I was watching Dr. No when the door clicked open behind me. I looked over my shoulder.....it was Mrs. Kelley, the woman I was babysitting for. "Hi, Charlie. Sorry I'm late."
"Oh that's okay, Mrs. Kelley." Ten minutes prior, I'd called my parents to tell them she hadn't returned, and I wasn't sure when I'd be home. I was eighteen years old, a man as my dad kept reminding me, and I would let myself in with the spare key. I was sure they would be in bed soon anyway. "How was your date?"
She rolled her eyes. "Let's just say I'm glad I didn't let him pick me up at home."
I laughed.
"How were the kids?" she asked, smiling. Her dark hair was wet from the rain, and her eye makeup was running, giving her raccoon eyes. She usually didn't wear it. Her body was hidden by a drapey overcoat, but I knew it well enough. Small breasts, slim waist and long, graceful neck. She took very good care of herself, and it showed.
"We watched Spongebob, had a little ice cream, played for a while, and around nine-thirty they went to bed without a struggle." I replied. "Piece of cake."
"That's your strategy? Keep them up late till they're so exhausted they fall right to sleep?"
"Yep." I smiled.
"What about the poor mom who has to deal with a grumpy four and six year old all the next day?" she asked, pretending to be cross.
"Consider the alternative." I said. "A grumpy babysitter. We're in short supply these days."
She laughed. "You're all growing up. I'm surprised you haven't abandoned me like your older sister did when she got a job."
I shrugged. The truth of the matter was, I had a job and I didn't need the money I got for babysitting. She slipped out of her overcoat, revealing the black evening dress she was wearing, showing a sliver of cleavage below a silver choker, and coming to just below the middle of her thigh. My eyes wandered over her body as she turned her back to me to hang her coat in the closet. Even at 40, she was probably the sexiest woman I'd ever seen, and I'd had an awful crush on her since I was a kid. "This job has perks." I said.
She turned around quickly and gave me a funny look, her hands on her shapely hips. "Meaning?"
I smiled again. "Where else do I get paid to watch James Bond movies and do homework?"
She relaxed slowly, a smile blooming on her face. "You really are a sweet young man, aren't you, Charlie?" I shrugged, not sure what to say.
At that, there was a flash and a boom outside and it started to rain even harder. "Charlie, you're not riding your bike home are you?"
"It's not a big deal. It's only a couple of miles." I'd sold my car for money for college. Part of my dad's becoming-a-man deal meant I had to pay for part of the tuition myself. Hence the job and the sold car.
"I'd never forgive myself if something happened to you on your bike on a night like this. Let me give you a ride."
"We'll never get my bike in your car. How will I get to school in the morning?"
"Will your parents pick you up?"
"Not likely. They're already getting in bed right now."
"Well, you'll just have to stay here tonight then." Without another word, she walked to the phone and dialed it.
"What are you doing?" I asked. She ignored me.
"Hi, Erin, it's Jen." She said into the phone. Erin was my mom's name. "I know it's late, but have you looked outside? It's storming like crazy. I'm going to keep Charlie here tonight and send him home in the morning before school." She looked at me, still beautiful even with her black-circled eyes and wet hair. "I haven't asked him. I'm insisting actually." She was quiet for a moment, listening, and then she laughed. "Alright, I will. You too. Goodnight." She hung up the phone smiled at me. "There. We'll just get you up when I get up, and you can get home in time to get ready for school. How's that sound? Better than riding home in that?" She cocked her head towards the door.
How could I argue? It was a dream come true. "Sounds fine to me."
She smiled. "Alright. Let's see what we have for you to wear." I followed her into her bedroom, watching the sexy swing of her hips. She stopped at the dresser and opened a drawer full of shirts. She looked me up and down. "Hmmm. I may not have anything that fits you." She looked up and down my body again. "Do you work out?"
"Uh.....yeah. For wrestling."
She turned back to the dresser drawer. "It's been so long since I had a man in here, I'm just terribly unprepared." Man? Did she call me a man? She handed me a t-shirt. "Try this on." She watched me as I unbuttoned my oxford and dropped it, and then slipped the shirt over my head. It was so small, I felt like the collar was choking me.
"I don't think this will work. I can just sleep in my clothes." I peeled the shirt off.
She barked a laugh. "Not in my bed! Just forget the shirt. Are you wearing boxers?"
In her bed...? "uh....yeah....yeah I am." I stammered. Did she say in her bed?
"That will have to do. Go ahead and take off your pants and get under the covers. I'll be out in a sec. And don't look so pale, Charlie. We're adults, right? We can sleep in the same bed and actually sleep, can't we?" She smiled over her shoulder as she disappeared into the bathroom.
Once she was gone, I panicked. What was I going to do? Part of me wanted to bolt, just get my shirt on and get out of there, rain or no rain. But another part of me wanted to know what it was like to sleep next to a beautiful woman, even if nothing did happen. I decided to stay. Peeling of sneakers, jeans and socks, I jumped into the bed in only my boxers.
I lay there, listening to the rain rattling the window pane for a little while, only half believing this was actually happening. Then, she called to me from the bathroom. "Is the light off?"
"No."