I couldn't keep the yawn at bay. It was far too early for me, and I knew I was early for work. Yet the beauty in front of me somehow made the whole trip worth it. 

Jenny was waiting for the bus. I didn't see where she came from - I wasn't early enough - but there she was. She was wearing a long-sleeved shirt with the sleeves pushed up, and a pair of jeans that looked worn. Not in the fashionable way, though; they looked like they were worn through use. 

My car was parked where I could just see her. I saw some guys loitering in the area, and I vaguely recognized them as guys I went to high school with, but they weren't being a bother to her, so I just sipped my coffee and watched, feeling like a stalker. I kept trying to push the thought out, but it kept finding its way to the forefront of my thoughts. 

In that moment, despite everything, I knew this wouldn't be the last time I'd watch over her from afar. I wouldn't do it every day, but I couldn't help but worry. My worry for her was only fed when I noticed something like bruises on her arms before she tugged down her sleeves. 

I wanted so badly to call my dad and ask him about her, but that felt too much like going behind her back. If it was something she wanted me to know, she would tell me. No wonder she was wearing that shirt in this weather. I felt my heart sink as my mind told me it could be an abusive boyfriend. The alternative - abusive parents - seemed too far-fetched. Though if she lived at home and they didn't care that she showed up with bruises, that was almost worse in a way. I didn't know much about her, but I knew she deserved a lot more than whatever she had.

Still, I couldn't bring myself to try to do anything about it. She was a minor. I was 22. The age gap wasn't that big, but the difference waiting a year to make a move made was huge. I couldn't even explain what was drawing me to her. I knew almost nothing about her, other than she was tough and she was in some sort of abusive relationship with someone. I never saw her with a guy and she always came from the same place, so I was pretty sure she was living with her family. No guy usually meant no boyfriend, so at least she was probably single. I had a chance. 

Still, that was enough. I knew I was bordering on obsessed, but I couldn't help it. Not when my dad talked a lot about her every time he came home. He loved Jenny, so he basically recounted her every move. I found out through him some of the things she liked and disliked. He was happy to tell me anything I wanted to know, but I never asked about her bruises. I couldn't. She didn't really know me, so I couldn't ask her. I only wanted to hear it from her. 

Working at the furniture store, I was able to see her when I left late sometimes. She would be getting off the bus and would look over at my car before going to her place. Because of that, I didn't mind working late. Even if it did mean working late with Sandy, the owner, just the two of us. I never even gave her a second thought because my mind was full of Jenny.

"You two lovebirds have a good night," one of the delivery guys said one night as he left, about three months into the job. 

"What are you talking about?" I asked him. He just gave me a knowing grin before he and the other guy left for the night. When I turned around and went into the break room, I walked past Sandy. I grabbed a bottle of water and went back to my seat at the front counter. "Those guys are idiots." Surely they didn't know I was after Jenny. There was no way they could know. But why would they tell us to have a good night? It wasn't like I'd ever approached her since I was fired.

"They are, aren't they?" Sandy responded, not looking me in the eye. She kept her back to me. 

Work wore on as usual. I sat in my chair and worked on finances and a little on the inventory spreadsheet. Right as I was working out the kinks, though, and was about to figure out where the extra money came from, someone turned my chair around. 

Sandy, her cheeks very pink and a sultry look in her eye, ran a hand up my arm. She squeezed my bicep as she slid a leg in the chair beside my own. My eyebrows rose as high as they could go. "Um, what are-"

Her finger lightly touched my lips and I stopped speaking. "There will be time for you to talk later," she said, sounding breathy. "Right now, just let yourself feel." Her weight rested on my knees and she leaned close. I closed my eyes, scrunching them tightly. Her perfume smelled like she had just reapplied it. The scent was overwhelming. Flowery with a hint of smell that I was pretty sure was just her surrounded me and clung to the back of my throat. 

She kissed the shell of my ear before her teeth scraped against it lightly. Her breath tickled the sensitive nerves inside. I shivered and she slid further onto my lap. 

How  was I supposed to stop her? I didn't want it. I wanted her to get off of me. The only one I wanted to be this close to me was Jenny, but only if it was what she wanted to do. 

I tried to take a deep breath, but her perfume made me cough. She pulled back and ran her fingers through my hair. "You okay?" she asked in a hushed tone. 

My hand grabbed her wrist, pulling her fingers from the strands of my hair. "Why are you doing this?" I asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" She gave me a soft smile and slid her free hand to the back of my neck, her touch burning my skin. "We have chemistry. We're two consenting adults. Neither of us have someone waiting for us at home." She leaned in close to my other ear. "We like each other," she breathed, the hot, moist air fanning across my ear. I couldn't help but shiver again. "See?"

Her hand on my neck reached up into my hair and grabbed it, pulling my head back so I was looking up at her. "You like me?"

She frowned slightly. "Do you not like me?"

"I don't not like you," I said quietly.

"Then why not let this happen?" Her lips curved into a sultry smile that left me wanting to give in to her. She didn't wear makeup, so she was a natural beauty. Her lashes were long and perfectly accented her big brown doe eyes. She wasn't built, but she had defined muscles and abs that she liked to show off. "Oh, are you worried about the cameras?" she asked, looking over her shoulder. 

The camera sat in the corner, looking right at us. "Well, now that you mention it-"

"Don't worry - I'll delete the footage." She leaned closer and I could feel the heat of her breath on my lips.

"The thing is," I said loudly, breaking the tension that was filling up the air around us. He backed off, starting to look annoyed. "The thing is, I do like someone else. That's not to say you've never crossed my mind before. You're very pretty, and I'm sure any guy would be lucky to have you, but I can't get the other girl out of my head."

"Are you together?"

I shook my head. We probably never would be, if I was honest with myself. It was probably only ever going to be a one-sided fantasy. "We're not, but it still feels like I'm cheating on her with you and you deserve more than what I can give you."

Sandy sighed. "Look, I don't really care if you picture her, think of her, or say her name. I just want someone, and we seem like a good match. But if you're determined to say no, then I won't force you." She stood and disentangled herself from me. Her arms crossed as she looked down at me with something like disappointment. "We could have had a good thing, you know."

I shrugged. "For what it's worth, I'm a one woman guy. I don't have it in me to do anything with someone that doesn't fill my head."

"The world needs more men like that." She sighed and turned her back to me. "I suppose you're not going to feel comfortable here with me now."

She was right about that. "I think I'm just going to see if I can work for my dad again. I mean, I've enjoyed the time I've spent here, and I hope I made a difference here. I just don't think we should be together like this anymore."

"You're probably right about that." She sighed again and turned to me as I stood. "It was nice for you to be here, in any case. You did help me out a lot. I think you would have made a great store manager."

"Thanks." The feeling around us turned awkward, the incident resting heavily on it. "I should probably go," I said after a moment. 

"That's probably for the best." She rubbed her arms as she turned away and walked to her office. I watched her go and shut the door before turning my computer off. 

That was a night I knew I wouldn't forget any time soon. It felt like a test. Would I be faithful? Or would I give in to someone else? I knew Jenny would probably never know what happened, and would probably even laugh at me if she knew I turned down someone who looked like she could have been a former pageant winner for her. 

Fall was settling in on South Dakota, and the crisp air pulled me out of my reverie as I walked to my car. Even I knew I was being silly and probably obsessive. Still, I knew I liked her. I was pretty sure I wasn't completely in love with her, but I knew I liked her. She was someone that I felt the need to protect.

I looked up at the sky. Only a few stars were visible, but it was still pretty. With a deep breath of the night air, I got in my car and headed home, hoping my dad would let me back in the store.