I had just sat back down at my computer after putting the kids on the bus when I heard a knock on the door. Mildly curious, I pushed in the desk chair and opened the door a crack. Immediately my heart seemed to pause, then began beating furiously in my chest.
"Hey," he said, smiling at me with his head cocked to the right. My mouth went dry as I stared at the tumbled black curls and gorgeous, curving lips.
"Hi," I stammered, feeling chubby and inadequate. He swept me into a hug, and I found myself pressed into the third button of his shirt, his spicy scent enveloping me.
"Aren't you going to invite me in?" he asked, already breezing by me and into the house. I followed after, shuffling my feet.
"It's so empty in here," he exclaimed. "How's the moving going? Almost ready to say goodbye to this ole house?"
Now that we were in the same room, my breath was caught by his good looks. He was taller than me, probably about six feet, with olive skin, a striking Italian face, and a ready smile. He was wearing an open-collar shirt that revealed just his collar bone, and blue jeans that left little to the imagination.
"Is your handsome hubby home?" , he asked.
"He went for more boxes," I answered breathlessly, wishing I could sound more normal. "He'll be back in maybe fifteen minutes. He'll be so happy to see you here."
My visitor plunked himself onto the sofa and sighed. "Nice couch. It's so soft! I love leather, don't you?"
I smiled nervously and sat myself down. "So it's just you?" I asked. "Where's the girlfriend you've been telling us so much about?"
"Oh, we had to go our separate ways I think," he answered me. He shrugged, and made a gesture with his long, thick fingers. I realized I hadn't offered him anything to drink.
"Can I get you some refreshments?" I asked, making a move to get up.
"No," he said, catching my arm gently. I sat down, feeling an irrational happiness from his touch. He looked me straight in the eye, and I found myself imagining kissing those perfect lips.
"Give me a tour?" He asked me.
"Of course," I answered rising and holding out my hand to help him up. He took my hand, stood, but didn't release my hand. My palm and fingers burned from his touch, and I was sure he could feel my pulse thundering away. I started with the kids' rooms and then showed him the kitchen. "We can't wait to move out of here, I'm sure you can see why," I babbled.
He cocked his head again, this time to the left. "Whyever would you want to leave this paradise?" He asked sarcastically, gesturing at the dumpy kitchen. "So I'm guessing that's the bathroom," he said, glancing in. "Did you paint this?"
"Yes. It was this horrible pink wallpaper before..." I tapered off as he faced my bedroom.
"What secrets will I find in here?" he said in a playfully spooky voice. I opened the door for him. It was mostly empty now, but our bookshelf was still in one corner, our mattress still resting on its boxspring on the floor.
"I sleep on the floor too," he told me. "But that's expected for a college student, isn't it? What's up with that? No money for a proper bed?"
"Um..." I found myself reddening. "It's just more convenient, you know...?"
He looked confused. "What's more convenient?"
"Well.... Um...." my mouth went dry, and I gestured futilely. "For sex, it's more convenient, to have it on the floor...."