My Neighbor Joel

✧*̥˚ After-Party *̥˚✧

Kes

After having painfully endured two more hours of the barbecue, the neighborhood party started to slowly dwindle down–patrons trickling out little by little offering me congratulatory remarks and drowning me in their southern hospitality. I thanked Karen for her food and kindness and edged towards the door, feeling the weight of the past few hours leave my body. Under normal circumstances I would have been grateful for such a warm welcome, but I was not able to think clearly or socialize properly when I could feel Joel watching my every move–his touch still lingering on my skin and his debauched words echoing through my mind.

Joel trailed behind me as I crossed the street, and I could almost feel the warmth of his lingering gaze traveling over my body. I tried to steady myself by taking deep, measured breaths–attempting to stamp down the growing excitement and simultaneous impatience that filled my body to the brim.

He jogs forward, catching up to me until we are both standing on my front porch. With shaky hands I fumble with my keys in the doorknob. Even though we have finally connected physically, his presence still never fails to ignite a burning passion within me. It still amazes me that I could feel this way about someone. Jax pales in comparison.

We practically burst through the door as if it was the last obstacle we needed to overcome before the unspoken promises of the weekend could become reality. I fall backwards onto the couch and let out a sigh–releasing the stagnant energy that had been building up since the party.

"I'm so glad that is over with," I confess, peering over at Joel who is mindlessly caressing the armrest of my accent chair.

"Me too," He grunts, "I was gettin' real tired of watchin' you prance 'round in that pretty dress of yours. Had half a mind to take you again, right there while everybody was watchin." He sends me a playful look that makes me giggle.

"Really now," I retort, "This is coming from the man who consistently scorns me for," I use air quotes, "Parading my pussy around for the whole neighborhood to see."

His eyes narrow, "There's a difference," he says speculatively, "In my scenario, they know you're mine."

"What would be so wrong with them knowing," I ask curiously. The question played on my mind throughout the party, especially when Veronica had her hands all over Joel.

He sighs, "I only want to protect you," he says, concern crossing his features, "They would praise me for bein' with a younger woman, but they would reserve their judgment for you. That's the last thing I want."

"I guess I never thought about it like that," I whisper after a moment. The sentiment was nice enough, but I didn't exactly care what people thought. Then again, I moved here in the hopes of settling down in a place that offered something besides stress and isolation.

"It's probably best we keep it a secret for now," Joel says, running a rough hand through his curly hair, "It's less complicated this way."

I snap my head to him, and my cheeks blush with anger, "Less complicated?" I snap, "Watching another women practically feel you up in front of me seems pretty fucking complicated to me," I stand, huffing loudly and tightening my fists, "Don't forget Karen trying to set me up with her fucking nephew," I spat.

He peers at me from his position in the chair, his eyes narrow as he looks at me with a look of warning, "It's only complicated if you make it complicated," he says unusually calm, "Don't forget I reminded you where my loyalties lie."

"Right, right," I laugh sarcastically, "And Veronica fucking Peterson still thinks she has a chance. So much for loyalty," I snort, storming off upstairs to my room.