I STILL LOOK FOR YOU PART 20

Lynn declined pleas to join everyone bowling and watched comfortably with her legs pulled under her in the soft booth. This was one area where Tim would excel from his weekly trips with his Dad. Bill had been on a league and the family had gone every Friday night. He expertly left Kurt in his dust and was enjoying it immensely. Traci was a fair bowler and although she’d never had a great love for it, there were two really cute boys using the lane next to hers so she was enjoying her self too. Bobby seemed to be a natural at this too and bowled mostly strikes. When a young girl joined the boys Traci had been eyeing, he asked if one of them wanted to take his place and soon all of the kids were in a world of their own. He limped to where Lynn sat feigning exhaustion and laid his head in her lap, stretching out on the booth. She tenderly wiped the sweat from his face and combed back his damp hair with her fingers.

“Keep that up and we’ll leave the kids here,” he smiled, letting her know the promise of their night together was still foremost in his plans. The heat from his body brought the smell of his aftershave wafting to her nostrils, a smell she would remember for long years ahead.

“You’d better sit up before the kids notice us,” she reluctantly scooted a little to the side but kept her hand on his head, fingers tracing his ear and down his neck. Groaning in protest, he sat up but leaned in, his lips on hers for longer than he should have chanced, then stood shaking his head and called to the kids this was the last frame.

The drive home seemed to take forever and so did getting the kids settled in for the night. Lynn took a long bubble bath and smoothed her skin silken with lotion. She wished for a luxurious satin nightgown but settled for a midriff t-shirt and sleep shorts. She pulled on her robe and decided to forgo perfume or fresh make up. Downstairs, she heard a soft knock at the door and hurried to her lover … and his brother. “Kurt couldn’t sleep so I wondered if we could watch a movie or something until he gets tired,” this said through Bobby’s almost gritted teeth.

“Oh, uh ok, I mean sure, come on in. I was just headed for bed but you guys are welcome to stay.” Lynn wasn’t sure if she should stay downstairs with them or retreat to her bedroom. Bobby shrugged his shoulders, made a face and crossed his eyes at her behind Kurt’s back. She smothered a laugh and headed up the steps.

“Aren’t you forgetting something?” Kurt’s voice surprised her. “You always say, don’t forget to lock up when you leave.” Lynn swore that was a mischievous grin on his face.

She was lost in the memory of Bobby’s kiss and the feel of his face when she heard someone get up to use the bathroom. “Please! No” she said out loud to no one in particular. She heard the stool flush, door open and the clomp of Tim’s footsteps heading downstairs. She rolled over and screamed into her pillow.

The smell of popcorn woke Traci and soon they were all piled on the couch and the floor with pillows and blankets and two very frustrated adults, watching a movie. “Come sit by me.” Bobby held his had out to her. “I want to be right next to the popcorn.” He shot a look at Kurt that spelled a butt kicking if he opened his mouth. So she snuggled in under the blanket and sat tentatively next to him. He pulled her close and put his arm around her, making his shoulder available for her head. This was not exactly what she had envisioned all day but it was nice – she relaxed in a warm contentedness.

It seemed that instead of wearing the kids out with activity, all they had achieved was to get them worked up. One movie ended and another began with no signs of sleepy eyes except those of the adults who were now sole owners of the couch. If the kids noticed the two stretched out like spoons, Lynn’s head on Bobby’s chest and his arms around her, they didn’t let on. Possibly it was the threat of being sent to bed, but Lynn suspected that, like it or not, all three of them had known for a long time that she and Bobby had shared more than morning coffee. They had always been very careful to appear casual and the natural friendship they shared raised no alarms, but the kids were old enough to figure out for themselves that there was, or had been, more going on. This was the first time, however that they held each other in front of the kids.

She felt Bobby’s lips on her neck and sat up suddenly. Now this was too much! He shushed her, pointing at the pile of worn out kids, blankets, pillows, and spilled popcorn. They left the tv on and silently made their way upstairs to Lynn’s room. Dawn was struggling to push back the darkness and silhouetted Bobby’s lean body as he pulled off his t-shirt and jeans. He freed her of her t-shirt, kissing her shoulders and neck, slowly, deliberately chasing any tiredness from her body. They hadn’t been together in months but familiar caresses, only heightened in the glow of love, found them as one. They spoke only words of lovers, timeless in the moment, uncaring of anything but the enticing freedom.