The Boy Next Door by Melinda Dozier
Chapter Four
Jake pulled into Amanda’s driveway and had no idea what to do next. She’d been his neighbor for years. He used to play hide-and-seek with her. Hell, she even played GI Joe with him in his tree house. But, tonight was different. When he saw her face light up after he asked her to the dance, a flame in his heart leapt to life. Something he rarely felt. Then at the dance, holding her close and feeling her soft skin, fired up the desire he long kept hidden.
He shook his head, trying to erase those thoughts. He’d never had a serious girlfriend. He always enjoyed girls, and he sure enjoyed them at Louisiana State. Why would he start thinking of Amanda in that way now?
She was a beauty. He watched her sitting on the swing, in her blue gown, in wonder. The small curls of her long hair had fallen in her face. And not for the first time, he wanted to reach over and kiss the tears off her face.
Usually, when he had those thoughts, he just shook them off and found another girl to mess around with. But tonight, he was back from college and hadn’t seen her in months. He was knocked senseless by her. The only thing he could think of was kissing Amanda.
On the dance floor. At the doorway of Shannon’s house. On the car ride home. Now, standing by his truck. He couldn’t help but face the facts.
Jake reached out his hand, squeezed it when she took his and walked her towards her front door. “Why don’t we sit on the swing for a little bit?”
“Okay.” Amanda looked up at him with those innocent eyes.
He needed to be careful.
They sat down and Jake wondered what she was thinking. He knew her better than anyone. They’d grown up together; their mothers were best friends. In high school, not a day went by where he didn’t see her, be it walking from school, a morning run, or seeing her practice her artwork in the backyard. Even so, he hadn’t expected to miss her. When he returned this afternoon, the first thing he wanted to do was talk to her. Watch her hands move as she told stories about who dated who, or which teacher was out to get her.
Smiling, he put his arm across her back and pulled her close to him. “This is nice.”
“Mmmm.” Amanda murmured against his shoulder, the vibration running all the way to the tips of his toes.
Her immodest purr was a definite turn-on.
“Just us.” He said softly, strumming her arm with his fingers.
Amanda smiled. “Remember how we used to sit here during summer nights and talk about life. Almost a year ago, you didn’t even know where you were going to college. And now, here you are visiting, away for good.” Amanda took off her heels and propped her feet up in the swing. She swung her body over, and placed her head in Jake’s lap. “Tell me about college.”
He straightened out his legs and crossed his ankles, doing his best to hide the evidence of his arousal. Luckily, Amanda lay closer to his knees then to the bulge in his pants. A frog formed in his throat as he looked at the angel in his lap. What was happening here? This is Mandy, dude. Get ahold of yourself!
He tugged his hand through his hair. “LSU is great. I’m in some basic courses, but we all have to do it, I guess. I joined a fraternity.”
She smiled up at him. “I figured. Jock.”
“Whoa, now. Gil was a Sigma Chi, so it was bound to happen.” He bounced his knee up and down, forcing Amanda to jiggle about.
She giggled. “Your step-dad really misses you, and stop that.” She placed her hand on his knee, spanning her fingers out, and rubbed gently.
He stilled his leg. Get it together. “More than Roscoe, I bet.”
She slapped his shoulder. “Hey!”
“Well, now it's your turn. You’re off to college next year. Have you thought about where you want to go?” He stroked her hair, making it fall out of its bun. Her breathing accelerated and the pulse fluttered at the base of her throat.
“I don’t even want to think about where I'm going. I know I want a lot out of life, but I don’t know where to start.”
She’d do well at whatever she wanted. Amanda was like that. When she wanted something, she got it.
She waved her hands in front of her. “You know how my mom and dad are. They always compare me to Carley. Big sister Carley is a hard act to follow.”
Jake stared down at her delicate face. He wanted to bend down and kiss those worries away.
She’d kiss him back. He noticed her appreciation every now and then - more so tonight. But he had to control his emotions. This was Mandy, after all. He leaned back more, trying to move his thighs out of dangerous territory. “You’ll do fine. You always do well at what you set your mind to.”
“Well, I can’t wait to prove my mom wrong. She thinks I have to be like Carley, but I’m nothing like her. I’m going to make it in life by just being me.”
That sounded good to him. He knew what it was like to prove something to the world. People always thought that since he was an athlete, he couldn’t survive in college. They were wrong.
Jake continued to run his fingers through Amanda’s hair. He could sit like this all night. He rested his head on the back of the swing and closed his eyes.
After a moment of silence, Amanda blurted out, “I'm sorry for all the chaos. First, you're forced to go out with me, and then the thing with you and Gabe.”
Jake raised his head. “That jerk deserved it a long time ago. We never got along.” It felt good punching that lowlife. “I don’t want you to worry about it. I really did have a good time. Beating up Gabe was the highlight of the evening.” Besides this moment, he thought. “Man, it felt good.”
They both laughed.
As he stared down into her face, Amanda’s laugh faltered and her eyes deepened with a question…a request. Jake hesitated as her eyes searched his face for something. He knew exactly what.
To hell with it. He was away at college anyway. One kiss wouldn’t hurt.
Jake caressed her cheek. “And taking you tonight was my pleasure, Mandy. I should be thanking you.”
Her warm eyes met his. He couldn’t hold back. “Damn, you really are beautiful.”
She gasped and the world stopped. Without further thought, Jake bent and pressed his lips to Amanda’s. He kissed her tenderly, with one hand holding her head in his palm. Amanda reached up, putting her arms around his neck and kissed him back. A small groan came out of her, or was it him? He didn’t know. All he knew was this felt right.
Pushing his weight forward so he could reach his arms around Amanda’s back, the swing began to drift to the side. Jake let the kiss linger, but pulled back when the swing almost dumped them onto the porch, releasing her from his embrace.
A spark lit between them. His breathing quickened and his heart beat a million miles a minute. Jake ran his hands through his hair. Shit. Fate screamed through the sycamores, Look right in front of you, here she is.
Amanda didn’t say a word, but smiled. “Jake…” His whispered name sent another bolt through his chest.
He reached for her, but before he could touch her, the front door opened.
Amanda’s mom walked out. “There ya’ll are. How’d it go?”
Was she really that clueless? Jake stared at Mrs. Larson, and back at Amanda. He got up quickly, triggering the swing to sway. Amanda sat up, holding onto the arm of the seat, so she wouldn’t fall.
“Hi, Mrs. Larson. I was just dropping Amanda off and we got to talking about college.” Jake felt like a little kid again, making up excuses. He stuffed his hands in his pockets, jiggling his keys.
“Oh good. I want Amanda to go to Tulane, like Carley, but she insists on going to god-awful New York for some reason.”
Okay. Mrs. Larson had no idea he’d just kissed Mandy.
Shit. He just kissed Mandy. Holy crap.
Jake turned to Amanda. She was flushed and still sitting on the swing.
Jake couldn’t believe what he let happen. He’d given hope to her about something that couldn’t, and shouldn’t happen. Ever. What the hell did h
Mrs. Larson continued talking about colleges and went to the lawn to turn on the sprinklers.
He needed to get out of there and fast. He was happy how things were. He liked college, far away from this world. He liked having three girlfriends at once, and fraternity life. Why did he kiss her? What was he thinking? He paced to the stairs, then turned back to see Amanda biting her lip and avoiding eye contact. He didn’t want to hurt her.
Jake walked over to the swing and pecked Amanda on the cheek. “Okay, well…I had a nice night. Thanks for everything, Squirt.”
The bewilderment in Amanda’s eyes slashed at his heart. He hated it, but he couldn’t lead her on, not when he couldn’t commit to her. Amanda deserved better. “See ya later, Mrs. Larson.” Jake took off, down the path, through the sprinklers, and was in his own door before Amanda could say goodbye.
Standing against his front door, Jake dragged his hands down his face. Shit, shit, shit. Images of Amanda drifted through his mind-- her earlier tears, that smile that tugged at his heartstrings, the feel of her lips. What the hell was wrong with him?
He turned around and banged his fist against the door, then winced because it already hurt from that idiot, Gabe.
Jake straightened up, realizing he had to get out of there. There was no way he could stay two more days, like he’d planned. School was where he needed to be. Far from home. Far from so many irresolute feelings.
He ran upstairs and packed. By six in the morning, he’d be long gone and on his way to the distant life that awaited him. Away from the temptation to have it all with the sweet little girl next door.
****
To find out what happens between Jake and Amanda, pick up a copy of Time Changes Everything available August 3, 2017.
Links can be found here: https://www.booksbymelindadozier.com/p/time-changes-everything_12.html
Read a preview below.
Time Changes Everything
Preview