Neighborhood Dad Ch 03

A few days before Halloween, Paige came into my office.

"Hey, honey. How was school?"

"Fine. I think I did pretty well on my English test."

"I'm not surprised."

"I was gonna ask about Halloween night."

"Shoot."

"Well, when I mentioned having some girls over, the idea kind of snowballed on me. Some kids want to go out looking for some wild party on Halloween, and their parents won't let them. When they found out you were gonna be chaperoning a girls' only night, all the parents wanted their daughters to come here instead."

"What do you mean by 'all' the parents?"

"I have like a dozen girls that wanna stay, and their parents have already said okay. Everybody knows you and trusts you with their kids."

It took a second to process all that. "Where would they sleep? You only have the one bed."

"That's okay, Lori will sleep next to me, and everybody else is bringing a sleeping bag. We'll cram them in somehow."

With the furniture upstairs and the floor space, that might just work. "Okay, but the cutoff is 12. No more. And I'm not made of money so don't think I'm feeding all those people. Get everyone to pitch in a few dollars each."

"Thanks, Daddy," she said, giving me a quick hug.

A few dollars, that's a laugh. Teen-age girls on a sleepover are like termites. You wake up the next morning with a pile of sawdust where your kitchen cabinets used to be. My friends tell me boys are worse -- God help them.

By Friday, I'd eyeballed the entire upstairs and had a rough idea of where the girls could go. If only 10 showed up, we'd be fine. Twelve would be a little snug.

School let out, and kids began showing up to drop off their things. The first ones to arrive scoped out the best spots. The late arrivals got the worst spots -- and might get stepped on in the middle of the night by someone on a potty run.

Looking over the crowd, I recognized every one of them and knew most very well.

I kept glancing around the house before I realized that I was still searching for Randi. She wasn't here. I didn't have time to feel any emotion at that as the flow of people rushed around me.

Then in a flash, they were gone. Off to the haunted house.

The sudden change between chaos and silence was a little unnerving, so I went in the kitchen to busy myself with a small meal.

A few hours later, the girls returned, bringing life back to the still house.

There was Chinese take-out and the obligatory scary movies to watch.

I wandered around and quietly did a head count. Thirteen. One or two of them would need to sleep downstairs in my den. The love seat wasn't very long, but there was a petite girl named Tessa who could probably fit. I moved upstairs to Paige and whispered the suggestion in her ear.

As I headed back down the steps, the front door opened and a new arrival appeared. Randi stepped through with a rolled-up sleeping bag in her arms and a backpack strapped across her shoulders.

I wished that I could be those shoulder straps, rubbing against the outsides of her pert breasts.

"Hey, Henry. Am I too late?"

I felt an odd stirring in my gut at hearing her use my first name, but batted it aside.

"Just in time for Friday the 13

th

Part 32 or something."

I expected her to shut the door, but then another person came in behind her.

"Autumn? I thought you were already here."

"Nope, I had to work at the grocery store until closing," said the new arrival. "Hey, I need you to call my mom and let her know I got here okay. You know how she worries."

As I stepped off the bottom stair, a voice spoke up behind me.

"I think your mom just has a crush on Coach," said Lori. "She just wants to hear his sexy voice on the phone."

Giggles erupted all around me.

"Ha, ha. Very funny, Lori," I said flatly.

"'Oh, Mr. D,'" Lori said in her best sultry tone, "'If your house is all full, you can come sleep at my place. I'm just a lonely divorcee.'"

"Hey, cut it out!" said Autumn, but with a hint of a smile.

"All right," I said, slipping into my coaching persona. "Knock it off, or I'll make ya run laps around the backyard."

For a moment, I'd forgotten that Randi was there. I was glancing around, looking to see where the portable phone might be to call Autumn's mom when I came around to the young beauty. She was standing there, still clutching the sleeping bag to her chest.

"Wow, this is crazy. Where exactly am I supposed to sleep?" she asked.

"Umm, give me a minute, and we'll figure something out."

Those were the words that came out of my mouth. The words I heard in my head were, "I've got a queen-size bed and a king-size erection." Oh good God.

There were 15 girls in a house that had never had more than seven stay in it before.

Shit, I was going to have to give up my bed. I could pull out the old camping tent and my own sleeping bag and stay out in the backyard. It wasn't cold weather yet, no rain. I could manage it. And considering how many giggly girls were indoors, I might actually get more sleep.

I headed to the linen closet and got fresh sheets. I stripped off the bed and redressed the mattress. The sheets had different kinds of fish adorning them, but at least they smelled clean.

I looked around to make sure there were no dirty pairs of underwear lying about or anything else I wouldn't want seen. Everything was fine. My guitar case was propped up against the wall. I'd taken the guitar out of the den to protect it. Standing up suddenly didn't seem so safe, either, so I put the case on the floor and scooted it under the bed.

The ground floor was practically empty, so I figured the girls had started the DVDs. Randi was in the den chatting with Tessa, who had staked out the love seat as I'd suggested.

I reached out to tap her on the shoulder, but at the last second I wanted to caress her instead.

My hand hesitated inches from her for just a second. But that was long enough for Tessa to see me and Randi to notice the girl's eyes looking over her shoulder.

"Oh, hey," she said out of surprise.

"I've got you a place to sleep."

"Oh. I was thinking about leaving, what with all these people here."

"Nonsense, follow me."

I led her to the opening to my room and gestured for her to go inside.

She paused and gave me an odd look that I couldn't quite read.

Then I realized how this might look to her -- like a horny old guy wanting to sleep with an 18-year-old hottie. Well, yeah, part of that could be, possibly, maybe true, but that's not what I was going for.

"I -- I won't be in here. I'm sleeping in a tent in the backyard. You and Autumn or somebody can share the bed. It's a queen-size. Paige has been known to cram three kids in a queen before."

She stepped into the room, gazing all around. Her eyes stopped on the drawer chest.

"It's cherry, Louis Philippe. The king of France in the 1830s and 40s," I sputtered before I realized she wasn't looking at the furniture, but the photo on top.

"Paige's mom was really beautiful," she said, letting the sleeping bag slide out of her hands to the floor as she stepped closer to the chest.

"Yeah, she really was," I answered softly. "And smart, a lot smarter than I am."

"I think you're being modest," she said, turning to smile at me.

"Well, she always made better grades in school, and she made more money at her job, back before she got sick."

"I asked you once what made her special, and you never answered me."

"It's a long answer, and you've got better things to do with your time than listen to me," I said, turning to go. "If anybody's looking for me, I'll be outside."

There it was again. That queer feeling that came with thinking about Beth while being near Randi.

Outside I found a couple of girls gossiping in the hot tub.

"Hey, ladies. Not watching the movie?"

"It was a little crowded in there for me, Mr. D," said one of the girls, whose names I couldn't remember.

"Yeah, and Crystal doesn't like scary movies," said the other.

"Shut up. You can't stand all that blood, either," said Crystal.

By the time I had finished setting up the tent, the girls were stepping out of the tub and drying off.

Okay, I've never had a perverse thought before about Lori or Autumn or Kim or Tessa. But I can't help checking out Randi? Why is that? Because I don't know her like the others? What about Crystal and whats-her-face over there? Are they fair game?

I discreetly turned my eyes that way. Crystal had a firm, slender body, and her friend had a nice rack, but I just didn't feel anything about it. I thought of the old phrase, "It's like kissing your sister."

That's sort of what it felt like. Only, I think it's that all of these other girls felt like daughters to me. And Randi didn't. What did that mean?

What does it matter, what does it mean? She's an 18-year-old high school senior. What, am I gonna do, run away with her to Jamaica?

I was far too wound up to sleep, what with all the traffic and the cluttered thoughts. So, I went inside, grabbed a soda and went back out to sit in a lounge chair.

I closed my eyes and forced myself to breathe slowly and regularly for a couple of minutes. That seemed to help a lot. I listened to the crickets chirp and felt peaceful.

The back door opened and a slender figure stepped out into the night.

The girl stopped for a second to let her eyes adjust, and from the light spilling out the window I could see it was Randi.

"Tub or rocker?"

"Oh! I didn't see you there. What are you doing out here in the dark?"

"Relaxing. So, tub or rocker?"

She didn't answer, so I added, "Were you headed for the hot tub or this rocking chair next to me?"

"I hadn't really thought about it. I was just trying to get some fresh air."

"A little too crowded, eh?"

"A lot crowded," she said, drifting to the rocker. "I don't have any brothers or sisters, and my dad travels all the time for work, so it's just me and Mom at home. I feel really out of place around that many girls."

"You're used to talking to your mom, so you come search out the old person in the group."

"You're not old," she protested. "You're really cool.

I

am the old one; everybody says it."

"What do you mean?"

"Most girls are flirting with guys and gossiping about who is breaking up with whom. I just don't find anybody at school interesting. Most of the girls who work are waitresses or running the drive-through window at a fast food place or babysitting kids. I work at the library because I love books."

"A reader! We need more of your type around here."

"You never see anyone under 25 checking out a book unless it's for a school project. Even the ones who do like to read have Kindles or e-books on their smart phones. I just like the feel of a book in my hand. I like the musty old smell of the books on the shelves."

I smiled, thinking of how mature she seemed for her age. I guess her friends did think of her as old.

"I hate Justin Bieber. I grew up listening to the songs of the 80's and 90's that my mom liked. I don't want to talk about American Idol. I'd rather discuss the differences between Kinison and Tennyson."

That brought out a snort of laughter. After a pause, I said, "Reminds me of Beth."

I didn't know I was going to say that. But once I did, I felt several more words building behind it.

"She was the mature one. She had these dreams of college and becoming a successful businesswoman. I was the cut-up. She made straight-As, and I was too busy trying to make our classmates laugh.

"I loosened her up, and she helped me grow up. We complemented each other perfectly. She might have burned out in college from too much studying, but I kept her sane. I might have flunked out of school from too much goofing off with buddies, but she kept me straight.

"She was looking to climb the corporate ladder, and I was wanting to write the great American novel -- but with a sense of humor, like Mark Twain."

Just as suddenly as it started, the flow of words ran dry, and I had no idea what to say next.

"Did you ever do it? You know, write a novel?"

"Oh, I started four or five, but I never finished them. Maybe I goofed off too much, maybe I was never any good at planning and couldn't figure out where the story was going next. I dunno."

"I'd love to see one of your stories sometime. Even if it isn't finished."

"No, no. I don't think so. I couldn't possibly --"

"Maybe you didn't finish the stories because you're a big chicken," she challenged with a grin.

"Hey, I know

that

isn't true. I even dressed up like one for a college rally once."

"You did not!"

"I did!"

I launched into the tale, and then we continued chatting for a while.

Even in the dark, I saw her eventually draw her legs up in the chair and wrap her arms around them.

"Are you cold? Maybe you should get back inside."

"No, I'm having a good time."

"You won't be if your teeth start chattering."

"Well it's a good thing there is this fancy new hot tub right over there."

"That's right, I forgot all about that. Well, my wallet hasn't, he's still griping about the expense."

"I say, 'Let's hop in.'"

"Right now?" I asked, looking around. Of course, there was no one else outside but us.

"I thought I might want to soak, so I put my bathing suit on under this T-shirt and shorts. C'mon, my legs are chilly."

She stood up, and I followed obediently.

She stopped next to the tub and undid the top button on her denim shorts.

I felt a lump in my throat and another starting to form in my pants.

She unzipped the shorts and did a quick little shimmy to get the waistband past her hips, then the shorts were falling to the ground, and I was staring hard at the bikini bottoms stretched across her taut cheeks.

I felt a strong pulse in my underwear and tried unsuccessfully to swallow.

My eyes tracked her perfect behind as it rose up and over the lip of the tub.

She stepped down into the water and sat on the edge.

"Ahh, that feels so good." Then she gave a little shiver. "Gotta get the rest of me in here."

"She reached down and pulled her T-shirt off, revealing her perky pair. The bikini top was a modest cut, but still showcased her body so well that I felt my cock start to plump.

He might not be ready to stand up on his own, but he was definitely pressing against my clothing.

I was hypnotized until she slid in the water and let out a light moan. That snapped me awake, and I started to obsess about what people would think if they saw me in this hot tub with a high school girl, but I couldn't carry that thought very far with all the blood rushing downward.

I stripped off my shirt and threw it toward the lounge chair, then I reached for my zipper.

"Oh shit, what am I thinking? I don't have on my swimsuit like you."

"Don't worry about it. Just sit here in your boxers or briefs or boxer-briefs, whatever it is you wear."

Somehow that seemed like the most reasonable idea in the world, and my pants soon trailed my shirt through the air to the chair -- with a quick move to readjust myself before she could see my growing erection.

"Nice, I like boxer-briefs."

I felt self-conscious for the first time, but reminded myself that I stayed in shape, playing ball a couple of times a week at the YMCA and keeping up with the kids at practice.

I stepped into the warm water as she said, "Crank up the bubbles."

I touched the controls and the motor kicked in.

I sat down on the opposite side from her, as far away as possible.

"Feels nice," I said, feeling the need to say something, anything.

"What? I can't hear you over the bubbles. Why are you so far away? Sit where I can hear you."

Again I found myself responding to her words, lifting up and crossing over to her side.

We had talked for a long time sitting in chairs, but now I seemed to be struggling to converse. All I could think of was how hot she looked sliding those shorts off.

She did me a favor and started a story herself, telling about a hotel stay at Myrtle Beach. Soon, the story and the warm water had me relaxed again. I felt so comfortable with her that I almost forgot that she was nearly naked under the water.

The tub had built-in lights, and in their incandescence I admired her emerald eyes. Then I saw her look up past me toward the house.

"All the lights are off upstairs. I guess everyone has finally gone to sleep."

That caught me off-guard. I figured Paige and her friends would be up until the wee hours of the morning. Maybe it

was

the wee hours of the morning. Goodness, how long had we been out here?

Randi surely had to be getting sleepy, and we really needed to get out of this hot tub.

I glanced one last time at her beautiful face and then pivoted to put my hand on the tub's edge.

"I reckon we ought to -- "

My face was turned toward hers as I started to lift up, but instead, she leaned forward, caught her hand behind my neck and pulled me forward into a kiss.

My lips froze for a second, then melted under her soft, moist pressure. My legs and arms went limp, and I slid back down onto my rear. I leaned forward to return the kiss, but just as quickly as it started, she pulled back.

She was beaming brightly, but then rose up, spun around and stepped out of the tub as my hand weakly rose up to stop her.

Out of all the times she'd been at my house around a bunch of giggling girls, I'd never heard Randi giggle herself. But she let one fly as she stooped to pick up her clothes and hurry toward the house. Just as she reached the back door, she turned and called out softly, "Good night, Henry."

I sat there dumbstruck for several minutes before I turned off the tub and retired to my tent.