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“You sweet man.” Erin sighed with alingering smile. “Anyway, she’sbeen eager to meet you.”
My need for penance soon turned into interest. My eyebrow flew up on its own. “You’ve been talking about me?”
“Imight have, you know, in passing.”
“In passing?” Iparroted, my lips tugging up.
“Yeah, maybe, Idon’tremember the exact phrasing,” she mumbled.
The pressure under my fingers intensified, threatening to tickle the truth out of her, or to just get achance to make her laugh. Both seemed equally satisfying.
“Not again.” Her body jerked on an instinct, placing her hands on top of mine. “Isaid Iliked you. Iwas having doubts, because you know, everything, and Ineeded to share.”
She struggled with admitting her feelings for me, still afraid I’dhurt her. Iadmired her for trying, despite her scars, through her endless bravery.
From here on out, Itook it upon myself to prove her vulnerability wouldn’tbe abused.
While Iwas deep in thought and lost in her eyes, Erin flipped me to the side, entangled her legs with mine, and nuzzled my neck, her breaths small puffs of air tingling my skin.
“Dinner at eight then?” Isaid in agruff voice, fearing that if Ididn’tstop, Iwould’ve had her well into next week.
“Okay,” she agreed and bounced out of the bed, collecting both our phones from either side of the room. Strange what could happen when you were too busy undressing.
Erin clapped her hands with excitement when Zach and Laura said they’dbe there. Dinner with friends, Inoticed, was another of her favorites.
She fixed her hair up in amessy bun and sniffed her armpits, scrunching her nose. “Ihave to shower, like, last week.”
Icaught up with her when she left the bed again to go to the bathroom, my steps longer than her short ones. We flopped one on top of the other when Igrabbed her arm and pulled her gently back to bed, her bun grazing my nose, her naked back flush against mine.
“Not alone, you don’t,” Italked into her hair.
“But you don’thave any extra clothes here.” Her head twisted, furrowing her brow. “Or did Imiss them too in my preoccupied state?”
With her sultry tone Iwas on the brink of regretting my decision to ever leave this bed, again. This time Iknew that if we hadn’talready texted our friends, Iprobably would’ve.
“No, Ihave nothing.” Isnuggled her for amoment before releasing her to get to her feet and following behind. “There’salways my shower. Pack achange of clothes, bring as many as you’dlike to leave there. Iwant you to make yourself at home.”
Erin stood on her toes, threw her arms around my neck, and kissed me softly on the lips. “You had me at home.”
“That was the last word.” Arumbly, uninhibited laugh poured out of me.
“Then maybe alittle before that.” She turned quickly before Icould get to her and went to organize aclean set of clothes in her bag. As she unpacked and then packed again, Istudied her every curve, her long swaying hair, the smile that hadn’tleft her and wondered how Icould have lived without her in the first place.
Our shower ended up being more than ashower that satiated, albeit quickly, one type of appetite. We managed to get out in time, and Iwrapped Erin in alarge towel, drying her hair.
Her head peeked from under it, searching me through the heaps of fabric. “Thank you, but you don’thave to baby me.”
Iswept her into my arms, abroad smile preventing me from sounding as stern as Iintended. “I’ll show you babying.”
Through the short walk to the bed, her fingers massaged the back of my scalp, hanging on to me even when we reached our destination. The flirty look didn’tleave her eyes as Ilowered her to the bed, wedging one knee between her thighs.
Igrowled, stealing aquick kiss as Igrasped for any remaining sense of control. “There will be consequences to this.”
Somehow Ipulled myself from her and got dressed in along-sleeve shirt and dark blue jeans. All the while, an abundance of not-very-helpful thoughts of what I’ddo to her surfaced around in my head. “Until then, I’ll be downstairs preparing dinner.”
Her lighthearted laughter accompanied me as Idescended the stairs. Erin granted me asense of warmth, of home, and Icouldn’tbring myself to regret asecond with her, even while Irushed through the steps of prepping our meal. Not at all.
Irummaged through the cupboards and fridge that were filled with anything you’dneed for, like Isaid, even eight people. Eventually what caught my eye were the vegetables, their colorfulness reminded me of Erin’spaintings, away to honor her through the food. Ipicked for the antipasti abunch of carrots, squash, asparagus, and bell peppers in avariety of colors.
