What Baking Can Do

If We Never Understand A Thing

"Sara, I'm so sore. This is ridiculous." Jessie leaned most of her weight against me as I leaned more into the wall. I tried to keep my composure as she continued.

"My arm hurts in muscles I didn't know existed," she whispered.

"Jess, it's -"

"If you're going to tell me this will go away with more practice you can save your breath."

"Well, I wasn't exactly... Jess. Look, just think of it this way. You're going to have some great arms after a few weeks of that choreo -no, pie-ography."

I laughed. I couldn't help it. Jessie played up her sad facial expressions as I stood up. I could tell she wanted to give me a playful punch, but she managed a little laugh instead. I was saved by the pie. I reached for her hand to help pull her up so she could join me in our walk out of the rehearsal space.

"Jess, do you ever get used to it?" I asked as we made our way through the parking lot.

"To what?"

"To the thrill of this process. Rehearsal, meeting new people, learning new things?"
She leaned into me, bumping arms as we walked towards the sidewalk.

"No. Sure, there's some things you get used to, but each project is different, and I love it."

I watched her as she answered, trusting that she'd make sure I wouldn't run into a car or step in something as we walked-- I had a short attention span. She was the responsible one.

After we traveled a few blocks she grabbed my hand. "Jess, we really don't have to walk," I said. "I'm not sure you had the energy to. We can just take a cab?"

"Oh, thank goodness." She laughed and immediately veered off to the curb to look around and hail a cab.

Both exhausted, although Jessie more than myself, we had dinner and snuggled on the couch.

The next few days resembled this fairly closely. One of the nights, Jess fell asleep on my couch, so I worked on music for the show while she napped. I often worried she was being worked too hard, but had to remind myself this wasn't her first big show. I was surprised that she wasn't sick of me alone by the time rehearsals were over.

"Hey, Ms. Composer, what are we doing in this closet?"

This joke was too much. I let it go. 

"Oh, hello," I replied flirtatiously. "Ya know, the usual musical stuff. The sound is better in here sometimes. "

"Can you take a break?"

She walked over to me and took the headphones off my head, leaned over to my computer to save the file, and then grabbed my hand to lead me out of the room.

"Jess, what's going-"

Her lips met mine before I could finish the sentence.

"Oh, does this mean your arms feel better?" I joked in between kisses.

"I think they'll manage," she said as she wrapped them around me.

The kissing was becoming intense. I felt crazy, intense, pleasant sensations running through my body and I wanted this to lead to so much more. I led her down the hall into my room, still managing to kiss and be close.

I stopped her so I could unzip my sweatshirt, but she helped me take it off. 

"Thanks." I smiled and continued with a long kiss. 

Her hands, which were resting on my hips, started moving down. She paused the kissing and looked me in the eyes. "Did I ever mention that you've got a nice ass?"