A Quick Fix

Moments later I was walking into the kitchen fully dressed. I saw Melanie in the living room staring at the TV. The weatherman was motioning toward the numbers displayed behind him. I took the opportunity to steal a glance at Melanie again. She looked like I'd always remembered. So well put together, so simple and familiar. Yet now I couldn't shake the sensations of the night before. I could see the shape of her body, and I yearned to just walk over to her and grab her, to feel her in my arms again.

I kept my distance. I patted my pockets to make sure I had everything I needed. Silently I wished that I'd washed the rest of my clothes as well. I'd been naked after all, pinned beneath Melanie's body as she...

"At least it'll be sunny most of the day," Melanie said turning off her TV. "Might be a little warmer for you."

She walked into the kitchen. Staring at her made me ache. The white shirt she wore under her cardigan was such an everyday garment, and yet I could see so much more. It was rather loose fitting, but I could practically feel how thin it was just with my eyes. In my mind I could still see her. There was the outline of her stomach, her bellybutton. There was the place her breasts met, the fabric caught between their shape. The nasty images of Melanie writhing in my lap surged right back into my mind.

Even though she was several feet away, her presence built energy that I felt in my bones. Melanie was gathering her purse. I knew she was headed off for work. Which meant I was leaving too. I tried to ignore the sinking feeling I felt. I didn't want it to be over. I didn't want this to just feel like some one night stand or silly fling. I just couldn't bring myself to say anything about the night before.

"My truck is blocking you," I said. "Guess I need to let you out."

Melanie looked at me. "Yeah, back to the grindstone. Listen, thank you for coming out to fix our lines. I know you'd rather been home last night."

I quickly shook my head. "Not at all. You're more than welcome to call me anytime."

Melanie smiled but immediately headed toward the garage door on the other side of the kitchen. She wasn't going to bring it up. I couldn't blame her. Even if Ronnie had been cheating on her for however long, maybe Melanie still felt differently about the whole thing. I wasn't going to push it. Maybe it was a one time thing. The wine might have factored in. Or maybe I was something she needed to get out of her system.

I followed Melanie into the garage. Sunlight blasted into the room as the garage door rolled its way noisily over our heads. Melanie's car was backed in, ready to pull out straightaway. She had but to climb in and shut the door and I'd be back in my truck, backing out of her driveway and out of her life. I waited patiently as she opened her car door and set her purse inside. I felt like saying something, anything about what had happened. The silence was eating me up.

Then Melanie turned toward me. Her car door was still open, the incessant beeping became the only sound in the garage. The older woman stepped close to me, her big brown eyes locked on mine. She wore her usual friendly smile.

Her arms slipped around me.

Caught off guard, my body responded for me. My hands found her waist and pulled her close. Our hips pressed together. The look in Melanie's eyes was not that of the simple friendly bank lady anymore. It wasn't the look of a longtime acquaintance. I saw that foggy lust filled gaze from the night before.

"So, I don't want to be bored the rest of the week," Melanie told me. "Megan is coming by sometime later this weekend, but the rest of the time I'm probably going to go insane here by myself."

My smile uncontrollably opened on my face.

"Is that right?" I asked.

Melanie nodded. "Maybe if you get your work done at a reasonable hour, you could come by tonight?"

I shrugged. "If you've got something else you needed fixing, I'd be glad to look it over for you."

Her smile was genuine and beautiful.

"I can think of a lot of things I need you to do for me," Melanie said.

I leaned close and found her lips. Melanie didn't recoil, but instead met my embrace by pulling me tighter. It surprised me when her tongue snuck into my mouth briefly. So much came rushing back to me. The sensations seemed like they were stuck to my skin. I wanted to relive it all again right there in the garage.

Our lips parted. Melanie grinned again.

"You never know," Mel went on. Her eyes glistened. "I get told all the time that I'm clumsy. I might end up breaking something every night the rest of the week."

I smiled. "I hope so."