Blooming

by Fletcher, Peyton

  Todd stoically took a deep breath and resorted to scowling at Sean, as he continued holding Jen while they lingered over dessert and coffee. He was getting serious cramp but he was reluctant to move her, she fit under his arm beautifully and the breast curved against his ribs was firm and warm. Given Jen’s penchant for slamming doors in his face he wasn’t sure how long he’d have to wait to hold her like this again, still they’d have to make a move to wake her up soon.

  When Sean and Sebastian said their Goodnights and got up to leave, he scooped Jen up under her legs and carried her upstairs after them. Sean shook his head in mock despair as they left him on the second floor and climbed the stairs together.

  Standing Jen up outside her apartment and leaning her against his body, Todd tried to rouse her gently. “Jen sweetie where’s your key?”

  She turned her head in to his abdomen, bunched his t shirt in her small hands and blew her nose on it loudly. Then she started snoring again,

  “Jen, your keys,” he said a little louder. She teetered away from him and fell backwards against the door - patting herself all over, her eyes still firmly closed. Todd looked down following the path of her hands and noticed the bulge in her back pocket. He grinned to himself. He wasn’t one to take advantage of a drunken woman, but surely this counted as having a genuine excuse to cop a feel?

  He batted her hand out of the way and scooped his big hand into her tight back pocket, giving a cheeky little squeeze before pulling her keys out. Very nice - it had definite potential.

  Tossing her gently over his shoulder in a fireman’s lift, Todd unlocked her door and crept across her apartment in the dark. The layout almost as familiar to him as his own, he carried her into the bedroom.

  After he pulled the throw aside and settled her down, he removed her shoes and covered her back up.

  He touched her brow gently and spoke aloud to himself as much as her, “You and I are going to get to know each other a lot better sweetheart, whether you like it or not.”

  Todd seriously considered removing more of her clothes in a pretence of making her more comfortable, but he made do with undoing the knot of hair on top of her head and threading his fingers through it to loosen the strands. It was surprisingly strong and every bit as dense as it looked, without realising what he was doing he played with it longer than was necessary.

  As he straightened up to leave, he decided one little kiss wouldn’t hurt, and as gently as possible he leant over and gave her the softest brush of his lips against hers. He was rewarded with the cutest little chuckle from deep in her belly, as if she knew exactly what he was up to, and then she turned over and sighed in her sleep.

  Todd left her keys on the side and let the deadbolt drop in place as he left. When he got back inside his own door Lily gave him a funny look, “What happened to your shirt?”

  Looking down Todd laughed, “would you believe she actually wiped her nose on me?”

  “Ugh and that didn’t freak you out? – hmm very interesting,” she said stroking her chin theatrically and laughing when he swiped her gently over the back of her head.

  ****

  Jen woke up the next morning with a furry tongue and a blinding headache. Pulling back the covers she scratched her head and wondered why she’d slept in her clothes.

  Putting her feet to the floor gingerly - she remembered being at dinner last night. She really hadn’t had all that much to drink had she?

  She stood and pulled the t shirt off over her head. As the shirt passed her nose she caught the scent of male cologne – Todd’s cologne, which must be from when he’d hugged her hello. She indulged in a little further sniff, why did that man have to smell so nice?

  By the time Jen had showered and washed her hair she was feeling a little better, it wasn’t the first time she couldn’t remember how she’d gotten to bed, but she did worry that maybe she’d made a fool of herself again. Her gut twisted when she remembered about Sean. She was going to have to try and avoid him for a bit, she certainly didn’t need that hassle.

  Jen sat in front of her little dressing table and looked at her reflection in the mirror. She really was going to have to get her hair cut, it was way out of control. But she hated the idea of first having to find a salon, and then knew she’d panic about calling for an appointment, only to then worry herself sick about having to make conversation with the stylist while they worked on her.

  She stuck her tongue out at her reflection, “You’re pathetic.”

  To try and make herself feel better, instead of just throwing her head upside down and roughly blasting her hair dry like usual, she took out a paddle brush and carefully blow dried her hair in sections. It always amazed her how it could go from looking rough and tatty to thick and shiny if she did it properly.

  Her hair was stupid though she should just cut it short, all she did was tie it up every day, and it annoyed her when it was down in her face while she was working.

  When she’d finished she looked in the mirror again and took the time to apply a little make-up and marvelled again about Sean thinking she had the potential to inspire something in him.

  Jen looked in her wardrobe and pulled out the first items that came to hand. She had some very pretty things in there that she hadn’t worn in years, but generally she stuck to the same few t shirts and jeans every day.

  Once she’d dressed she decided to go out and walk to the coffee shop and that would mean she’d managed to go outside twice in one week. If she hadn’t made a bit more effort with her appearance she probably wouldn’t have had the confidence to bother, so she tried to give herself a bit of credit for trying.

  The coffee shop was just a couple of blocks away, and small and friendly. The barista greeted her with a breezy, “Hello what can I get you?”

  “Just a non-fat latte please.”

  “You’re pretty new around here aren’t you?”

  Jen looked up and returned his gentle smile. It never failed to surprise her how sometimes she felt an instant connection with someone and knew she was safe talking to them, while other people like Todd raised her hackles and set her teeth on edge.

  “Yes pretty much, my name is Jen.” She put out a shy hand to him.

  “You’re Jen? Well hello I’m Ben,” he grinned at the rhyme, pointing at his name tag to confirm it before returning her hand shake.

  “I’m kind of new in town myself; I followed a girl here, kinda crazy huh?”

  “Depends on how it worked out?”

  “Well unfortunately I have shockingly bad taste we were no sooner here than she dumped me for her college professor.”

  “Ouch I’m sorry”

  “You’re telling me,” he joked handing over her coffee. The bell jangled behind Jen’s back indicating a new customer, “Hi man how are you?” Ben asked.

  The scent memory hit her before the customer spoke,” Great Ben just the usual thanks.” As Todd came abreast of her she heard his intake of breath.

  “Jennifer, I didn’t recognise you from behind. Your hair looks different... it looks brushed,” he touched it, picking up a thick length and feeling its weight in his hand. He was looking right into her eyes almost awestruck, every hair on her body stood on end at his scrutiny.

  Ben came back to the counter with her change, “Hey Todd, no fondling the customers.”

  Todd smirked, “You’ve got the wrong impression my man and this girl here is who you’ve to watch out for.”

  “What,” Jen spluttered.

  “Let’s just say that should I need to call the cops and report her I’ve got two kinds of her DNA on my t shirt from last night.”

  “Holy shit,” Ben snorted, “and she seems so sweet and innocent.”

  Jen looked from one to the other of them confused.

  “Relax honey, you’re entirely innocent. Ben here doesn’t need to know all the juicy details, but I did have to put you to bed last night,” Todd drawled.

  Jen shot upright and knocked her coffee all over the counter,
and made a leap to bolt out of the door. Both men jumped in shock but Todd got to her first grabbing her forearm, “I said relax, I’m just having fun with you. I did carry you up to bed but nothing happened, I think we gave you too much wine last night and I suspect you didn’t eat much yesterday. You certainly didn’t eat much of your dinner.”

  Todd’s finger was drifting along her forearm, and she looked at it as if it was a snake about to strike.

  Ben came around and started mopping up with a towel, “You owe Jen a coffee Todd; just the thought of you in her bedroom scared the bejeesus out of her.”

  Todd pulled her back to the counter and before she could do anything he lifted her by the underarms and placed her on the counter stool as if she was a child. A shocked squeak passed her lips at the mere idea of just how close his palms had been to brushing her breasts.

  “Stay while Ben makes you a fresh cup,” he looked at her face, her eyes out on stalks.

  “You know you really don’t say much Jen, not with your mouth anyway, but your face is a picture.”

  Chapter 3

  Ben handed her a replacement drink, and Jen gave herself a second to gather her thoughts before speaking. It was about time Todd got a hard lesson about pushing her buttons.

  “You think you’re so funny don’t you? I’m an easy target I’m well aware of that, but I didn’t ask to be pulled into the lives of everyone in your building. Maybe I made the mistake of not making myself clear up front. I value my privacy, in fact I insist on having my privacy, and while I am paying rent on time and not causing trouble that is exactly what you will give me.”

  Jen speared him with a blazing blue stare designed to cut him to the quick and render him speechless. “Remember to pay Ben for my coffee, I’m leaving.”

  She leapt off the stool and through the door leaving both men open-mouthed in awe.

  “How did you manage to piss off that little cutie,” Ben joked.

  Todd ignored him, he was annoyed with himself for riling her up, but at the same time it had given him a clue on how to get her to open up. If somebody pushed her buttons maybe his little pocket princess would shove back twice as hard!

  Todd shot out of the door into the street and saw Jen up ahead of him, almost running away. She tossed her now unwanted coffee in the trash and increased her speed towards home. He had to stop her before Lily saw her and gave him hell.

  Jen felt a blur pass her and next thing Todd was slap in front of her, she put both hands up in front of her to stop from bumping into him.

  “Look I’m sorry,” he said, scarcely out of breath despite the sprint, “I don’t know what it is but when I’m around you I get this urge to mess with you.”

  Jen steeled herself to breathe and keep her cool, “I meant what I said back there, I just want to be left alone. That’s not too much to ask is it?”

  “No maybe it isn’t, but it’s a small building, we’re going to see each other whether you like it or not.”

  “You would be amazed at how resourceful I can be when it comes to going unseen,” Jen insisted firmly. “I don’t owe you anything and I don’t have to let any of you into my life.”

  “Wow that’s pretty cold,” Todd bit back. “Yet every time I’m around you all I feel is hot and bothered. I get that there’s something going on with you, obviously I don’t know what that is, but I’m going to get to know you whether you like it or not.”

  Jen made a sound of frustration and rubbed her hands thoroughly over her face as if wiping his words off. “Can’t you just shut up and stop saying things like that.”

  Todd took hold of her wrists, shaking them to get her fingers to relax before resting them on his chest. “Go out with me.” He delivered it not as a question but a statement of intent.

  She gasped at his touch then recovered, “I don’t date - ever,” Jen muttered, looking down and refusing to meet his eyes.

  Todd laughed in her face and it sparked Jen’s ire back to life.

  “Don’t you fucking laugh at me, I’ve never hit anyone in my life, but get your hands off me and I’ll give it a good shot.”

  Todd dropped back but didn’t release her hands, he was a little turned on by the idea of her making good on her threat; she was practically vibrating with fury under his hands.

  “I don’t know what I’m doing here,” he admitted. “Generally it doesn’t tend to make women so angry when I ask for a date.” He paused before continuing.

  “Ok, let’s try something else - stay in with me tonight,” a new idea occurred to him before she could respond and he spoke more softly, “I’m going to come to your door at 7 tonight and I’m going to sit with my back to your door and you’re going to sit on the other side to me and we’re going to talk. What do you say to that, you won’t even have to look at me?”

  “Aargh,” she yelled breaking her hands free, “you’re impossible,” and she took off down the street. He decided to let her get away this time, after all she hadn’t said no had she?

  ****

  “Lord almighty forget what I said about Jen being a quiet tenant it sounds like she’s doing some kind of work-out video upstairs,” Lily said.

  “No,” Todd waited listening carefully, “I think she’s just pacing the floor.”

  “That’s funny; it’s been going on since she flew into the hall about 5 minutes ahead of you. I don’t suppose that’s got anything to do with it?”

  “We have a date tonight, I’m going to sit outside her door and wait until she decides to talk to me.”

  “Sounds like fun, you really know how to show a girl a good time, it kinda explains why you’re 32 and still single,” she quipped.

  “Well it wouldn’t have been my first idea, but I think it’s all she’d agree to for now.”

  “For now?” Lily queried.

  “Exactly.”

  ****

  At six fifty five that evening Jen placed a pillow on the floor and leaned back against her front door. She had a glass of wine at her side and her head in her hands. Although she’d managed to walk off a lot of her tension her heart was still beating like a trip hammer, waiting for Todd to knock.

  In the end he didn’t need to knock, she heard his footsteps approach and then his bodyweight rock the door on the other side of her as he sat down, “Hey are you there,” he asked softly.

  Jen made a noise like struggling to clear her throat, “I’m here, “she croaked, “but I have some rules about what happens.”

  “That sounds ominous, lay it on me then.”

  “Well it’s just one really, this can’t last longer than an hour tonight, talking like this wipes me out, I’ll answer anything as best I can, I spent a lot of time when I was younger talking about this stuff so I can explain to you quite well. Once you’ve got your answers I don’t expect you to chase me down again.”

  “Are you sat with your back to the door?”

  “Yes,” she replied.

  “Good, me too, I like being close to you even with a door between us.”

  “Stop saying things like that; just start asking your questions already.”

  “How did you come to be in Bloomington?”

  She gave a short laugh, “I needed to leave Chicago where I was living, but didn’t want to travel too far, so I kept sticking a pin in that vicinity of the map until somewhere struck me. With my work it doesn’t matter where I live, that’s the beauty of it.”

  “What do you mean you needed to leave where you were – were you on the run from the law?” he teased.

  “Nothing so exciting I’m afraid. After my mom died three years ago I moved in with an older couple who were friends of hers, they had an apartment over the garage and it suited me to start my business there, I inherited my mom’s estate and after expenses I had just about enough to get by while I built the business up.”

  “I’m sorry about your mom; you’ve no dad in the picture?”

  “Never knew him and never looked for him, mom always spoke about him as if he was a
deadbeat. He certainly never cared to look for me either I suppose. My mom was a lot like me, not very confident. After he left when I was tiny, she never tried to have another relationship.”

  “That’s pretty sad,” Todd murmured, while silently thanking God for his own parents, whose only flaw was a slight tendency to be too supportive.

  “Anyway, the couple I rented from began to try to drag me into their family, endless invitations to dinner, setting up unwanted blind dates, that kind of thing. I know they were just trying to look out for me, but I wasn’t interested. I pretty much had to look out for myself my whole life and that’s how I cope, I don’t want people to develop relationships with me, it’s just too weird for me.”

  “I don’t understand; why don’t you want people to get to know you?”

  “Look, it’s complicated. When I came here I didn’t intend to let people near me again and the first thing I did was fall down the pissing stairs.”

  “Yeah that kind of blew away your resourceful unseen ninja speech from this afternoon.”

  Before she could retort he changed tack slightly, “So what did the old couple say when you told them you were leaving?”

  “I took the cowards way out and left while they were on vacation.”

  “I don’t think you’re a coward at all, you seem to stand up to me when you need to, and you moved yourself from Chicago, you’re running your own business. Cowards don’t get that far.”

  “That’s nice of you to say, but I cop out all the time.”

  Todd traced a pattern with his finger on the door wishing he could touch her fingers again, “I need you to make me a promise, never to just run from here. I’d rather back off than force you out. I can’t promise to keep Lily away from you, because she’s every bit as tenacious as me, but I’ll speak to Sean and Sebastian about giving you some breathing room. I get the feeling I’m the main problem though maybe?”

  A minute’s pause, “Yes, you are.”

  “Why?”

  “Because you’re ridiculously good looking, and that’s no good to me, I won’t be able to act on it.”