Author's Note: Change was inevitable, but how much will come? Interesting time for our hero! Thanks for reading and voting and your comments!
* * *
Jess came over early, giving me just enough time to shower. We went grocery shopping together, creating a dinner menu on the fly. It immediately struck me that this spontaneity was something I missed. With Kat, everything was planned. But an impromptu dinner felt like a true joy with Jess. Of course, I also realized I had started comparing Jess and Kat. It rapidly became apparent that my usual compartmentalizing wasn't going to help. I was going to need to really figure something out. And it was only 24 hours after Jess had walked back into my life so unexpectedly. I had not expected my world to be turned on its head so suddenly.
We cooked together, prepping chicken parmesan with a simple pasta and salad. She wore jeans that clung to her ass and a slightly oversized button-down shirt that permitted her to skip wearing a bra, her usual preference that I was glad to see hadn't changed.
I led in the kitchen, and Jess played sous chef. We chatted, catching up on the three years since we were last together. After rehab, she had gotten into a serious relationship for a year. She had treated that as her new addiction, adding in a healthy yoga habit. But it turned out the perfect guy also had two other girlfriends, one of whom he had a baby with.
"It left me pretty jaded," Jess said. "So the last couple years? I've been a little bit of an introvert. But what that's allowed me to do is discover myself. I've done a lot of personal growth the last two years."
"You seem like you're in a really positive place," I said.
"Thanks," she said. "I've learned that there's a lot more in life I can control."
"So no more partying?" I asked.
"A little partying," she said flirtatiously. "If I had an eight ball, it would last me a month instead of a day."
I hesitated for a moment, not sure what to say.
"It's okay, John," she told me with a smile. "It's an occasional thing. I like edibles more. But, yeah, I still party some. But I keep it completely under control."
I smiled back at her. "Good," I said. I imagined the possibilities of a Jess who had self-control. "How's Melanie?" I asked, referring to her best friend.
"Oh, she's great," Jess said. "She's engaged. Totally hot male model, if you can believe it. They're ridiculously in love."
"That's nice to hear," I said.
"And what about you?" she asked. "Do you really think of Kat as your girlfriend?"
"I do," I said. "It's the longest relationship I've had since you."
"I don't mean this to come out the wrong way," she said, "but is it really a relationship?"
"Perhaps not in the traditional sense, obviously," I said, "but yes. There are some things I miss, I realize. Like going shopping today was nice."
"I'm not judging," she said. "If it works for you and makes you happy? You should do it."
"It does make me happy," I said. "But, as you know, I'm kind of a pervert. I get off on it." We laughed.
The chicken parmesan was in the oven. The salad was ready. The pasta was boiling away.
Jess was leaning with her back on the counter, her arms crossed casually. I stood next to her. It was the same place where, a few hours before, Rita had been bent over and taken my cock.
"I'm really glad you walked through that door yesterday," I said honestly.
She looked up at me. Her eyes were welcoming blue pools. "Me, too," she said.
And I leaned in and kissed her. She uncrossed her arms and put them around me. I put a hand behind her head, pulling her deeper into me. The kiss lingered, and we pulled back. The timer chimed to signal the pasta was ready.
