I rolled over, groaning at the intrusive noise. Damn it - where is that phone?
The ringing had woken me from a sound sleep. I didn't even have to look at the screen, the custom ringtone told me it was Marley. Marley Kay Gypsum* (*Names Changed), the singer in our band, my fellow songwriter, the unrequited love of my life, the girl who I'd spent the past two years of my life chasing. Chasing, but never catching, only to be placed firmly and bluntly in the dreaded "Friend Zone"
None of that mattered. It was Marley, of course I was going to answer it, and, of course, I was going to do whatever it was she asked me... because... you never know. I mean, I *know* I was never going to get any pussy from her, but every single time she called, I'd come running... because... you never know.
She was going a mile-a-minute from the moment I answered, and I wasn't anywhere close to awake yet.
"OhMyGod, Taz!! YouHaveToComeOver I JustHAVEtoSeeHim He'sSoPerfect"
I had to get a word in edgewise... "Wait, wait... MARLEY!!" "Yeah?" "What do you WANT?"
I could actually hear her take a deep breath. "Can you come over and rehearse?"
"What?? Now? "
"Yeah, he's out working on his car and I need to meet him."
"Wait.. what? You want me to come over and rehearse at..." what time WAS it?? "Jesus! 7am!! So you can meet a GUY?"
She went right back into mile-a-minute mode: "Yeah, he was mowing, and now he's working on his car and ..." Jesus. This would never end. "Okay.. OKAY... I'll be right over."
I slipped on some fresh clothes. There wouldn't be time to shower or wash my hair, so I pulled my grey touk on my head and hit the door running... because... you never know. I threw a wish in the well - I thought to myself, maybe if she didn't score with this guy I could get a little something on the rebound.
I had no idea just how right I was to think that.
I pulled my Mustang into Marley's driveway, just as the other guys from the band were showing up. Amazing, I thought to myself, she suckered them all into coming over.
But I could see why. The new tenant, the guy Marley was going on and on ( and on ) about, was working on his car in the driveway. Hmm... A Camaro guy, but still... a '78 Z28.. The 'classic car buff' that I was nodded at him with approval. He smiled at me, and a disturbing chill shot up my spine. Handsome, buff, and tall, I could see why Marley was attracted to this Alpha-Male, and my heart sank a bit when I visualized my chances with her dwindling to zero.
Still, it was good to get the band together, and pretty soon we were all in Marley's garage, jamming a good groove. I was lead guitar, and the chords were coming out smooth today, but as Marely sang, I looked over next door and noticed the Camaro guy had put earbuds in and was listening to something else! If Marely was going to catch his eye, she was going to have to try a different tactic. "Listen, you woke me up and made me come over here just so you could flirt with Mr. Camaro." I said, jerking my thumb in his direction. "He's not even paying attention. The least you can do is wash my car."
Marley pouted, but our bassist and I shoved a rag and bucket into her hands and said, "Maybe he'll see you. Get out there and sell it, girlfriend." I smiled to myself at calling her girlfriend, but her attention was diverted next door, and she started to pretend to wash my car.
God, she tried. She was sliding around on the hood of the car like a whore, and when he finally looked over at her, she was so startled, she slid off the car and landed on the driveway hard, knocking the breath right out of her!
That got his attention, and he came over to help her up. She was giggling and so embarrassed, but she thanked him for helping her up and made him promise to wait for her to change so she could play our song for him. He agreed, and we shot the breeze for a bit while she changed. He leaned back on the hood of my 'Stang, and I knew my chance with Marley was shot - I don't normally look, but it was hard to not see the obvious bulge dangling down the left leg of his pants. He wore ripped jeans, skin was showing, and I got this mental picture of him tearing into Marley with the snake lurking just under that denim. There was this lethal sensuality that just... oozed from him.
Marley came out soon and we did a couple of numbers. He actually seemed to enjoy them and even applauded. I watched him as he watched our group perform, and I couldn't help but noticing that, each time I looked, his manhood stood out a little more with each passing moment. Jesus, the guy was getting a hard-on watching her sing!! He was watching all of us, too, not just Marley, and one time I swear he caught me looking at that ever-growing bulge. He diverted his gaze back to Marley, but the smile that crossed his face made all the hair on the back of my neck stand straight up.
After the number, Marley floated out to talk to him, smiling as he clapped, receiving praise for our effort. She turned to write her number on a scrap of paper...
...then the entire world as I knew it changed forever.
He walked right past, ignoring her, and straight up to me, smiling. He extended his hand to shake mine. I was dumbstruck, the electric current transmitted by the grip of his strong masculine handshake left me speechless. He smiled again, and thrust a piece of paper into my hand. I could feel his body heat on the paper, and not knowing what else to do, I opened it and looked down, reading: "Call Me" It had a phone number on it. Inscribed just below that, like a signature, was "XOXO"
A huge wave of adrenaline shot through me as I realized what was happening, and re-thought about all the things that lead to this moment, now seen in a completely different light. I looked up at him, to confirm this wasn't a joke. His piercing stare told me that he was dead serious. My eyes went wide, and I must have looked totally stupid. He just smiled warmly. I could actually feel my dick harden when he did that. He raised his hand to his ear, thumb and pinky outstretched in the "telephone" gesture, and in a direct masculine voice he said "Call Me." There was no maybe, his voice made it clear it was an order. As if to drive his point home, he winked and smiled again, and turned to leave.
Still totally in shock, before I could say anything, he slipped past Marley and headed down the driveway. She stood there with her arms out and said, "What the fuck, Taz!!"
I slipped the note into my pocket. I had to think of something fast. "He.. he liked our song"