EroticReverie

Laurel Lockwood 

“Shit. This is insane” my friends Emily and Parker whisper as Jace Janeski leads us through the mansion. My jaw dropping at every turn and every room, and every level. 

It’s mainly two levels but has a small third level that’s a large open area with just boxes and other things. The basement level has a gym and entertainment room with a pool table , bowling alley, video arcade games and a bunch of other shit. 

He lets me and my friends play a few rounds of a race car game and then shows us the rest of the house and the outside. Not sure why a house needs and indoor pool and outdoor pool

When right next to the beach , but it has both. 

“I can’t believe you live here” I say as I stand on the deck with him and look out at the sun setting on the ocean. It’s fucking gorgeous from up here. The property sits high on a cliff with a long wooden winding staircase that goes down to the beach. Which my friends are currently making their way down. 

“Yeah. It’s crazy. It’s a huge house. It seemed even bigger than it does now when I was a kid.” He says and I wrap my arms around myself as a chill comes from ocean breeze. 

“Are you cold?” He asks looking to me and I smile at him. 

“I’m fine.” I say , rubbing the goosebumps from my arms. 

“Let me get you a blanket.” He says. 

“You don’t have to do that” I say but he’s already walking away and to a small wooden bench that must have storage. Lifting up the seat he pulls out a blanket. Shaking it free of any dust and then brings it back over. 

He’s handsome. I’ve never been into older men really. And I suppose he’s not that old. I scold myself, because I don’t even know how old he is. 

“How old are you?” I ask and he wraps the blanket around me as he answers. 

“Thirty two” he says. “You?”

“Nineteen.” I answer and look at him for some kind of visible response to my answer. But there’s none. He just nods and looks out at the beach. 

He has to be about six foot four to my five foot seven. He has dark hair and green eyes and dark scruff on his face. He’s actually incredibly attractive and I would have guessed a bit younger than thirty two. 

“Is that okay?” I ask. 

“Is what okay?” He answers and turns to look at me.

“My age.” I say and he cocks his head. 

“Yes?” He sounds confused. “Why wouldn’t it be?” 

He must really not be a pervert, at least that’s the feeling I’m getting from him. 

“Dunno.” I shrug and then look back at the water. 

“They’re gonna be begging me to come back here.” I say of my friends who are prancing around in the sand towards the water. 

“They can come hang out with you while you work. I don’t mind. As long as they’re respectful and not trouble?” He says and I smile a little. 

“Oh they’re trouble. But they’re also respectful” I say with a little laugh and he smiles. 

“We’ll I’m okay with that.” He says. “As long as they don’t get into trouble HERE” he says and i nod. 

“Do you work from home?” I ask and he nods. 

“How long have you been here ?” I ask. 

“Just moved in last week.” He says. 

“And you’ll be here awhile?” I ask and he nods. 

“Maybe it’s too personal , but can I ask about your…um…wife?” I ask and his easy smile fades and he looks back out at the ocean.

“I’m sorry if I…you don’t have to answer that” I say regretting being so fucking nosy. 

“No. It’s okay.” He says and takes a second. 

“We were highschool sweethearts.  We were going to wait till after college to get married , but we just couldn’t wait” he smiles softly and my eyes study his face. 

“We married two years into college, we were both twenty …she was….god, she was the most beautiful bride” he says and my heart melts at the adoration in his voice. 

“We were only married for two years…she got in a car accident. She…didn’t make it.” He says with a sadness that punches me right in the gut. 

“I’m so sorry Jace” I say my eyes blurring with tears. 

“It’s been ten years….and it still feels like it was yesterday that we were making plans to…have kids…have a life together” he says and then shakes his head. 

“Sorry you don’t want to listen to me talk about-“

“Sure I do.” I say cutting him off. 

He looks at me. 

“I haven’t talked about her in a long time. Her parents….they won’t talk about her…it’s like…everyone in her life would rather forget it happened…like they’ve erased her because it hurts too much to think about her , you know?” He asks and I nod. 

“I know we just met. But, you can talk to me about her. Whenever you want. I’m really good at listening to people.” I say and he offers a grateful smile. 

“That’s sweet of you. Thank you.” He says and looks back to my friends as they laugh and come back towards the house. 

“Have you …dated since?” I ask and he shakes his head. 

“No.” He says quietly. 

I chew my lip and look back at my friends who are nearing the bottom of the stairs. 

“Don’t you want to?” I ask and he sighs. 

“Sorry.” I say and he shrugs. 

“I don’t know if I do or not. I know she’s want me to…she’d want me to happy…but….she was made me happy. And I’m afraid I won’t ever find anything close to what we had.” He says and my heart twists and breaks for him. 

“Moving here….is my first attempt at…trying to live without her….I figured maybe if I moved away from where I lived with her…it would push me to …get out there or something.” He says with a sigh. 

“Dating isn’t easy” I say with a sigh and he laughs and I look at him. 

“Yeah. It’s terrifying at my age.” He says and I smile. 

“Youre a good looking guy Jace. No woman is going to turn you down.” I say. 

He laughs slightly and shrugs. “If you say so”

“I know so. You’ve got the tall dark and handsome thing going on. Any woman would jump at the chance for a date with you.” I say and he smiles. 

“Tall dark and handsome huh?” He cocks a brow at me. 

“Alright alright. Don’t go and make me regret giving you a compliment” I say and he laughs. 

“Thank you.” He says. “Youre sweet, thank you for saying that” 

“Mikey texted” my friend Emily says as she reaches the top stair. “Party at The Lock!” She woots throwing her hands in the air. 

I laugh and look at Jace. 

“The party gods are calling” I say and he smiles and nods. 

“You better answer them I suppose” he says and something in me wants him to ask me to stay. I want to talk to him more. Know more about him. About his late wife and their love story and how he’s gone ten years without ever dating anyone else. 

My friends thank Jace and he nods with a smile. 

“I’ll be right there” I say as Emily and Parker make their way from the deck to the patio and start walking around the house. 

“I can stay if you want.” I offer. 

He looks at me with his bright green eyes and smiles with a soft shake of his head. 

“I’m okay. Thank you though.” He says. 

I Nod and unwrap the blanket from around myself and hand it over to him and he takes it and smiles. 

“Have fun at your party Laurel” he says. 

“Not too much though” I say with a smile. “I have a job to do tomorrow” I add and he laughs. 

“Come over whenever you’d like. I promise I won’t expect you here bright and early.” He says and I smile and pull out my phone. 

“I should um, have your number, right?” I ask and he nods. 

“Yeah of course.” He says and then tells me his number and I shoot him a text. 

He pulls out his phone and a burst of laughter than I’m very proud of causing comes from his chest. 

“Hey, it’s your no freaky shit maid???” He asks as he reads the text and I smile. 

“Made you laugh. Didn’t it?” I ask and he nods and tucks his phone into his pocket. 

“It did. Thank you. Let me walk you to the front”

I follow him around the house and through the small gardens at the side over a cobblestone walk way. 

He walks me to the driveway where my friends are parked and waiting. 

“Anytime you need to talk Jace. I mean it.” I say and he smiles softy and nods. 

“Thank you Laurel” he says. 

“See you tomorrow.” I say. 

“See you tomorrow.” He says and I take a breath and nod and turn to walk tot he car and then turn as I walk backwards and point at him. 

“No freak shit Janeski” I say and he laughs again and holds his hands up as surrendering. 

“You have my word” he says with a laugh and lowers his hands and I smile then turn and skip to the car and get in. All of waving as we drive off. 

“You’re totally gonna fuck him!” Parker laughs as we pull out onto the street. 

“No.  I’m not.” I say with a laugh. Because Jace Janeski didn’t strike me as the kind of man who was interested in teenage girls or a one night stand or little fling. Maybe if he was widowed , I may have wanted to try to see if he was interested in a little something more at some point. But hearing how long he’s gone without dating, it was clear he was a serious man, and didn’t do sex do fun. He did sex that requires being soul mates or in love and I wouldn’t fuck around with him knowing what I know.

“Yeah” Emily says. “You totally are.”

I roll my eyes and shake my head. 

“Whatever” I laugh. I don’t bother explaining to them why I’m not interested int trying to seduce him. Maybe because I know his story isn’t mine to share. And also because I like knowing more about him than they do. 

“This party is going to be crazyyyyyy!” Parker hoots and sticks her head out the window with a squeal. And I just shake my head with a laugh. 

I’m always down for a party. But I wasn’t in the mood. Not when a large part of me was still back at the Janeski house with Jace. 

I make a vow to myself

 To help him get his happiness back. I’d be the best wing woman ever for him. I’d be his cleaner and his Cupid.