When I'd dressed, I put our laundry in the wash and found my cup of coffee near my spot on the couch. He wore jeans and an Old Dominion sweat-shirt, but was still barefoot. I sipped my coffee and looked at him over the rim. He was so handsome. One hand was holding his head up and the other held his tablet. I grabbed my phone and snapped a picture before he could move."I heard that.""So, you're gorgeous. I wanted a picture of you sitting that way.""Shoot away, my dear," he said then made a silly face for the camera while I took another."Do you want to go to the mall?""What time is it?""One o'clock. Let me finish my coffee and we'll go get something to eat, my treat!""Sounds good to me," he said, sitting up and stretching. "I'd better get my shoes and coat on, then."We took John's car and he held my hand after we got out of the neighborhood. Before, when I'd had boyfriends, I was always so nervous about affectionate displays. Some had been too clingy, others so distant I didn't
He smiled. "I'm glad it helped.""Did it ever! It's never been this light on the second day before and I've not had a single cramp since I woke up. Thank you for being patient with me. I'm still trying to process everything that's happened.""I'm serious, you set the pace. I'm just happy to spend time with you.""So, obviously you have more experience than me. Can I ask...""My first time?" he said, finishing for me."Yes." Now it was my turn to blush. "Don't feel like you need to give me the gory details. I'm not sure I want to imagine you with someone else right now.""My first time wasn't so great. I was fourteen. It happened at the cast party, after our big musical my freshman year. Did you ever see The Jerk?""The one with Steve Martin?""Yeah, it kinda happened like him and that biker chick. One of the girls who had worked backstage decided I was her boyfriend. She was sixteen-years-old and cute, so I wasn't exactly complaining. The cast party was at someone's house and there'd
"You look wonderful in that. Will you turn around for me?" The pants were snug without looking uncomfortable. The shirt was a perfect fit, and he'd tied the sleeves of the sweater around his neck. "You look like a model right out of a magazine."He came closer to me and looked down into my eyes. "I want to kiss you right now.""We can't. Steph has been spying on us since we came in here." My eyes were drawn to his lips; I wanted to kiss him too.He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "This is gonna be harder than I thought."I nodded and reached out to hook his pinky with mine, but the silly grin wouldn't leave my face. "I kinda like it though. It's like smelling a good dinner cooking all afternoon. It makes the meal so much better."He drew my hand discreetly across the front of his pants. I could feel the heat coming through the fabric. He whispered, "I'm getting hungry again.""I can see that," I said with a laugh. "Let me clip off the tags and you can wear that out. Go get y
"So how do we decide who takes him?" Holly asked Steph in a whisper."We could let him decide," Steph suggested.I couldn't hide my snark. "There's an idea."Steph gave me a sour look. "So who are you bringing to my party?" she asked in a sarcastic tone.John walked up in time to hear her question. "Me, of course," was his reply.Holly jumped in to salvage the disaster. "Kate, you always liked my older brother, James. I bet he'd take you.""We tried that once, remember?" I gave her a withering look over my coffee. "I almost never got the chocolate fingerprints off of my white shorts."Her strained smile made me want to chuckle. "Well we can't expect you to take a relative to a holiday party. That wouldn't be fair. Who would you kiss under the mistletoe?""At this point, I'd happily kiss anyone with a pulse, a job, and some kind of ambition. Do either one of you know anyone like that?" I asked, noting that John was trying to suppress his laughter.Steph barged her way back into the con
I dreamt he was kissing me, until I felt real lips press softly against mine. I slipped my arms around his neck and pulled him down into the bed with me, where he lay down next to me and ran his palm across my stomach and breasts. When his mouth opened against mine, I knew I had morning breath, but I didn't even care.I slipped my fingers through his hair and he responded by kissing down my cheek to my ears. I shivered as electric shocks traveled up and down my body. His fingers teased my nipples into points, making me arch my back and hold my breath.We were both breathless when he finally rolled back to look at me, his face visibly flushed even in the dim morning light."Good morning," I whispered quietly and turned my head to face him.He traced his fingers around my face and tucked my hair behind my ear. "Last night was so much harder than I thought it would be.""It was for me, too, but Mom can't find out." We all had arrived home at the same time. After a lovely time cooking din
Mom flushed as my heated words flew, and then tears appeared in her eyes. "The problem? How about the late night, drunken phone calls? How about you borrowing my car to pick her up from some one-night stand, when she's too drunk to get home by herself? How about the way she uses you to front her cash when her parents cut off her allowance, despite the fact that she probably earns more than I do and her parents could buy this house out of petty cash?"I began to shake with anger. "You've never understood our friendship. She was there for me when it counted, unlike you."When Dad died, Jules had been my rock that whole year. I practically lived at her house, often sleeping over for weeks at a time, because Mom could barely get herself out of bed. They even paid for me to go to summer camp with Jules because we'd been bankrupt by Dad's cancer treatments.Mom turned to John. "I'm sorry you had to see this. I no longer have an appetite. Will you please finish cooking the eggs?" she asked t
John was searing the roast when I got back. "She still mad at you?" he asked."Yes.""Did you apologize for being rude?""I will as soon as she does."John turned the roast again and the meat sizzled loudly. "Will you get out the Crock-pot for me?""Sure, can I do anything else?""Peel some carrots and potatoes, if you want."I sat the crock pot next to the stove and went to the pantry. "How many potatoes do you need?""Six. And six carrots as well," he replied.Once I'd put them in the sink, I grabbed the peeler and got to work. With my hands busy, my mind began to wander and I tried to figure out why he'd gotten a job. "If you just need some money, I'll be happy to give it to you.""It's too much to ask for, and I still owe you for the clothes. Don't worry, I've got it covered."I watched him, standing there looking as delicious as the roast he was cooking. "Will you at least tell me what you need the money for?""Nope.""If it's something for me, I'd honestly rather spend the day w
We walked back out to the car and his hand slipped naturally into mine. My mind kept playing games with me. I noticed he was the perfect height, so I could wear heels and he'd still be slightly taller than me. Then I thought about how wonderful it'd felt when he'd carried me to bed without straining at all. By the time we'd gotten back to the car I had myself all worked up. After he seated me and got the behind the wheel, I leaned toward him, hoping to find our moment again in his kiss."What?" he asked, and the flat way he said it hurt my feelings."Kiss me?"He wrinkled his forehead. "So are we still good or is there no 'we' either?"I sat back fighting off tears. "Never mind.""All I was saying in the kitchen was that I liked being with you.""No, you said you'd always wanted this. I can't deny being attracted to you, but I can tell you I never wanted someone to make me feel this way when I can't be with them!" The words tore themselves out of me, leaving me in tears and shaking ne