About-face (closed for BeachBum25)

The small town of Tarrytown was nestled along the Hudson River just a short trip from New York. The tide was turning and it attracted a more diverse younger mix of people. A short train ride to New York for work. A lot more square footage for the same buck. Along it's quaint streets, lot's to enjoy without all the hustle and bustle. The miles of scenery for each season just cried out for outdoor activities. The old and new blended so nicely. And that's what brought, Alexis Morgan to this charming town.

It is was crisp August morning, Alexis slipped on her Ked's, grabbed the oversized men's flannel shirt she had picked up at one of the thrift stores from the hooked mirror. Opening the front door of her small Colonial, she headed out to meet the day. Closing the bright red front door, she bent down and riffled through a wicker basket that set on her stoop. Her long auburn pigtails falling, waved and wiggled as she searched for the pair of pruning sheers.

Finding them, bouncing, well looking more like a young girl skipping down that bricked path, Alexis turned to a flower bed, plopped to her knees and began to weed. Sitting back on her legs, breathing in the morning air, the tail of the faded brown flannel shirt pulled under her buttocks. Giggling she lifted enough to pull the shirt free and tied it in a knot around her waist making it shorter. The opened shirt framed her gray tank topped capacious breast as she pulled at the weeds.

Busily she worked as the sun grew warmer, wiping her brow with the back of her hand, leaving a tail of dirt and not really caring she did. Smelling in the sweet scent of the late summer flowers as she started to snip at them. The world around her seemed to drift away. That is until a voice brought her back.

"Nice buds you have there..............." a man's voice said with that all to well known underlying note.

Looking up, Alexis' hand went back to her brow, "Why thank you, I've worked hard to get them looking this good............." her voice just as underlying as his.

Standing still holding her bouquet in her left hand, she wiped the dirt from her right hand off on her bleached cutoff jean shorts. Staring at him, her eyes traveled over the man standing just outside her yard. He had been on a morning run from the clothes he wore or the lack of clothes he wore. Handsome with a sweaty rippled chest, nice combo, Alexis thought.

He outreached his hand to shake Alexis' hand, even though she was to far away to take his offered hand, "I'm Keith, I just moved into the house next door." he said with a smile on his face.

Smiling back at him as she moved closer to the tree-lined sidewalk, Alexis offered her hand to Keith, "Alexis..... Alexis Morgan. Nice to meet you. I seen the moving van the other day and wondered when I'd have the pleasure of meeting my new neighbor."

As she studied this hunk of a man in front of her with her big brown eyes, Alexis had this funny feeling they had already met. Her curiosity getting the better of her, spoke before her mind could react.

"Have we met before?" she asked still trying her darnedest to place him....................................................

He couldn't believe that it had finally happened. A house had become available in the neighborhood. He had waited so long for the opportunity, and now it was here. Even better was the fact that the house was right next door to her's. He never thought he would be this lucky.

It had been a long time since he last talked with her. So much had happened to them... even more to him. They had been high school sweethearts, but when they went away to college they drifted apart. Matt had tried to stay in touch with Alexis, but their schedules always got in the way. Despite not being able to contact her, he never stopped loving her.

A week before graduation from college, Matt's parents decided to drive out and tke him to dinner. Matt had finished all of his exams and was just walking back from his final presentation when his parents surprised him and pulled up in front of his house. They wanted to take him to the fanciest place in town. Matt climbed into the back seat and off they went.

As they drove to the restaurant, the unthinkable happened. Someone swerved into their lane to avaoid a dog in the roadway and hit them head on. Matt's parents, unfortunately, did not survive the horrific crash. Matt was in the backseat, and had his seatbelt buckled. Those two factors saved his life.... barely. He was in the hospital for 8 months. He had more than 20 different surgeries... not to mention plastic surgery to reconstruct his face. Ecery bone in his face had been broken by the roof collapsing on him under the weight of the other vehicle.

It was months after the accident that he found out about his parents. He couldn't remember what happened. In fact there wasn't much he could remember at all, except his parents, and Alexis. He never forgot about her. As far as he knew, Alexis had never come to visit him in the hospital. That hurt Matt and probably slowed his recovery... especially after he found out about is parents.

Two months after the facial reconstruction and the plastic surgery on his face, Matt asked for a mirror. Everyone had been so nice and telling him how great a job the doctors had done that Matt ws convinced that they were just being nice and that he looked hideous. When he finally got to look in the mirror, he was surprised at the work that the doctors had done. There were still a few scars, but he was assured that they would go away... for the most part anyway. He asked for a picture of himself before the accident. A few days later he looked into the mirror with a picture of himself next to it. They looked nothing alike.

"No, I don't believe so. I am pretty sure I would have remembered meeting you."

"Well, Keith, it's nice to meet you. I was just heading in, would you care for a drink?" she politely asked. "You look like you could use one......" she said her eyes still ogling his sweaty body, "I know, I sure could."

Not waiting or looking to see if he was behind her, she headed up the path. Alexis had this matter of fact about her. That, this is what I'm gonna do, come if you like or don't. She was a free spirit, maybe that's why she never married.

Stopping to drop off the sheers she had stuffed into her back pocket before wiping her hand on her shorts. Her ass shown nicely as it peeked out from the fringed edges of those cutoffs as she placed them back in the wicker basket. Turning to look back at Keith, now a few feet behind her, she smiled. There was something about him, she just couldn't put her finger on as she opened the door. "Oh, well..... doesn't matter...." she thought as she opened the door.

"Welcome to my tiny abode." Alexis said with a grand hand gesture....................................

After he was discharged from the hospital, he decided that he needed a new start. His parents were gone... Alexis nver visited... it was time for Matt to go away. He found an attorney who filed the paperwork necessary for him to change his name. Matt was no more. He was now Keith Cochrane.

After a time, he decided he needed to reach out to his past. The only thing from his past that he remembered was Alexis. He did research and found her. He was too nervous to make contact with her, however. She had not come to see him in the hospital... I guess she didn't care about him anymore.

After a couple of years, Matt/Keith began to look for alexis again. He had never found anyone he cared about like her. Maybe it was a high school crush.... maybe not. He needed to make contact with her. He found her in Tarrytown. that wasn't too far from the city where he worked as a manager on Wall Street.

He began looking for houses, but there was nothing near Alexis' home, at least nothing he liked. Then it happened. The house next door to her's came on the market. He was the only one to go through it. He offered full price. The realtor told him it wasn't necessary, but he was taking no chance.

He watched her ass as she walked ahead of him. It was perfect.... and the shorts accentuated it. "This is very nice. You have a beautiful home. You and your husband do a great job of maintaining it."

Untying the shirt, Alexis hung it on the hook. Her shapely body now in full view of it's curves with only the gray tank to cover them. Alexis had that hourglass shape men love and woman yearn for.

"Who me, married........ No, not me. Haven't found a man who could put up with this redheaded devil. You married?" she laughed as they entered the living room and heading straight for the kitchen, "..... and thank you, but I must confess most of the things that grace my home are second hand. You know a little off this or that, just things that catch my eye, Mmmmm.... but somehow they all work."

Stopping only once she reached the fridge, pulling open the door, that ass of hers peeked out once more. As she wiggled and danced with her feet planted. Her finger went to her mouth and seductively she bit at her nail.

"Let's see................ Water.... OJ.... Milk, nah... Power Aid.... Tea..... Diet Dr. Pepper...... Anything catch your fancy?" she asked still dancing bent over in front of the fridge, not looking at Keith....................

Keith followed Alexis through her living room and into her kitchen. Her figure was killer now that she had removed the bulky shirt. The tank top showed off what she had.

He watched her go to the refrigerator, and he watched her wiggle her ass. What a little tease she was. Some things just never change.

He heard her ask a question but it took him a minute to process it. "Ummm yea. Ehhhh, water. May I have a water please." His eyes were still fixed on her tight ass as she playfully moved it before him.

"Water it is...." She said grabbing two bottles and closing the door. Placing them on the free standing center island, the black marble sparkled below the bottles. Patting her hand on the stool next to her, she asked Keith to take a load off as she took her seat. Smiling he pulled the stool out and sat.

Alexis pushed a bottle to Keith, taking one for herself. Twisting the cap, her Ked tennis shoe brushed his leg as she crossed hers. It seemed to linger a little longer than just a brush of the foot, Keith thought, or was it he was hoping it had.

Placing her hand on his shoulder, "So, Keith, you never said if you were married." Alexis already knew the answer though, that van that unloaded the other day had "single guy" marked all over the furniture.

Smiling with a cat eating grin, she took a drink and waited on Keith to answer. Her eyes locked on him patently waiting while he finished his long drink.....................................

He took a long gulp from the bottle of water. It tasted good after his long run. Keith looked at his neighbor, "No, No.... I am not married. Never found the right one. Well, I may have found her a long time ago, but she went a different way."

Keith looked at Alexis to see her response. He also looked into her eyes to keep from looking over her body. "You have done an amazing job with your house. Maybe I should hire you to work on mine. I could never do to mine what you have done here."

He took another drink from his water bottle. As he did it, his eyes moved down over her body and to the side of the island to look over her legs. Her foot periodically brushed his leg. He was wondering how much of that was on purpose and how much was innocent.

Giving his leg a good nudge with her foot, "You think you could afford me? No..... but really, I can help you with that, this little town has lots of great one of a kind finds. They even have things you didn't know you were even looking for." smiling after she said that.

Alexis wondered if he picked up on her little underlying note. She was drawn to him, quite fast. At that first little remark about her buds, if truth be told. He was a beefcake in every sense of the word, but that had never mattered to her. Maybe it was his smile, or his laugh, a little nerves at times, or was it his eyes? Those beautiful icy blue eyes.

For a split second his eyes haunted her, they took her to a time long ago to a man she loved, the one that had got away. She giggled to herself, or she hoped she had, as she thought about her one that got away. Matt was her love and she was his. She had sent him a letter saying she was going out of the States for a program in a third world country, but he never contacted her after that. She had tried to look him up once she got back, but he seemed to have vanished. His whole family for that matter.

"What???" Keith asked puzzled at her giggle.

Damn she thought, I did giggle, "Oh, I was just thinking how your living room must look right now with that large sofa and all those boxes thrown about. Mine looked like that a couple of years ago." Alexis giggled once more, mostly to cover her first giggle.

"I'm heading out in a little while to the Farmer's Market, would you care to come?" Alexis asked with a hopeful question mark at the end.................................................................

Alexis kept nudging his leg with her foot. He looked down at her foot then back at her face. "Afford you? I didn't realize you were high-end" he smiled at her. "So, there are things here that I wasn't looking for? Maybe that is why I came here."

For a moment Keith thought that she recognized him. She looked at him in a way that seemed to indicate that there was some prior knowledge. But... there was no way. She could not recognize him. It was impossible.

"I have crap all over the place. I am in no hurry to get it all put away. I figure I am going to be here for a while, so, I will take my time. Then, after I get it put away, maybe you will be a little cheaper." He winked at her.

"I have never been to a farmer's market, and, as much as I would like to go, I am in desperate need of a shower. The sweat from my run needs to be washed away. I don't think you want me to go with you stinking like this."

Popping off her stool as quick as lighting, Alexis crossed her legs and spun like a ballerina, stopping only when she came full circle, facing him, "Ah...... Hello!!!!! Do I look like I'm ready to leave the house???? I think not, Mister!!!! I mean, I know the pigtails are cute, but come on!!! And just look at all that dirt on my bootie and knees!!!!! I'm worse off than you." she said, laughing as she pointed to her pigtails, then ass, down to her knees.

Keith burst out laughing as she jokingly paraded herself in front of him. Alexis laughing just as hard, still flipping those long pigtails. It was nice being with him, she thought. So nice she could be herself and so weird that she could, after only knowing him for maybe an hour or an hour and a half.


"No silly, I have more getting ready time than you do. So.......... is it a date???" Alexis' eyes holding another question mark as she girlishly batted them his way............................................

Keith watched her spin and then point at her ass and her knees. He laughed at her as he watched her little show. His eyes moved back to her ass and stayed there for a moment.

"A date? Sure.... How soon will you be ready?" Keith waited for her response. Once he received it, he said he would be ready well before that. He headed out the door and over to his house.

He walked through the mess in the living room and up the stairs to his bedroom. He stripped off his sweaty clothes and tossed them into a full laundry basket. He walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower. He took his time showering. There was no hurry, because Alexis said she was going to take a while.

After the shower, he toweled off and walked into his room. He picked out a pair of jeans and a ribbed t-shirt. He was going to a farmer's market, so, he didn't have to get dressed up.... even if it was.... a date.

After getting dressed he walked down the stairs and over to his new neighbor's house. He knocked on the door and waited.

Closing the door behind Keith, Alexis headed to her bedroom. Stripping as she went and tossing her clothes in the basket next to the linen closet at the end of the hall. Heading straight to her bathroom, she turned on the shower. Took a couple of towels and a washcloth from under her sink. Looking in the mirror, how funny she looked in pigtails, such a childish look resting on her ample nude breast. With the shower ready, she pulled the tails out, her long auburn hair waved across her back.

Her shower cut short knowing Keith would finish before her, she stood in front of her mirror putting on only the little dab of makeup needed for a day at the market. Blew her hair dry, and just running her hands one last time through it as she gently shook it out, she was done.

Standing in her closet, she picked out a brown scoop necked T and a pair of straight legged, low ride jeans. As she slid on her polka dotted boy short panties, her heart raced. Why had she used the word date? This was just an afternoon at the market, wasn't it? Rolling up her jeans a few inches above her ankles, she thought, no he didn't think it was a date date. Looking for her flip flops, she heard a knock on her door. Quickly she rushed downstairs to the front door.

Pulling it open, "Hey, come on in, I can't find my shoes," Alexis said heading off to find them. Make yourself at home, I'll be right back. Now where did I put those dang shoes???........." her voice trailing up the stairs with her.

As fast as she went up she came down. "Ta Da!!!!! Found them." she said with a big smile, "You ready?"

Once again, not giving Keith time to answer, she opened the door and held it for him.

"So................ Where's your bike? Dang, I didn't tell you, did I? I ride my bike to the market, it's only a few miles from here. Do you even have a bike?" she asked, knowing if he didn't, they could just drive.............................

He looked at her as she answered the door. She looked good in jeans and a t-shirt. Then she ran up the stairs mumbling something about finding her shoes. Just as quickly she came running back down the steps.... a whirlwind.

She opened the door and then said something about a bike. "Yes, I have a bike. It is in the shed. You are talking bicycle right? Not a motorcycle?" He walked down the steps from her door and headed out to the back of his house. He got his bike out of the shed and walked it out front.... waiting for Alexis.

He saw her coming with her bike and said to her, ""Lead the way madam." He climbed on his bike and started to pedal, following Alexis. He didn't mind letting her lead; it gave him an opportunity to look at her ass. It was a sight that he thoroughly enjoyed.

It was nice having someone to bike with her. Most of the people on her street where her age, but all had families. Her friends back in New York road, but it was to much trouble for them to haul a bike out here when they visited, so they said.

"I'm glad you came," Alexis called back to Keith, "We have just bout another mile."

The air was warm, but the breeze made it a perfect day. As they parked their bikes, the market buzzed with people. Some had bags of fresh veggies. Some had the strangest handmade crafts you had ever seen, which made Alexis and Keith shake their heads and laugh. And some it seemed were there just to eat or people watch.

Alexis grabbed Keith's hand as they came to one booth. It had slices of homemade bread and an open jar homemade peach jam. Alexis took the little piece of bread loading it with jam. Turning to Keith, her hand rose to his mouth. As he tasted the sweet treat of peaches, his lips softly took her fingers in with the bread. Taking his hand around her wrist, he sucked her fingers tauntingly as he pulled them slowly out of her mouth.

"You must taste this jam!" Keith said as his lips lowered and kissed Alexis...................................

He enjoyed the bike ride. The view of her ass was great and the exercise provided a good follow up to his run. When they got to the market he looked around and was amazed by the people moving around.

He followed Alexis around until she dragged him over to table with fruit, and jam on it. She took a piece and held it to his mouth. He opened his mouth and took the bread from her.... and he decided to play with her, so, he sucked on her fingers for a second.

The peach jam was delicious and he decided to keep up the tease. "You have to taste this." He leaned down and kissed her; sharing the peach jam that was on his lips. It was a light kiss, and he did not allow it to linger. He broke the kiss. "Isn't it good?" he asked her..... smiling.

Keith didn't really wait for a response. He looked around. "Look at all of these people and all of the bustle going on around here. This is a great place. It looks like a good place to go. What other stops should we make here?"

"Just a sec, I'm getting a jar of the peach jam. Think it will work with pork chops, nicely." Alexis said, pulling money out out her back pocket.

The little kiss was a shock, but he had that gleam in his eye, it told the tale. So Alexis had to pay it back.

"Hey you know....... I sure hope this jam is just as good without your lips mixed in it!" Alexis teased as she slapped his ass when she passed him, "I need some soap, that's where next is."

Taking in more of the sights and sounds of the market, they stopped and ordered a freshly juiced crushed ice drink. Swinging her bag in her other hand, they walked side by side through the market. Stopping several times to look at or taste something, or to laugh at the folk art. Soon, they turned to the lane that had the booth Alexis was looking for.

It's smell met them way long before the booth did. Alexis picked up and smelled all of the scents. There were so many to choose from. She usually would buy the rose petal or lilac. And for that special time a heavenly white lily.

Keith watched as Alexis inhaled the soaps...........................................

Keith laughed at her. "There is no way that it will taste as good without my lips as it did with.' he laughs again as she smacks his ass. She was a fresh thing. Much more open than the Alexis he knew from years before.

Keith walked with Alexis through the market. He didn't buy anything. He just observed... he observed the people... he observed the interactions between merchants and customers... he observed Alexis.

Then Alexis led him to her desired destination. The smell was clean.... fresh. She was like a kid in a candy store. She took in every scent. It was as if she was in heaven. He stood and watched her and he smiled.

Alexis picked up a soap and smelled it deeply, taking it to Keith, "Here smell......" she said bringing it to his nose, "I think I'll try this one, It will be a great pick me upper."

As the scent of peppermint filled his nose, Alexis grabbed his hand, "I'm starved, let's go get something to eat. I know this great little bistro up the road."

They road side by side as Alexis pointed out the sights along the route. Showing him jogging and bike trails that lead through the woods she loves to take. An old barn she fell in love with the first time she saw it. It was nice to have him with her, they seemed to enjoy many of the same things. Pulling up to the little bistro, placing the bikes in the bike rack, Alexis planted herself at one of the outside tables, Keith in tow. The wind had started to blow more briskly, making outside the perfect choice.

The waitress placed the menus on the table along with tall glasses of water and a bowl of lemons.

Alexis squeezing a lemon into her water, "You know, Keith........ You sure make a first "date" fun!" she said with a hint of a giggle.........................................................

Keith smelled the fragrance of the soap, and before he could even comment, she was dragging him back toward their bikes saying tht she was hungry. He laughed at her energy and at her desire to be in control of everything that was going on.

He rode along the road on the outside as they headed to the bistro that Alexis said she wanted to go to... at least he assumed that was where they were going. She pointed out a variety of points of interest as they rode.

When they reached the bistro she walked over and plopped down at a table. "You know, Keith........ You sure make a first "date" fun!"

He laughed at her as he took a sip of water from the glass. "So, what is your idea of a good first date? Other than this, that is."

"Oh, I don't know...... If it were a daytime date, a picnic by the river would be nice. Hmmmm.... evening.... Let's see.... maybe a quiet little place, not a lot of tables. Either way, I wouldn't want it to be all for show, that doesn't work with me." Alexis said as she sucked on a lemon, her knees bent and her now bare feet up in the iron patio chair.

Pouring the glasses full of water again, the waitress asked if they were ready to order. Keith smiled and told her to given them a few more minutes. Flipping through the items, Alexis decided on a salad with grilled chicken.

"So tell me what brings you to Tarrytown?" Alexis said her eyes glowing with anticipation and her mouth working over another lemon, as she waited for Keith's reply.........................................................

Keith decided to just have a small salad. He watched Alexis as she sat across from him. She looked so relaxed. He wondered what would make her so relaxed around a total stranger.... well, around someone she believed to be a total stranger.

"I was looking for a place that provided me with easy access to the city for work and provided me with solitude to get away from the craziness that is the city. I just stumbled on Tarrytown, and the house. It seemed perfect for me."

He sat back and relaxed a little. He looked into Alexis' eyes and couldn't help but wonder why she had never visited him. He wondered if he had done something wrong, or if she had just become wrapped up in everything that was her college life and had just forgotten all about him. Either way, he would eventually find out the truth.

Have you lived in Tarrytown all of your life?"

"No, I'm not from here, only been here, right at two years now. I've only been back in the states for 3 years. I finished my studies and worked in South America for some time before heading here. I ran across this little town one day and fell in love with it. Close to work only a train ride away like you and a nice retreat to come home to." Alexis said between bites. "I thought bout moving back home, but my parents had moved and.................

Alexis paused for a long time, thinking back to Matt once more, "there just wasn't a reason to move home, no one was there."

Alexis had an uneasy feeling in her gut, Matt had flooded her thoughts twice in one day. She thought she was over him. Thought she had put him behind her. And now as she sat at the table with this great guy, all she could think about was how she missed him.

As she took another bite of her salad, she hoped Keith couldn't see her heartache. Smiling back at him across the table, she told herself to concentrate on Keith.

"So what is it you do in the Big Apple?" she asked as she ripped off a piece of herbed flat bread.........................................

Keith thought about what Alexis had just said.... South America... after her studies.... nothing to go back to. His head was spinning a little. What was she talking about?

He picked at his salad. He wasn't hungry. He continued to think about what she had said. He wasn't worth going back to? He wondered if his plan had been a big mistake. Maybe he should have left it alone.

"I work on Wall Street. I am a manager for a financial services company. It is a hectic business, which is why I decided to move out this way."

"You ever rung that bell to start the business day?" Alexis asked smiling jokingly.

After taking a sip of water, Alexis told Keith how she worked in a so out of the main stream place it was like going back in time. Told how she worked with the kids there, and how she now worked with several special needs children.

"A woman around kids all day must enjoy them, and special needs, now that takes a loving heart, Miss Morgan! And here you sit, single and no children of your own?" the question loud and clear in Keith's voice.

"Right you are, Mr.*Cochrane, * no children of my own. And single, well that's a long story. I thought I would be married to the man of my dreams by now, but things didn't go as I planned." she said matter of fact as she took a bite of her salad, "You know the story........... Girl meets boy, they fall madly in love, they plan their life together, go to different collages, girl writes letter saying she has an opportunity of a lifetime, boy never replies, girl goes on with her life, couple years go by, girl tries to find boy, boy is nowhere to be found, just vanished. I hated leaving back then without talking to him. He had went on a two week outing, hiking and rock climbing with some friends, no way to reach him. I had a week to get ready and leave. When we got our mail almost six months later, I had nothing from him. It broke my heart. But life goes on......" Alexis said then took a sip of water, hoping Keith didn't see just how much pain she had.

"sooooooooo...... Changing the subject, How bout them, Yankees?" Alexis said as she smiled at Keith.....................