“Mom, look. Someone is moving into Johnson’s old house across the street,” Amber said.

“It’ll be nice to have the house occupied,” Amber’s mom, Tillie, said. “It’s been vacant for far too long.”

“We could bake some brownies to bring over later,” Amber suggested. “It never hurts to be neighborly.”

Tillie shrugged, “Sure, why not? I don’t have any brownie mix, but I have all the ingredients to make them from scratch.”

“Your scratch brownies are better than any mix anyway, Mom,” Amber said as she turned on the oven to preheat it.

Tillie smiled. Amber was such a good daughter. When they lost David, their beloved husband, and father, to cancer, it had been hard on them both. Becoming a widow at fifty hadn’t been anywhere on her radar. Amber took a semester off from school, and they had helped each other grieve and work at the hard task of moving on.

That was ten years prior. Now Amber had graduated and moved into a cute little apartment above the accounting office where she worked. Still, every Sunday, she came home to spend time with Tillie.

Today they had planned to hang out and watch old movies. But there was no reason they couldn’t whip up a batch of brownies while they did so.

Once the brownies were in the oven, Amber and Tillie turned on the 1983 classic, Risky Business. Amber made some microwave popcorn and grabbed a couple of Coke Zeros from the fridge.

The smell of popcorn mixed with brownie was decadent. When the brownies were done, Amber removed them from the oven to let them cool. Then she rejoined her mother in the living room.

After the movie was over, Amber suggested they cut the brownies and take them over to the new neighbors. Tillie agreed. So, they headed across the street and rang the doorbell.

When the door opened, Tillie felt a tug of desire that she hadn’t known still existed within her. The man standing inside was handsome and looked to be about her age.

“Hello,” Amber said awkwardly as her mother and the man just stared at each other. “I’m Amber, and this is my mother, Tillie. She lives across the street, and we thought you’d enjoy some delicious, home-made brownies.”

The man’s brow furrowed. “Tillie Benson?” he asked, sounding astonished.

“Why, yes,” Tillie said. “Well, it’s Tillie Wyman now. Oh, my goodness, is that you, Dan Holeman?”

“In the flesh!” he answered exuberantly.

Amber watched as her mother’s face lit up for the first time in a very long time. “Where do you two know each other from?” she asked inquisitively.

“We went to high school together,” Tillie said, smiling.

Dan laughed, “We were more than just classmates, Amber. Your mother was my first serious crush. And, if I’m not mistaken, she had more than a little crush on me too.”

Tillie blushed, “No, you’re not mistaken.”

Dan smiled, “Won’t you both come in? It’s a mess, of course, with all these boxes. But the couch and chairs are available. I can get us some lemonade to go along with these brownies, which smell delicious, by the way.”

“Oh, Dan, we don’t want to get in the way of your unpacking. We just wanted to be neighborly. But listen, once you get settled, Amber and I would love to have you and your wife over for dinner,” Tillie said.

Dan’s smile faded a little, “Well, it’s just me, I’m afraid. Darlene and I have been divorced for about ten years now.”

Tillie apologized, “I’m sorry. I didn’t know…”

“Don’t be sorry,” Dan interrupted. “It was for the best. I was never enough for her.”

“Well, her loss then,” Tillie said.

Amber had a sudden, brilliant idea. “Hey, Dan, why don’t you plan on joining the two of us for dinner tonight. Mom, I can get some dinner started, and you can help Dan set up his kitchen. Mom’s very organized.”

Dan grinned, “That sounds wonderful! Is that okay with you, Tillie?”

“Sure, I am happy to help with the kitchen,” Tillie agreed. “And we’d love to have you as our guest for dinner.”

Amber went back across the street to give her mother time to catch up with Dan and help him unpack.

“Your daughter is a lovely young woman, Tillie. Just like her mom,” Dan said as he opened the box marked bakeware.

Tillie blushed, “Always the charmer.” She chose the lower cabinet next to the stove to store the bakeware and motioned for Dan to open the next box.

“I couldn’t help but notice that Amber asked me to join the two of you for dinner. Is her father out of town?” Dan asked, handing Tillie the box with the kitchen towels and oven mitts.

Tillie’s eyes lowered, “No, I lost David ten years ago to cancer. It was hard on both of us, but we’ve survived and gotten stronger for it, I think.”

Dan took Tillie’s hands in his, “I’m so sorry. That must have been rough. I’m glad you didn’t have to go through that alone.”

She smiled, “You’ve always been so kind, Dan. Thank you.”

She went to move, but he kept hold of her hands. She tilted her head and looked at him. He let go reluctantly.

After all of the kitchen boxes were unpacked, and everything was neatly organized, Tillie said, “Well, things look great here. I’m going to go home and see if Amber needs any help. Plan on coming over in about an hour.”

“Tillie, I can’t thank you enough for your help. Can I bring anything?” he asked.

“Just bring your appetite. Amber is a wonderful cook!”

She rushed across the street and headed inside. Amber seemed to have everything under control, so Tillie went upstairs to change into something a little nicer.

When she came back downstairs, Amber noticed that she had not only changed but had added a little mascara and blush.

Amber grinned, “You look nice, Mom.”

“Thank you. I just felt a little grubby,” Tillie said. “And my face looked a little tired.”

“Mom, it’s okay if you want to look nice for Dan,” Amber said. “He’s really handsome.”

“Oh, I just…” she stammered. “Yes, he is really handsome. He’s hardly changed a bit since high school. Whereas I look every bit my age.”

“You do not!” Amber protested. “You are blessed with beautiful skin, your hair is beautiful, and you have a really fit body. You’ve done a good job taking care of yourself.”

“Thanks, honey,” Tillie answered with a sigh.

“So, Mom, did you and Dan date for a long time?”

“Oh, goodness, I can’t say we ever really dated. At least not seriously. Your grandfather disapproved of my dating in high school, so we hung around as friends, mostly. I had hoped that maybe after graduation, we’d end up together, but he joined the Air Force, and I went away to college. We wrote letters back and forth for a while. But, eventually, the letters were less frequent. Then I met your father, and we fell in love. So, it all happened how it was supposed to. If I had ended up with Dan, I wouldn’t have you!” Tillie explained.

“Did you ever think about him over the years?” Amber asked.

“Oh, once in a while, I would wonder whatever happened to him, but in a fond way, not in a longing for him sort of way.”

Amber nodded and asked, “Can I say something and not have you get mad at me?”

“Sure, honey, you know you can always tell me what is on your mind,” Tillie answered.

“I think Dan moving here is a sign. I think you should spend time getting reacquainted with him and see where it goes,” Amber suggested.

“Oh, honey, if you mean what I think you mean, I’m not sure either one of us is looking for that. I’m just looking for friendship,” Tillie sighed.

“Then why did you put on makeup?” Amber asked.

Just then, the doorbell rang. “Saved by the bell,” Tillie laughed as she went to answer the door.

While her mother greeted Dan, Amber sent a quick text to a friend.

Call me in an hour, please.

“I hope you don’t mind that I’m a little early,” Dan said with an easy charm. He handed her a six-pack of cold Corona Light.

Tillie gave a warm smile, “Not a bit. We can have drinks in the living room while the meal finishes cooking. Do you want a glass for your beer?”

“No, thanks. Bottle’s good. I’m sorry I forgot about limes,” he answered.

“Well, as that is Mom’s favorite beer, we just happen to have limes,” Amber laughed. “You two go ahead and have some beers and catch up. Dinner is about twenty minutes away.”

She headed back into the kitchen to allow her mom and Dan some time alone.

Tillie wondered, at first, how the hell they would fill twenty minutes with conversation when she had just spent the better part of the afternoon at Dan’s house helping him unpack. But talking with him proved comfortable and easy, and the time seemed to pass very quickly.

During dinner, Dan made a point to include Amber in the conversation, asking her about her job and such. Tillie found herself wondering how on Earth his ex-wife could ever think he wasn’t enough.

When the dinner plates had been cleared, they opted to take their baked apple dessert into the living room.

“Dan, would you like coffee or tea with your dessert?” Amber asked.

“Actually, I wouldn’t mind another beer if it’s all the same,” he replied.

“I think I’d like another beer too, honey,” Tillie said.

Just as Amber brought the beers out to the living room, her phone rang. She went back into the kitchen to take the call.

“Okay, so why am I calling you?” Sarah, Amber’s best friend, asked curiously.

Amber kept her voice low, “So, my mother’s old crush from high school just moved in across the street from us, and I wanted an excuse to ditch them.”

Sarah laughed, “That boring, huh?”

“No, not at all. I just want to get out of their way and give them time to reconnect,” Amber whispered.

“Oh. Ohhh, I see,” Sarah said, “You’re a really good daughter, Amber.”

Amber went back into the living room and asked, “Hey, Mom, would you mind if I cut out early tonight? Sarah just called and asked me to stop by her apartment on the way home.”

“Sure, honey, that’s no problem. Is everything okay with Sarah?” Tillie asked.

“Yeah, everything’s fine. We just haven’t hung out in a while. You know I wouldn’t leave you if you didn’t have company,” Amber explained.

“It’s fine, really. Give her a hug from me,” Tillie said as she stood up to hug her daughter goodbye.

Amber said, “I will. I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?” Then she turned to Dan, “It was really nice to meet you!”

Dan stood, “It was nice to meet you, as well. Thanks for the delicious dinner.”

After Amber left, Tillie found herself wondering whether it was okay to ask about Dan’s divorce. Before she could say anything, Dan said, “I have to tell you how nice it is to be able to sit down and have a wonderful homecooked meal and to enjoy pleasant conversation. I’ve been pretty much on the road for work ever since the divorce. But I’m sick of the travel and decided it was time to find a job that didn’t make me feel like a nomad. Being able to stay in one place has allowed me to buy a house again finally.”

Since he brought it up, Tillie figured the divorce was fair game to talk about. “Was it the travel that affected your marriage?” she asked quietly.

“No, when Darlene and I were still married, I wasn’t traveling nearly as much. But when she decided she was done with me, being on the road was a more comfortable choice while we hashed out the settlement,” he answered.

“Would it be impolite of me to ask how she could just decide to be done with such an amazing man?” Tillie asked, treading lightly.

“No, not at all. I simply didn’t have the right package,” he said, taking a rather large gulp of his beer.

Tillie tilted her head, “Come again?”

Dan smirked, “You heard correctly. My dick isn’t apparently big enough or black enough. Talk about a humiliating kick in the crotch.”

“Oh, Dan, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have asked. That’s terrible! Shame on her!” Tillie said, frowning.

“It wasn’t always that way. I made her happy enough in the beginning. But when she got a promotion at work, I started looking less and less attractive. She didn’t like that I’d let my hair go gray. And she started wanting me to use large dildos in her pussy, and would only let me fuck her ass,” Dan said bluntly.

Tillie turned eight shades of red. She hadn’t counted on this much information. Dan seemed oblivious to her discomfort. Realizing he needed to talk, she let him continue.

“It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out she was cheating on me with her new boss. Hard to blame her, as he is a really good-looking black man. When I called her out on it, she told me that she no longer wanted or needed me. That his big black cock filled her up in ways I never could and that I looked like an old man,” Dan explained, as he ran a hand through his hair.

Tillie’s heart broke a little. She wished she could think of something to say.

“I’m sorry, I’m an idiot. I didn’t mean to dump all that on you. I guess it just felt like old times when I could talk to you about anything,” he apologized.

Tillie moved to the couch to sit next to Dan. She placed a hand on his knee and said, “Hey, I’m glad you feel like you can still talk to me about anything.”

“I feel like a damn loser,” he admitted.

“You’re not a loser, Dan!” she admonished him. “I don’t mean to speak ill of Darlene, but what kind of woman just tosses away the man she loves just because another man has a bigger, um, package?”

Dan smiled, “You’re a good friend, Tillie. I’ve missed you. I didn’t realize how much until you showed up on my porch this afternoon.”

“I’ve missed you, too. Even with Amber spending every Sunday with me, I have to admit that I still get lonely as hell. But I’ve been getting by okay. Then you answered the door, and my heart raced a little,” she admitted.

“I’m sorry I stopped writing to you, Till. I just figured it was better that way. I had no idea back then if I wanted to continue in the military or not. It didn’t seem fair to string you along,” he said, putting his hand on hers.

“It’s okay,” she said softly. “I can’t regret that we grew apart because that led me to David. We had a wonderful marriage, and we loved each other very much. And I have Amber.”

“I am very happy that you found the joy you deserved. And I’m very sorry about you losing David. But being able to be here with you like this has made me feel better than I have in a long time,” he said.

Tillie smiled, “I’m glad.”

They looked at each other and leaned in for a kiss. It was a simple meeting of lips, but there was a spark there.

They sat quietly for a moment before Dan said, “Tillie, I’ve had a lovely time. But I think I’d better go before it becomes hard for me to behave like a gentleman.”

Tillie held his hand firmly, “What if I said I don’t want you to act like a gentleman?”

Dan paused, “Till, I don’t want to rush you into something you might regret.”

“We’re not children, Dan,” Tillie said, “It’s been ten years since David passed, and ten since Darlene left you, so this isn’t a rebound thing. You can’t tell me that you didn’t feel what I felt when we kissed. I’m not asking you to commit to anything, Dan. I just know that I’d like you to take me to bed. We can see where it goes from there. If it’s awkward, then we forget it happened and enjoy being neighbors.”

“I felt it. And I’d like nothing more than to take you to bed,” Dan admitted. “But I just don’t want to screw this up. I think I’d better go.”

“Why did you really stop writing to me, Dan?” Tillie asked pointedly. “I loved you. You broke my heart when it became apparent that you didn’t return my feelings.”

He was taken aback and was about to repeat the line he’d said earlier, but he knew she deserved the truth. “You’re wrong. I loved you, too. But I was afraid I wasn’t good enough for you. I still feel that way. You could have any guy, so why settle for me?”

She blinked, “You really are an idiot, aren’t you?”

“I beg your pardon!” he said, put off by the insult.

“Fate has given us another chance, and you just want to walk away again? We are grownups, Dan. If I want you and you want me, why on earth should we not enjoy each other? I’m not asking you to love me. I just want you to make love to me.”

When Dan said nothing, Tillie stood up and said, “Well, now I feel ridiculous. I’m sorry I threw myself at you. Maybe you should go.”

Dan stood up and nodded, “Thank you again for dinner. I’ll see myself out.”

Tillie watched him as he turned to leave; she felt hot shame wash over her for trying to talk him into bed when they had just barely reconnected.

Dan stopped short of the door. He turned around and saw tears on Tillie’s face and realized he was, indeed, an idiot. He wanted her, had always wanted her. Now, she asked him to make love to her, and his response was to walk away?

“Tillie,” he frowned, “I don’t suppose we could rewind the tape and go back to the moment where you asked me to take you to bed, can we?”

She wanted to refuse, to say the moment had passed and they should just let it go. But she tucked away her pride and said, “I’m going upstairs. If you want to join me, you’re welcome to do so.”

She turned and headed up, and he stood still for a moment. Then he took a deep breath and followed her up.

He stood in her doorway while he watched her undress. She had aged very well, her body still fit and firm. He felt his cock twitch as her bra fell to the floor, and her lovely breasts were out there on display for him. Her nipples were already hardened with desire. Then her panties joined the bra, and he saw a lovely, teasing landing strip. She sat on the bed and spread her legs a bit, allowing him to notice the glistening folds that begged to be parted.

“You gonna stand there with all those clothes on, Dan?” she asked seductively. “Or do you want to finally get naked with me after all these years?”

Dan unbuttoned his shirt as quickly as his fumbling fingers would allow. When he was down to his boxer briefs, he hesitated. He realized his confidence had taken a big hit with Darlene’s ridicule about a less than adequate package.

Sensing his reluctance, Tillie patted a spot on the bed next to her. “How about you just kiss me, for starters?”

He grinned and sat down. Then he took her face between his hands, and their tongues began to dance. It was a long, passionate kiss and the spark from earlier became a flame.

“God, I want you, Tillie. I’ve never stopped wanting you. I was such a damned fool all those years ago. I’d be an even bigger one if I pass up the chance to be with you like this.”

He stood up and removed his boxer briefs, releasing his shaft, which was harder than it had been in years.

Tillie purred, “I’ve waited a long time for this, Dan.”

He climbed back on the bed and pulled her into an embrace. Her hands roamed around his chest and then slid down to touch him more intimately. When she gripped his cock, he moaned. It had been ages since any hand, but his own had held him like this.

She rolled him on his back and moved between his legs. With her grip still firm, she licked the head of his dick and sent shivers of desire through his entire body. “Fuck! God, Tillie, your tongue feels amazing!”

She took him into her mouth, slowly devouring him, and his eyes closed while he moaned. She sucked him while her fingers deftly played with his balls, heavy with cum.

He wanted to make this last longer, but her mouth was doing incredible things to him. He’d return the favor of oral sex so he wouldn’t feel guilty for cumming so soon.

She felt his balls tighten, then let go as he fed her his seed.

“God, Tillie, I’m so sorry. It’s been a long time, and I…”

“Don’t,” she interrupted. “Don’t you dare spoil this by apologizing!”

“Let me at least return the favor,” he said.

She answered him by letting her legs fall open. He wasted no time as he planted wet kisses on her inner thighs, driving her wild. When he reached her mound, he let his tongue move in circles until it found its prize.

He had her bucking in no time and, when he slid a single finger inside her, he pushed her right over the edge. “Oh, my God! You’re so fucking good!” she screamed as her juices filled his mouth.

“God, Tillie, you taste so sweet,” he murmured as he kissed his way up her body. He stopped to suck on those beautiful breasts that were begging for attention. He let his fingers play in her wetness while he alternated sucking and nibbling her hardened nipples, and he was delighted when another orgasm ripped through her body. So much so that his cock was getting hard again.

He got between her legs and said, “Hold these open for me.” She did as he asked, allowing his own hands to be free to continue their delicious assault on her pink folds.

Then he rubbed the head of his once-again fully erect penis along the slit of her wetness before sliding into her slowly.

“Oh, my God,” Tillie cried out. “God, Dan! I’ve waited so long for this!”

He watched her face as he moved in and out of her. Such a mix of desire and something else, he couldn’t quite put his finger on. She moaned and cried out as he picked up his pace, enjoying the feeling of being inside her. She was remarkably tight. So much so that he felt his own climax mounting again.

“God, yes!” Tillie cried. “Faster! Don’t stop! Cum in me, Dan. Fill me with your hot seed!”

He grabbed her legs, still spread open wide for him, and pumped into her hot, wet pussy. Every stroke brought them both closer to the edge, until they came hard together, leaving them breathless, with hearts beating wildly.

He collapsed on the bed next to her and drew her into his arms. He held her there while their breathing returned to normal, feeling more content than he could ever remember in his life. He kissed the top of her head, and she smiled.

“No disrespect to your ex, but Jesus, she must have a loose pussy not to think your package was big enough,” Tillie blurted out.

Dan laughed, “God, you’re so good for my ego. I will say, you’re a hell of a lot tighter than I remember her being.”

She smiled, feeling silly that it pleased her so much to hear that.

“We should have done that before I went into the Air Force,” he mused.

“Done what?” she asked.

“Fucked like that. I’d have never let you out of my sight if I’d known then that sex with you would be mind-blowing,” he sighed.

“Well, at least you didn’t make that same mistake by leaving tonight,” she replied.

“Thank you, Tillie, for not letting me take the easy way out,” he said as he kissed her temple.

“Welcome to the neighborhood,” she said, smirking.

“Jesus, Tillie, this was some welcome! Just promise me that you don’t greet all the new neighbors this way,” he teased.

“Only the ones who I’ve loved for so many years. Don’t get me wrong; I loved David. But a part of my heart left with you after high school, and now I feel like it’s whole again.”

“Tillie, I need to admit something,” Dan said softly.

Her heart fell. She was sure that he would say that he was already seeing someone, or that there was some reason they couldn’t be together.

“What is it?” she asked, trying hard not to be disappointed.

“I knew you lived here across the street from the house I bought. I saw you getting your mail out of the mailbox while I was about to enter with the realtor to check out the house. All I can remember is her trying hard to show me all of the house's wonderful features and me telling her I wanted it without her hard sell. At that moment, I couldn’t have cared less about what the damn house looked like. All I could think about was the fact that my Tillie was standing there across the street,” he admitted. “I hope you’re not angry that I played dumb.”

She laughed, “I think that is probably the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard. You bought a house simply because it was across the street from me! But how did you know I was widowed?”

“I didn’t. It didn’t matter if we couldn’t be lovers, although I’m damn happy that we can. It would have been enough for me to be your friend again. This afternoon and evening, just being together and laughing like no time at all had gone by, was truly amazing,” he explained. “This evening was like the icing on the cake.”

Tillie beamed. Her heart felt so full.

“So, what will you tell Amber? Is she going to be shocked by us reconnecting? Or do we need to keep this on the down-low for a while?” Dan asked.

Tillie thought about how Amber had made a point of leaving her and Dan alone both at his house and this evening after dinner. “I will tell her that her plan worked and that my new old love and I are happy for a second chance.”

He looked at her and saw that same expression as before. Only now, he was able to see what it was. It was love. And he felt it too as he held her, his Tillie, and knew that his world was set right again.