September 21, 2011
And they cuddled
Last night was a really good night. TJ wanted me to come over because the check for my car came in. He's been contacting people with Pathfinders for sale and wanted me to come check them out. We were just kind of lounging around until we both got hungry. I was craving chinese, but he didn't want that so we basically drove around for an hour being indecisive until finally I just went to a chinese restaurant since he refused to decide. It was the most ridiculous thing. But it was fun. We were play arguing the whole time and he accused me of being such a mellow arguer. I told him he hadn't pissed me off yet. Then we went back home and watched The Office. I love nights like those where we're both just relaxing together. I've decided not to go on anymore dates. Besides feeling guilty about them, I just don't want to be with anyone else. With TJ we're just going to have to change our tactics and go slower about it. As I mentioned previously, now that I don't respond as regularly to him he seems to want more. Of course, it could all be in my imagination, but either way I like the direction in which things are going. But one thing I do find half funny and half annoying is how he fusses at me about using future talk...but he does it all the time. He's always like "we should start a landscaping business together." Or "when we atart our business we'll use your truck and I already have a trailer." Stuff like that is so confusing because he seems so serious about it, but maybe it's just a dream. Who can tell with the boy. All I really know is that he frustrates me to no end, and yet he makes me laugh and I crave his touch like nothing else. But this time we're going to let him come to me instead of me following his lead.
But sometimes his words can be biting:
She could feel her face heat with anger. His words stung and her whole being was shutting down. So she rolled off the bed and crept from the room, tip-toing across the living room where she plopped down on the couch. She could hear him stirring in the bedroom. The thump of his jump from the bunk echoed throughout the small house and the door creaked loudly as he followed her path and sat down beside her on the couch. She tried not to look at him as he stared her down. Meeting his gaze would ruin everything; he always had a way of making her smile. So she looked at the ceiling, the window, the fibers of the couch, anything that wasn't him. But she could feel his eyes and it wasn't long before she looked up at him and an awkward smile played across her lips. But his face was stern.
"Why are you out here and not in my bed?" He asked.
She wanted to say something witty, or biting in return. But instead she said, "You're not a cuddler. Your bed is too small to sleep in and without cuddling it makes it harder. Why should I stay? Go back to bed, TJ. You're prolonging your sleep."
He gave her a long look. "You could've stayed in Newport News. You didn't have to come out here."
"We were supposed to look at cars."
He shrugged. "But it's a discomfort to you. I wouldn't want to drive back and forth.
"And you don't," she huffed. "so what are you complaining about. Besides, I don't work until 4:30 and you work at-" She paused realizing her mistake. Again, she looked away from him.
His voice was playful. "Where are you working?" She remained silent. "We can do this the easy way or hard way. I can be patient, too."
"Oh yeah? Well, I'm stubborn so the hard way." His hands were stroking her hair and she slapped them away. He wrapped his arm around her middle and pulled her close, locking her in a tight hug. Despite herself, her eyes began to water.
"Tiger Lily, where are you working?"
"Strip club," she twisted until she was sitting more comfortably in his lap. Her nose rested in the crook of his neck, the stuble from his beard tickling her cheek, and she breathed in his scent. He smelled like TJ. "Five days a week."
He was silent for a moment so she waited quietly. She tried to listen to his heart, but it was to faint to hear. Meanwhile, he moved his hand to the back of her thigh and she shuddered as his fingers snuck up her shorts.
Finally, he said. "I could see that."
She looked up at him, incredulous. "You really think I work at a strip club?"
"Why not? I could see you as a server. You'd make bank."
"Why is that?"
He laughed softly in her ear. "Do you know how much people drink..."
She thought about that for a moment. Obviously he was talking about tip percentage, but in her experience people tipped what they wanted to tip regardless of how much they spent. But that didn't matter. She didn't really work at a strip club.
In the silence of the moment, she nuzzled his neck. Her tongue darted out, teasing. "Let's go to bed," he said, sliding from under her and then pulling her up with him from the couch. "You put me in a hard position."
"You need to stop saying that." She giggled. "Really. Last night in my drunken state that was the only thing you said that stuck out in my head."
"Well, I meant nothing by it." Hand in hand, they went back to the bedroom and he waited for her to climb up the bunk before he hoisted himself up. Then for the first time in a long time, he pulled her toward him and wrapped himself around her, his legs intertwined with hers, his hands caressing her face, and his head pressed against hers. He cuddled with her, talking of things nonsensical and wondering how the universe came into existence. Then she wiggled a little and he slipped her underwear off and the time for talking was over.
Later in the morning, before the sun came up, she slipped away from him and packed her things to leave. He woke, glanced at the clock, and stared at her like she was crazy. But she'd already explained that she had to have the car back early. So he shook his head, touching her face, and she kissed him goodnight.
I can't say that this is my best writing, but I had a need to put my memory down in words so that's what I've done. It was a precious night for me, one I'd like not to forget.
scullerymaid at 3:26 p.m.