CHAPTER 4:
Keith:
Even though I knew he wasn't going to stay the whole night, rolling over and automatically reaching for someone who wasn't there wasn't a great way to wake up. I lay quietly for a moment, overwhelmed by a sudden anxiety. What if he hadn't been serious? What if it had just been a fuck?
Even if it had been a really, really good one...
I shook my head to clear it. It was at that point I forced myself to get out of bed. There was no point lying there stewing all day.
All the same, I couldn't help wondering what I'd got myself into.
I made breakfast and fired off an email to my sister. I wanted to tell her about my sudden fears, but I knew it was ridiculous. The only reason I was so het up was that he wasn't still around. Otherwise I'd still be just as relaxed and excited about this as I'd been last night.
The whole thing made me frustrated. I was not the needy guy who over-thought things and needed proof. I was the reckless one who fell in love and didn't care about the consequences, just let things unfold as they would. So why was I so worried now when I'd never been before?
I wanted to ask Emma what to do, but I decided to tell her the good news instead. I'd leave anything else for later.
<<< Hi Em! Sorry I couldn't chat last night! Tell me more about your friend- they're really interesting in reading a second rate novel? It's probably not even worth it. I don't even have a job. I'll be broke soon. Nevermind. I'm sure you could help out... How are mum and dad? Sorry I haven't been back to visit yet, but I'm actually pretty busy here. Coaching is going well (who'da thought!). Better than the writing, at least... PS- Dinner went UNBELIEVABLY well! I'm in love! Don't want to gross you out too much, but I got to christen the new bed... LOL! Xxoo>>>
I spent the day writing since I'd told Em I was getting something done, letting my anxiety flow onto the page. I made a quick lunch and went back to work. I was getting into the flow of things again and it felt good to write like this.
I was interrupted when the doorbell rang mid afternoon.
When I opened the door, John held up a paper bag with a grin.
"Uh. Hi." Obviously sleeping with him didn't solve the problems I had speaking around him. Either that or realising just how much I liked him had robbed me of my faculties.
"Got you something." He said.
"Oh. Right. Come in. I'm just making dinner. Are you staying to eat...?" John smiled at me more slowly.
"If you let me in." I opened the door. Idiot. "It'd be food out of the freezer at home." John added. Ouch. I was too busy wondering if he saw me as a butt with cooking skills to notice him shut the door. He pulled me into his arms. He didn't try and kiss me, just held me gently against him.
"How'd you sleep?" he asked softly, one of his hands sliding down my spine. I melted. Just a fuck? A butt who could cook? Not likely.
"Good."
"I didn't want to leave." He murmured. I'd been going to tell him that he didn't have to, but he slid both his hands down my back and I lost my train of thought. "Something smells good." He finally said.
"Besides you?" I said with a laugh, then stopped. Fuck. Was that the right thing to say?
John smiled. "Here." He said, and gave me the bag.
I led him into the kitchen and quickly checked that nothing was burning, then opened the bag- and found a new shower head.
"But mine works." I said stupidly.
"Yeah." He agreed. "I don't know if you noticed, but there wasn't exactly enough water for both of us." I blushed. I hadn't noticed. I had been far too busy paying attention to more important things.
"We can always use the bath." I suggested. I sounded quite vague, really. John smiled.
"I like that idea." He leant forward and brushed his lips against mine. I waited for more, breathed him in. "Can I help?" he asked instead.
"Hmm?"
"With dinner." Ah, yes. I was supposed to be cooking.
"Oh. Right. Uh... no. You can sit down. I'd offer you a beer," I added, recovering some of my mental capacities, "but no one will sell me any." John only chuckled.
"I'll bring some." He said easily.
"How- how was your day?" I asked. What I really wanted to know was if he'd missed me as much as I'd missed him.
"Not bad." He said with a shrug. "Except in my head we never left that bed, so I found it pretty hard to concentrate all day. I've compiled a mental inventory of all the things I want to do to you. It's a pretty long list." He only watched me, smiling, as I went red. I never blushed this much.
"Sounds like a good day." I offered. What the else was I supposed to say to that?
"It's better now."
My laptop was sitting open on the table and he bent to look at the page I had up. I quickly grabbed it and he looked at me with a grin.
"I could have picked you for one of those." He said slyly.
"What?" I said. What was he talking about? And where had this paranoia come from?
"My nephew's the same. You can't look at anything til it's finished."
I shot him a grin. "Glad you understand." I said dryly.
John left the room to use my bathroom, and I went to turn my laptop off, noticed I had a new email from Em.
<<< Forget my friend, that can wait. I want to know about you. I'm glad you're happy, but are you sure? Just seems a bit quick after Graeme, is all. Don't want you to get hurt... (Unless this isn't a person you're talking about but a toy... Ew I can't believe I suggested that. I don't want to know.) And LOL that's ok. You have to come visit for my B-day tho. There is an implied threat attached to that, btw. Em. XXOO >>>>>
I decided I'd better email her back and reassure her. Even if there was every chance John would come back and look over my shoulder while I did.
<<< Of course I'm sure- since when have I been one to jump into things without thinking about them? And I'm not offended, and I know I rush things, but this has been brewing and I am SO over Graeme. It's been months!!! And he's perfect. He's absolutely perfect. Absolutely delicious! (definitely not a toy.) Gotta go; we're making dinner. And yes, I'll come home! When have I ever missed your b-day? (ps- don't answer that!)
Xxoo >>>>
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Sunday morning. The perfect morning for a sleep in. Except that I'd gone to bed early since John had got a call from the station right after dinner and had had to leave straight away and now I was wide awake.