Like a Good Neighbor (RVJ94 and Whispered Desire)

The morning sun had eaten away most of the darkness in his bedroom, and despite Joseph's eyes being closed, were reaching past his eyelids. A few more minutes of tossing and turning in bed weren't gonna give him any more sleep. His eyelids opened, revealing dark brown eyes that looked up at the ceiling as the first thing he saw. The second thing he saw was the bright red digits on his alarm clock when he turned to check the time. 8:23, it read.

With a sigh, the 25-year-old got out of bed and dragged himself into the bathroom. After relieving himself and washing his hands, he grabbed his comb and started working on the thick, dark brown hair that at it's current state, would have had people asking if he had been scared by something.

He walked down the hallway of the three-bedroom apartment that he shared with a roommate. Joseph wasn't too heavy, and he carried his 175-lb frame well at 6'0" tall, so his steps down the hall weren't gonna disturb anyone. The door to Todd's room was closed, and at this time of the morning, that usually meant that Todd had been asleep for only a few hours. His job at a nightclub tended to leave him coming home at weird hours of the night. Meanwhile, Joseph worked part-time at a local design and marketing firm, and part-time at home. It wasn't bad, since it gave him a little more freedom on when to work, and he could choose how much to work at home.

A quick peer out of the living room window revealed that indeed, Todd was home. His car was parked next to Joseph's. There were plenty of other neighbors that were home too. But with this being a Saturday morning, and many of them wanting to get out for the day, that will soon change. He didn't see the vehicle that belonged to their new neighbor, but he didn't think much of it.

He went into the kitchen to grab some orange juice, contemplating on how he should spend his Saturday.

Dressed in a pair of denim shorts and a form fitting black tank top the curvaceous 33 year old Emily Carver's five foot six inch frame struggled to carry the packages and groceries she’d been forced to walk home with when her car broke down just a few blocks away. She’d abandoned it in order to get her frozen foods home before it spoiled and had decided to get help for the car later that day. Just being new to town she wouldn’t have known who to call anyhow and would have to wait to get home to check the yellow pages for a good mechanic, not to mention tow truck.

She turned up the sidewalk that led to her small apartment. Coming here was to be a new start for the brown eyed woman. Luckily for her, she’d been offered a transfer and it was her perfect escape from the negative relationship she’d been in. She still had a few fading bruises to prove it upon her shoulders and under the dark sunglasses that hid her deep brown eyes. The slightest touch of lipstick had covered the still partially split lip that she’d received when Mark had found out that she was leaving him. Emi shuddered at the thought just as she tripped on the uneven sidewalk and although she’d maintained her balance, her groceries went scattering everywhere.

Leaning down to pick them up the brunettes long hair fell down and around her face as she sat down her packages to retrieve the items that had fallen from out of the now torn bag. For a moment she did nothing but rested her face in her hands, shaking her head slightly and cursing out loud “Damn it”. Exactly what she needed her first week here in this town? She now had a broken car, she didn’t know one person who could help her to get it where it needed to go, and now groceries everywhere.

With a deep breath of determination she bent over, her shorts perhaps riding a bit high and possibly even being considered too short for a woman over thirty but while Emily wasn’t the super skinny girl she’d been in high school and college, she still had a firm and shapely figure. She began rearranging the items to make room for the ones that had been in the torn bag, the warm sun already beating down upon her shoulders. She stopped for a moment, tilting her face towards the warmth of the sun. If nothing else, at least the day’s weather was looking very promising.

Three hours had passed since Joseph woke up, and not a plan was in place for the day. The day was getting warmer, and people were out and about, no doubt having fun and enjoying the beginning of the weekend. Three hours with barely anything accomplished so far.

Scratch that. He had made toast without burning it. Sometimes, you have to accept the small victories.

Maybe it was gonna be one of those lazy days. Nothing wrong with that, he reasoned with himself. He had done a lot of work that week, trying to satisfy his current client base, while working his contacts to find new ones.

Sitting comfortably at his desk, he had finished going through emails and began going through his Facebook account, browsing mindlessly through many of the posts he missed while sleeping. Was he the only one at his age who slept while others were out doing stuff at odd hours of the night?

He didn't finish that thought, however, as he noticed someone out of the corner of his eye on the sidewalk stumble and stop. Turning his focus to the window, he then thought he heard the person say something. The person turned out to be a woman, a pretty attractive looking one at that. Was that his new neighbor? he silently questioned. She looked slightly familiar. And slightly in trouble, with groceries all over the sidewalk. Perhaps he should go and help her. Since he had no plans.

He put his sandals on, and opened the front door to go greet her. She was only about thirty feet or so from his front door. He had walked half of that distance when he spoke in an unassuming voice, coupled with a soft smile. "You need help with that?"

Emily heard the voice before she saw the person who had spoken. She directed her gaze to the sound of the voice and saw that it was attached to a younger, nice looking man she’d have assumed to be in his mid twenties had she been the sort to assume anything. Emily simply wasn’t the assuming type, since assumption was the mother of all fucks ups.

The corners of his mouth turned upwards into a brief smile and for a moment Emily stopped to think he was rather handsome with his dark hair and eyes. She quickly pushed that thought out of her mind though since she’d come transferred here to get away from anything that had to do with men. However, accepting his offer of assistance couldn’t hurt especially since her hands were more than full and he was kind enough to ask.

“Hi there” she smiled “I don’t want to bother you on your Saturday but if you’d help me get these inside I’d really appreciate it. My mornings been a bit of a wreck already this morning as you can see” she laughed lightly nodding at the spilled items on the ground. She finished packing the few things in the bags the best that she could and finally stood up from where she’d been kneeling, her shorts moving back to a more comfortable length as she brushed the hair that had fallen into her face away so she could look at the stranger through her large dark sunglasses.

“Thank you for” for what Emily? For allowing you to interrupt his peaceful day inside with your bumbling? “offering. My names Emily Carver.” She said extending her hand in greeting “My friends call me Emi.” Then she gave a sort of wry smile, those luscious full lips curving at the corners slightly “I mean, before I moved here my friends called me Emi or Em. I don’t really have any friends here in town.”

She pulled her keys from her shorts pocket then and leaned back down to pick up a few of the bags. “Right inside of the door is fine, I’ll deal with them from there.” She put the key in the lock and turned it, then tossed over her shoulder “You wouldn’t happen to be able to recommend a good mechanic that does service calls would you? My car just broke down a block from here.”

He knelt down to begin picking up some of the items that were still strewn on the sidewalk. Looks like they were nothing but frozen items from the grocery store. And some of them were starting to sweat, as he could tell just by handling them. "Oh, it's no bother at all," he reassured her. "Thought I heard a little commotion outside, and I saw you out here."

He tried not to stare too long at her, while at the same time trying to take advantage of the chance for a closer inspection of his new neighbor. Her body seemed fit enough. Not a toothpick, but not a product of constantly visiting McDonald's, either. She was a brunette, and while he had no real preference on hair color, he tended to subconsciously gravitate towards brunettes. She looked to be in her mid to late twenties, but he wasn't the best at guessing someone's age. Better to leave that topic alone for now just to be safe, he thought.

"You're welcome. And I'm Joseph Ryan," he said and accepted her hand in return with his free hand, giving it a soft squeeze. Following her to her front door, he waited patiently as she fished for her keys, and then opened the door. "Um, no, not personally. There's one or two shops that I normally go to if I need car repairs done, though."

With the introductions out of they way she turned the key that led into her comfortable sized apartment and led Joseph Ryan into the main hallway that led through the spacious living room and into the adjoining kitchen where she sat the few bags she had down and flipped on the overhead lights. She repeated his name to herself several times until she got into the kitchen so she wouldn't forget it and having set her bags down she turned to him then.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Joseph, you can just sit then down anywhere you can find a spot." Emily smiled a broad smile then but winced slightly. It was the first time she'd really attempted to smile since Mark had beaten her and the action had caused her cracked lip to hurt more than she had expected. The smile faded from her face and she fell momentarily silent.

Emily moved across the kitchen then to a large desk which was still cluttered with unpacked boxes. She'd begun working from home right away for her company and she'd still have plenty of unpacking to do. She bent over the desk and rummaged through the drawers until finally producing a pen and note pad and stepping back to where Joseph stood she handed him the pad and pen as she removed her sunglasses, the slightest of a bruise still being hidden by make up the best that she could manage.

"Would you mind writing down the name of your mechanics so I can give them a call then?" She motioned to a chair at the kitchen table, seating herself as she did so in the one opposite of it, her long legs stretched out in front of her as a small sigh escaped her lips. "Well, guess without my car I'm pretty much stuck sticking only to things within walking distance for at least the weekend." She'd begun talking almost forgetting that Joseph was still in the room with her until she looked up, once again noting that he really was rather handsome for his age. She'd never really looked at younger men before, but Joseph did manage to catch her eye, perhaps it was his dark hair, or those dark soulful eyes, or just the fact that he seemed to really be laid back that she found her gaze returning to his form time and time again.


Not wanting to appear rude or stare at him her gaze turned towards the window as sunlight streamed in and across her face.
"Nice day for the beach isn't it? Too bad ones not near enough for me to walk to." The truth was even if she could go to the beach she wouldn't do anything more than walk around for a while in the sand. She'd never learned to swim well enough to actually attempt playing in the water much, and it wasn't really like she owned bathing suits anymore. She'd stopped wearing them when she'd put on weight after college, despite that most men found her to be somewhat attractive, she just wasn't comfortable wearing bathing suits much any more and she only even owned one.

"I'm sorry, where are my manners? The least I could do is offer you some coffee, tea, maybe a beer or drink or?" Then she laughed as she remembered, the only thing she had to drink alcohol wise was some left over vodka from before the move.

Joseph followed her into the apartment, which was laid out identical to his. This one had all the evidence of someone who had just finished moving. Boxes of all sizes stacked on top of each other or by themselves, some of which were open, some of which were on the floor or on desks and tables. It made the apartment look smaller than it really is. He didn't notice any pictures of relatives or significant others, but they could very well be packed away also.

He sat the items he had on the kitchen counter, finding enough room for all of them. "It's nice to meet you too," he said while turning to face her, a smile of his own forming. He thought he saw something in her smile, like it was forced or something, but he didn't linger on it long.

He looked around the kitchen casually, as if waiting for a cue to do something while she disappeared momentarily then reappeared. When she requested the number for the mechanic, he replied, "Sure, no problem," and followed her to the table. Taking a seat that was closest to him and to her, he wrote down the name of the shop along with the phone number. He had to scribble circles a couple of times to get the pen to work. The shop was only a handful of miles away from where the apartment complex, so it shouldn't be too much trouble to get there as long as she wasn't completely new in town. But that's when he remembered what she said earlier about moving, and not having any friends in town. If she was new in town, there's no way that this attractive woman would stay lonely for long.

Pushing aside the notepad to her, he said, "Thank you, but no thanks." Then he laughed a little bit at the choices she offered. "Honestly, I don't drink coffee, I never cared for tea, and I don't drink alcohol." The last one being a personal choice, one that always seemed to get a reaction out of others when they learned of it.

"I have a couple of cokes in the fridge, or water. I'm sorry, that's all I have right now. The rest is back in the car, I'll have to make the walk back to get the rest of the stuff later." She grinned sheepishly then "I wasn't expecting the car to break down so I went shopping with the intentions of planning on stocking my kitchen."

Emily sat beside him, drinking the coffee she had poured for herself while he had written the name and number down. Those dark tresses would fall around her face as she cocked her head slightly, turning towards him "You don't drink? That is rare and admirable in this day and age." It seemed that Emily had a lifetime of being involved with men that drank far too much, meeting someone that didn't was a refreshing change for her. " I don't drink all that often either most of this stuff is left overs from" Why she even was telling him this she had no clue but she was half way through the sentence and would finish it "the last guy I dated. He drank." She wouldn't add that he had been a heavy drinker and always had booze in the house or that he was generally a mean SOB when he drank. Who was she kidding, he'd turned out to be mean even when he wasn't drinking.

Emily rose to take her cup to the sink, her bare leg brushing against his and she blushed slightly "Sorry about that" she said, rinsing the cup and setting it down. She stood then, her palms pressed against the sink behind her as she leaned against the counter reflecting "I'll bet since it's already late on a Saturday morning any shop that would have been opened is closed by now."

She said the words then unpacked a few bags, gathering the frozen items and placing them in the freezer before they thawed and making sure to put the milk and other items in the refrigerator. A small sigh would escape as she continued with a slight smile "Well, there's nothing like having all weekend to get unpacked to make some more room to work from, I need to get my office set up but first I guess I'd better hike back over to my car and get the rest of my groceries until I can get in touch with the mechanic or tow truck. I think it should be okay sitting where it's at, it's parked along the street." She didn't care for the idea that she'd have to leave her car sit, especially since she had a hunch it was just a battery that needed replaced. At least Mark had been good with cars.

That frown would cross her features again then as she remembered her manners once more. Why was it she just assumed that the man sitting in her kitchen needed to hear all of her woes, and why exactly she felt so comfortable talking to him she'd yet to figure out but quickly she changed the subject then although the issue with getting her groceries home and getting the car fixed would obviously still weigh heavily upon her mind.

"So tell me Joseph, what do you do for a living? Do you work close by?" She glanced nervously at the clock that she'd managed to get hung on the wall, noting that the mid day sun would soon be up and most likely she'd be soaked from the walk back to the car and back to the apartment by the time she got done. Suddenly she became less interested in making the trek for her canned goods and more interested in talking to the younger man who now sat at her table although an age gap was evident, for some reason she found it rather easy to talk to him. She picked up the chap stick laying on the counter and applied it to her semi swollen lip, the waxy substance seemed to sooth it and make it less painful while it healed.

Emily moved back to the table and took her seat beside him once more, this time being careful not to brush up against him. She smiled then, a genuine smile "I guess you could consider me to be lucky, I get to work from home most of the time. I rarely ever actually have to go to the office." She nodded her head towards the other room that held her working desk "I can do most everything from right there, well that is, other than the meetings that I can't do through video conferencing. Then I actually have to go into the office, but it doesn't happen often."

She'd wait for him then to either divulge what he did for a living or skirt her question as quite frankly, it really wasn't her business what his occupation was.

"It's really a personal choice, that's all. I don't think I live that straight edge lifestyle or anything." He shrugged it off like it was nothing, although he did sometimes like to see the reactions out of others. The truth was, among other reasons, was that he had seen what it can do to other people, people that he cared about. Whether it was just for a few hours, or a lifetime, he didn't want to be seen behaving like those who were out of control after several drinks.

He sat there and listened as she rattled on. He found that sometimes if he was quiet, the other person would talk. And the more they talked, the more they tended to reveal about themselves, and he was learning a few things today. She dropped bits of topics as she went on, like it was something she needed to say. And since he was there, it was better than talking to herself. He didn't expect to hear about the last guy she dated, or that he liked to drink. Lots of people drank, but some became pretty mean and violent if they were inebriated. If that guy was one of those types, then maybe that's why she brought him up.

Her leg bumped into his as she got up to go to the kitchen, and he smiled to acknowledge her apology. No big deal or anything, but it did draw his eyes to her legs for a moment as she walked away. She certainly had a nice figure. An hourglass type. He found himself drawn to that type of figure, as evident from his past two girls he had dated. He didn't know if she worked out or if it was natural, but he liked how she filled out those shorts. The top wasn't too bad, either. As she turned around, he forced himself to stop staring.

The topic turned back to him. It was his turn to reveal. "I work part-time at an office out in the Henley area of town, part-time at home. I do quite a bit of work on the computer, working on websites and such," he said with a cool, even tone. Then he added with a smile, "So you aren't the only one that can work from home."

He saw an opportunity to make himself some plans for the next few hours. That is, if she so allowed it. "I tell you what, why don't I call for a wrecker, and I'll drive you to your car and help with the groceries. I'd hate for you to do all of that by yourself."

Emily listened intently as Joseph talked, committing every detail to memory along with they way he smiled, how his dark eyes seemed to hold something different than most men she knew. Perhaps it was because he said he didn't drink on top of the fact that he'd already come to her rescue once today.

She nodded as the spoke, an acknowledgement to what he was telling her but mostly she just listened. She noticed quickly that she liked the sound of his voice, the way it carried to her ears and the way he sounded like he was genuinely a rather laid back person. Emi admired that in people, she'd never cared for uptight people. While she understood that sometimes ones work could cause stress, she'd always been of the mind that as her daddy had always taught her "Well Em, if you have something that causes you stress in your life, the best thing to do is get rid of it." Her dad had always been practical that way but the truth was that it was sometimes easier said than done.

Her attentions quickly snapped back to one hundred percent, the brief thoughts of her father disappearing as Joseph offered to call a wrecker and drive her to get the remainder of her groceries. She smiled then, her hand almost touching his in a sign of thanks as she spoke but quickly she withdrew it, realizing what she had almost done. Her cheeks turned a lovely shade of crimson as she spoke.

"That's very kind of you Joseph, and it would be a huge help but I hate to bother you." Emily looked away then feeling rather guilty already for having taken up part of his Saturday. "You've already done so much and I hate to consume your time on your day off."

He pulled out his smartphone, and started to look up the nearest towing company. It seemed like there were quite a number of them, from observing his surroundings while driving. "What street is your car on? And what kind is it?" he asked her, to gather enough information for the phone call. With his experience at constantly tapping and sliding his fingers across the touch screen, it took him all of five minutes from the time he had located one to the time the phone call had ended. He wondered if she was impressed.

He accepted her gratitude with nothing more than a shrug and a friendly smile. Really, he was just being kind. It was more than just not having much to do at the time, although he'd have to admit that it did help.

Standing up, he said, "If you're ready to go back to your car, I just need to go back to my place to get my keys and wallet." From what he could tell, she didn't need to grab anything else, or change clothes unless she felt sweaty. The sun here had a bad habit of doing that to people.

Emily noted that her car now sat at the corner of third and fourth street, just two blocks up and that it was a deep burgandy colored Cadillac cts-v. Emily was rather pleased at the way Jonathon had just taken charge and gotten it done. She'd always loved a man who knew how to get things done and wasn't afraid to do it. That type of man had always impressed her and the fact that he seemed to be really laid back only added to her ever growing interest in her new neighbor. Despite that she basically thought men to be a hindrance to her life anymore, there was something different about the younger man who now stood in her kitchen. Perhaps that was the attraction, that he was different then most men that she'd ever dealt with before. The fact that he was younger, and rather handsome in her eyes, didn't hurt either.

He indicated that he was ready to leave and Emi frowned slightly, not wanting to impose further but the walk home in the early morning heat had left her less than uncomfortable. "Give me just a sec to toss on a dry shirt, I'm afraid the walk home was a bit warm." She smiled then "You can wait for me in here" she nodded indicating the living room as she closed the distance across the room and slid behind the door of what would be her bedroom. "Be right back" she tossed over her shoulder, then going to her dresser to pull out a low cut v necked spaghetti strapped sun top that would keep her cooler, and be much dryer.

In her hurry to get changed so as not to waste more of Josephs time on his day off, she hadn't taken the time to pull her bedroom door shut. She'd simply grabbed a dry shirt to pull on, and standing in front of the floor length mirror she'd pulled off her damp shirt and bra, drying her naked upper torso quickly with a towel from the still unpacked laundry basket on her bed, and replaced the damp garments with the dry shirt, not bothering to put on another bra since the shirt had one built into it. She tugged the bottom of the shirt down over her ample breasts and then over her smooth stomach. For a woman her age, she didn't think her body to be perfect but didn't think it to be as bad as some women her age either.

She turned, smoothing the shirt over her shorts and giving one last glance in the mirror before reappearing in the room where Joseph waited "I'm ready now. Sorry for the wait." She found herself apologizing to the young man once again but smiled a rather warm smile "We can just head over to your place to get whatever you need" she said, grabbing her keys and a small wallet that held her drivers license, credit card and a few small bills and slipped it into the back pocket of those form fitting jeans, the keys hung around one of her fingers for safe keeping.

Joseph stood patiently near the front door, as Emi went to her bedroom to change. Hands in his pockets, he watched her walk down the hall and away, giving him another chance to glance at those killer legs that poked out of those shorts. His eyes lingered on her hips as they swayed back and forth. When she finally disappeared, the door never closed, which he thought was a little strange.

Most women -- hell, most people -- would close the door when changing while a stranger was standing in their living room. The thought crossed his mind of the possibility of her walking by the door partially clothed, but the chances were probably slim. His eyes darted from the bedroom door to around the living room and back. Until she returned, his company consisted mostly of the moving boxes. If they could speak, they would probably remind him of those slim odds. Unlike the time when he was sixteen, and his older sister's hot friend happened to be caught without a top on. It was purely accidental, but he certainly didn't mind.

However, when she did return, he couldn't help but notice that she looked different thanks to the new top, but still very attractive. Her new top looked like some sort of tank top that were tailored only for females, and it really complimented her well. It's rude to stare, he reminded himself. "No need to apologize," he said and with a wave of a hand, led the way to his place. "Let's go."

He stepped up to and through the doorway leading to his place, and went to fetch his wallet. As he put it in his front pocket, and car keys in his other hand, he surmised that his place and hers were different. One could probably tell which one was occupied by the male, and by the female despite her things not being unpacked yet.
With a quick lock of the door, he began walking to his car, a late-model Honda. His impending passenger was in tow.

Emily noted that despite the age difference, Joseph seemed very confidant in being assertive, simply by the way he had stated "Lets go."

Emi followed Joseph towards his apartment not far at all from hers and although she would step inside the door when he motioned her to, she went no further. It was obvious by the way that the place was decorated that this was a males residence, and she failed to note any signs of a female inhabitant. He disappeared only to reappear moments later and again she would follow him, waiting as he locked the door and then on to his car.

She couldn't help note again that the younger man was handsome and her eyes would travel over his tall and thin, but toned frame as he walked, her eyes straying over him but quickly looking away when they reached his car. She mentioned "My cars just two blocks over."

Dumb. That was so dumb she had thought to herself and quickly looked away. Of course he would know where the intersection was where her car was parked, after all he had lived here far longer than she had.

He wondered what she thought of his place. It was a little plain for two guys living there, but he was happy with it. He did his best to keep it neat and tidy, even though his roommate sometimes had other ideas. It was sometimes annoying to see dirty dishes piled up in the sink, but Todd was getting better at it.

They walked in mostly in silence from his front door to his car, until she broke it by mentioning the location of her car. Yes, Third and Fourth streets were only two blocks away and he knew that. Why would she mention it again? He didn't know, but it wasn't a big deal. He just looked at her with a smile and nodded once. "Okay."

They piled into his car and he slid the key into the ignition. He was pretty particular about the inside of his car. Well, the outside too. But the interior was nearly spotless. No loose papers or trash on the floorboards, or half-empty soda cans or bottles in the cupholders. Again, unlike his roommate. The only accessories were his sunglasses clip and a USB cord plugged into the outlet below the radio. "So what do you do for a living, other than work from home?" he asked as the car slowly backed up out of the parking spot.

The inside of Josephs car seemed to match the inside of his home, Emily finding it somewhat odd as most guys apartments she'd ever been in, like their cars, hadn't been exactly clean. Having been embarrassed over her last out of place statement she hadn't tried to strike up a conversation and was grateful when Joseph began to speak.

"So what do you do for a living, other than work from home?"

I work as an administrative assistant. In plain words, I make sure that my bosses work gets done on time and it makes him look good." She laughed at the lighthearted comment which was in actuality, the truth. "Which basically means I do lots of reports for the company which is a marketing solutions firm. I handle anything from travel arrangements to scheduling conferences, to doing reports and so on."

She smiled at him then, those luscious lips curving upward in a small grin "And I get to do it from home, and I get to travel sometimes. I can't complain about the pay either." She would finish answering his question and watched as he backed the car up so that they could go retrieve her items.

She glanced out the window and noticed it looked like it might rain later, the humidity was building up outside and she was grateful that she'd gotten the air conditioner checked when she'd moved into the apartment since it was still warm out.

When she turned back to him she'd notice again his handsome features and she couldn't help but think him to be rather kind as he'd offered to help her out. She'd have to think of a way to repay him for his kindness but for now she simply inquired "What do you like to do in your free time Joseph?"

"An assistant. That's pretty interesting. People like you are always kept busy," he said. He could picture her doing a lot of multitasking. Typing away on the computer, while a phone was glued to her ear, before grabbing something from the printer. She probably didn't dress up for it since it was all done from home, although he felt it was safe to assume that she'd look awfully nice in a feminine business outfit of some sort. At least she didn't have to make coffee to her boss's liking.

Shaking off the image, he answered, "Oh, the typical stuff. Hang out with friends, shoot some pool even though I'm no good at it. Hit the beach. I like to exercise some, although it's mostly running. And sometimes, I just like to stay inside and watch some TV or do some gaming." He didn't sound like he had grown up at all.

It didn't take them long to reach her car. This section of Third Street was mostly residential, while Fourth Street was nothing but residential. He reached the intersection and spotted the Cadillac easily, which was parked next to the sidewalk. About 15 feet away, a privacy fence marked the barrier between the sidewalk and a single-story residence. He made a quick U-turn and pulled up behind her car.

He gave a quick whistle. "Nice ride," he said, killing the engine and opening the driver's side door. She wasn't lying about not complaining about the pay. Whatever company she works for must be doing some big business. It sucks that she'll have to use some of that to pay for the repairs. "Your car looks pretty new. What year is it?"

"I'm always busy, whether I'm actually at the office or at home. I hate having to go in though, I have to play dress up then." Her mind drifted on the fact that she really was hoping that she wouldn't have to actually go back in for a while, she was enjoying her time out of the bigger city that she'd just moved from.

"Oh, you like the beach?" Emily inquired cheerfully. She'd planned on going to the beach today before her car had broken down but now the trip would have to wait. She didn't mind too much since she really only liked to go to be close to the ocean, to hear it and walk in the sand since she couldn't really swim, she only played out in the water. "I was going to go later today but I'll have to postpone the trip now til the car gets fixed, so it's looking like a movie kind of weekend for me this weekend."

By then, he'd found her car and she heard him give a low whistle when he saw it. She grinned. The company really did pay her well and although she had opted for a simple enough apartment, it was big enough for two people allowing her more than adequate space to live alone. "I like it well enough." She said when he mentioned it being a nice ride. The car wasn't that old and she was quick to answer him "It's only a year old so I'm sure whatever it is wrong with it is minor." She would have liked to have been confident in her statement but as she had no mechanical inclinations what-so-ever she would leave the diagnosis up to the the mechanic.

When he parked his car, she already had her keys out and was unlocking the doors and popping the trunk so that they could retrieve the rest of her items. She sat two more recyclable bags full of canned goods on the pavement from inside of her trunk before moving to the back seat of her car and producing a new pair of sneakers, high heels and a little black dress that she simply couldn't pass up when she saw it for half price although she really had no intentions of dating anytime soon. She wouldn't worry about the dress not fitting her later as she had remained the same size for the past several years and although she was what she considered to be very curvy, she had no trouble maintaining her curvacious form.

With the bag of shoes and the dress in her hand she smiled at Joseph "This and those two bags are all I had left, I managed to carry everything else in the first trip."

She was interrupted then when the tow truck pulled up only long enough to exchange the necessary information with the driver and hand him the keys with instructions for the mechanic to call her on Monday when he knew what was wrong with it, along with giving him her triple A information so the tow truck company could get paid for coming out today too.

After watching him pull away with her car her smile would return as she looked over at Joseph. The handsome young man had literally saved the day and she hoped by the time they returned to her apartment she could think of some clever way to repay him for his trouble but for now she would simply offer him a big smile, her green eyes twinkling softly as she spoke "You've saved the day for Joseph, I'm not sure how to repay you, but thanks so much for helping me out." If nothing else, he would be able to discern the sincerity of her words when she spoke to him, her smile conveying how much he was appreciated.

He reached down next to the driver's set for the lever and popped the trunk open. Like any gentleman, he got the two bags she had sat down on the pavement and placed them in his trunk, while she grabbed the other items. 

He slowly made his way to her as she talked to the tow truck driver, a shaggy looking male probably in his late 20's. He stood there mostly just to listen for anything unusual or if she needed extra assistance. Plus, it didn't hurt to have an extra male presence. It might make the driver think twice about hitting on her, and surely Emi didn't need that in this stressful time.

Eventually, the Cadillac was towed and they were left by themselves again, only with more groceries. He shrugged off her gratitude. "No need to worry about repaying me. I just saw a damsel in distress and put on my Superman cape," he replied with a grin, feeling a little goofy. He felt pretty at ease being around her. Relaxed, even. 

He tilted his head towards his car. "Now let's get these back to your place."

When they had retrieved her items and her car had finally disappeared along with the tow truck that had been called, it was then that Emily finally began to relax just a little bit. There was little that she could do now other than wait until the call came to tell her exactly what was wrong with the car.

Joseph's comment that she didn't need to repay him brought a smile to her face and it was then that she truly noticed his own smile for the first time. She took a long glance at him, noting that although he was a few years her junior, he was a rather handsome young man. She'd actually noticed it earlier, but not to the extent that she did now, perhaps only because before her mind had been preoccupied with the car. And she had also liked the fact that he'd made his presence known while the tow truck driver was there and was grateful for that as well.

When he nodded towards his car stating they should get back with her things, she agreed readily and put her things in the trunk along with the rest of the grocery items. He'd said he didn't need re-payed, and he also had said he didn't drink so at this point she had to think of a way to show her appreciation. About the only thing Emi was really great at was cooking and she wondered if it would be out of place to ask him if he'd care for a home cooked meal. At first she hesitated but it simply seemed to her that he was just so easy to get along with that he wouldn't take the offer in the wrong way so she smiled as they climbed back into his car.

"Well, you don't drink, so I can't buy you a drink but how would you feel about a home cooked meal? After all, it's the least I can do for your trouble." The offer was a simple thank you, now all she had to do was wait to see if he'd accept or not.

They say that it's good to help others out, especially when it's out of the goodness of your heart. And as he got back into the car, he certainly was sensing that good feeling in his mind. It wasn't like volunteering at the senior center, the YMCA or for an after-school program, but he did feel an extra kick in his step.

He wasn't looking for repayment, but he wasn't going to decline an offer for a meal. It offered another opportunity to talk to his new neighbor. Never hurts to get to know the hottie next door, his inner-teenager reasoned. "Well if you insist, I wouldn't mind having lunch with you," he said, steering the car onto the road. With you. Those extra words didn't insinuate anything, right? After all, that's who he would be having lunch with.

The clock on his car dashboard read 12:02. Lunch sounded good. "So what's on the menu?," he asked with another flash of his grin, checking both ways at the four-way intersection before proceeding with his turn.

"So what's on the menu?,"

Joseph would flash that grin again and for a second Emily had to remind herself that he was younger than her and she'd have to stop the flirtatious comment from being spoken that had almost invaded her thoughts as he turned at the intersection.

Instead, Emi thought about it for a minute, debating what she had at the house that would make a real "home cooked" meal but wouldn't take forever to make either and the first thought that entered her mind popped out of those full lips.

"I can make lasagne with garlic bread if you eat that sort of thing." Then she frowned slightly adding "It won't take long to whip up, but it will take about an hour to bake. So if you have plans for this afternoon, I can figure out what else I have at home that won't take quit as long?"

Emily hoped that the cute younger neighbor wouldn't have plans because she really didn't feel like having to bother him to stop at a store on the way home to gather something else if the lasagna didn't suit him for dinner. Well, that and because for some reason she really enjoyed seeing Joseph's cute smile.

"Lasagna and garlic bread. Sounds like a woman that knows the path straight to a guy's heart," he said jokingly. Maybe it was Italian roots that he got from his father, but he could never turn down a dish like that. And it was offered by a woman like her? One would have to question his sobriety if he declined her dish. 

No, he didn't have any plans. Scratch that. He didn't until he saw that she had needed his help. The bags of groceries that were falling apart, and now the broken down Cadillac had changed all of that. 

She had said something about going to the beach today. But now she had no way of getting there. And he had no other plans today. 

There was no need to take off his superhero cape, now. 

"Well, you had mentioned having no way of hitting the beach today. The rest of my day is wide open, so maybe if you'd like, I can drive us there. And you can get away from unpacking for a little while."

Emi's eyes lit up at the possibility of making it to the beach. One of the reasons she had chosen her new location was it's close proximity to the beach since she had always loved the sound of the water. Although she was not what one could consider to be a strong swimmer, it hadn't deterred her from loving the beach.

She grinned over at him from her position in the opposite seat.

"Deal!" she exclaimed with a rather bright smile although the smile would be short lived as she reminded herself that she would need to wear a bathing suit if they were going to the beach and surely Joseph was accustomed to young, skinny girls clad in bikini's and a fuller figure such as she had not to mention, she was several years older than him. But he'd made the offer and she'd accepted and besides, she'd have to be an idiot not to take him up on his offer.

Once they had made the short drive back to her apartment she mentioned that it would take about an hour after she threw it all together for it to bake. Once the remainder of her items had been brought inside, and carried into the kitchen, she stopped and brushing her long locks out of her eyes she glanced at Joseph. She had already begun putting her groceries up into the cupboard when she spoke "It's going to take about an hour to bake after I get it ready, did you want to go to the beach while it bakes or wait until later after it's done?"

Emi had no idea if Joseph had already eaten and wanted to eat right away, or if he'd prefer to save the meal for later. She'd already had some breakfast earlier and would be okay with waiting but she gave him the option. "Or, if your not hungry just yet, we can just go to the beach now and I can start it when we get back? Whatever works best for you, I've already had breakfast so I'm good with whatever works best for you."

It seemed odd to Emily how easy and comfortable she found it to be when she spoke with Joseph. She rested her hands on the edge of the counter, her face held cupped in her hands as she smiled at him waiting for his answer.

Joseph smiled when she agreed to go. She sounded very enthusiastic about going. Whether it was just an excuse to get away from the cluttered apartment and all of the unpacking that goes with it, or if she wanted to go because she really wanted to, or any reason in between, he found that he liked hearing the excitement in her voice, proven by the smile on his face.

When they arrived back at her place, he continued to make himself useful to her by carrying some of the items and unpacking them out of the plastic bags. Luckily, none of the bags broke on her second round trip of doing this. He didn't know where she wanted the items, so the best he could do was leave them on the counter and gather up all of the empty bags.

He returned to the table and took a seat, feeling like he had done what he could in the kitchen. He thought about what she said, but it made more sense for her to start cooking the meal after they got back. "I would hate for it to get burned while we are out. You can start it once we get back, so we don't take that chance of it getting overcooked." He wasn't feeling that hungry, so before they would leave, he would get a drink or two from his place to bring along for their outing. Don't forget the suntan lotion, he reminded himself. "That way, we'll be in no rush to hurry back."