The Problem With Love [+18]

2: Closeness

That summer had started off slowly. Everything was based around a modified routine I had back home. I would get up at 6 a.m every morning to go on a morning jog. But I had been too afraid to leave the unfamiliar comfort of Sydney and Col's two story house. Instead I would pace around "my" room, until Sydney would come in to ask if I wanted anything to eat.
Breakfast would always look amazing, but also very fatty. I would sit there and pretend to have no interest in those fluffy pancakes and instead had to learn to be happy with only an apple.
Sydney didn't understand my eating habitat. In the first few weeks she tried so hard to convince me into eating unhealthy. She liked to comment on my weight. But not like mother. It was always nice to hear.
In the first few weeks I hadn't seen much of Col, the tall man, other than breakfast. However, It became habit to would run into him late at night when I couldn't sleep. He would be there, leaned against a counter with a glass of water. Eyes would follow me threw the kitchen as I tried to walk normally. I would so aware of myself around him and his eyes. Afraid of what he might think.
It had been a normal night, I couldn't sleep. So I went down the creaky stairs to the kitchen. The now greeted with the familiar sight of Col standing by the sink. This night had been especially hot. The air was sticky and Col had been clearly feeling the heat. He stood there, no shirt covering his skin. I remember how flushed my cheeks got from just looking at him. I tugged down the baseball shorts that Sydney had given me to wear and made my way over to the cabinets to grab a clean glass. My eyes went back and forth from the fridge to the shirtless man. I was trying to be so careful not to let him caught me starring, but I wanted to savor his candid nature.
He looked so at peace. A chunk of his thick curls was laying on the side of his face covering one of his eyes. Col had his eyes practically closed. His own cheeks were flushed, but because of the California heat.
I steadily poured juice into the glasses before trying to lean casually against the fridge. I brought the glass to my mouth and glanced at Col with half opened eyes. He had turned three quarters to look at me too, a small grin on his face. We both stood in silence until I finished my drink and had to place it in the sink. Usually Col would have fallen back away from the sink to let me pass. However this night was different.
He stood against the sink only with a small space left open if I had wanted to reach over him to put away the glass. I smiled out of respect and reached over him, careful not to touch is skin.
I don't remember what was going threw my head when he wrapped his hand around my wrist and held me in front of him.
"Is this a better view for you?" He asked lightly. I stood completely still as I looked up at him with wise eyes. I tried to defend myself but nothing came out.
"That's what you were doing right, viewing me" He accent stood out more when he was tired, his words slurred in a way I would classify as attractive.
"N-No, I wasn't"
"Y-yes, you were. Don't lie to me, Sherrie" He cut me off.
"Sherrie?" I asked quietly.
"Your nickname"
"Everyone just calls me Sher" I reminded him.
"Alright well, I'm not everyone."
We didn't talk for a little while. We stood there with his hand wrapped around my wrist, not to tight. I bet I could have pulled back if I wanted to. I hadn't expected his next move.
Col grabbed my other wrist and held my palms out in between the two of us. He released my wrists and began to lightly track the lines in my palms and then brushed lightly up my fingers. After he finished he displayed his hands in the same way he had mine, faced up and above mine. There was only maybe an inch of air between our two sets of hands.