Odd One

Ch 13

She woke with a slight headache, but it wasn't too bad. I remember some really great sex, and going out for a glass of water and to check on the guys, she thought, turning to find Jason was hiding under the blankets asleep. His arm was draped over her waist, and so warm.

Jordan lifted the blanket just enough to kiss his cheek, and crawled out of bed, throwing on her housecoat. Being the host, she figured it only right to get coffee brewing in case the others were awake.

Derik was awake, sitting at one end of the couch and Garrett asleep with his head in his lap. He watched TV with the volume low.

"Hey," he greeted softly, playing with Garrett's hair.

"You sleep okay? You want some coffee?" she asked softly.

"Yeah, that would be great. Thank you for everything, Jordan. You didn't even know me, but you've treated me like a friend. I don't know how somebody can be so warm and kind like that," he admitted.

"You just have to jump in with the intent of learning something new, whether it be good or bad. The point is to learn who someone is on your own without other people's perceptions getting in the way. I would have given Zack a chance too if he hadn't proved himself a total jerk."

Derik nodded, looking down at his boyfriend.

"Did he sleep all right?"

"I think so. I think I love him, Jordan," he confessed quietly. "I never felt so vulnerable before. It scares me because I don't want to get hurt, but I seriously want this."

"To love is to be vulnerable," Jordan informed him. "I've learned that in the last couple weeks too."

"You never had a relationship with anyone else?" he asked curiously.

"Before Jason I was calling my thirty-year-old landlord over for some sexual relief. No feelings involved. He gave me what I needed and I would tell him to leave," she confessed with a shrug.

"Does Jason know?" Garrett mumbled sleepily, raising his head to look at her.

"Yeah. I told him days ago. He told me about his neighbourhood prostitute. We don't keep secrets, and we're not seeing those people anymore," she assured with a smile. "You want some coffee, sweetie?"

Garrett nodded, sitting up and yawning with a hand over his mouth. "That's just what I need right now."

Jordan got the coffee maker going and watched some Discovery program on TV with the guys, turning up the volume to hear it.

"I'm going to tell my parents," Garrett informed her with a nervous smile. "I'm going to introduce them to my boyfriend too. If I know my dad, he'll either be disappointed, or he'll act like the over-protective dad of a daughter who's dating. I don't know which is worse," he fretted.

"It's okay, babe. We can handle that," Derik promised, putting an arm around him.

Everything about the morning was going well. Jordan felt blissfully happy as she brought out the cereal and bowls, letting her lover sleep in as long as he wanted. He must have had more to drink than I thought, she figured.

"Hey Jordan. You have any juice in the fridge?" Garrett inquired.

"Yeah, I think there's orange juice. Help yourself to whatever you like," she encouraged with a cheerful smile. "My dad always said that your friends should be able to navigate your kitchen if they're going to be over often."

"Your lawyer dad?"

She grimaced. "I fibbed about that. He's a psychologist," Jordan admitted.

"Oh good. Zack's dad is a lawyer, and he's an arrogant prick. You can see where his son picked it up from. That's the reason nobody dared to beat him up in school. Kind of a "my dad will take your family to court and stomp them into the ground" situation."