Real(ity) Feelings

Chapter 9

Joe felt relaxation finally extend down his body, all the way into his toes, as he leaned back on the pool chaise, his arm resting on the back of the lounger behind Dianne who was sitting close to him, so close he could feel the heat of her body.

"Do you feel better now?" Dianne whispered, her head tilting toward him.

Joe nodded, taking his hand off the back of the chaise and rubbing his fingertips lightly over the exposed skin on her shoulder. "Yeah...thank you."

Dianne smiled softly, shifting imperceptibly closer to him. "It was all you."

But, Joe thought to himself, it wasn't. Out in the real world, he would never have been able to get up the nerve to walk into the backyard and calmly explain that he had been keeping his career a secret from the rest of the house. But that's just what he had done 20 minutes earlier - and it was all thanks to Dianne. She had kept her hand in his the entire time, smiling and nodding as he rambled on in a shaky voice, chiming in when he stumbled over words, helping the story along.

And as Joe had watched the other contestants, he realized she had been right. They didn't seem fazed - in fact, they didn't seem to care at all. Which he should have known would happen - the other guys weren't going to be threatened by his job - in the Oasis Island house, physique and a pretty face got you farther than money and fame. And the girls had made it very clear that they weren't interested in him from the start. With the exception of Mia.

Joe looked across the pool, noticing Mia focusing on him, lips pursed, and eyes slightly squinting, like she was trying to work out a mathematical equation in her head. Joe chuckled to himself as he realized she probably was - wondering how she could subtract Dianne from the Joe and Dianne equation and add herself in. While he had been explaining his job and why he had kept it a secret, he had seen Mia's face slowly fall. He had then had a grim realization - she had been hoping to use this secret to her advantage - surprising the house with it, and hoping it would turn Dianne against him.

Snapping out of his thoughts, he looked down at Dianne who was staring off into space, a small smile gracing her lips. He saw goose bumps raise up on her arms and he pulled her in tight against him before asking, "Are you cold?"

---

"No Joseph, but you touching my arm is making me shiver," Dianne thought to herself as she heard him ask if she was cold. She wasn't going to tell him to unwrap his arm from around her shoulders, so she looked up into his blue eyes and nodded, snuggling into his side.

"Come on," she heard him say. "Let's go in."

Wordlessly, she got up and took the hand he had extended out. She hadn't had a chance to talk to Mia, but judging by the girl's sour facial expression that had been stuck on her face all night, she had gotten the hint that Joe was taken. Although Dianne knew her quest to get him wasn't over - she knew girls like Mia. They usually didn't let much get in their way.

As Joe led them inside, she unlinked their hands to grab pajamas and her toiletries, following Joe into the bathroom for what had become their nightly ritual. As she squeezed toothpaste out onto her toothbrush, she giggled softly as Joe came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her head.

"Have I told you lately you're gorgeous?"

Dianne felt herself blush hard, smiling at him in the mirror in front of them. "Yes. You have. Twice today actually."

"Oh," Joe shrugged. "Well, I'm telling you again."

Dianne elbowed him softly, "Brush you teeth, loser."

Joe feigned injury and stumbled back, clutching his hand to his ribs. "Tell a girl she's gorgeous and get an elbow to the ribs. I see how it is."

Dianne giggled as he smirked and began to brush his teeth. It was odd, she thought, how close they had managed to become in five days. Something as simple and domestic as brushing their teeth together - it was like they had taken a six-month leap in their relationship.