"Ok, baby, you have to get on out, I need to rinse off and dress. Could you please order me a white pizza with spinach? Dinner was so long ago and I mostly drank it . . . I am famished!" I waved Johnny out the door.
He mostly ignored me, as usual and swooped in for a kiss on my cheek, "You are clean enough Honey-girl, hop out of there and check out this robe! I found it at this little spa shop in the mall and you will love it! It's like stepping into a big soft hug!" He was holding the robe out for me as I pulled the plug, stood up and rinsed the last few suds off me with the water pitcher. One thing I can say about Johnny, that boy can SHOP! The robe was truly wonderful and he helped me dry my hair and get it under control while I refreshed my makeup. When he was well satisfied that I had no more gossip and not a strand or eyelash was out of place, he ran off to order the pizza and check on my boys.
'my boys' . . . Feels weird that I have known Jeff casually for so long and suddenly feel like he was 'mine' after one evening. I pulled on some black chambray cargo pants, a charcoal silky camisole and a gauzy black loosely fitted top - I could really get used to Johnny shopping for me!
I slid out the door and back into the bar in time to see the pizza land on the table. Did I mention that there was a pizza place half a block away? The owner spent a lot of time in the bar and deliveries arrive fast. I threw myself into the booth and bit the first piece out of Felix's hand. He slid a plate under it for me as I savored the way the cheese, basil, spinach and mushrooms melded so beautifully on the crisp but spongy dough. It was a rare treat for me and a basic comfort food. On about my second bite I actually opened my eyes and looked around in time to see Jeff hand Felix two dollars.
"Hey! What's that about?" I asked.
"Oh, well, he" he nodded to Jeff, "thought you'd fall writhing and moaning in ecstasy and I bet that you'd just moan and tear up a little since I left the onions off. I won." grinned Felix.
Jeff blanched, "no - I - um - I just - ah . . . I said you would be back before now and he said you wouldn’t step out the door until the pizzas got here!"
"It's ok, Jeff, Felix will bet a dollar or five on ANYTHING - we have to keep an eye on him so he doesn't step it up and lose the farm!" I winked at Johnny.
Things went along well after that as we ate and drank and retired to the house. I'm not sure how it happened but I ended up falling asleep curled up on the futon with Jeff. Someone threw a blanket over us and by the time we woke the next morning Felix and Johnny were gone.
I woke up to sleepy hazel eyes (his) and some killer breath (both of ours). I smiled and stretched to back away a little. "Morning, Jeff," my stomach flipped at the realization that I just woke next to this man, "did the boys wake you when they left?"
"No, I guess they snuck out on cat feet," he smiled, "speaking of cat feet, you have a displaced stole by your foot there."
I looked down to see a disgruntled Xan stretching and straightening her fur. I ruffled it back again and earned a frosty stare and her back. After a few seconds of ear and neck scratching she was back in my lap, purring contentedly. I looked back up at Jeff.
"Sooo, uh . . . You hungry?" I asked Jeff, mentally slapping myself for the husky tone that crept into my voice.
He gulped and opened his mouth, "Mmmmrrrr-ooww-ooowww!"
We both busted out laughing at Xan's answer to my question and scrambled off the futon towards the kitchen. I cracked a can of tuna to treat my little princess while Jeff poured some orange juice for both of us. We left Xan feasting on the floor and retuned to the living room with our juice.
"So," Jeff asked, looking at the kitchen door, "are you hungry?" he grinned.
"Why yes, sir, I am!" I declared and we giggled some more as we straightened the futon and our clothes. I found my purse and keys only to realize my car wasn't here . . . But then, leave it to Felix to save the day, even when he wasn't here - he left the keys to his car by the door with a note about not driving it off a pier or repainting it, etc . . . I grinned back at Jeff, "Hey, big boy, do you feel lucky?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. "I have the keys to a cherry red convertible in my hands and we have nowhere to be for two days at least, right?"
His previous awkwardness returned, "Well, ummm, I mean, the cat . . .” he stammered as he blushed, "I, uh, guess I have nothing I'd rather do . . ." he told his shoes.
I grabbed his hand and dragged him out the door to the car, laughing all the way.
This had all the beginnings of a beautiful day!