Eliot Strange and the Prince of the Resistance

35) To Bed

My gorgeous, drunk new friend is in my mother's bed. Something about this stops me and makes me hesitate for a second. I feel a little uncomfortable again or, I decide, it could just be heartburn from the spaghetti and wine. Gus is under the covers, but I can tell that he is completely naked because, as he turns over and pats the bed for me to join him, I catch a glimpse of his butt. Ahh, that perfect butt.

I won't lie. I am two sheets to the wind, and still nervous as hell, so I hesitate and create a diversion so I can leave to think this over.

"Be there in just a sec, lover." Oh my lord, I just called him "Lover". I'm tacky, and tactless all at once. I am a blundering, unsexy girl, not a woman at all. Only he says:

"Lover, huh? I do want to be your lover, Eliot. Want to make love to you all night. Get in this bed immediately, or I shall kill myself like Romeo. I will do it it. I will."

Someone wants me. He is cute, and I want him too. The end of the world has been quite a lonely place for a girl with a broken heart.

I start to unbutton my shirt. Gus watches my fingers move like they are the most interesting thing he has ever seen. I am so sexy. I feel like I am doing a strip tease. I am sexy. Two more buttons and my loveliness will be revealed. When there is nothing but flesh for my lover's eyes to see, I burp a loud burp and throw up in my mouth just a little. How embarrassing. Maybe he didn't hear, but he says with a smile:

"Got a tummy ache, lover?"

I nod. "I'm going to go get something. Be right back," I say as I back up and button up my shirt all at the same time.

I am sexy, I am. I just drank too much.

I go to the kitchen and find an antacid in the cabinet, chew and swallow two of the chalky tablets, drink some water and take a couple of deep, cleansing breaths. I shake myself all over like a fighter in the corner does before he enters the ring. I can do this. I am sexy for sure. A man wants me. He's not the love of my life, but he wants me. If you can't be with the one you love - the song -runs through my brain.

On the way back to my lover, I stop at the bathroom. I brush some toothpaste over my teeth with a finger and spit and then cup my hand to smell my breath.

A naked man wants me and will kill himself if I deny him. There's too much death in the world already. I can't be responsible for someone taking their own life. That would just be unbearable, so I must oblige.

If you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with.

I walk in my mom's bedroom. There's that weird feeling again. My mom's room. My mom the traitor. My mom who is my mama. I feel weird.

Gus is turned with his back to me. The cover is off, and I can see his beautiful, model profile. I want to run my hand down that body. I notice his dark hair on the pillow. I want to twirl my fingers through it and gaze into his dark eyes.

"Lover, I'm back," I say in my sexy movie star voice that is irresistible. I start to unbutton again as I walk to his side of the bed where he can see my sexiness. My stroll is all pent up passion and desire. No matter the wobbliness of my steps, no screen star could ever match this provocative walk of seduction.

Gus is not paying attention. He is asleep so soundly that he is snoring. I try to make enough noise to wake him, but he is out. I "accidentally" knock a cup of water off the nightstand. I clear my throat at least twice. I go to the closet door and slam it. Gus rolls over on his back. He is naked and I see it all. And I won't lie, I look. I examine him closely with my eyes. I even run a finger down his thigh. He is perfect.

I feel just a hint of shame. After all, he is drunk and if this were the other way around, it would be taking advantage of someone.

But, I am Curious George, and my shame does not last long. I am conducting an investigation for future reference. Research, pure research, is what I am doing and definitely not something perverted at all.

I want to look and devour this man with my eyes. Is this why they call them hungry eyes? That song replaces the other, and I start to hum it. My drunk brain is thinking some pretty dumb thoughts right now. What I am thinking is tacky and tactless and a little dirty and nasty.

Still, Gus is lovely. I deem his junk perfect, though I am no expert. Actually, when I think about it, a penis is a curious thing. Kind of goofy looking and strange. What a ridiculous thought. I don't want to touch his penis, but I would like to run my hand across his flat stomach. I get closer to view his belly button which I declare perfect because it is both an inny and an outy. It might be the most prefect belly button ever. I like the way the hair from his belly button trails down to his manhood. Did I just think the word "manhood"? This is not a trashy romance novel. I giggle a little but quickly cover my mouth with both hands. I'm glad that Gus does not wake up with me inches from his penis. He might think I was staring at it. That would be totally embarrassing.

I put my face in my hands and prop my elbows on the bed in front of my new magnificent obsession. I examine the perfect male specimen until I nod off for a minute. I jerk awake. Still, Gus does not wake.

My night full of romance and sex, sex, and more sex has come to a complete halt. I think about crawling in the bed with Gus anyway, but I still funny about a naked man being in my mom's bed. Or maybe, me being naked too in my mom's bed.

I go to my room and put on some kitty cat pajamas and crawl in to bed all by myself. One is the loneliest number - hums through my brain. I am drunk too, just like my lover, but I don't go immediately to sleep. Oddly, Carli pops into my brain. I never found out what happened to her when Jack, who is the prince now, was taken away from her. Did the secret agents at least take her back to camp? There are rogues on the roads. It's not safe for a beautiful girl out there alone. She will be afraid. Hope she's ok. I am sure she is sad about her prince because I am sad about mine. I think about crying, but I am all cried out.

Before I finally dose off, I say a prayer. I pray my dad is at peace, my mom and Carli are safe, and my prince returns to me. What? No. I take that last part back.

And God, one last thing. I pray that I get to see the naked man in my mom's room naked again at least one more time. I'm so drunk, that last prayer seems like a perfectly reasonable request from God.

Please God, more naked men. I beseech you. Have mercy.