Make it Right

Chapter 16

You finally arrive at your temporary home and let yourself in. You decide to unpack your suitcase now. You head out to your car and open the trunk, struggling to get the luggage out. Suddenly, you have another person's hand helping you with the luggage. Startled, you drop the suitcase back into your trunk and turn to see Josh standing there with his hands up in the air.

He says, "Woah... it's me. It's just me. I was worried about you, so I came back here thinking maybe you might need some help."

You take in a deep breath and say, "You scared me. I thought... I don't know what I thought."

"I'm sorry, Sweetheart." As soon as Josh utters the term of endearment, he winces and says, "Ah, crap! Sorry. That's probably inappropriate."

You say, "It's okay. You were just trying to be nice. You want to come in and help me unpack this monster?"

"Sure. I'll stay to help you unpack and get out of your hair."

You invite him in. Of course, in the back of your mind, the only thing that you are able to think about is how you two spent last night. But you swore that you wouldn't cross that boundary anymore and you are going to stick to it.

As you heave the suitcase onto the bed and open it up to reveal every single possession that you have to your name, you look at Josh and say, "Isn't this sad? My whole life can fit into a single suitcase. I lived almost three decades, and this is all I have to show for it." Your mood rapidly goes downhill.

Josh says, "Oh, please. It just means that you've lived sensibly and without waste. I wish you would stop doing that."

"Stop doing what?"

"Talk so negatively about yourself. I've learned a long time ago that the words that you say and hear make a difference. And it doesn't matter whether those negative words come from within or without. Since you are the only one whom you can control in terms of the things that you say to yourself, why not make it nicer, kinder, more productive."

You watch him in amazement. "Josh, you are right. You are kind of amazing."

"Aww, shucks, little lady."

"Josh, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, anything."

"What made you notice me in the first place? I know just within our department alone, there are plenty of women that are attractive and available. Why me?"

He takes a minute to answer, "Well, as I said before, anyone can see your pretty face. I know for a fact that there are several men in the company that are just dying to get their hands on you, but just don't know how to or have the opportunity to make something happen. But what most of them don't see is your grit. I think that's what made me really notice you.

"You are a fighter. You don't back down from anything. I really admire that about you. The next thing I didn't find out about until fairly recently and that is your sense of humor. You are really funny, and it's natural. I don't think you realize that you are. A funny bone in a woman is very sexy, I think."

There it goes, that old throb in your center. You think, "I better get moving with the unpacking and get him out of here before I do something foolish."

Before you can finish that thought, Josh suddenly gets up and says, "I should go. This was not a good idea. I shouldn't have come."

You ask, "Why? What's wrong?"

"All I want to do is rip your clothes off, get in this bed with you right now and have you any and every way I want. I want to devour you, make you scream my name and shudder. I want to wrap you up in my arms and hold you, and.. make love to you. Maybe that's one of the reasons why I came back here tonight. But I think if I keep going down this road, I won't be able to get back without getting myself into some serious trouble. Besides, the last thing I want to do is to make your life more complicated."