When Worlds Collide

Crazy, Stupid, Love?

I feel the heat rise in my cheeks. not just from the oven, but from the memory of Travis' lips on mine. I glanced at him as he stood by the counter, wiping flour off his hands. He caught my look, smirked, and leaned back against the counter, crossing his arms casually. There was a certain ease in his posture now, a quiet confidence that I hadn't noticed before.

"Something on your mind, Tay?" he asked, his voice smooth, teasing.

I felt my heart skip a beat but tried to play it cool. "Just wondering how long the pizza's gonna take," I said, trying to sound nonchalant, though my lips were still tingling from our kiss.

Travis raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying my excuse, but he didn't push it. Instead, he turned and opened the oven, checking on the pizzas. "Almost there. Patience, princess."

I rolled my eyes at the nickname, though secretly, I didn't mind it. There was something about the way he said it, like it was our thing, something only we shared.

He turned back to me, his gaze lingering for a moment longer than usual. The playful, teasing energy between us seemed to have shifted into something heavier, something that made the air in the room feel thick again, like before. It was the kind of silence where words felt unnecessary, and yet, a thousand unspoken thoughts hovered between us.

a bit later: "Okay," Travis said. "Pizzas are ready." He pulled the trays from the oven, setting them on the counter, the pizzas bubbling and golden-brown, just as we'd hoped.

"Looks good," I said, grabbing a pizza cutter and moving to slice one of the pies. But before I could make the first cut, Travis took the cutter from my hand.

"Uh-uh," he said, shaking his head. "I told you, I've got this."

I sighed, stepping back with a half-smile. "Fine. Impress me."

He shot me a grin, expertly cutting through the pizza with smooth, precise movements. As he worked, I noticed the concentration in his eyes, the way his brows furrowed slightly. It was cute, the way he took even the simplest tasks seriously.

Once the pizza was sliced, he grabbed two plates and handed me one, a slice already neatly served. I took a bite, the perfect balance of sauce, cheese, and toppings filling my mouth. It was delicious.

"Damn," I said, my mouth half-full. "We really can cook."

Travis chuckled softly and bit into his pizza.

I swallowed, my eyes meeting his again. There was something about the way he was looking at me, as if he was considering his next move. I felt a flutter in my stomach, and I wasn't sure if it was the pizza or something else entirely.

"You know," I started, trying to ease the tension but also wanting to push just a little, "about earlier... the kiss—"

Before I could finish, Travis put his plate down and stepped closer, his hands gently cupping my face. His expression was serious now, his voice a soft whisper. "I haven't forgotten, Tay." "You chose the pizza over kissing me."

His lips brushed mine again, softer this time, lingering as if he wanted to savor every second. I melted into the kiss, letting my plate clatter onto the counter as I wrapped my arms around his neck. This kiss was different. less rushed, more tender. It was like we had all the time in the world.

When we finally pulled apart, both of us breathing heavily, Travis rested his forehead against mine, his voice low and rough. "Your lips taste so sweet."

I smiled, my heart racing.

We stood there for a moment, the warmth from the oven still lingering in the air, the scent of pizza mixing with the intensity between us. It felt like something had shifted. something deeper, more real. And for the first time in a while, I wasn't afraid of what that meant.

"Alright," I said, trying to bring us back to reality with a playful grin, "let's finish eating before the pizza gets cold."

Travis laughed softly, brushing his thumb across my cheek one last time before stepping back to grab his plate.

We sat down on the couch side by side and comfortably ate our pizza. "Do you want to watch a movie?" he asked. I nodded, "Yes, please, but you choose. I don't want to be responsible if the movie is bad." Travis just laughed and then said something I never expected from him. "How about Crazy, Stupid, Love?" I looked at him, confused. "What? Okay, I'll pick something else."

"Hey, Trav, of course. I just didn't know you were into rom-coms. You don't seem like the guy."

"Oh, well, it's good that we're getting to know each other better. You'll find out a lot more about me that you didn't expect," he said, starting the movie. I felt his hands on my body as he pulled me closer. I smiled at him,"already so obsessed with me?"

"Obsessed? I just can't get enough of you," he said, placing his lips on mine for a brief kiss. I snuggled up to him, feeling like we were almost melting together.

The movie was coming to an end, it was dark outside and already late. I sat up and looked at Travis. "Do you want to stay over tonight?" He asked.

"Yeah, sure, but I don't have any clothes for tomorrow. It's probably going to be colder than today, and I can't just show up in this summer outfit."

Travis looked at me and smiled softly. "I'll give you one of my sweaters, and you can keep the rest as it is. I like your outfit anyway."

"Thanks," I said, grinning, and then I pulled Travis by his shirt toward me, and we kissed. The kiss became more intense, and I started running my hands under his shirt. He stopped me.

"Hey, hey, hey, Tay, stop. I want to make one thing clear. I'm not going to have sex with you on our first date. I want to show you that I really like you and not just want your body or your money."

The situation felt a bit awkward, but that feeling faded after what he said. I thought my heart was beating faster. It was the sweetest thing I had ever heard, no one had ever said something like that to me before.

"What you said is sweet, and I think it really would be better to wait. I love it when you put in the effort, and to be honest, I'm also a bit tired."

"Okay, princess, let's go to sleep then. You go to my bedroom, the bed there is the most comfortable. If you need me, I'll be in the guest room," he said as he got up from the couch.

But I grabbed his wrist. "Travis, I want you to sleep with me, please."

His eyes began to sparkle. "Of course, I just wasn't sure if you were ready for that."

He showed me the bathroom and the bedroom. I removed my makeup, and Travis gave me one of his old shirts, which I slipped on over my underwear. I climbed into bed with him, snuggled up close, and the warmth of his breath on my skin, along with the sound of his heartbeat, lulled me to sleep. I closed my eyes, and everything went dark as I drifted into a deep and restful sleep.

____________________________

Hey, this is the first time I'm speaking up in this story. I hope you all like it—I love writing it and am spending a lot of time on it lately. Do you maybe have some ideas on how it should continue, and what do you think of the story? 💞