Short Stories

Date

It wasn't long until I fell asleep wrapped in his arms. My room smelt like him. His gentle body heat warmed me and my bed linens. His chest hair tickled my nose. I had never been so relaxed in my life. He was right. This was better than falling asleep alone. It was peaceful just being next to him. The last thing my eyes saw were the numbers flashing on the alarm clock telling me it was nine at night. An early bedtime for an exhausted teacher.

I woke up midway through the morning. He was still there. My long warm sweet body pillow. The clock was a blur to me. I couldn't read it if my life depended on it. I heard him mumble and coo. He was so attractive even when he wasn't doing anything. His freshly shaved head matched his gray shirt. There was something sexy about a sleeping man. Something sexy and yet calming. I felt safe as I lay next to him. He was everything good in the world. He smelled like sand, and surf. Sun and whiskey.

I woke up finally from 13 hours of sleep. I was groggy but the smell of bacon crisping up made me move. I ran to the bathroom and then made my way to the kitchen. James in his boxers and tee shirt greeted me with a smile.

Good morning sleepy head.

Good morning sir. I said try to give him the respect he deserved.

I smiled and kissed him. He smiled and handed me a cups of hazelnut coffee. He told me where the creamer was and told me to make it how I liked it. I could feel his eyes on me but it wasn't a terrible stare. I caught him looking at me which made us both giggle. I could see him filing how I liked my coffee somewhere in his mind. Everyone knew that if a man wanted to keep a lady that they had to make their coffee how they liked it, make them a fulfilling breakfast and make them feel welcomed.

"Since we are on our third date and you are taking me to a dance, does that mean we are a thing?"

"A thing?"

"Like a couple. Are we dating?"

"Would you like to?" He asked curiously. Typical man to make the woman determine the relationship status.

"Well, we are both single."

"Yes"

"And we both like each other?"

"Yes"

"And we have gone on several dates with each other."

"Yes." He said nervously and impatiently.

"I think we are dating. Therefore, we are probably girlfriend and boyfriend." I added looking at him with biting some toast. 

"Probably?" He said with a soft hum and a wry smile. 

"Unless you say otherwise, then yes, probably, like 94.8%" 

"Are you always so precise with numbers or are you just spit balling to drive me nuts?" His sea green eyes daring me to answer, but all I did was smile. He needed a bit of fun frustration and a bit of punishment for not asking or making a decision. 

"Spit balling and eating toast. For someone in the field of communications, I figured you would want to talk about it before I just made a decision for us." 

"Oh." I added before sipping the coffee he had put in front of me. Cream and a little bit of honey, just the way I liked it. 

"Let's be real baby girl, if I had asked you were going to say yes. If I had said that we were, then we would have had the feminism 'I don't need a man to make my decision' conversation which no man wants after snuggling. We also don't want to the rest of the world jumping in to the 'you betrayed feminism' conversation from your students." 

"They wouldn't have cared. Who I date and love is none of their business." 

"You are young, a woman, and almost done a Ph.D. You scream feminism even if you don't say anything. It's beautiful but everyone has been assuming that since you went down this road, that this" he says pointing at himself and then at me "was not a thing." 

"I love my job and I do it because research is exciting. When my students learn, it is one of the most beautiful things to witness."

"I know and I love that you love your job. I would never make you change that for me. It doesn't bother me, and I know you are not a crazy 'all men are evil' kind."

"If feminism had a crown, I would gladly toss it away or melt it down just to be by your side and in your arms. I trust you and I love you" I said holding his hand.

"I know, and that's why I love my dangerous woman." 

"I am not dangerous" I retorted. 

"You mind and heart don't bother me, but the way you drive and setting things on fire when you're bored. That makes me nervous." He said kissing my hand. "Like really nervous that I never want to have you near candles."