Unexpected Trouble by Lauren Wood
Steven
Ihad to go to Tracy and apologize. I didn’t want to, hated to even, but I couldn’t let it go without saying something about it. She deserved that, at least.
“I just wanted you to know that I really am not dating that woman. We have been together a couple of times, but I promise you that it was nothing serious. She knows that too.”
“You don't have to worry about what I think. I just wanted to let you know that she was going around saying that to me, that you were together. I just wanted to know if I should worry about it or not. She kind of seemed unhinged.”
“You shouldn't. I wouldn't let anything happen to you.”
She looked at me softly and then smiled. “I will be fine, Steven. I have dealt with women like Ashley before.”
“I don't know if you have. She can be a bit spiteful. I think when I break up with her, or whatever it is I have to do because we're not even really dating, I don't want her to take out her frustrations on you. I will make sure that it doesn’t happen.”
“I thought you said that I didn't have to worry about it.”
“I don’t want you to worry about it, but I would like you to be cautious. I never would have imagined that she would threaten you in a diner. Maybe I don’t know Ashley as well as I thought I did. I wouldn’t have thought that she was capable of that.”
“You know you're not making me feel any better, right?”
“I'm not trying to, I guess. I don't know what to think about any of it. I can't believe that she said anything to you. Like I said, we’ve seen each other a few times and that's it.”
“Well, whatever it is you were doing with her, you’ve made quite an impression. I can’t blame her though. I think that I would be possessive of you too.”
That shocked me. I wasn't expecting her to say something like that. I knew that she was interested in me, she had made it clear, but she’d never said it outright. What a strange time to pick anyways to say something about it. I was worried about Ashley, and Tracy was telling me that she was interested in me again. I didn’t know if I was ever going to understand women.
“Well, I don’t appreciate the possessiveness. Women don’t seem to get when I say that I don’t want a relationship, I really don’t.”
Tracy smiled and told me that I should be happy to be so admired.
“You’re admired just as much around town. You are all the men can talk about, and the women by the sound of it.”
Tracy waved her arms and put her hands up like she had no choice in it. I could tell that she didn’t. Tracy was a strange woman, but beautiful, and I didn’t know why she was wasting her time with me. She could have anyone, so why was Tracy so interested in me?
“And when I say all men notice you, Tracy, I mean it.”
I moved closer, not sure what I was doing. I pulled her into my arms and kissed her shocked lips. Her body molded to mine and for a moment, I forgot why I stopped caring altogether. Tracy whimpered from my touch and the sound shot through me like electric, making all parts of me tingle. Who was this woman?
I pulled back, surprised at my actions, as well as my body’s reaction. This woman was amazing. She made me want to be the old me. I wanted to sweep her off her feet and make her my own. How long had it been since I’d wanted any of those things?
Shaking my head and the feelings away, I knew that it wasn’t going to work that way. I didn’t do that anymore. I didn’t care. I didn’t date. I fucked women, that’s it, and even then, like Ashley, even that could be a bit too tedious.
Making a lame excuse, I left before something more could happen. Something dangerous, like me actually giving a damn.
* * *
I went backto my place and tried to figure out what the hell I was thinking. I had decided after Anna and our baby died, that I was never going to put myself through that again. No dating, no marriages, no family. All that did was bring me pain in the past, and I didn’t honestly think that I could do it again. Furthermore, I didn’t think that I would have any real sort of feelings for another woman, not like Anna. The fact that I felt anything at all was a miracle, but it was also a warning for other things to come.
I called Ashley, but she wasn’t answering the phone. Most likely, she knew that I was going to break things off with her. They’d always been too complicated for my taste and this time was no different. I didn’t know what was going on with her, but she knew better. She knew that we weren’t together. Why she was jealous of Tracy, or even knew to be, I had no idea. I was going to find out that and much more. I grabbed my keys and headed to Ashley’s house. She had some explaining to do.
* * *
When I got there,she didn’t answer her door for several minutes. I knew she was there. I saw her car out front, but I could understand why she wanted to hide. She had made a fool of herself and, of course, I was going to end things. We’d had only one rule, no one else knew about us. We weren’t an item because I didn’t want a relationship, but I had needs. I was going to have to find someone else to take care of those needs.
Naturally, I thought of Tracy.
Ashley finally answered the door, and she had a guilty look on her face.
“I don’t want to hear it, Steven. I know what you’re going to say.”
“Well, Ashley, if you knew what this was going to be, you should have saved me a trip over here and answered my call.”
“I don’t want this to happen. It was a momentary lapse of judgement, that’s all. You could just forgive me, and we can forget this ever happened.”
“You know that’s not true.”
She pouted again and asked me if I wanted to come in. She had a seductive look on her face, but I knew better. Ashley was going to ply me with her feminine wiles, and I couldn’t say that they wouldn’t work. They very well could. She had some skills that were hard to come by and greatly enjoyed.
I refused to go in, knowing what would happen. I instead told her that we were done. It was the inevitable, especially when she was so attached. I should have done this as soon as I noticed how she was acting, clinging to me the way that she was.
“We were never together, remember?”
She was bitter and I hated the sound of it. I didn’t want there to be any animosity between us, but I knew we would have some. Jefferson was a small town. All I could hope for was that Ashley found someone else to give all of her attention to. I didn’t want it anymore, and I didn’t want any more of it directed at me.
