The sun beat down on the crumbling pavement as Amy parked her Camry on the street about a block down from Franco's Pizzeria where she rented the apartment above with two friends. She hit the button raising her windows back up. The AC had died last fall, but it was only when this heat wave hit that she really cared. If she could get a decent paycheck, it was on her list to have it recharged. In the meantime, she had the not-so-cool breeze blowing through her hair. With her driver's door open for air, she checked that hair in the mirror.
Normally light brown, the sun was bringing out new highlights in it. By August she would be nearly blond. It hung straight and shoulder length. Today she pulled it back in two braids from her temples to keep most of it up off her neck into a single pony. A few beads of sweat ran down the back of her neck and her dangling earrings caught the sun and sparkled. She liked how she looked today. She thought to herself, "Danny will like it too." For that matter, so would anyone who was about to see her walk down the street.
As she stood up, she brushed her hands down her dress smoothing it out. It was white with a floral print, just a few large roses scattered. Strapless, it hugged her body from her breasts, her flat stomach, and over her rounded hips, ending just above mid-thigh. At 5' 9" she had a lot of leg left uncovered before reaching her red heels. She held only a small purse and the bag from the store containing her new white stockings. They would end a few inches below the hem of this dress, just the way Danny liked. He'd been out west for a month and was coming home tonight. Amy had big plans.
Amy shared the apartment with Kate and Lisa. All three had finished college last year. Amy and Lisa had actually graduated; Kate still needed to finish the internship she quit after the boss hit on her. Amy was pretty sure Kate and Lisa had a thing for each other and had yet to admit it. Their place was a hodge-podge of rooms added on to the 2nd floor of the pizzeria. Nothing quite matched, the floors were slanted, the water pressure sucked and the stove never worked, but the pizza was good and often only cost the girls a smile. Amy entered Franco's and crossed straight through the kitchen, blowing a kiss to Franco as she stepped out back to climb the staircase up.
Franco called after her and she turned back. "Ameila!" he said, "I'm sorry, the guys are still working on my roof. They said they'd be done yesterday, but what can I do?"
"If it stops the leaks, Franco, it'll be worth it. Ciao!" She half thought that Franco wasn't even Italian. Maybe Armenian, who knows. She climbed the steps carefully.
The roof over the apartment was shingled, but half of the restaurant below had only a flat tar roof. They would often climb through the windows to sit out there and have a drink or get a little sun. She could smell the hot tar the guys were spreading over that area now. She peaked around the corner and gave them a wave. She knew they had seen her coming, just like she knew they had seen her leave earlier. Three guys, blue jeans, untied work boots, no shirts, and dripping with sweat. "What a miserable job," she thought.
Once inside, she dropped her stuff on the kitchen table and opened the fridge. The cold air felt good and for a few seconds she just stood there enjoying it, then pulled out a pitcher of iced tea and poured a glass. She drank some and held the glass against her neck feeling the condensation from it run down her skin. She opened the package and took out her new stockings. The material felt so smooth against her skin. Her long, freshly shaven legs will look fantastic in these. She pressed them against her cheek and imagined Danny doing the same later.
"That looks really good." Startled, Amy turned toward the screen door. One of the roofers was standing there with a towel over one shoulder. He stood about 6' and looked strong but lean. He pushed his dark hair back with the towel, attempting to dry off some of the sweat. "Think you could pour another glass?"
"Of this?" Amy said coyly, holding out her glass. She quickly folded the stockings, hiding the lace on the inside and set them down.
"Yes Mam," he said, then pulled the door open and walked right in. "I'd truly appreciate it."
Amy was taken aback but tried to play it cool. "Why don't you come in," she said sarcastically. "Help yourself." She set a glass down next to the pitcher on the table, then protectively picked up her purse and stepped back. Too late she realized her sexy new stockings were laying right there. He casually poured his glass and took a long, slow drink. Amy watching him nervously as he turned to face her. He looked her straight in the eyes, silently, for what seemed an eternity. She thought to herself, 'Wow, eye contact...', but then his gaze very purposely lowered.
She felt his eyes on her neck, suddenly warm again where her icy glass had just been. Across her shoulders and bare arms, to the top of her dress, which was the top of her breasts. Down the curve of her hips to her bare thighs. Amy anxiously switched her stance, crossing her ankles right over left now, as she leaned in the doorway to the hall. She wasn't sure how to end this and get rid of this guy. He was so cocky, just standing there staring at her. "I..., think," she stuttered to say, before he took a step toward her.
She got all jittery as he approached, pulling her arms in close as he neared. He paused to feel the stockings between his fingers.
"Are these yours?" he said. She visibly flinched as he walked right past her and pointed to her paintings in the living room. Half relieved and half disgusted with herself, she set her glass down and followed him.
"Yeah, I was preparing for a show, but it fell through." She watched as he paused at first one, then the next canvas, looking at each the way he had looked at her a minute ago. At the third, he wiped his face again with his towel and grimaced. She stepped up a step or two away from him. "Are you some kind of art critic?"
"Well," he paused, "you've got decent technique."
"Really?" she replied, incredulously.
"There's just no feeling. It's like you're painting out of a text book."
"I suppose you could do better"
"Actually, I have done better" And they continued back and forth arguing over her style. "Expressive" no "derivative". "Ambiguous" or "eclectic". Five more canvases were leaning in the corner. Amy pulled one out to make her point about "abstraction" vs "unfocused", when suddenly he was right there behind her. She stopped mid-sentence as he reached out and took the painting from her hands and set it on the couch next to them. She took half a step and stopped. On her left and behind her were the corner walls, to the right her couch, and in front of her, above her, was him. He stepped in and she stepped back. They both moved again and she was at the wall, he was inches from her.
"Excuse me." She said, and motioned to pass by. He stood still, blocking her way. She looked at him but his eyes burned through her. She felt small looking up at his face, she looked down but only saw his bare chest, tanned from working outside, tight abs from spreading roofing tar. His belt buckle... She looked off to the side to will herself away, but he touched her chin and turned her back to him. She caught her breath in her throat and swallowed as his hands slid behind her neck, fingers in her hair and his thumb pressing her ear.
"You smell like peaches." He said to her calmly. Then he kissed her. A steady, unrushed kiss. She brought her hands up to his chest to push him away but only got bare skin and sweat and pulled back. He eased her up against the wall with both hands holding her now.
She pushed back again and broke the kiss, "Stop it! This is not happening!" But she could only turn her head to the side as he kissed her neck, bit her ear, sucked on her neck. Amy's heart was racing and her nerves were on fire. She struggled to keep her knees from shaking but could not stop the trembling in her hands. His hand caressed her bare shoulder and back up to her neck. Her faced her, looking directly into her eyes.
"But you taste like coconut."
"And you smell like oil!" was all she could get out before he attacked her again with his lips and tongue and hands. She tried to push against his chest, his waist, and his arms but only got bare his skin. "Ahh..., this is ridiculous" she thought as her hands settled on his sides, pushing on his ribcage uselessly.