Relishing You

“Will you go to the dance with me?”

Lucas’s palms were sweaty and he felt like a little teenage boy staring at himself in the mirror in his room pretending he was asking Layla to the spring dance at the VFW.

“Layla, will you… Would you like to…?”

He growled and stormed out of his room and back in again.

“Little Hippie, get your ass in the truck and go to the dance with me. What the fuck, Lucas?”

How hard was it to ask someone you’d been fucking for a few months to a dance?

“Layla, will you do me the honor of—oh fuck it.”

Lucas stormed out of the house, carrying a bouquet of flowers with him. He didn’t know why he bought the flowers, but he’d been an asshole the last few days and his mind was elsewhere.

Layla had allowed him to have his space, showing him some yoga moves and tai chi and making him drink green tea, which made him gag.

She hadn’t had another attack, and Lucas hadn’t been so on edge—until that night.

“Lucas! What brings you here?” Ron smiled at the flowers and nodded. “Spring dance coming up?”

Shelly entered the foyer and sighed, grinning from ear to ear. “Layla! You have company.”

Ron and Shelly made small talk with Lucas, Ron thanking him profusely for fixing some of his equipment and asking if he was available to work on cars.

Lucas could only think that if it got him closer to Layla that he’d do anything.

Layla came into view as Lucas stood by himself in the foyer. His back was to her, and he was mumbling something.

“Lucas?”

Lucas spun around and smiled, handing her the flowers.

“Hey, go to the dance with me.”

Layla giggled, taking the flowers and taking in their scent. “Thank you, and yes, I would love to go. Come on into the kitchen so I can put these in water.”

“Your parents seem a little more receptive these days,” Lucas said as he followed Layla.

“Of what?”

“Us.”

“Oh…” Layla trimmed the stems and placed the flowers in a nice vase, setting it on the table and fluffing the petals. “They’ve never disliked you, Lucas.”

“I’m sure they don’t like what we’re doing.”

“My mother is the only one privy to what we’re doing if I think I’m understanding you,” she said, blushing. “My dad thinks you just need jobs, and he knows I’m your sponsor.”

“Your dad’s no fool.”

“I’m sure he doesn’t want to think of me having sex, either.”

“Good point.”

Layla leaned up against the counter and smiled. “So, when do I need to be ready, and have you been doing your meditations?”

Lucas nodded. “Yes, I have actually. I have no idea what the fuck I’m doing, but I just picture us fucking and I calm right down.”

Layla laughed. “Well, at least you’re not thinking about assault anymore.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“Lucas…”

“I’ve been good. Pipsqueak won’t even look at me these days, but he still finds a way to annoy the piss out of me.”

“Lucas, I can probably still annoy the piss out of you.”

“Only when you bring out those bowls.”

“You love the bowls. Admit it.”

He didn’t want to admit to anything, and he’d almost slipped up a few times already. His stupid heart was doing somersaults every time Layla even texted him. He felt so ridiculous.

“I’ll pick you up at seven next Friday. I am sure we’ll see each other before then,” Lucas told her, admiring her curves from across the room. “Wanna sneak off into the field and fuck?”

“As tempting as that sounds, I’m making a carrot cake.” Layla turned to check the oven, and of course, Lucas checked her out as well. “You should stay for dinner. Dad’s grilling.”

Lucas smiled as Dinah came sashaying into the kitchen.

“And don’t say no. What are you going to do? Eat another peanut butter sandwich for dinner?”

“I happen to like peanut butter sandwiches.”

“I like them with bananas.” Layla looked up to see him licking his lips. “Not sure if the lip licking is for me or for peanut butter and banana sandwiches?”

“Both,” Lucas said bluntly. “Or you covered in peanut butter and me licking it off of you.”

“If you say something about bananas, I’m kicking you out.”

“You know me so well.” Lucas winked at her as Ron walked in and nodded.

“Lucas, old boy, come on out and help me grill.” Ron slapped Lucas on the back and smiled.

“Guess you’re staying for dinner.” Layla smiled, butterflies fluttering around her stomach. She hated the feeling because she and Lucas were never meant to be, but he made her feel giddy, no matter what they were doing.

They had gone fishing the other day and said maybe two words to each other, but it had been so nice. ~Too~ nice…too perfect.

Lucas and Ron made their way out to the grill, grabbing some beers along the way. Lucas leaned into his little hippie’s ear and promised Layla he’d only drink a few.

Shelly and Layla spoke about this and that, and when it got to Lucas, Shelly didn’t hold back.

“I know what’s going on between the two of you. What you do is your business, but you need to be careful. Lucas Foster is a loose cannon,” Shelly said, wrapping the potatoes in tin foil to put in the oven.

“Mama, he listens to me. You know I’ve been having my attacks again.”

“You don’t hurt people when that happens and he…he can be very violent.”

“Paul hit me, Mama.”

“And I don’t like that son of a bitch at all.”

“I like Lucas, Mama. He’s good to me.”

“You’re just friends, right?”

“Yes, Mama.” Layla rolled her eyes as she took out the carrot cake for it to cool. “And even if we were to get together, I don’t believe he’d ever hurt me.”

Shelly sighed and put an arm around her daughter. “You’re too trusting, honey. Please take care of yourself.”

“I am.” Layla glanced out at Lucas and her father, who were laughing about something. Their relationship was growing too.

“I just want to look after my sweet girl.” Shelly nodded. “You’re my only child.”

“I’m not a little girl anymore, Mama.”

“You’ll always be my little girl, Layla.”

Lucas caught her spying on him from the window, and she made no attempt to hide. He smiled at her and she smiled back.

It was delicious how he made her feel. And to think, only months before she was afraid to walk onto his property. Now? Now he kept the gate open just for her.

“Well, looks like they’re almost done. Shall we eat out on the deck?” Shelly was asking, but Layla was too busy thinking about Lucas taking her right there on that deck without a care in the world.

“Layla Louise?” Shelly smiled. “Deck?”

“Oh, uh, yeah. Let me finish the cake and I’ll bring everything else out.”

Shelly nodded. “I’ll take the salad and potatoes.” She paused and looked back at her daughter. “I’ll send Lucas in to help.”

Once they were all settled on the deck bench, the feast was going well.

Layla and Lucas sat across from each other, and it didn’t take long for Layla’s bare foot to find its way up Lucas’s jeaned leg and right to his buried crotch.

Lucas smiled at her, narrowing his eyes devilishly. There would be no time for them tonight, but apparently Layla was in the mood and she was going to get him in the mood—like he was ever out of the mood when it came to her.

“So, I hear you’re going to the VFW dance in Dallas?” Shelly asked her daughter, who nodded.

“Yes, Lucas asked me to go. They have a spring dance this year.”

Ron chuckled. “Like high school?”

“I think it’s sweet,” Layla said. “If they can have karaoke and fist fights there every Friday, why not a nice dance? Rosie organized it.”

“That’s exciting. This one would rather have curled up with a good book than go to dances, but she was asked to go anyway,” Shelly said of Layla.

“Did you enjoy them?” Lucas asked.

“I brought a book every time I went.”

Lucas chuckled. “I bet you were beautiful at prom.” Then he remembered she would have gone with the pipsqueak, and his mood changed.

“Oh, she was!” Ron said. “Such a sweetheart. The dress was baby blue, I think?”

“Yes, it was a baby blue ballgown,” Shelly said, talking mostly to her husband now as Lucas and Layla caught naughty glimpses of each other.

“You should see the pictures—even if she has cut Paul out of all of them.”

“I didn’t do that,” Layla scoffed. “I wanted to, and you stopped me.”

Lucas couldn’t help but wish she would have destroyed the photos, but they were her memories to keep, not his.

“So, who wants cake?!” Layla said, lifting the mood.

When dinner was done and everything was cleaned up, she and Lucas sat on the front porch swing with Dinah at their feet.

“Are you okay with going to the dance?”

“I can’t wait to go. I think it’ll be fun,” Layla said as Lucas took her hand in his. “You’ll behave?”

“I can’t promise that.” Lucas smirked. “But I’ll try.”

He leaned in and kissed her, but she pulled away.

“My dad…”

Ron walked out onto the porch at that moment to discuss the next week’s jobs for Lucas, who was more than happy to oblige.

“Thanks. Sorry to interrupt—I just know I would have forgotten.” Ron rubbed his belly. “Well, kids, I’m stuffed, and the bed is calling my name! Goodnight! Sleep tight.”

“Night, Daddy.” Layla smiled at Lucas, who was relishing her. “I’m sorry. I feel like a kid sneaking around like that.”

Lucas shrugged. “I understand. We’re supposed to be discreet for Rosie’s sake. It’s not like people don’t know, but I know some of them have issues with you being my sponsor.”

“They shouldn’t, but I get the rules.” Layla sighed. “I want you to fuck me on the porch swing one day.”

Lucas laughed. “I was already thinking about it.”

Layla rested her head on his shoulder, and in no time, he heard her little snores tickling him.

“How the hell am I going to do this?” Lucas moved a little, putting his hand underneath Layla’s body to lift her into his arms. “Lord, please don’t let them see me doing this…”

Shelly and Ron were already retiring for the evening and Dinah ran in before Lucas, flopping down on the couch in the living room.

He was quiet as he ascended the stairs, softly kicking Layla’s door in and placing her on the bed. He took off her pants and lost it at the thong.

“You’re killing me, Potter,” he whispered as he covered her with the large comforter. Lucas leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. “Sweetest of dreams, baby girl.”

He was headed out when she roused. “Stay.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. Your dad has shotguns.”

“Just for a little while.” She was half-asleep, but he decided to settle in next to her, his legs dangling off the side.

“Just a little while…”

“A little while” turned into Lucas racing out of the house at dawn.

Layla barely roused when he moved away, but Lucas knew his truck would wake up Ron and Shelly, so he yanked out the distributor cap and hauled ass on foot back home.

Ron was already trying to figure out the trouble when Lucas rode back in on his hog a few hours later.

“Sorry ’bout that, Ron,” Lucas said, thanking him for trying to help. “I’ll get this out of your yard soon.” He looked up at Layla’s window and wondered if she was still asleep.

No…she was stripping right there in front of that damn window, all for his eyes to see.

“Thanks, Ron.” Lucas rolled the bike onto the truck and lifted the ramp, shoving it back into the bed. “I’ll be here later to pick up Layla.”

“Yep,” Ron was saying as some chickens ran between their legs. “Whose fucking chickens… Dammit, Mabel’s got her chickens running around again.”

Lucas laughed, glancing once more at Layla’s window to find she wasn’t there anymore.

Lucas

YOU’RE DOING THIS ON PURPOSE

Layla

Maybe I was doing nude yoga.

Lucas

That’s the yoga I could get in touch with.

Layla

LOL I’ll meet you at your place for some nude yoga.

He could hardly wait.