Still You Want Me Ch. 02

I finish with my mad air guitar skills before the song finishes and as the GPS throws out its instructions, we're three minutes away from our destination.

"We're definitely meant to be karaoke partners. I have dibs you."

"I can deal with that. You're a hell of a lot of fun like this. I like this side of you, Colin."

I point down the road.

"I think it's the driveway with the white Outback."

"A white Outback. What are the odds?"

He smiles, teasing me about the obviousness of my statement.

"Funny."

I unplug my phone from the stereo.

"You can drop me off. Thanks for the ride and for the seriously epic car karaoke."

"Ha! It was my pleasure. It was great seeing you so relaxed and having fun. It was like watching a caged animal experience freedom for the first time."

Charlie shifts in his seat and looks at me.

"We'll book a karaoke night, soon," he says.

"Yes, that'd be awesome."

I'm trying to hide my eagerness when Charlie turns off the car.

"What are you doing? You can go back now."

"I'm not leaving you in the middle of Beaverton with some Craigslist Killer. I'll leave when you leave. Besides, you said you were going to introduce me to Julie."

Mrs. Granberg must've seen us arrive and came outside to meet us.

"Hello. You must be Colin."

I nod and grab Charlie's shoulder.

"This is my friend, Charlie. He's my Uber driver/protector from the Craigslist Killer."

We laugh at my lame icebreaker and make small talk for several minutes before I realize my hand is still on Charlie's shoulder. I give it a friendly squeeze and let go.

"Are you ready to help me make sure Julie's the one?"

Neither of us know a lot about cars, but we check it out, take it for a test drive and decide it's about as good as it gets. I'm super excited! The car's condition is practically brand new and I doubt the back seats have ever been sat on. It needs new tires and an oil change, but that's it. I pay her in cash, sign the paperwork, shake hands, and watch her go back into the house.

"Charlie, tell me what you really think. I know she's not a Jaguar, but still. What's your honest opinion?"

I know he isn't going to be impressed because he's accustomed to all of the fancy and flashy things, but I'm still curious about his thoughts. He thinks for a second.

"It's you."

Ok, now he's mocking me. He looks at me and sees I'm not amused by his response.

"No, I'm serious. This car is you. It's lightly used with barely any miles (smirk), reliable, clean, not flashy, wholesome, can go the distance, and has room for a lot of baggage."

"A lot of baggage?"

He only shrugs.

"I like this car, it's fun. Perfect for the Pacific NW."

"Don't get any ideas. This is my car! I've already paid for it, so you can't have it."

I hide the keys behind my back so he can't steal them.

"Not on your life."

He steps back, putting distance between him and my keys. We stand around making small talk for a while before I notice it's already seven-thirty pm.

"I'll let you go. I think you're thirty minutes from home and you still need to get ready for Grindr Guy. Besides, I'm starving and need to get home and eat before I get hangry."

I'm fidgeting with my keys for some reason. Why?

"Thanks so much for bringing me and staying to help."

Charlie looks a little disappointed.

"Oh. Yeah, you're right, I should probably be going. I need to eat and get ready. Have a safe drive and congratulations on the new car."

He moves but, doesn't leave from where he's standing, one hand in his pocket and the other holding his keys. His blue eyes are penetrating me and feel a little jittery.

I like Charlie, but not for any more than a friend, so why's my stomach feeling flighty from the way he's looking at me? Is it part nerves? Part arousal? This is so ridiculous because he's not what I'm looking for. I'm not interested. It's likely an involuntary reaction to a very attractive guy, it's nature. Yes, that's it, a biological force. I need to get out of here, so I coerce myself to move.

"Thanks. Good night."

I flip the keys in my hand, slide into my car and drive off. I can't believe I'm lusting over Charlie. Yes, he's cute. More than cute, actually, but emotionally he's nothing I want to deal with. It'd be a giant, regrettable mess.

* * CHARLES * *

Colin is all over me. His hands are running up and down my arms, shoulder and chest as I drape my arm over the console and open myself up. I want him to have all of the access he wants so he can touch me in any way he deems necessary.

I feel my fingers brushing against the leg he has pressed against the gear shift. I think about moving them, but I realize this is nothing compared to what he's doing to me, plus I'm pretty sure he doesn't notice.

Who knew this guy had such an outlet. I mean, he's really getting into this singing and dancing. This is the reason I'm trying not to take it personally. His hands are all over me and his mouth is so close to mine, I can feel is breath. Now he's calling me his baby...

"Baby! Oh, baby, my sweet baby! You're the one!"

God! He's sexy as fuck! I've been hard for fifteen minutes and, now...it's painful! He's so into the music that I'm not even worried about him seeing what's happening in my lap. Straight guys are completely clueless. The second the song finishes, the GPS yells out directions, saying we're almost there. The night is almost over.

The neighborhood is full of small lots with older ranch-style homes. Everything is close together and the street lighting is terrible. It could be a sketch area. I should probably stay with him, so I'll pull up to the curb after we spot Julie.

I don't understand why he's decided to get a twenty-year-old car. He was a full scholarship kid, so he's not drowning in student loans. A used car is one thing, but this one is almost considered a classic. I guess rent is really high, so he might not have much money for a car payment.

"You can drop me off. Thanks for the ride and for doing some serious car Karaoke."

I don't expect him to ask me to stay, so why are my feelings hurt by the brush off?

"I'm not leaving you in the middle of Beaverton with some Craigslist Killer. I'll leave when you leave. Besides, you said you'd introduce me to Julie!"

I shut the engine off and hop out. Honestly, I'm not ready to leave, yet. The lady he's buying the car from? She smells so bad! I'm worried his new car is going to have the same terrible smell. I'll need to call Steve, he owns the best car detailing business in Oregon. I'm going to give him the heads up and see what I can do to make it affordable enough for Colin to have his car cleaned.

Buzz

I glance at my phone. It's a text from Grindr Guy.

[Grindr Guy] Still on for tonight?

We're supposed to meet in fifteen minutes, but he'll have to wait.

We wander around the car for a while. It really is in good condition. The inside surprises me. The first thing I notice is, it doesn't smell bad. No impressing Colin with my business connections.

Colin is sitting on the driver's side and I'm sitting on the passenger side. He's running his hands over the steering wheel and checking out the interior. The interior is all tan leather with a black dashboard and side panels. In 1997, I think fully loaded meant power windows, CD player, and sunroof. There's no auxiliary jack so how the heck is he going to Karaoke? Burn a CD at home? Who does that anymore? My laptop, at home, doesn't even have a disc drive.

"I knew it! The backseat is practically a virgin and the carpets are like new!" Colin exclaimed.

I've never seen anyone this excited over a car that's almost as old as he is. I don't think I was as excited as he is when I got my Jag.

"I'm going to pop the hatch and check out the cargo room," I announce.

I look for the release button, pull it, and walk around to the back.

"Wow, I don't know if they've ever put anything back here other than maybe a few grocery bags."

We run our hands along the inside and pull out the plastic cargo mat. The carpet underneath is perfect!

"Immaculate, Colin, it's really good. I think she's the one!"

He knew I was giving him a hard time, but he smiles anyways.

"This definitely feels right, but I'm going to need to take her for a spin, first. Do you want to come with me?"

Buzz

I don't look because I'm sure it's Grindr Guy, again. He's going to have to wait. Colin turns the key and the car rumbles to life.

"Well, she starts. That's a good sign!" I tease.

We drive around the neighborhood streets, then down a road.

"I don't feel any weird vibrations and she sounds good. That's about the extent of my mechanical abilities," Colin says.

"Ha. Me, too, but you're right. She seems to be in good working order. Let's go back so you can close the deal."

He nods in agreement.

"Wait," I smile. "Before we do, let's see what she's really capable of."

"What do you mean?"

"Let's find out how long it takes her to go from zero to sixty!"

I can't help but laugh. This is going to be fun.

"Yeah?" He's smiling.

Oh, yeah.

He nods in encouragement. We find a road merging onto the freeway. We're at the stop sign and I have my phone out to clock the time.

"Three, two, one...go!"

Colin guns it and we're off. Colin's knuckles are white as they grip the steering wheel at the ten and two positions. We're both laughing (hard).

"Come on!"

I start counting the seconds.

"Eight, nine, ten. You're not trying!"

"I'm trying! I'm riding her hard!"

"That's what she said!"

Colin looks at me for a brief second and starts laughing.

"Eighteen, nineteen, twenty, twenty-one."

"Sixty!" Colin shouts.

He releases the gas and takes the next exit.

"Twenty-one point seventy-three seconds! Julie's quicker than I expected!"

I'm genuinely surprised. I was expecting something in the ninety second ballpark. Colin looks at me and smirks.

"That's what she said!"

"Yes!" I toss my head back in amusement.

We laugh, fist bump and go back to Mrs. Granberg's. The test drive is officially over.

Buzz

I know, I'm late. I need to respond and let him know. Colin finishes the paperwork and I can leave, but I've already decided to go when he goes to make sure everything is good. Mrs. Granberg says her goodbyes and returns to her home. Colin is holding his new keys and smiling.

"Tell me. What do you really think? I know she's not a Jaguar, but still, what's your honest opinion?"

Normally, people are nervous about my response. They're afraid I won't approve. The look on Colin's face says he doesn't care if I approve or not. He loves it and that's all that matters to him. I think about it for a second.

"It's you."

Colin thinks I'm joking and making fun of his reply to my Jag, earlier.

"No, I'm serious. This car is you. It's lightly used with barely any miles."

I receive a smile for that jab.

"Reliable, clean, not flashy, wholesome, can go the distance and has room for a lot of baggage."

"A lot of baggage?"

Me. My baggage. Of course I can't say that so I shrug, instead.

"I like this car, it's fun. Perfect for the Pacific NW."

We're standing around and making small talk. I'm not in a hurry to leave as I'm already late and it's possible Grindr Guy is going to make new plans. I feel as if Colin and I are on a role this evening because we've had a lot of fun and we're really clicking. Is it terrible for me to want Colin to invite me to dinner or drinks? I'd ditch Grindr Guy for Colin in a heartbeat. Suddenly, Colin interrupts the silence.

"I'll let you go, I think you're thirty minutes from home and you still need to get ready for Grindr Guy. Besides, I'm starving and need to get home and eat before I get hangry. Thanks so much for bringing me and staying. Have a fun night."

So much for eating with him. I should be happy he's not cock-blocking me. Right?

"Oh. Yeah, you're right, I should probably be going. Have a safe drive and congratulations on the car."

I'm not going to make the first move to leave though. He doesn't leave, either. He runs his hands through his hair, making it a little messy in the best possible way.

I can't be the only one feeling the intensity between us. I don't know what to do. He's straight but this is...consuming! I think about my options and decide to take a chance. I'm going to step closer to him and see what happens. As my brain sends signals for my body to move, Colin shakes his keys.

"Thanks. Good night."

He bolts and the next thing I know, I'm standing on the curb (alone) of an unfamiliar street in the middle of Beaverton.

Buzz

Fuck. I pull out my phone.

[Grindr Guy] Still on for 2nite?

[Grindr Guy] Start at club yellow?

[Grindr Guy] Hello?

[Grindr Guy] Hope UR not bailing. Let me know.

Ugh.

[Me] Sorry! Had to help a friend. CU in 30.

His response is instant.

[Grindr Guy] Awesome. CU soon.

* * COLIN * *

I'm going to spend all day Saturday and all day Sunday doing projects around my home, running errands and having dinner with my parents.

I decide to drive my new car, so my parents can check it out. One of the things I appreciate about my parents is, even though they have more money than you can imagine and own all of the nice things, they're still humble. I know they'll be excited about my twenty-year-old car the same as they'd be excited about a brand new luxury car.

My parents live in the West Hills/Portland Heights area and they have a killer view of Portland. They built their house before I was born and it's the only real home I've known. It's hell to get there when it's freezing, but luckily this spring's weather has been mild and, mostly wet, but not frigid.

The house is gorgeous as it has natural siding, a wall of windows on the front side, and a circular driveway. When you first pull up, the house looks big, but not excessive. It's an illusion, so don't be fooled. The house is built into the mountain, so three-fourths of the house can't be seen from the driveway.

I park under the canopy because the weather is terrible today and it's been a downpour since I woke up. I'm adjusting my rain jacket when there's a knock on my car window. I smile and open my door.

"Morning, Mom! Morning, Dad!"

I stand up and give her a kiss, then Dad wraps his arms around me and squeezes so hard my face turns red.

"Dad!" I moan out and he reluctantly lets me go.

My dad's a big guy. He's six feet, five inches tall and strong, he's not fat, but he's balanced. In high school, I was always being compared to him because he was over a foot taller than me and massively thicker. I looked like a grain of rice next to him, it was really terrible for my confidence.

I received my looks from mom, though. Same dark features, hazel eyes, dark hair and easily tanned skin. She's average height for a woman, average weight, and stunningly beautiful! Dad is light colored. Light skin, blonde hair and blue eyes. You'd never guess we have a single gene in common.

"Ok, let's see the love of your life!" dad says.

He gives her a good once over.

"She's a real beauty."

Dad and I stand outside talking about the car, its features and things I might change...basically going over it with a fine tooth comb, when mom joins us.

"I'm going to look on Craigslist to see if I can find a cargo box for the top and also racks for hauling my board to the mountains during the winter. Plus, I like the look of roof racks, it'll make it sportier and less grandmotherly."

They both laugh and nod in agreement. Mom is wearing a long, heavy sweater and has her arms wrapped around her body. You can tell she's cold.

"Do you boys mind if we go inside? I think we've seen all we need to see, for now."

She looks at me and smiles.

"You can drive us to dinner, later."

We settle in the living room, next to the wall of windows that overlooks most of Portland. It's my favorite spot in this house. It's absolutely stunning.

"So, how's the apartment coming along? Are you going to invite us over soon? We haven't seen it since you bought it and I really hope it's been improved since then," mom inquires.

She looks nervous. My Parents haven't been to my apartment since the first walk through and they weren't thrilled about what they saw.

"Soon, I promise. It's pretty much done, but I want to finish a few more things before you come. I want the full effect. I want a, move that bus, moment."

My parents love Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, so I know they'll appreciate the sentiment. Mom is rubbing her hands together, excited for the big reveal.

"We can't wait, we're so proud of you for the work you've been putting into it!"

She looks at my father and back at me.

"We're very proud of you, period! You could've bought any car you wanted, but you got an old used one. You could have bought a nice apartment or home, but you decided on something no one else wanted, and you see value that's deeper than the surface. You could've joined the company on top, but you wanted to start out with everyone else and earn respect. You're in a league all your own!"

My father nods in agreement, smiling proudly.

"I'm going to see you in the office next week. That's going to be fun! At first, I didn't understand why you wanted to remain anonymous. I wanted to show you off to everyone, but now I think it's fun hiding you. We have a pool going at work to see who'll blow your cover first," dad says.

My mouth drops in surprise and then I laugh as I wasn't expecting this.

"It's giving everyone motivation to be on their best behavior. I think the pool is up to eleven hundred dollars!"

Dad seems to be as surprised as I am.

"Well, I'm betting against Brett. He keeps calling me Stan and every time he looks at me, he has the stupidest smile on his face. I'm sure everyone thinks he's in love with me or something."

"Ha! Brett thinks this whole thing is hilarious. Most of the bets are against him, but only because he spends the most time with you, therefore he has the highest probability to mess up. I'm curious as to how the staff meeting is going to go. I have a feeling someone's going to drop face."

"It'll be you!" mom says as she points at dad and laughs.

"If you think Brett looks at you with a dopey smile, your dad's going to be a love sick puppy!"

Mom and dad look at each other and smile. They've always shared deep love. I hope to find that same love one day.

"Dad, don't ruin this for me. It's only been one week and I'm making friends, doing good work, and enjoying my time. I'm not ready to give it up, yet. I'm serious! If anybody finds out, everything will change. They'll either be afraid to hangout with me or they'll try to use me for advancement."

"I don't think you give people enough credit, son, but don't worry, I'm doing everything in my power to keep your cover a secret, even if it's not much."

Dad isn't too far away from me, so he reaches over and pats my knee, letting me know he'll support me in any way possible. We have a nice afternoon before we drive to Portland City Grill for dinner. Another beautiful view. I'm staring outside when dad gets my attention.

"I'm sorry, I was enjoying this view."

"I want to talk to you about something," mom says looking serious.

My brows tighten and I glance at dad, trying to figure out what's happening. He sets his napkin down and raises his hands, noncommittally, then turns to stare out the window. This is what he does when he wants me to know he has nothing to do with what's about to happen.

"Okay?"

I'm nervous because mom doesn't do this often.

"Do you trust me?"

"Not right now, no," I say, smiling.

I know she'll continue, regardless.