Alternate Earth Pt. 06

Chapter 1:

He stood in the driveway looking down at the tiny pair of booted feet sticking out from under the front end of the lifted black Jeep Wrangler in the three car garage. The black, size six Dr. Martin boots were twitching slightly to the beat of "Highway to Hell" by AC/DC, which was blaring from the Bose speakers on the end of the work bench in the far corner of the garage. The speakers sat next to the tools and parts arrayed haphazardly across the workbench, which ran the entire length of that wall. It was impossible to hear much other than the music but somehow, a loud clunk sounded from somewhere below the Jeep, followed quickly by a loud female voice using some very creative swear words.

Not wanting to alarm his friend, Stephen walked over and turned the music down a bit, knowing it would alert her that someone was in her garage. With the music much lower, he could hear muffled grunting and the light clicking of metal on metal contact before the distinctive sound of a socket wrench drifted up from below the vehicle. He knew she wasn't going to acknowledge him until she had finished whatever she was working on so he leaned up against the edge of the workbench and waited patiently for her to say something.

After about two more minutes of the socket wrench and a few more creative swear words, he heard a sigh that was quickly followed by the sound of the rolling backboard. With a light grunt, the small mechanic sat up on her rolling board to examine the part she had obviously just removed from the Jeep, tossing a nod and a brief greeting to him as she did so. Stephen, of course, had no idea what she was looking for but he watched as she wiped away some grease and smiled slightly as she saw whatever she was looking for.

Standing smoothly, she walked to some shelves along the far side of the garage and grabbed a pristine white box, opening it up and removing what looked to Stephen to be a brand new part, identical to the greasy one she held in her other hand. After comparing them, she set the old one down and lay back down on the board, rolling herself back under the Jeep for another three minutes of cursing and grunting.

With a final sigh, she rolled back out from under the Jeep and stood, giving Stephen a much more hospitable greeting as she walked over to scrub her hands with the orange goop from the large dispenser on the edge of the workbench. Once she wiped them off, he was surprised at how clean they became. Most mechanics he knew had grease permanently engrained around their fingernails but she somehow managed to get hers completely clean every time she scrubbed her hands.

"Hi Stephen," she said with a smile. "What's up?"

"Hey, Anna. The van is driving like it's brand new. Thanks a lot."

"No problem, Neighbor. You want a beer?"

"Sure."

Stephen watched as she walked over to the refrigerator on the far side of the garage, her 4'11" frame disappearing around the Jeep for a moment. She came back around with two bottles of Samuel Adams, popping the tops on the bottle opener at the end of the work bench before handing him one and taking a long pull on the other. While her eyes were closed as she savored the beer, he took a moment to run a lustful gaze across her amazing body without her knowing. He knew she was way out of his league and only thought of him as a friend but he couldn't help it.

Annabel Smith had the most amazing body Stephen had ever seen and even the gray coveralls she wore couldn't hide it. Despite the grease smears on her face, neck and forearms where the sleeves of her coveralls were rolled up, she was still more beautiful than most of the women Stephen knew. Her tanned skin was flushed from the effort she had been exerting and she had sweat running down her chiseled but still feminine face. She had a grease smear across her forehead above her slim, arched eyebrows and another across her cute, pixie-like upturned nose. Her large, usually expressive, bright green eyes were closed as she savored her beer, the long lashes feathering her high cheekbones. There were a few streaks of grease along her angular, defined jaw line and small, rounded chin and the way the lush, full lips of her narrow mouth seemed to caress the bottle opening as she drank made him lick his own lips in response. Her grease stained coveralls were open enough to show the sports bra she wore to keep her large (on her tiny, defined frame at least), full breasts out of the way while she worked as well as the top blocks of her extremely defined stomach. The coveralls were loose enough to hide most of her amazing body but her tight, heart shaped ass was still impossible to miss.

Of course, what he couldn't see due to the coveralls, he could easily recall from memory since he saw her get up to run most mornings while he was heading out to work. She usually ran with her long, wavy auburn hair tied back in a ponytail, much like she was wearing right then, and one of a few different combinations of sports bra and short, running skirts. The outfits showed her amazing body to great advantage. She had a lean, athletic body with much more muscle than most women have but somehow managed to wear it extremely well. It was obvious that she lifted weights in addition to running every morning, attested by her strong, defined arms and shoulders, chiseled abdominals and firm, muscular legs. Far from looking like a steroid-crazed female body builder, however; her muscular, defined body was still very feminine and sexy.

When Stephen noticed her open her bright green eyes, he quickly met her sparkling gaze as he took a swig from his own beer. He enjoyed Sam Adams but really only drank it when he hung out with her since he usually only bought PBR because it was cheaper. He wasn't sure what she did to make the money she had, (which he suspected was substantial because of all the obviously expensive stuff she owned) since she was usually running when he left for his own job at Best Buy as a member of the "Geek Squad" and most of the time, he could see her moving around in her yard or garage across the street from his when he got home from work. There were times she would be gone for a few days or a week, so he assumed she just traveled a lot for her job. She said she was a consultant but didn't say much more than that and shrugged off any other questions. Though they were pretty close as far as neighbors go, they weren't close enough for prying.

"Joe's P.O.S. still running ok," Anna asked as she took another swallow from her beer and wiped some sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand.

"Yeah. I really appreciate you looking at it for him."

"I told you. It's no problem. I love working on cars, even piece of crap 80's model Toyotas," she said as she smiled. "So what brings you over today? Got another project for me?"

"Actually," Stephen said a little nervously, "Emma and her sister are throwing a party over at their place this Saturday and asked me to invite you."

Anna briefly considered turning it down, knowing that Stephen had a little bit of a crush on her and she didn't want to lead him on. He was a great guy and she was certainly attracted to the nerdy cute look that the tall, lanky computer programmer seemed to have mastered, but if he found out what kind of "girl" she really was, he probably wouldn't be interested any more.

She had known him for nearly two years, since the day she found him cursing as he tried to start his van when it stalled backing out of his driveway on the way to work. She had heard the hissing from a compression leak and had offered to drive him to work and fix his car for him. He had sputtered out that it wasn't necessary but she had seen him around and thought he was harmless enough so she insisted. It started a friendship that had grown steadily since then, her working on cars for him while he fixed her electronics whenever she had a problem or just advise her on new purchases.

She pulled out her phone, pretending to check her schedule to buy her a little more time to think, even though she knew she should be back by then. He made a point to say Emma and her sister asked him to invite her so she was pretty sure he wouldn't think of it as a date. Anna had fixed Emma's little yellow Volkswagen twice in the last six months and fondly remembered the cute, likeable brunette who wore her emotions so openly on her expressive face. Emma had been so nervous when she dropped it off the first time and grinned from ear to ear when it started right up and purred like a kitten two days later.

After thinking about it, Anna realized that she actually wanted to go so she smiled at Stephen as she blacked out the phone's screen. She would have to be careful to make sure he knew it wasn't a date without hurting his feelings, but as long as it was obvious that they weren't there together, she thought he would get the idea. She took another swig from her beer before answering.

"Sounds fun. What kind of party is it?"

"Great! We're meeting about two and grilling out for dinner. It's B.Y.O.B. and we're all bringing different sides. They have a pool so if you want to swim, bring a suit and a towel."

She was glad he didn't offer to pick her up; reassuring her that he didn't think this was a date. He gave her a paper with directions and a crude map before leaving her to put her Jeep's transmission back together. He was walking back across the street as she cranked the music back up, this time blaring "Unchained" by Van Halen.

Part of Stephen was thrilled that she accepted his invitation but he knew she wasn't going because of him. He wasn't an idiot and he knew he didn't have a chance in hell with her. He had only asked her because Emma insisted he at least invite her. He thought about the small, gorgeous woman clad only in a small bikini, her incredibly fit body glistening in the sun and took a deep breath as his pants got a little tight.

Back inside his own house, he poured himself a glass of water and sat down at his computer to play a little Guild Wars 2. Emma was in game already and immediately greeted him. He told her about his conversation with Anna and she seemed thrilled. They played for a while together until Emma said she needed to sign off. Stephen only stayed in for about another half hour before signing off to go get a little grocery shopping done.

When he drove off, Anna was on a stepping stool, bent over the engine of her jeep. The music was still blaring but the garage looked much neater. Three hours later, as he drove back up, both of her garage doors were closed and the house was dark and quiet. While he was unloading his groceries, she pulled up in the Jeep and waved at him. Since it was only seven-thirty on a clear, June evening in Columbia, South Carolina, she had the top and doors off. He could see she had done some shopping too, not wondering why he didn't see her out since her bags were obviously from Whole Foods, too expensive for him even though it was closer than the nearby Wal-Mart where he went to shop.

The days seemed to crawl by as Stephen looked forward to the party. When the day arrived, he woke up excited. Even though he was a little lanky, he had been swimming all his life so his complexion wasn't really pale like the rest of his coworkers. He was always a little self-conscious about his lack of muscle but he knew he'd look weirder if he didn't swim. Besides, there's no way he'd miss out on being in the water. He had a few hours before he needed to be there so he decided to do a little yard work, since it was so early.

He worked from around nine until almost noon, mowing the lawn and doing a few other yard chores. It wasn't really hard work but it got hot early and he was sweating pretty heavily by the time he was done. Grabbing a quick shower and lunch, he put on the board shorts, flip-flops and "42" T-shirt (referencing his favorite novel) that he had picked out. Grabbing a towel (while mentally chuckling about "always knowing where his towel was" from the same book), his sun screen and sunglasses, he put them in a duffel bag and went out to his gray Dodge Caravan to take the long drive over to Emma's sister's house. He had gotten up too late to see Anna go for her morning run but there weren't any lights on so she probably wasn't home, which wasn't really strange for a Saturday.

When Stephen pulled up it was already after one in the afternoon so he walked around to see if they needed any help. Both sisters were there putting out the snacks and drinks as he walked up. They called him over when they saw him and thanked him for coming early and helping, telling him what they needed him to do.

The two sisters, only about a year and a half apart, are absolutely nothing alike but seem to be best friends. Where Emma, the younger of the pair, was nerdy and a bit awkward, Sarah was popular and athletic. Sarah had blonde hair and blue eyes with a face very similar to her sister's, but different enough to make it obvious that they weren't twins. They were about the same height and looked to have once had a similar build but Sarah just looked more solid. She had a pretty fit body with curves in all the right places, giving her an easy confidence about her looks.

Emma was wearing a green two-piece with a pair of cutoff jean shorts and matching green flip-flops, her brown hair pulled back into a pony tail. Her skinny body made her breasts, which she usually kept hidden under her clothes, seem large and pronounced in the swimsuit.

Sarah stood next to her looking just as attractive in a blue bikini that was a little more revealing with a matching, sheer blue wrap tied low around her waist. Her body seemed to have the same proportions as her sister's but slim rather than skinny and much more athletic. Strangely, her curves seemed a little less pronounced in the bikini standing next to her sister.

Quickly, to avoid gawking, he started helping them set up. They already had various chips, salsa, and dip laid out on the table next to the outdoor refrigerator. Stephen helped set out the vegetable and fruit platters along with the cups for drinks. While he was up on the deck, he cast a longing look at Sarah's grill, wishing his job paid as much as Sara's marketing career with the Palmetto Health Center so he could afford one like that.

Some of Sarah's friends were the first to arrive so Emma and Stephen stayed up on the deck talking. They chatted for a little while until a few of their friends showed up, joining the conversation while they snacked. It was already almost 3 PM when one of Stephen's friends stopped mid-sentence, looking towards the door. Stephen turned and nearly dropped his own jaw as he saw Anna introducing herself to Sarah.

Anna was the hottest Stephen had ever seen her. Her chiseled, feminine body was clad in a black, designer bikini that managed to accentuate her curves while still making her look classy and sophisticated. Her auburn hair fell in waves around her shoulders and her usually expressive, bright green eyes were hidden behind classy, designer sunglasses. She wore a black, semi-opaque wrap around her hips and carried a large, blue and white striped bag over her left shoulder.

It was obvious that she had made an effort to look amazing and, judging by what she was wearing, it was clear she was much wealthier than Stephen had previously suspected. Nothing she wore was overly flashy since it was obvious she wasn't trying to flaunt her wealth but no one expected the little mechanic that listens to hard rock and heavy metal to show up looking like nothing so much as some famous fitness model walking into a pool party at the Playboy Mansion.

She pretended to be oblivious to the gawking stares while she talked to Sarah before making her way down to the pool. Emma quickly walked up and hugged her, welcoming her to the party and walking her around to introduce her to everyone. When Stephen recovered enough of his wits, he went to help introduce her around.

After a while, people actually started swimming and Anna was no exception. Stephen was talking to her from in the water (to hide a particular part of his anatomy) when she decided to untie the wrap at her hips, revealing the skirted bottom to her bikini, before slipping into the pool. Her movements in the water were like poetry in motion. Her toned body moved lithely and gracefully as she swam and Stephen couldn't help admiring the way the light danced on her smooth, defined flesh.

Anna was fully aware of the attention she was getting. She was still a bit self-conscious in in a bikini but she had gotten used to it over the years, especially after college. What surprised her was the vibe she got from Emma. She had no idea Emma was attracted to her but it was almost impossible to mistake her interest. Of course, the men and Sarah were oblivious to it because they didn't want to see it but Emma's attention could not have been more obvious to Anna, especially since she returned the sentiment.

She made a point of getting to know everyone but she paid particular attention to Emma, subtly flirting with her whenever she got the chance. She was open, sweet, and just a little bit naughty whenever it was just the two of them. Emma responded in kind and she quickly realized that the other woman was definitely interested. For a moment, Anna actually contemplated telling her secret to the other woman but, after some of her previous encounters, she thought better of it.

Strangely, she was surprised to see how good Stephen looked. He seemed a little awkward at first, but once he relaxed, she thought she was actually seeing him in his element. He was the obvious leader in his group and had the lean, sexy body that she adored on men. If she hadn't come to the party, she never would have noticed how attracted she was becoming to Stephen, which she only realized when she saw one of the other girls at the party flirting with him and she became a little jealous. Shaking her head, she chuckled when she realized that he was oblivious to the other girl's flirtation.

When it was time to start grilling, Emma grabbed Stephen and carted him off to the grill while he was listening to Anna talk about a trip she had recently taken to Paris on business. She was in the middle of lamenting how great cities like Paris and New York were ruined by their populace when Stephen had to excuse himself to "conduct his duties as chef," as he put it.

Stephen had been marinating the burgers all day in his own recipe of sauces to give the burgers tons of flavor. It was something he learned from his father, who had taught him everything about grilling. His skill with the grill is what made him the official cook any time his group of friends threw a party. Anna had to admit that she never expected this side of him and was impressed by everything she was just learning about him, including his grilling expertise.

The party went on for a while and it became obvious that it was going to last most of the evening. Annabel knew she couldn't stay much longer, especially with the attraction she felt growing for both Stephen and Emma. It was about to make other things start growing, despite all of her precautions, and there was no way she was going to let that ruin her budding friendships with these people. Besides, it was getting very painful.

When Anna said her goodbyes, just about everyone begged her to stay for a while longer. Emma said that she could always crash if she didn't feel comfortable to drive later but as tempted as Anna was, she actually did have some pretty good reasons not to stay at the party, the least of which being her attraction to two of the people begging her to stay.

She left around 7 and used the excuse that she had to get ready to go out of town for a few days, an honest enough excuse. After Annabel left, the group continued enjoying themselves and Emma told Stephen how happy she was that the other woman was able to attend. The party lasted pretty late and Stephen ended up crashing on Emma and her sister's couch. There were a few other friends that stayed to sleep it off but the majority of the partygoers left around 1030 or so.