The Visitor

4. Flirting Part 2

Having to quarantine with her lazy dog for the last eleven days was more bearable than Bree thought it possible. She was pleased she'd stocked up on groceries the Thursday prior to Monday's stay at home order. She had bought enough dog food, Andalou products, and Kettle potato chips to last her three months. Luckily, she had recently bought toilet paper. For reasons unknown to her, people decided it was essential in their emergency virus kit. 

More so than food.

"Soo ridiculous," she laughed. "Right Sydney?"

From the mocha-colored doggy bed placed next to the sofa, Sydney whined tucking her head under a fluffy red pillow and wagged her tail to the beat of a bongo drum. Bree laughed and then groaned studying the half-eaten chicken salad sandwich on her plate with little appetite. The food reminded her of having to grocery shop. Never had she enjoyed it, and now, the experience was ten times worse. She frowned and ran her index finger along the bread's edge to scoop the extra mayonnaise she loved and brought it to her lips.

"What should we do today? A walk? Spa day? Organize my closet?"

Without blinking, her dog stared back at her like a lump.

"Oh, I get you! A movie, right?"

Sydney panted.

"I should've ordered pizza, then. Maybe tonight?"

A sad smile crossed her face as she recalled her last dinner date disaster. Perhaps not so much a failure but surprising and uncomfortable. They'd never kissed like that before and so the heated swap of tongues had certainly been unexpected.

After the—kiss and the pizza delivery person rang the doorbell, the passion of the moment was lost. Eric had come back into the living room, pizza box in hand, and set it on the coffee table along with a stack of what looked like one hundred packets of parmesan cheese and three napkins. 

Following a few cumbersome minutes of utter silence, they finally ended choosing a movie to watch and drank more wine.

Lots of it. 

She had purchased half a dozen bottles from a local vineyard a few weeks back and what better excuse to open them, than not being able to leave the house thanks to a deadly virus? 

She'd been grateful for the alcohol. It gave her face an excuse to look flushed the whole night through. Eric was her friend and she wanted things to stay as they were. He was funny and attractive but there was something missing for her to be able to love him deeper than she did beyond their friendship. 

Perhaps they'd been friends for much too long. 

With a blank stare, Bree concentrated on a spot of her Fuschia water thermos and sighed, further recalling the cringe-worthy evening.

Without touching, they'd sat side-by-side. As if minutes earlier the passionate kiss never happened. In an attempt to get closer, Eric leaned towards her and opened the box to retrieve a slice of pizza. She inched away avoiding his touch but her heartbeat, it had a mind of its own and it increased with his nearness. His smell. The notes of citrus coming from him and pepperoni merged in the air affecting her rational thinking. Everything inside her was out of control and her breath shortened at the memory of the warmth between his arms and his chest, and inside his mouth, while looking into the intensity of the blue in his eyes. It was difficult for her to swallow.

Bree shot-up from the sofa and sprinted from his side. 

"Do you need parmesan?" she asked pretending to need the jar of grated cheese. "I think we need it. I do—"

"Uhm, there are at least fifteen untouched packets on the table. Plus, it has plenty of cheese for me already. It's extra cheese, remember?" He laughed and she with him breaking some of the tension.