by Lauren Runow
Morning comes and we’re now wrapped in each other asleep. Opening my eyes, I smile at the feeling of his chest under my face. He stayed.
Moving slightly, I glance up, seeing him so calm and beautiful. Who is this guy? Why did he stay? Why did he not try anything more with me?
I peek up to see his left hand to make sure there’s no sign of him wearing a ring. My movement must have startled him because he jumps slightly before looking down to see me looking up at him.
A smile comes over his face. “Mmm, morning.”
“Good morning,” I reply, returning his infectious smile.
“Did you sleep well?”
“Surprisingly well. Something about someone being here to keep me warm,” I teasingly reply.
“Feeling’s mutual.”
He reaches down and kisses my forehead before reaching for his phone to see the time that displays 7 am. “I should get going…” he whispers leaning to kiss my forehead again.
“So soon…?” I ask with a tinge of disappointment in my voice.
He looks into my eyes and smiles. “I have to but I’m not running out. I have your number now, can I call you?”
I can’t bring myself to reply because I really don’t know what to say. I mean, he’s so confusing. The only time he’s kissed me in our last four times together he ran out shortly afterward. Then he comes here and just lies with me, not even trying to kiss me once.
Something has got to be up, I just don’t know what. After a few seconds, I still I don’t know what to say but my heart answers for me and I shake my head yes.
He gets up, “Till I see you again.” Pausing, he looks at me, leans in and gives me a soft kiss on my lips, lingering for a second before pulling back and leaving.
I quickly hop out of bed and follow him out of the room where Nichole greets us in the hallway. “Oh, excuse me,” he says surprised to see her.
Nichole is different than me. She has the skinny model look with long, straight brown hair with blonde streaks running through it. She wears dark eye makeup and blush making her cheekbones look almost sucked in. She’s wearing just her bra and panties, holding her dress she just got out of the laundry room and Charlie doesn’t even give her a second look, which makes me smile more on the inside.
“Wow – hello…” Nichole doesn’t hide her surprise to see a man leaving my room this early in the morning. It’s never happened since I moved in with her and I know I’m going to be asked twenty questions when he leaves.
“Have a good day,” he nods politely and walks down the stairs.
Standing still, clearly in shock, Nichole stutters, “Uh, you too…” as she looks at me. I turn to walk back into my room, hopping back in bed, knowing she’s going to follow me.
“Ok, who was that gorgeous specimen of a man and why was he leaving your room at seven in the morning? Spill it girl!” Nichole blurts out as she walks through my door.
“That was him… and where are your clothes?”
“The married guy? And don’t worry, he could have cared less that I didn’t have any clothes on,” I can tell she’s a little disappointed as she slips her dress over her head before pulling it down.
“Nichole, he’s not married!”
“Did you sleep with him?”
“No, well kind of. He literally just laid here rubbing my arm, touching me so sweetly until we fell asleep. It was magical, so romantic.” I smile, thinking back to that sweet moment.
“Oh, he’s married. He spent all night next to you and didn’t try to fuck you?”
“Nichole, not all men are like that. It was so much more.”
“You’re oblivious. Lost in a haze of his hotness. Don’t trust him! He’s up to no good. Why did he run out on you the other night?”
“He said he doesn’t do relationships…”
“Yeah, cause he’s already in one!” Nichole’s almost shouting her opinion and it makes me mad.
“No, Nichole. He’s different,” my voice trails off. I’m not sure if I even believe what I’m saying but I’m not going to let her ruin my high over spending the night with him.
“Believe what you want but I’ll be waiting to hear ‘you were right’ from you soon.” She walks out the door taunting her last words but I just turn away, ignoring any ideas she trying to put in my head.
I have nothing planned for the day to keep me busy. I’ve already worked out today and now I’m sitting in my living room playing guitar. Normally I play harder rock music like Papa Roach or Three Days Grace, but today I find myself playing softer tunes. I shake my head, knowing exactly why.
All I can think about is her lying in bed next to me, the touch of her soft skin as I moved my fingers up and down her arm.
Frustrated, I put down the guitar and stand up shaking my body, jumping up and down like I’m trying to rid her memory by the jolts.
It doesn’t work.
I grab my keys and phone to head out for a walk. Maybe the fresh air will calm my nerves and thoughts.
I walk around aimlessly, thinking only about her, our conversations, her soft pink lips, her kiss, it’s just too much and the walk seems to be making it worse.
I take a deep breath, shaking my hands loosely again and try to just focus on walking, one foot in front of the other but it’s not working. The vision of her soft long hair, the face she made as she tried the Plantanos, the realization of why I took her to Cha Cha Cha. Fuck! What is this girl doing to me?
I’ve been walking for almost two miles, thinking of her every step of the way. Finally, I look up and realize I’m in front of her place. I was so focused on my thoughts that my body was on autopilot, walking through the streets of San Francisco.
I stop on the opposite corner from her house and lean up against the storefront there, putting my head in my hands, knowing I have no choice as my heart pleads to call her.
I reach for my phone and hit call when I scroll to her name.
She answers playfully, “Well hello there, handsome.”
“Hello beautiful, how’s your day going?”
“It started out really well,” she teases. “Pretty uneventful since then though.”
I laugh, “Same here. Do you have plans tonight? Can I see you again?”
Allison sighs, “I have two classes today. The last one doesn’t get out till 10...”
I pause before asking, “Can I see you then? Maybe pick you up from your class?” Fuck. I sound desperate.
“That sounds great. I’ll be at 655 Sutter Street. See you then?”
“Yes, till then…” I hang up taking a deep breath; feeling like a huge weight has been lifted off my chest. I turn to walk back home, feeling good about our phone call and anxious for tonight.
Nine-thirty comes around and I’m so anxious to leave that I decide to get there early. I park in front of her school and patiently wait for her to get out, listening to the radio. The song Hero by Skillet comes on and I turn it up, jamming to the song. A man’s voice sings with a woman’s voice intertwining the lyrics singing about needing a hero.
I pause, really paying attention to the lyrics and how they explain my life right now as the song ends talking about the hero saving him just in time.
Allison opens the door, surprising me and taking me out of my trance from the song. She’s smiling sweetly with her soft pink lips making my cock twitch like the first time I saw her.
“You waiting for someone?” She slides in putting her bag at her feet.
I lean over giving her a soft, sweet kiss on the cheek, “Hey, Allison. How was your class?”
“Good, actually. I had to do a presentation and it went really well.”
She’s in a good mood and it makes me smile even more.
“So, where are you taking me?”
“My favorite place in the City. Since it was so late I thought it was perfect.”
Allison smiles sweetly reaching for her seatbelt as we pull off onto the city street. We drive for a while down Market Street before turni
ng up a mountain like road and parking at the edge of a cliff, overlooking all of San Francisco at a place called Twin Peaks. The view offers a 360-degree view of the City from above. At night it’s a beautiful sight with all the lights lit up below.
I turn the motor off, tuning the radio to a country station and leave it on quietly before dropping the top to the Mustang. I look to her for her thoughts on my choice for the night. I’ve never brought someone else up here. It’s always been my spot to come alone and just think.
“I love it up here,” Allison sighs looking out at the view, answering my unasked question.
“Me, too. I come up here a lot and just sit, looking out at the City. It’s so serene, helps me clear my mind. Here, come sit back here so we have a better view.”
We move to the back of the car, sitting on top of the back seat so we are up higher. She leans her head on my shoulder as we sit in comfortable silence taking it all in, with my hand wrapped in between her legs. It’s so perfect I don’t even want to talk; afraid I’ll ruin it.
Parmalee’s song Close Your Eyes For This starts on the radio.
I tighten my grip around her leg and kiss the top of her head as the song continues.
Reaching for her chin, I tilt it up, making her look at me and I kiss her softly. Allison closes her eyes letting out a small sigh and I know I’m done for.
It’s official; I’m a mess over this girl.
I pull back, looking sweetly into her eyes and kiss her forehead then look back to the view before us. Allison rests her head on my shoulder again, putting her hand on my knee, gripping it gently.
The fog starts to roll in making Allison shiver. I kiss the top of her head saying, “Come on, let’s head back. This road can get crazy if it gets too foggy.”
We sit back in the front seat and drive to her place. Once we arrive, I put the car in park but don’t turn it off.
Allison takes a deep breath in but before she can say anything I speak up, confessing, “Don’t ask me to come in…” I look to her to gage her reaction, my eyes pleading for forgiveness. She sits with a blank expression on her face so I continue, “I don’t think I could say no, and I just can’t.”
Allison nods, “Oh, ok. Thank you for tonight.”
“Please don’t…” I stutter, letting out a deep sigh, “I’m sorry,” before looking away, ashamed.
Allison grabs my chin, turning me back to face her, “Hey, don’t worry about it. I’m not. I mean it, thank you for taking me up there tonight. It was perfect. I’ll see you soon.”
I look at her sweetly, “Till then…”
Allison smiles, kissing me on the cheek and opens the car door.
The next day I am scheduled to meet one of my oldest clients. We’ve become friends over the years and we like to enjoy a nice meal together before we get down to business. I normally don’t like to have these more personal meetings with my clients but Shannon is different.
She knows the fucking is all business and never tries for anything more with me in these personal moments. Truly, I just think she likes the looks on the other woman’s faces when they see me with her, making them jealous. I don’t mind. She’s the only person I can be myself with, well until Allison.
We walk into One Market Restaurant in downtown San Francisco. It is a very classy place with white table clothes, silver booths and chairs and colorful chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. There’s a small bar area to the right as you enter and a large dinning room to the left with floor to ceiling windows displaying the lights of the City as they zoom by.
We’re sat in the dining room with me facing the bar. After being greeted by a waiter, we order a bottle of wine. Our conversation always comes easy as the wine flows before our food arrives. Our meals are more like artwork with the presentation just as impressive as the taste of the food.
I take my first bite then look up, almost choking as my eyes go big in disbelief.
Allison and a group of friends just walked into the bar area and are sitting at a tall four-top table looking over the bar menu.
“Ok, Allie, spill it! What have you been wanting to tell us?” my best friend, Sonia, says just as we sit down at a table in the bar.
I’m having a girl’s night out with some of my closest friends, Sonia, Lacy and Megan. We have been friends since seventh grade and I know when we are all old and gray we will still be meeting up like this. They are true friends and I’ll be with them till the end.
I take a deep breath in, holding the menu to my chest, sighing with a girly grin, “I’ve met someone.”
They all drop their menus giddy with interest. Megan starts jumping up and down in her chair like a little girl, “Oh, do tell, do tell!”
I can feel my eyes glaze over as I explain Charlie. “First off, he’s gorgeous! I mean, make you weak in the knees gorgeous.” The girls all swoon listening to me. “And the way he kisses…h-o-l-y hell,” I say as slow as possible, emphasizing every syllable.
Lacy interrupts, “So, how did you meet him?”
“He sat next to me at Starbucks of all places. He saw I was listening to Unwritten Law and interrupted me. We talked for hours, and things have just continued from there.”
Sonia laughs, “He likes Unwritten Law? Marry him! Allison, your obsession with that band is too much. He’s perfect for you.”
I jump in my seat, grabbing Sonia, “I know right! He’s perfect!”
“Who’s perfect?” Charlie surprises me, wrapping his arm around me making me turn crimson red and my friends eyes gleam with excitement at the sight of him.
He leans in placing a sweet kiss on my lips before holding his hand out to my friends starting with Sonia, “Hello, I’m Charlie.”
I’m speechless and stuttering as I introduce my friends, “Sorry, these are my friends, Sonia, Megan and Lacy. Girls, this is Charlie.” My eyes beaming wide at my friends as he leans over to shake everyone’s hand.
“So, girl’s night out I take it. It’s nice to meet you all.”
I can finally feel my normal color coming back when I ask, “What are you doing here?”
Charlie nonchalantly answers, “Here on business.” He looks to me giving me a small smile, “Remember, I have meetings occasionally at odd times.” He looks back to my friends, “I’ll let you guys get back to your girl’s night out, I just wanted to come say hello and steal a kiss,” he looks sweetly at me. “It was nice meeting you all. I’ve already spoken to the bartender and your first round is on me.” He gives me another small kiss whispering, “Till I see you again,” and he walks away.
Lacy speaks up first, “Holy shit,” she practically screeches. “That was him? Damn girl! He’s hot!”
I light up, “I know right. Uh, he’s just so… so… No, no, I won’t say it. Stop, I don’t want to jinx it.” I wave my hand in the air motioning to change the subject making my friends laugh.
I’m back at my table with a bead of sweat on my forehead and I let out a sigh of relief. “Sorry about that, there was a line in the bathroom.”
Shannon smirks, laughing at my lie, “Mr. Ashley…” she pauses putting her hand on mine, “Charlie. Don’t lie to me. Who is she?” her voice sincere.
It catches me off guard and I look up from my plate. “Who’s who?” I try to hide my shock from her question.
“How long have I known you?” She gives me a don’t-lie-to-me look. “You’ve met someone? Pretty shitty timing she’s here, now, and you’re here with me.” She sits back taking another drink of wine.
I smirk. No shit.
“Does she know what you do for a living? Don’t tell me she’s ok with it?” her voice shocked.
I look up to her, lost. “No, she doesn’t know. I’ve only known her a couple of days.”
“Hmmm… I see that look in your eye. Man, I liked our little arrangement,” she says pouting.
“Oh no, I can’t. Don’t worry, nothing will change.” I sit up in my chair very matter-of-factly.
Shannon just smiles shaking h
er head, putting her hand over mine again. “Charlie, don’t fight it. I can tell you have feelings for this girl. I can see it in your eyes. After all you have been through. Let love in.” She pats my hand and doesn’t say another word.
My mind is as tangled as a tumbleweed trying to get through a barb-wire fence. I know what Shannon said is true, but how? How can I change everything?
We finish our dinner and drive back to her place in the Marina District. I move to undo my seatbelt to join her inside and Shannon stops me, placing her hand over mine. “Charlie, baby, it’s ok. Don’t come in.” She looks sincerely into my eyes. “Think about what I said. Follow your heart. Love only comes once. I would give anything to have my late husband back. Don’t let it slip by.” She kisses me on the cheek and lets herself out of the car, leaving me sitting there, alone, speechless.
I’m supposed to meet Andrea again today but there is no part of me that wants to be with her, with anyone really but Allison. All I can think about is her, so I send her a text:
I think of you and smile…
Feeling’s mutual.
Thinking of playing hooky the rest of the day. Can I see you?
Are you asking me to be a bad influence on you by skipping work Mr. Ashley?
There it is again. Mr. Ashley. Ugh, Why do I hate my name all of a sudden? Well, I hate it coming from her. Maybe I shouldn’t be doing this… Shaking my head I reply:
Maybe you’re right…
Her reply takes awhile and I’m already throwing in the towel on my idea.
Hmmm… maybe not. I guess if I’m going to save you then at least you’ll be playing hooky with me so I can continue my due diligence.
I smile at her response. Oh, baby, no one can save me, but God, I want you to try.
We might need to spend a lot of time together then… You sure you’re up for the task?
