Outside the Box (23 page)

Lexi

****

I couldn’t stop smiling the next morning, I took a long hot shower, did laundry, and waited for Harold and Carol to show up. 

Carter called on his way to the airport, “So tell me everything.” He said after I answered.

“We exchanged some texts, I’m going to call him Monday after I get out of beauty school.  Other than what happened last night at the club there’s nothing to exciting to tell.”

“I would have never thought you of all people would have something like this happen to you.” He said with a laugh.  “Derrick was getting pissed!  He does seem pretty cool though.”

“He is actually, I just don’t have
those
kind of feelings for him, but we aren’t dating either.”

“He told me last night that he is going to wait as long as he has to.”

“Ugg, I need a vacation.  I really need to just get away from here, away from these guys and sort my thoughts out.”

He laughed again, “I’m pretty sure they’ll hunt you down, just be careful.  I don’t want you to get your heart broke again.  I feel like shit for doing what I did to you.”

“It’s all part of life right?” I sighed.

We talked for about ten more minutes
, then Clancy buzzed up that he had a delivery.  I hung up with Carter and waited for Clancy to bring it up.  I was expecting it to be the rest of my stuff from my parents’ house, when I opened the door I was speechless.

“I think somebody likes you.” Clancy said from behind the biggest arrangement
of mixed daisies, roses, lilies and even some flowers that I had no idea what kind they were.

“Oh…uhm here put them on the table.” I stepped out of the way so he could carry them inside.

“I think this weighs at least fifty pounds, or I’m just old.” He said after he put them on the table.  We both stood there staring at the arrangement for a minute. 

“Aren’t you going to see who they are from?”

“Where’s the card?  All I see are flowers!” I told him.

We walked around the table, “Here it is!” he pointed at it.  I walked over to where he was and pulled the card out.  I pulled it out there was a note, “
Monday night can’t come soon enough, dinner
?”
S 
I smiled and rubbed my thumb across the card, there was no way it was his writing but it was the thought that they were his words.  Then I felt panic rise, how did he know where to have them delivered?  I didn’t want him showing up here before I had a chance to sort my thoughts out and talk to Derrick about everything.

The buzzer sounded again, “Lexi, there is a Mr. and Mrs. Shaw here to see you, would you like me to buzz them up?”

“Yes please.”

I tried to give Clancy a tip but he wouldn’t take it.  As he was leaving Harold and Carol exited the elevator.  Carol smiled big and walked quickly towards me, enveloping me in a tight hug.  “Look at you!  Goodness, the change has been great for you.” She let me go then Harold hugged me, “Great to see you kiddo!”  We went into the apartment, “Harold I don’t know what young man sent her these but I think you need to take lessons!”  She walked around the table and smelled all of the flowers. 

Harold handed me a shoebox that had my mail in it, “I took another change of address down to the post office they said that it should stop being delivered to the house within a month.”

“Thank You.” I smiled. 
I showed them around the apartment, then we all went and sat down in the living room, I told them about cosmetology school and that I was enjoying the accounting program.  Carol noticed my tattoos and complimented how cute they were.

“You like those but the naked chick on my bicep you wrinkle your nose up at?” Harold said and winked at me while waiting for Carol to reply.  It wasn’t until we were talking about tattoos that I remembered that I never went back and got the third one I was
supposed to get.  I made a mental note to call and apologize. 

Harold had made reservations for us so I went and changed into a nice halter top black dress and the black gladiator wedge sandals.  I dapped on some lip gloss, put a small amount of eye shadow and mascara
on, clipped my silver hoop earring in and went back out to the living room. Harold let out a long whistle, “I have a date with two beautiful ladies, all of Manhattan is going to be jealous!” he said. 

On the drive to the restaurant Carol talked about the quilts she was making for the benefit auction for a little girl that was undergoing chemo therapy and radiation.  Harold told me about the wreck a week ago, “He was just cruising down the highway at sixty five, then BAM, he hit a horse.  Totaled the pickup and the horse limped away with a broken leg.  A horse!  That’s not something you run into every day.” 

Carole laughed, “So, have you met any men yet?  The selection is surely far better than back home.”

“Well, I…” I took a deep breath.  “I’m talking to a guy, we have good Chemistry, I’m just so busy between college and hair school.  I don’t really have much spare time.  He’s really nice though, we’ve spent some time together.”

“That’s great Lexi!  What does he do?  Is he a college student as well?” Carol asked.

“He owns his own business.”

“Oh…I figured he’d be in college.” She smiled.

“There’s a super nice guy that I’m friends with that lives in the apartment building.  We hang out every Sunday.” I knew that there was no way I could even begin to explain the whole situation to them.  “I really like it here though, I’m glad I made the move.”

“I told you kiddo.” Harold smiled big at me.

We arrived at the restaurant, “Let’s get something to eat, this place is five star rated.” Carol clapped her hands before the valet opened the door.

The restaurant was dimly lit, the tables had dark red table clothes with a candle in the middle.  A small wooden dance floor was situated in the middle of the room, jazz music played softly and there were a few couples swaying together on the dance floor. 

While we were waiting for our meals to arrive there was a tap on my shoulder, “Can I have this dance?” I turned and there stood Steve, I had met him the first time I went to the club with Destiney, William, and Derrick. 

“Yes, you can.” I smiled big and excused myself from the table. 
Michael Bublé’s ‘Home’
played as Steve swayed me, and spun me around.  “So, how’s everything been going?  I figured you would call or text me.”

I smiled and shook my head, “Way to long of a story to go into right now
, and I’ve been super busy.  How’s Bryce doing?”

He turned us, “He’s right over there.”

I waved at Bryce, he stood up from the table he was sitting at and walked over to us, “I’m cutting in now.” We finished the dance so I invited them to come join us at the table.  They had Carol and Harold laughing so hard Carol had to excuse herself to go fix her makeup, twice.  The evening was exactly what I needed, relaxing.  Before we left I promised Steve and Bryce that we would go out for a movie when I had some free time.  They hugged me and Carol and shook Harold’s hand before we left. 

After Harold and Carol dropped me off at my apartment, I decided it would be a good night to light some candles and soak in the bathtub. 
I lowered down into the lavender scented bubbly water, I hummed along as
Colbie
Caillat
’s ‘
Breakthrough
’ softly played. 

Images of Spencer sent a shiver over my body, the way his piercing blue eyes looked into my eyes.  The kiss we shared was so passionate and demanding, his touch against my face was so gentle.  Even submerged in the hot water my skin tingled with goose bumps and my nipples pebbled as I remembered feeling his body pressing against mine.  I squeezed my legs together to try and stop the tingling of my clit but it didn’t stop.  His words echoed in my mind, “I can’t lose you again, I meant what I said.”  I
slid my hand up the inside of my thigh, slowly I massaged started to my clit and rock my hips.  “Oh god…” I sighed.  My nipples tingled with tightness, a memory of our first night together inside the ‘Box’ flashed.  Me straddling him, “Spencer…” I moaned as my orgasm built then exploded while I pressed harder circles on my clit.  His cum shooting deep inside me, filling me with his hot climax.  My body jerked as I orgasmed and sloshed water onto the floor beside my bathtub.  I steadied my breathing, rinsed my body off and went to bed. 

Sunday Derrick called and woke me up, I did like I usually would.  I got out of bed, went and used the bathroom, fed Frank, took a change of clothes with me, and went to his apartment.  We were laying in his bed, he was spooning me and rubbing circles on my hip between my tank top and the waist band of my shorts.  “Are we ever going to get to be a couple?”  he whispered?

I rolled over so I was facing him, he brushed my hair away from my face, ran his fingers down my neck to my collar bone then looked back at me.  “I don’t know, I like what we have right now.”

His jaw muscle ticked, “We can’t be friends with benefits forever.”  He lowered his mouth to mine.  “Please Lexi, just give us a chance.” He whispered, then licked my bottom lip.  I closed my eyes as he moved down my body and removed my shorts and kissed across my abdomen.  My shirt came off next and was thrown over his shoulder to the floor.  He covered my naked body with his, clasped my hands with his and slowly sank inside of me.  We spoke no words we just stared into each other’s eyes as he slowly glided in and out of me.  With his forehead resting against mine, his grip tightened on my hands, I wrapped my legs around his hips.  I closed my eyes, images of Spencer’s body rocking against mine flashed through my mind.  “Cum for me baby…” Derrick whispered into my ear and stilled as he exploded inside of me and my orgasm
erupted around his pulsating cock.  “Please can you give us a chance?” he asked again. 

“I…I can’t yet.  Please just give me some time?”

His jaw muscle ticked again he finally nodded his head and said, “Okay.” 

He would be leaving on Monday for another tournament but it would only be for two days instead of the entire week.  I helped him pack his bag, then we watched TV.  Later that afternoon we decided to go out sightseeing since I hadn’t had a chance to. 

I tried sushi for the first time, Derrick laughed at me when I gagged and spit it into my napkin.  We walked past landmarks and had random people take pictures of us in front of large bronze statues.  I got to ride the subway for the first time, Derrick held my hand almost the entire day.  “You’ve been here a month and you just now did all that.  You might be as big of a workaholic as Destiney is.” Derrick said as we walked into the apartment building. 

“Hey, I only have five’ish
weeks of cosmetology school left then things will slow down for me!” I said and pushed against him with my shoulder.

“Christ I have to wait that long?” he asked me as he brushed his lips across my neck. 

“You don’t have to, we’ll still have Sundays.  Unless you start dating somebody.”

“Not gonna happen, I have the one I
want
right here with me.  You’re just being stubborn for some reason.”

I shook my head, I couldn’t tell him that I didn’t want to date him because I had feelings for another man.  He kissed me hard before he stepped off the elevator so he could go back to his apartment.  “I’ll call you this week, don’t forget Sunday we have my brother’s party.”

“Okay.” I smiled and we watched each other as the doors closed. 

The apartment smelled amazing because of the flowers that Spencer had sent me, Destiney wasn’t going to be home until Monday night so I sent her a picture of them;

L
: 
Jasper sent me these yesterday!



D
: 
Ur getting spoiled
! 

L
: 
Nonsense
;)

D
: 
I’ll see you 2morrow night.

L
: 
I might be going out for dinner with him.  Yes I’ll give you detail’s when I get home.

D
: 
Duh!  Luv U!

L
: 
Luv U 2!

I took a shower then went to bed.  I laid there thinking about how much things had changed since mom and dad passed away.  Making the move made me grow up and explore
new things, meet new people, and move forward with my life.  Carter and I being friends again was a huge relief, I missed his sense of humor, and the way that he always knew how to make me smile.  He had grown up a lot since he had moved away too, I tried to imagine what life would be like with him and I had we stayed together.  But I couldn’t picture anything besides just us having a friendship. 

Monday Professor German was back in class,
he was pleased with what everybody accomplished while he was gone and praised Spencer’s knowledge and dedication to helping the “Youth become smarter adults.”  The day dragged by, mainly because he kept referring back to Spencer when he was a student at Columbia.  Eventually I couldn’t even concentrate, I would find myself staring off day dreaming about Spencer. 

Spencer text me when I was leaving the campus to go to night class,