Lean On Me #Wattys2016

Part 13

Mateo

I lift my foot up onto the small ottoman in front of my couch. The pain is so much better now, but I'm not sure if that's because I doubled up on my pain meds or because I washed them down with a six-pack of beer. Pizza for lunch turned into pizza and movie and now it's beer and Chinese take-out. The sun went down hours ago and Ashlyn is still here. She's made herself at home and for some reason that makes me happier than I've been since I got here.

"So what now?" she asks from beside me. Her long legs are tucked up underneath her as she sits, turned towards me. Her eyes are a bit glossy from the three beers she's had, but she's way to cerebral right now to be drunk.

"You mean now that I'm not in the Marines?" The movie shut off two hours ago and we've been entertaining each other with all kinds of funny stories and glimpses of our childhood. Ashlyn grew up in New York, and moved here to go to school. She fell in love with the area and decided to stay around for a while. I'm grateful. She nods her head.

"I'm not sure," I answer honestly. "I always wanted to be an author. I just never had the patience to sit down and write a story. I have a few short stories completed, but if I really wanted to give it a shot, I'd like to have a full length novel to shop around to agents."

"That's great! What do you write?" She props her head up with an elbow on the back of the couch. I chuckle at her excitement. I tip my beer up and swallow it down.

"Don't laugh," I warn with a stern voice. "Science fiction. I'm obsessed with space travel." She laughs of course.

"I can't picture you writing something like that," she shakes her head and I love the way a few soft strands slip from her rubber band and fall around her face. Her cheeks are slightly pink from the beer and her eyes look even more stunning now that's she's relaxed and comfortable with me. She's not guarded. "You're too serious."

"I haven't always been." The truth is I used to be a very goofy guy. I loved space and math and reading. I used to love to crack jokes and play around just to get a laugh. "Getting injured sort of stole my sunshine."

"What stops you from getting started on a story? You have plenty of time right now to make something happen." She tucks a few strands behind her ear and I want to reach out and do it again. I want to touch her so badly.

"I don't know. It's hard to plan for the future when that requires you to look honestly at what your life will be like. What if I'm stuck here like this for a long time? It's fucking depressing."

Her brows pull together with concern, "You aren't going to be stuck here. You are getting better and I'm sure the doctor will eventually clear you to drive again." She smiles, but it looks sad for some reason. It's like a lie. "Then you can go where ever you want." I don't know her well, but I'm almost certain that idea makes her unhappy.

"Where should I go?" I ask trying to lighten the conversation back up again. I don't want her sad, it causes this tiny feeling of panic to erupt in my heart. I want to see her smile—to feel the way it soothes my heart instead.

"Where do you want to go to live the rest of your life?" Her eyes dip down to my lips for a second before returning to my eyes.

"I haven't thought about it."

"Not at all?" Her face lights up. I can see she has big dreams inside that beautiful mind.

"No, sunshine," the name slips right off my tongue and fits so perfectly she practically glows. "Where are you headed when you're done here?"

"I'm going to live in California. I want be close to the ocean and not have to deal with snow ever again." It's sounds perfect actually, and I almost laugh at the realization that I never thought about where I'd want to live because the answer was always going to be chosen for me. When I was a Marine, I would live where they told me to live. But now I had choices.

"California?" I say the name and let it sit for a minute.

"Yes," she whispers loudly. "Near the beach." I laugh and lean forward, switching my empty beer bottle for the full one Ashlyn brought the last time she went to get her own new beer. I twist off the top and toss is on the ottoman.

I move my arm to get more comfortable, stretching it out across the back of the couch and turning my chest towards her. "When do you think you'll go?" I take a long sip from my beer hoping her answer isn't in the next few months. I'd be really disappointed if I lost her.

"I'm contracted for a year. I have at least six months left before I can go anywhere. I figure I'll consider it when the time comes. If I'm ready, I'll go. If not, I'll extend my contract." She adjusts her position and it brings her arm flush against mine. I feel the connection immediately. My heart seems to pick up its pace and I can't help but twist my hand so that I can touch her shoulder. We're so close now. I have to remind myself to keep my eyes on hers and not let them wonder down to her lips too long or get caught exploring her skin.

I know it's strange, but I want to touch her hair. I want to twirl a strand around my finger and before I know it, that's exactly what I'm doing. She just keeps talking like me touching her hair is totally normal. "I have a friend that moved to California. She asked me to go with her, but at the time I was in a relationship so I didn't have the courage to pack everything up and leave." Relationship? Shit.

"At the time?" I ask. She nods her head.

"We broke up a month later. It was stupid to let the opportunity go by, but I think everything happens for a reason." I watch her dark hair twist around my finger and then spring free.

"What's the reason?" I just want to hear her talk. I'll ask her a million questions if it keeps her here this close to me.

"I don't know yet." She takes a big breath and then tips the last of her beer into her mouth and I feel my tongue run along my own lips. I want to taste her. I can taste the beer on my mine and I know it would be much sweeter on hers. She leans to the side and sets the empty bottle next to one of mine. When she moves back, she's even closer to me, our faces only a few inches apart. I feel like I'm a teenager again, desperate to kiss her and see what it feels like.

When the hair she'd tucked behind her ear springs free in her movement, I reach for it. My fingers smooth it behind her ear and I watch as her skin flushes with my touch. Her breath catches and her eyes fall to my mouth. It's all the confirmation I need that she wants this kiss as badly as I do. I watch her for a minute, neither of us saying anything, just looking into each other's eyes knowing it's only a matter of time before one of us breaks and closes the distance between our mouths.

"Mateo," she whispers almost as if it's a question, but it's more of a statement. It's a command to do what I've been holding back.

I move my lips towards hers and answer softly in the space between us, "Sunshine," and then my lips are on hers.  

******AAAHHHH!! Are you ready for it??? You have all been voting and commenting so much. I appreciate it and for the next two chapters I'm keeping my promise to you at the beginning of this story.  You wanted hot....you got it! Enjoy (and VOTE)