bear those pap in, and her pelvis curved like something out of a dream. The sunlight made her peel glow. She was lying on her venter this fourth dimension, legs slightly parted, and I'd been staring long enough to blank out what day it was.

I didn't design on saying anything. I was just going to walk past the fencing, maybe wave, maybe say hi. Instead, she turned her head, smiled, and called out to me before I even got the chance to decide.

"Tommy ! You gon na walk past me all summer or you gon na come say hello ?"

I stopped mid-step, hands in my air pocket."Didn't wan na interrupt."

"Interrupt what ?"she said, sliding her sunglasses up."I'm literally just lying here trying not to melt. seed keep me company."

I hesitated. My spirit was thudding. It wasn't the heat.

"Come on, I don't bite."She grinned."Unless you ask nicely."

That line hit somewhere low in my tum. I laughed, hoping she didn't hear the way my vox cracked.

I opened the gate and stepped into her backyard. The passion hit intemperate here — or maybe that was just her. The scent of coconut oil and sun-warmed skin drifted in the air. I tried not to gaze, but she hadn't bothered adjusting her top when she rolled over, and those tits were half out. My eyes didn't stand a chance.

She noticed. I know she did.

"Lemonade ?"she asked, already rising from her chair.

"Yeah. That'd be nice."

"Come in. Too hot to endure out here."She grabbed a towel, draped it loosely around her hips, and walked toward the sliding glass doorway. Her ass swayed with every footprint, towel doing nothing to hide it. I followed like a dog chasing a steak.

Inside, her house was gorgeous. candid floor programme, spotless kitchen, cool air laundry over me as I stepped in. She moved like she owned every inch of the space — graceful but unbothered, confident in a way most multitude only pretend to be.

"Have a rear,"she said, pouring lemonade into tall glasses."You doing okay these days ?"

"acquiring there,"I said."Breakups take fourth dimension, I guess."

She handed me a meth and leaned against the riposte. No rush, no awkwardness — just Katherine being Katherine.

"fountainhead, I meant what I said before. If you ever need anything — even just to air — I'm around. My husband's out of townsfolk again, so it's just me rattling around in here."

"Where does he go ?"

"Work stuff. group discussion, client meetings. He's in Ohio this week, I think."She sipped her lemonade."semen with the job. support him busy."

"And you ? Doesn't it get deadening ?"

She smiled again — something about it felt different this time. Like there was a occult tucked behind it.

"Oh, I find ways to stay entertained."

I laughed nervously."I guess being married must help. You know ... always having somebody there."

She tilted her head."You mean for company, or for sex ?"

My mouth opened, then closed again."I—uh ... both, I guess."

Katherine laughed — not mocking, just amused."That's an honorable result. Refreshing."

I shrugged."I don't know. I guess I always thought grown-up relationships just had ... to a greater extent of that poppycock figured out."

She walked toward me slowly, still holding her drinking glass, and leaned her hip against the table just a foot from my knee. Her two-piece top was still barely containing her. Her odor — something balmy and sweet — wrapped around me.

"You'd be surprised,"she said."A lot of people just go through the motions. Some don't even mouth about what they really want."

I swallowed."Like what ?"

Her heart met mine."Like what turns them on. What they wish they could ask for. What they need."

My nerve were burning, but I couldn't flavor away.

She took another sip and smiled."Anyway ... didn't mean to scare you off. I just like dependable conversations."

I nodded slowly, my throat dry."Yeah. No, I like that too."

She turned, walked back toward the sink, and I caught myself watching the sinew in her back move — the soft line of her shank dipping into wide pelvis. My thoughts were all over the place.

Then she said,"You know what else helps after a detachment ?"

I looked up.

"Being wanted. Feeling desired again. Reminds you that you 're not the problem."

My core jumped a slight. I wasn't sure if she was still talking about me, or if that line was meant for herself. Maybe both.

I didn't answer. I just took a tedious sip, trying to encounter it cool.

We talked a lilliputian recollective — about college, about the oestrus, about her flowers dying because she forgot to water supply them. But the unit meter, there was this electric current running under it all. A silence, electric bombination that said this wasn't just a friendly visit.

And when I finally stood up to go, she walked me to the door. hired hand on my shoulder joint. A smile that lingered just a secondly too long.

"seminal fluid by anytime, Tommy. threshold's always open."

The completely walkway back to my house, I could still feel where her hand had touched me.

The lemonade tasted sweet on my tongue, but not as sweet as her voice.

And that towel ? I couldn't stop picturing how wanton it'd be for it to fall .