Thank you all for the feedback - it is much appreciated. I still continue to accept it.
*****
I must have dozed off because when I opened my eyes, I was still on the sofa, covered in the blanket, and I didn't see Luke. I sat up, rubbing my eyes, and realized I was still naked. I gathered the blanket around myself and got up. Modesty, I suppose? I heard the shower running and figured that's where Luke was so I decided to put my panties back on and get some water before heading to find him. Outside the kitchen window, the street below was silent and the clock on the stove told me it was 12:15am.
I took my glass of water with me into the bedroom and put it on the side table next to a book and a clock. There was already a tumbler of whiskey there, so I tried it. "Good stuff," I thought. I snooped a little in the name of looking for a tshirt. I opened the top drawer of the tall dresser and saw a stack of photos.
Luke with a woman. A blonde woman. Both with wedding rings on their fingers. One of him in his uniform, it looked like a photo of him returning from a MEU, as the picture had lots of sailors in the background. Another of him in dress blues (damn...) and the blonde woman in a nice cocktail dress. She was attractive; wore a little too much make up for my taste, and was definitely not a natural blonde. I stood there in my underwear sorting through them.
"That's my ex wife," I heard him say. I hadn't heard the shower turn off. I shuddered in embarrassment. "I'm sorry - I was looking for a shirt to borrow..." I said.
"Amanda. We got married when I was 19 and fresh out of boot camp. I didn't know anything but I liked the idea of off-base housing so it made sense. On my third deployment, I received word from a buddy that Amanda was fucking her coworker while I was gone. When I got the opportunity to come back up here, I took it and we got a divorce. She didn't love me. She loved being a military wife."
I moved to sit at the edge of the bed and listen. I felt like I had violated his privacy.
"And no, I don't have any kids, if that's what you're wondering. Baggage free, as terrible as that term is. What about you?" he asked.
"Me? Um, no I don't have kids." I told him.
"Well, I was fairly certain about that," he laughed. "Have you been married?"
"No," I replied quickly. "I've always focused on my career and I'm somewhat shy. I was in a long relationship until earlier this year. We just weren't compatible and were settling," I said, trailing off. "And I didn't get the sense that Adam, my ex, wanted me as much as he wanted his family to know he had a girlfriend. He had a lot of pressure to find a girl and settle down."
"I see," Luke said as he handed me the whiskey glass. I took a swig.
"Are you finished in there?" I asked, pointing to the bathroom. "The shower is calling my name."
"Help yourself," he told me, gathering a fresh towel from the linen closet. Damn, he even has a linen closet.
The warm water felt really good cascading down my back. I stood there and just let the water flow over me. I used some of his shampoo and body wash and finished up. "There's nothing interesting in my medicine cabinet," Luke said jokingly as he walked by the closed bathroom door.
After I dried off, I put the tshirt back on that he had given me - it was an old Red Sox shirt. And I put on my back up underwear. They were plain white cotton. Easy to pack. I took a swig of the mouthwash and went to find him.
He was in fresh boxer briefs in the kitchen making coffee. "I figured you might want some too." I didn't respond, simply outstretched my hand to take his offering. It was perfect. I took the coffee and went to find my phone. Once I had it, I sat with my coffee and phone on the armchair, checking in with the outside world. A text from my sister and some emails from students.
"Enough of that," Luke said as he took it from my hand. "It's like one in the morning, it can wait," and he kissed my forehead then walked towards his bedroom. "Come in here. It's much warmer under the covers. I promise."
I sighed and obliged. I put the coffee cup down and walked in to his bedroom. "I hate to unmake your bed," I joked. There was something really different about the fact that he took care of his home. Tidy, bed made. Must be the Marine in him.
He turned down the other side of the covers and patted the bed, "I can make an exception for you."
I got in the bed and he was right, it was nice and warm. I scooted over a bit towards him to rest my head on the top of his chest by his shoulder as he wrapped my arm around me. "What are we going to do with you," he asked.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, this isn't my normal Sunday night," he said. "What happens now?"