Page 16 of Where You Are
Matt
I didn’t wantto leave Mel the other morning. If I’d done what I wanted, I would’ve stayed for breakfast and probably well into the afternoon. But when something good is happening, I know full well it can be ruined by getting caught up in it and not taking small pockets of time to reflect. Too much, too fast, can lead to overkill before things even get started, tempting as it might be.
Spending the night sleeping next to Melanie was better than any night of sex I’ve ever shared with anyone, and I don’t want this thing to go stale before I’ve had a chance to connect even more with her. Don’t get me wrong, I cursed myself the entire drive home, my entire morning run, and the shower after it. And not touching her was some special form of torture. But I feel like spending the night with her was bonus time I hadn’t been counting on as it was, and I didn’t want to push the envelope any farther. Besides, I meant what I said when I told her I’d come see her again. And for damn sure I know I want to kiss her again.
Decked out in my running gear, I park my Jeep in front of Sarah’s house and make my way around to the pool house. Melanie didn’t have a phone yet when I saw her last, so I figured we could go for a run and then I could go with her to get a new one afterward. But first I need to see if she’s even home. I’m hopeful, as this is around the same time I nearly ran her over the other day.
Sure enough, as I close in on the pool house, its front door opens and out steps Melanie, holding her sunglasses in one hand and wearing a white tank top over a black sports bra and black shorts that show off her defined legs. I try to ignore my dick waking up in my own shorts as I continue striding towards her. She startles slightly, but my entire world brightens when I see how quickly she smiles after realizing who’s here to see her.
“Hey,” she greets me, brighter than the morning sun. “What are you doing here?”
I shrug as I adjust my ball cap. “Thought I’d see if you’d like me to run beside you today, instead of almost running you over.” I give her a wily grin as she lets out an easy chuckle, her head tilting back as she laughs. “Seriously though,” I school my expression as she recovers. “Is this okay?”
“Yeah,” she says nodding enthusiastically. “I’m actually… happy to see you,” she tells me as she starts walking and I fall in step beside her.
That made my heart give a few hard pounds that I could hear in my head.
“I’m happy too,” I tell her. “Kind of why I came over.”
MELANIE
Seeing Matt outside my door made my heart stutter and then resume beating erratically like butterfly wings. There is just something about that easy smile of his that makes me feel adored, desired, and cared for all at once; like his eyes are meant to see nothing else in the world. And when he reaches out to skim my jaw with his thumb just before we start running, it sends a shimmery thrill all up and down my torso.
“I didn’t know you ran,” I muse, as we find a matching pace. There’s actually a lot I don’t know about him.
“I do,” he confirms, between steady breaths. “Almost every day.”
I giggle to myself and he notices. He turns his head my direction and lifts his eyebrow.
“What?” he asks.
“Nothing, it’s just funny. I’m out for a run with a rock star.” I shake my head, my smile timid.
“I’m still not used to being thought of that way,” he scoffs. “But if that’s your line of thinking, I should point out that you’ve also technically spent the night with him. And you’re related to another one.”
“I know, but I was practically in another world when you guys got famous. I wasn’t here to see the process unfold, so it was like coming home to this alternate reality. I mean, I watched from afar on TV or YouTube sometimes,” I shrug in explanation, “but now that I’m here in the flesh again… I don’t know; it’s surreal. It hasn’t sunk in yet.”
“That makes sense,” he nods. “But I promise you, we’re all still the same guys as before you left. Other people just know who we are now.”
“Ha ha, alotof other people,” I add.
I spend the next couple of miles getting to know Matt Conlin better than I did all those years he and the guys played in bars. I find out he ran in high school, likes snowboarding, and his step-dad still owns a house on Lake Huron, despite the fact his parents live in Arizona. I did already know he had a sister; I just didn’t realize she was a single mother and that his little niece has her own room at his house, decorated and everything. Being on the road between tour stops is a drag for him, but he loves the adrenaline rush that comes with playing in front of a packed arena.
He asks me about my second favorite country I visited, and I tell him about how much I loved Chile. I’m betting this will be a theme each time we get together.
As we head into our fourth mile, I notice Matt drop out of my peripheral and I look over my shoulder to see him slow to a stop and stoop over, his hands on his knees. I stop and jog over to him and find him facing the pavement, breathing deeply.
“Matt? Are you okay?” I wonder if he has a stitch. “Matt?” I prod again, getting closer to him and out of nowhere, he bolts upright and takes my face in his hands and crushes his mouth down on mine. I let out a small squeal against his lips, but its immediately replaced with a giggle. I can feel him smiling against my lips and I smile back. I’m enjoying this moment on this quiet street in the morning sunshine, and Matt… is one hell of a kisser. His lips are soft, and meld easily with mine, and his movements are gentle but thorough.
After several moments of making out on the street, he pulls his lips slowly away from mine and asks, “What were you going to do with the rest of your day?”
“Go in the pool,” I shrug. “Maybe get on the internet and look for some work. Why?”
“I was wondering if maybe you might go get a phone today. I could go with you.”
“Go with me?” I ask incredulously. “Getting a cell phone and hanging out at the wireless store for three hours while they set it up is one of the most boring things ever. Why do you think I haven’t done it yet? And why would you want to put yourself through that?”
“To keep you company so you aren’t so bored there, and so that I can be the first number in your phone,” he states simply, yet it sends little schoolgirl butterflies fluttering through my chest. “Plus I want to be able to call or text to see if you want to hang out with me like a civilized person, instead of just showing up at your door like a creeper.” He says it all like he was explaining a math equation to me.