I Love Her Anyway

Chapter 9

You’re almost out the door, ready to get off for the weekend, when Brendon stops you. “Hey,” he falters. “Uh, I was thinking maybe if you’re not too sick of me yet we could have another night together?”

               “Really?” your eyes light up at his suggestion.

               “Of course,” he smiles.

               “That sounds amazing,” you admit. “And by the way, I’m pretty sure it would be you getting sick of me.”

               “Never,” he shakes his head, laughing. “And um, if it’s alright with you, maybe tell your dad you’re spending the night at a friend’s?”

               “What?” you stare at him, confused. “You’re going to let me spend the night?”

               “If you would be interested,” he offers. “Again, your call.”

               “I would love to,” you sigh. “God, let me just run down to my dad’s office and ask for permission. I can’t believe he’d say no.”

               “Alright,” Brendon grins. “I’ll be up here waiting for you.”

               Of course, your dad is enthralled to see you reaching out to your friends and making the most out of your summer, and as a reward for your long week of work, he says you can spend the weekend however you’d like. Returning to Brendon’s office, you capture him in a big hug and tell him you’re already ready to go, making him laugh. He drives you to his house in his fancy car, then pours you a cool glass of sparkling water, and sits beside you on the sofa, flipping through the channels on his flat screen television until it rests on the news. “This is what we’re doing?” you don’t mean the question to come out as flat and whiny as it does, but you can’t help it. “It’s Friday night, Brendon.”

               “No,” he scowls. “This is not what we’re doing. Just give me a second to relax. I just got home from work.”

               “Oh,” you dismiss the topic.

               “Plus, I just got a chance to lay down with you,” he argues, wrapping you in his arms and giving you a kiss on the forehead. “Why don’t we just chill for a while before we get up and do anything crazy, huh?” He laughs at your frown. “Sorry to burst your bubble Little Miss Eager.”

               “That’s me,” you roll your eyes.

               You snuggle into his lap and lay your head on his shoulder, closing your eyes, your arms hanging loosely around his torso. He’s so soft and comfortable when he’s like this, loose and carefree, sleepy and exhausted, easily made grumpy or irritated. If he wasn’t such an ass, you’d almost call him adorable. You giggle to yourself at the thought, and he shifts his position, making it so that both of you can lay down on the sofa. You must doze off sometime, because when you wake up, the sky is a shade darker and your water is all gone. You flutter open your eyes, humming at the sensation of his hands on your back.

               “You like that?” he mumbles.

               “Yeah,” you reply, closing your eyes again and letting his fingers press into your spine, making their way down to your hips, then back up again. “Feels good.”