McKenzie, the Hot Babysitter

Most people in her company would've killed for this office view, but right now McKenzie couldn't see the beauty as she gazed outside. Spring had just turned to fall, and leaves were beginning to wither from the trees, making the branches appear sickly and skeletal. The sun was setting earlier now, casting everything in a gloominess that McKenzie could not shake.

All she saw beyond the window was death.

You need to stop!

McKenzie swiveled her chair to stare at the picture hanging on the opposite wall. Though she couldn't possibly have known in that moment, it was the last one she had ever taken of David. Most of the time, the woman couldn't bear to look at it because she feared another emotional breakdown yet couldn't muster the resolve to remove the picture.

Any special occasions... birthdays, anniversaries, holidays... were difficult for McKenzie since her husband had been unexpectedly taken from her. But it was mid-October, and Halloween--- of all events--- was especially hard for her to cope with. Since Bradley was too young to go trick-or-treating when his father was alive, McKenzie had fond memories of the three of them dressing up and handing out candy.

Halloween was David's favorite time of the year.

McKenzie began to cry.

The panic attacks and emotional breakdowns were triggered when she thought of David; sometimes, they occurred without warning. They still happened fairly regularly, and McKenzie was starting to hate herself; she hated the loss of control.

It was happening again...

... then she took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.

The woman felt better, but the fear and despair were still there. She thought about jogging up and down the stairs in the fire escape--- all 10 flights--- to rid herself of the nervous energy, a tactic that worked many times before. But her high heels and skirt weren't going to be conducive today.

McKenzie had a much better idea, but hesitated.

Timothy was becoming more than a friend. The little boy whom she used to babysit was a crux for her. A confidant. McKenzie wasn't blind or naïve, she was keenly aware that Timothy had developed feelings for her, feelings that the Asian woman privately admitted she was harboring as well. But more than anything, the young man was her emotional outlet for whenever she needed someone to talk to.

Though it brought them closer, McKenzie wondered if she was being unfair to Timothy.

McKenzie still felt like an emotional wreck and knew that she couldn't give him what he wanted. More importantly, she wasn't sure if she was what he needed. Timothy was a man but he was a young man, both in body and heart. He was still partying on weeknights and enjoying the freedom of being single, while her life was the polar opposite. Yes, she felt safe and happy in his company, and their long conversations were always meaningful. And, lately, she couldn't stop thinking about his baby blue eyes and perpetually messy hair.

But sometimes, McKenzie felt that she was burdening Timothy and weighing him down by turning to him so much.

She wasn't the one for him, and in her heart the woman realized that the worst thing she could do was lead him on and let him believe that they could have a future together.

McKenzie was suddenly aware that she was holding her cellphone. When she had thought of her late husband and began to cry, her instincts automatically sought support from Timothy. It was something that had become very common.

With her heart breaking in a different way, she set her cellphone down.

McKenzie was staring glumly at it when it began to ring and vibrate.

She picked it back up and checked the caller ID. "Oh, Timmy," the woman sighed. She considered not answering, but eventually did so. "Hello?"

"Hiya, McKenzie. So, um, we haven't talked or texted in about 4 hours, so I just wanted to say hello."

McKenzie wanted to tell him that she was busy, that he was calling her at a bad time, but despite herself, she replied, "Thank you, Timmy. I'm... I'm happy to hear your voice. Ironically, I was thinking about you when you called."

"Oh?" Her statement initially made the young man ecstatic, but he could sense that something was wrong. He grew concerned. "What's going on?"

"Nothing, it's just been a long day... I was having another moment. Halloween was David's favorite time of the year, and it used to be mine, too. I was going to call you, but..."

"But what? You can call me anytime, McKenzie. You know that!"

"I know, and I appreciate that, Timmy. It's just that I hate being such a burden---"

He was suddenly so worked up that he cut her off again. "McKenzie," he interjected patiently, "you are not a burden, and I want you to call me when you need someone to talk to. Do you understand? I want you to call me."

The Asian woman was so overcome with emotion and gratitude that she couldn't speak for a moment. "Thank you," she whispered hoarsely.

In the future, when McKenzie reflected on her relationship with Timothy, she realized that THIS was their defining moment. Their journey together could've gone in many different directions, or it could've ended right here. But McKenzie followed her heart and chose the much more complicated route.

"When can I see you again?" she asked quietly.

There was deafening silence.

Timothy was stunned. He was always the one initiating getting together. "I can come see you and Bradley tonight, if you want."

"I'd like that," the woman replied sincerely, "but my son has a playdate with his friends later. What about Saturday?"

"Sure. I don't have any plans tomorrow. And even if I did, I would gladly clear them for you. Just tell me what you want to do and where you want to go."

McKenzie considered it for a moment. "You know, I don't feel like staying home. I want to do something fun... be around people." Then she sighed. "But Bradley..."

Timothy was suddenly quiet again, and she could imagine the gears spinning in his head.

"You said that Halloween is your favorite time of the year, right?"

"Yes."

"So... 2 questions. One: can you find someone to watch Bradley overnight and, even if you could, would you be willing to and will he be alright? And, two: if you're willing and able, would you consider coming here instead?"

"That's like 4 questions, Timmy." McKenzie wasn't sure where this was leading. "What do you have in mind?"

"I want to throw a Halloween party for you."

"What!"

"You just said that Halloween is your favorite time of the year. In fact, you've mentioned that multiple times. And what better way is there to celebrate Halloween than with a costume party?"

"But Halloween is still 2 weeks away!"

"I know, like, 20 people who will party with us tomorrow night on short notice. It'll be fun! You don't even need to dress up if you don't want to. And you can finally meet my friends!" The young man didn't realize how meaningful that would be until now.

"Uh, shouldn't you talk it over with your roommate first?"

"Gary? Hell, he'll be as excited as I am!"

A Halloween party did sound like a LOT of fun. "Well," McKenzie began hesitantly, "Bradley's playdate was originally supposed to be a sleepover. I told his friend's parents that I'd get back to them."

"See?" Timothy practically shouted. "It's a sign that we need to do this!" But he possessed the insight to realize that being single was much different than being a single parent... or a parent, in general. He added in a much more subdued tone, "But I don't want you to spend a night away from your little guy if neither of you are comfortable."

"Bradley has had sleepovers before."

Timothy was trying very hard to keep the excitement from his voice. "So... does that mean you can come tomorrow? I'll even pick you up."

"You do not have to come pick me up, silly! Just let me confirm with the boy's parents, and I'll text you as soon as I can."

"Awesome!"

The beautiful woman was smiling when she hung up. She was truly grateful to have Timothy in her life again on an adult level. Even though going to his place probably wasn't the best idea, a Halloween party was too much fun to pass up.

And she already had the perfect costume in mind.

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Gary, who was dressed as a pirate, urgently tapped his roommate on the shoulder. "Who is that?"

Timothy instantly knew whom Gary was referring to without looking. Wearing a Captain America costume, he removed his mask and immediately turned away from the 3 attractive girls he had been chatting with. However, he was woefully unprepared when he saw McKenzie.

The Asian woman was standing in the doorway, and glancing around shyly. Her black silky hair was tied in 2 long pigtails, and a pair of thick black-rimmed nerdy glasses sat on her nose. The white blouse on her petite frame was almost sheer, making it very obvious that McKenzie was wearing a black bra underneath. The top was also so snug that it accentuated every one of her compact curves. However, what was most notable to Timothy about the blouse was how it was knotted at the bottom to show of the woman's rippling 6 pack. To complete the sexy schoolgirl outfit, McKenzie wore a plaid miniskirt that barely reached below her hips and thigh-high black which still showed off a great deal of her legs.

All eyes turned toward the beautiful Asian woman.

Timothy experienced an instantaneous stiffening in his pants as he gaped adoringly.

She couldn't seem him through the throng, however, and the young man snapped back to attention when he noticed that she was appearing to look lost.

"McKenzie!"

She turned his way and waved.

He quickly maneuvered to her, and they hugged.

"How do I look?" The woman stepped back, and struck a pose like she had on her girls' night out.

"You are easily the hottest... sexiest... nerd I have ever seen."

McKenzie beamed; that was the reaction she had been hoping for.

"Please come in. Let me introduce to you to my friends." He held out a large hand which she happily took, and led her inside.

The woman regarded all the bodies packed in the relatively small townhouse. "I thought you'd said there'd only be 20 people? There's more like 50 here!"

Timothy grinned proudly.

Gary was staring at McKenzie with something akin to awe as they approached him.

"McKenzie, this is my roommate Gary."

"Hi, Gary!" she greeted him pleasantly.

"Hello, McKenzie," he replied, trying hard not to stare at the woman's immeasurable beauty. "Nice to meet you." They shook hands. "How do you now Tim? Are you one of his clients?"

"Oh, no. I'm not one of those girls."

The young men looked at each other guiltily. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to imply..."

McKenzie threw her head back and laughed, and that was ice-breaking moment. She asked Timothy, "Do you want to tell him?"

"Ha!" Timothy turned to his roommate. "McKenzie used to babysit me when I was 5."

"This woman used to babysit you?" Gary was flabbergasted. McKenzie looked young... so young, in fact, that she could pass for an actual schoolgirl. Then realization dawned on him. "You're the one who Tim searched for online!"

"Yep... unless he's been looking up other women from his past."

Gary laughed and joked, "Yea, I wouldn't put it past Romeo here!" Then he pursed his lips while looking closely at the pair. "Now it all makes sense. Come on, McKenzie. You're don't have a cup in your hand, and you're way too fucking sober. Let's get you a drink."

McKenzie and Timothy hooted in support as they followed him.

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McKenzie didn't know what to expect at Timothy and Gary's Halloween party, but she hadn't anticipated having so much fun. She had known about Gary, of course, but was somewhat surprised by his presentation. He and Timothy appeared polar opposites at first glance, but they acted goofy around each other, behavior that the woman wasn't accustomed to seeing from her long-time friend. Timothy always appeared so serious that it was heartwarming to see him with his guard down. That, in turn, drew McKenzie out of her shell. They woman had arrived worrying about feeling socially awkward and out of place.

Gary wasn't the only one of Timothy's friends who surprised her. In fact, most of them weren't what McKenzie had imagined. They were from all walks of life: there were many people Timothy's age, of course, who looked as fit and athletic as he was. And it seemed as though there were a constant parade of young women vying for his attention; that was to be expected. Flirting with the opposite sex is what young people did, after all, and Timothy was gorgeous. McKenzie recalled their conversation at the coffee shop about his past relationships, and wondered if he had dated any of these pretty girls.

He's probably slept with over half of them, she thought wryly.

But beyond polite conversation, Timothy didn't indulge in any of the girls' advances nor did his attention waver from his friend. If fact, the more they tried to flirt with him, the more the hulking young man seemed to withdrew behind the petite older woman. This, in turn, caused most of the girls to glower at McKenzie with open jealously.

McKenzie merely sipped her drink and pretended not to notice. She wasn't about to get into a catfight with girls were who over a decade younger than her. Though, at times, she was sorely tempted to rub against Timothy or laugh especially loud as they spoke to make the girls hate her even more.

It was tempting, but McKenzie didn't want to be as childish and petty as they were.

McKenzie did also notice that there were many gay couples present as well as a considerable Goth crowd whom she surmised weren't dressed out of their norm despite this being a costume party. In addition, the Asian woman was somewhat surprised to discover that Timothy had friends here who were much older than her. Overall, it was an extremely eclectic group at the Halloween party

McKenzie chastised herself for being so narrow-minded and insecure.

Then she felt ashamed for stereotyping Timothy's roommate and friends before evening meeting them. It was bad enough that she suffered from insecurity; but assuming that Timothy would only have friends who were similar to himself was an insult, and he deserved much better than that. McKenzie berated herself for being so shallow, especially when Timothy's closest friends did nothing but welcome her with open arms.

Well, except for the jealous young girls.

"Are you ok?"

The woman looked up to see her friend's handsome face and penetrating baby blue eyes filled with concern.

"I'm more than ok, Timmy. I'm having a wonderful time. I'm... happy."

The young man beamed, and McKenzie wanted to pull him close and kiss him.

Those feelings only intensified as she kept drinking as the night wore on.

Bradley didn't need to get picked up after lunch, and that afforded her plenty of time to get drunk and recover. Though Halloween would always remind her of David, McKenzie was determined to push the heartbreak aside, at least for 1 night, and enjoy herself. The woman wanted to cut loose and relive her glory days when she was Timothy's age.

McKenzie kept drinking.

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Timothy was overjoyed when McKenzie arrived. And when she showed up wearing that jaw-dropping sexy schoolgirl outfit, he wanted to whisk her to his room and fuck her. But while that was what he fantasized, that was not how he acted towards her.

At first, everything seemed fine. McKenzie was clearly having fun and got along great with his friends. They were inseparable, stealing glances and smiling at each other, as they mingled and chatted.

But McKenzie didn't stop drinking.

Her company didn't become unbearable as she became progressively more inebriated; it was actually quite the opposite. McKenzie became more talkative and flirtier with everyone with each drink. Normally, that wouldn't have bothered Timothy, but a warning was blaring in his head. It was as if his friend was trying too hard to have fun and get drunk.

That, along with McKenzie's rapidly diminishing inhibitions, had him extremely troubled.

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McKenzie suddenly lost her balance, and fell into Timothy. It was like a leaf landing on a tree trunk, however, and he caught her easily. Without asking, he led her to the living room, and eased her onto the sofa.

"I think you've had enough to drink."

McKenzie's eyes were glassy and her words were slurred. "But I'm just getting started!"

Then she looked behind Timothy. 2 men who appeared even younger than him boldly made eye contact with her. They had been staring at her all night, and when McKenzie casually pointed them out to the party hosts earlier, neither claimed to know them.

"Friends of our friends," Gary had mused.

The strangers didn't bother trying to hid their lascivious and malevolent intent. And in her current state, that was fine with McKenzie. She was drunk for the first time in a long while, and she was feeling giddy. It wasn't genuine happiness, but she didn't care. Her better judgement and inhibitions were down but her libido was WAY up, and it made the woman feel like a predator on the prowl.

Timothy was speaking to her, but McKenzie wasn't paying attention as she studied the two men. They're just kids... And knowing that they wanted her and probably assumed that she was much younger than she appeared stoked McKenzie's ego. She felt the urge to herd them into a bedroom and show what it was like to be with a woman.

She would give them what they wanted.

McKenzie would take turns fucking them... no, that'd be boring. She was feeling daring and longed to do something completely out of character; she wanted to be a total slut tonight. McKenzie's mouth watered as she thought about doing both boys at the same time. A threesome was on her bucket list but if they were somehow too shy, she was feeling slutty enough to let them take turns fucking her.

And McKenzie would demand that they do her over and over again until she was too bruised and battered to move.

Yes... her inner sex goddess was demanding to be released.

But each time the boys looked in her direction, Timothy's hulking form was a deterrent.

Timothy had noticed them, too. Their intent with easy to decipher, so he remained protectively next to McKenzie at all times while keeping one eye on them. Thankfully, she didn't try to approach them.

McKenzie leaned her head on his shoulder. Her eyes were beginning to close, and she was becoming limp. That was all enough for Timothy. "Come on, McKenzie. You need to lay down."

"Mmm... but I don't want to go," she mumbled."

"I can either help you walk to my room or I can carry you there. Your choice."

The woman's eyes slowly opened, and a smile that was almost sinister spread across her lips. "Your room?" she purred. She rose unsteadily and extended her hand. "Lead the way."

The young man took it and guided McKenzie away from the party, holding her close so she wouldn't lose her balance. In a vastly different situation, Timothy would've been ecstatic to be taking her to his bedroom. But right now, his troubled expression indicated otherwise.

The 2 young strangers watched as Timothy led the beautiful Asian woman away, misinterpreting his intention and glaring at him venomously.

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McKenzie was barely conscious by the time they reached his bedroom, so Timothy scooped up her petite form and carried her through the doorway. It was almost 1am and the costume party was still going on strong. Fortunately, there were few people on this side of the townhouse, so it was fairly quiet.