Stranger Things Have Happened | Marcus Bontempelli

eight.

The sound of a tap running in the bathroom was what woke me up from the nap I'd taken after last nights... activities. Marcus had somehow been able to drag his weary body up out of the king sized bed, nothing covering his body besides the light scratches and marks that I'd left behind as a temporary reminder. The taut muscles on his strong back contracted as he slid the bathroom door open and closed it quietly behind him.

I took his absence as a chance to find my underwear and the hair tie that was flung across the room at some stage of the night. My underwear was easy to find but the hair tie was a lost cause. I quietly exited the bedroom and descended the staircase into the lounge where Marcus' jeans had been thrown over the glass balustrade and my clothing strewn across the couch where our night had started. I collected my pants and pulled them up my legs, the lace top feeling even more constricting than it did last night.

As I shuffled around trying to find my phone and handbag, I heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Marcus had pulled on a pair of tracksuit pants and his hair was slightly more damp than it was before he went into his en suite. 

"Wow," was all he said as he jumped off the last step. 

His tone implied to me that maybe he thought I was going to scurry away into the darkness, which was a pretty reasonable assumption. When I looked up at Marcus again, I was met with an incredulous look and him rubbing the scruff on his jaw. I stuffed my phone into the back pocket of my pants and shoved my arms through the denim jacket.

It was still dark outside, the only light coming through the window was from the street lamps that lined the quiet road. I glanced up at an analogue clock that was sitting above his fireplace. 10 past 5, it read. Marcus bent down and picked up his jeans from the wooden floor and folded them over the back of the couch he was standing behind, peeking up towards the clock as well.

"I was going to say goodbye," I said with as much conviction as I could muster.

Marcus laughed with an unconvinced nod, "Whatever you say."

There was a growing silence between us as he walked around the back of the couch to sit down, head in his hands and his fingers tugging hard on his brown curls.

"Is this your usual shtick or should I take it personally?" He asked with a wondering look on his expression.

I sighed and adjusted my jacket again as leaned against the couch, pondering how honest I wanted to be. My guard always went back up after a one night stand and I never really felt the need to explain myself but when I scanned his gorgeous brown eyes and felt the air being sucked out of my lungs, I knew I couldn't deny the effect he was having on me even if I tried.

"Usually I let them muddle over that question but I cant even pretend like this..." I pointed between us, "... wasn't obscenely hot," I admitted, wanting him to know exactly how I felt.

Marcus' eyes shot up at me and the smirk on his face indicated that he was pretty pleased with my answer. And no doubt happy with his own work, which was outstanding.

"Well I did think if you were pretending to enjoy it that you deserved an Academy Award," Marcus joked back, finding his feet again and motioning for me to come through to the kitchen.

"If I can't convince you to stay a little longer, at least let me make you a coffee before ya go," He offered, pulling down a mug and shot glass.

I succumbed to his offer and watched as he made us both a coffee from the espresso machine that he had on his kitchen counter. The hangover hadn't been too bad this morning considering how much I had actually drank last night and I praised my luck. I pulled my phone out and booked an uber for 6 am. That would give me enough time to come up with some sort of plan, I thought to myself.