“You could have just shaken her hand.” Valentine shouts from the kitchen.
Elle looks at me with wide eyes. “How the hell does she hear us?”
They really don’t know how funny they are.
I pull Eric to the nearest table and sit. My aching feet appreciate it. A loud and unattractive yawn escapes me.
“Tired?”
“Hmm.” I rest my head on my folded arms. “Exhausted. It happens when you only sleep for two hours.”
“Dillan? He was getting cranky before I left. Maybe he missed me.”
Or he sensed my mood. “Yeah, possibly.”
Eric plays with the side of my hair. It feels good until I realise he’s actually picking out sesame seeds. “Do you swim in baking ingredients back there?”
“Shut it.” I stick my tongue out at him and close my eyes for a moment. “What do you want for lunch? Tell Elle, she’ll grab it for you.”
“There goes my something special.” Eric jokes, still picking sesame seeds from my hair. “They just keep appearing!”
Peeking open one eye, I stare up at the handsome man who looks like a monkey picking bugs from its partner. Normally I’d shy away from such a ridiculous display, but right now I’m too tired. My eyes close again and unfortunately I don’t realise I’ve fallen asleep until I feel Elle stab me up the nose with a drinking straw and almost punch Eric in the face.
“Take her home, I can manage today.” Valentine says, waving her hand at Eric. “Go on, before I change my mind.”
“Thank you.”
“Go on, be in tomorrow an hour early. You can help me prep.”
“Okay.” I can sleep! Sweet happy times.
Eric leads me to his car. I laugh when he places a towel over the seat and helps me in. guarding his car from my messy clothes.
“That’s the first time you’ve helped me into a car and it wasn’t for me, it was for your car.” I point out, making his cheeks pink slightly.
“You have arms; you can open the car door yourself.” He puts the car in gear and pulls out into the street. “We’re going to my place, if that’s okay? You can shower there.”
Blink. Shower there? “I don’t really…”
“Please? You’ve never seen my place before.” When he asks so nicely, how can I say no?
It’s only a fifteen minute drive and five minutes of that was down to traffic congestion. His house is small, I can see that already, but it’s very cute - a terraced house in between two houses that don’t look to be in great condition. The painted bricks are flaking very unattractively. Eric’s house is lovely though. Either he or his landlord keep up with the work.
The inside is as expected, plain apart from the few pictures on the walls of friends and family. “Welcome to my humble abode. Follow me.”
I follow him up the steep, narrow staircase and onto the landing. We enter a bathroom and he immediately hands two large, fluffy, white bath towels to me. “I’ll fetch you something to wear. Take your time.”
“I really do need to sleep.” I say, not liking how pushy he’s being. “Maybe I should just…”
“Babe.” He cups my cheeks with his hands. “You’re fine. Have a shower. I’ll make you something to eat, give you a quick tour and then you can sleep.”
“Where?”
“I do have a bed.” His smile is full of mischief. I don’t like it much. He rolls his eyes on a sigh. “I don’t mean it like that. Go on, let me look after you this once.”
Sigh.
He leaves the room and I lock the door.
The shower takes me a while as it took me forever to figure out how to work it. It’s linked to the taps, so you have to adjust both of them to get the desired temperature; shift one a fraction too far and the water is too hot or too cold.
Once I’m done, I wrap up in a large towel, running a comb through my wet hair, and grab the boxers and T-shirt that are neatly folded on the ground outside the door.
When I exit the bathroom I tread quietly down the stairs, my messy clothes shoved into my bag which is hanging from my shoulder. I really like Eric, I do, but I don’t feel comfortable in his house. Especially not whilst I’m wearing nothing but a tight pair of his boxers and a long T-shirt.
I follow the sounds of clattering into the kitchen. “Hey.” Eric beams, looking me up and down. He doesn’t bother to hide the heat in his eyes. “How are you feeling now?”
“Clean.” I smile sheepishly, pulling on the bottom of his shirt to make sure it’s covering my arse and lady parts. I’m wearing boxers but they’re tight and don’t leave much to the imagination. “What’s this?”
He shrugs, looking sheepish himself. “Lunch.”
“Looks good.” I stare at the sandwich that has to be fatter than my mouth is wide.
“It’s my mum’s homemade bread, although it probably pales in comparison to yours. Here, sit.” I follow him to the tiny round table with two seats and do as he says. “What time do you have to be home for Dillan?”
“He’s at nursery today until six.” I respond, rubbing my stinging eyes. He slides my sandwich in front of me. I look at it for a moment, assessing the best way to hold and bite. Following his lead, I crush it down with my hand before picking it up. It’s really good. “I should go home after this. I really do need to sleep.”
He chews and swallows the food in his mouth before answering, “Sleep here. What’s the big deal?”
“I don’t know you, or your house. It’s weird.” I respond, trying to sound as polite as possible so he doesn’t take offence. “I’m not dressed either.”
“Yeah, I’m still finding it hard to believe I managed to get you naked and in my clothes before I’ve even kissed you.” Reaching over the table, he flicks my nose and tugs on the loose braid that hangs over my shoulder. “Honestly, I brought you here because we have more privacy. I know your mum is probably home and whenever we do anything, there always seems to be someone else there.”
Narrowing my eyes, I point out. “But I’m going to be sleeping.”
“Exactly, I’ll get to learn a few things.”
“Like?”
“If you snore, if you fidget and if you drool.” He shields himself from my pinching fingers and takes away our plates, smiling the entire time. “Come on. I’ll show you to my room.”
Well, at least it’s tidy. His bed is huge; it looks clean and very comfortable. He pulls back the red cover and pats the mattress. With a sigh I climb in. It is as comfortable as it looks.
Eric sits on the side of the bed, making a show of tucking me in and tugging on my braid again. “I’m tempted to join you.”
“My bed.” I comment petulantly and burrow into the blankets. “Go do whatever it is you do at this time of the day.”
He chuckles and gives me a salute before standing. “Aye, aye, Captain.”
“Mummy! There’s a girl in Eric’s bed!” I hear a sweet young voice call, rousing me from my deep sleep.
Ugh, does Mum have friends over?
Wait… I’m at Eric’s.