Soulmates & Twin Flames

28 - Drowning In You

I toss back my damp hair, slip into one of Nate's smaller t-shirts over my shorts, and cross the hall. The living room is empty except for the blaring TV. A news anchor is talking about the weather forecast. Where is the remote? I pat around the cushions, until I spot it poking out the corner of Nate's seat. Of course, he had it.

Jumping over the coffee table, I plop down on Nate's couch and grab the remote. No way I'm watching that gloomy snooze fest on TV. Snatching Nate's half-full beer bottle from the floor, I hug a checkered cushion, cross my legs, and start flipping through the channels.

"Caccio et Pepe!" Nate announces with a fake Italian accent as he walks through the archway. Then he suddenly stops as if he'd hit a wall. Our eyes meet as I slowly straighten up on his couch. His lips part in confusion. The fumes from the tray he's carrying dance around his face.

I put the bottle down and raise the remote to sip some beer. Jesus. What's wrong with me? I set the remote down by the bottle. Somebody's moaning on the TV. Great—a sex scene. And I'm still in Nate's spot. Now, my entire face feels like it's on fire. I lower my head, hiding behind strands of hair.

Nate clinks the tray down on the coffee table and takes a seat beside me. The sofa sinks with his weight. Then, he slowly grabs the remote and changes the channel.

"More beer?" he offers, handing me a new bottle.

"M—g'd." Amazing. I can't even form a couple of words. I clear my throat. "I'm good."

Nate sips some beer, takes pasta bowl, and leans back. "There's more parmesan in the kitchen."

Perhaps I should go and get more cheese. That'd give me the perfect excuse to scurry back to my spot. But I want to act normal—not act! I want to be normal, dammit. I want to prove to myself that I can sit here, next to Nate, and have dinner.

So, I finish the remains of Nate's old beer, grab my bowl, and turn my attention to the elderly lady on the TV.

"Gardenias bloom from early spring until the end of summer. They are cherished, one may say, for their fragrance at home..."

I don't know much about flowers, but the lady's monotonous voice is about to put me to sleep. Taking another bite, I tuck my leg under and settle next to Nate more comfortably. Am I bold enough to change the channel? I snatch the remote from his lap and start zapping again.

"Ooh, wait, wait!" Nate touches my hand. I backtrack to the music channel I just passed. "I used to be obsessed with this band." He grins and starts singing.

Letting out a chuckle, I leave the remote on the table. Yeah, we're back to our old selves again. I steal his beer when he's not looking, then giggle when Nate reaches for the empty floor.

Setting down his empty bowl, Nate lies back and nudges me to the edge of the seat. His bare feet sway left and right to the rhythm of the song. He smiles at me, corrsing his hands behind his head, then turns his gaze back to the screen.

My mind is blissfully empty, with a single question circling back and forth while I eat my pasta. What's Nate thinking? His lips move to the lyrics of the song, but his eyes are narrowed in thought. I want to brush away the strands of hair that fall into his green eyes... Would it be awkward?

My empty bowl makes a dull plop when I leave it on the tray. I start to stand, but Nate catches my hand. His face softens as our eyes meet, then he pulls me to lie next to him.

I nestle my head above his heart while I throw a leg around him. The rock band on the TV is jumping off the stage now. My bare knee is subtly moving back and forth, scraping against his sweatpants. As my finger trails the valley between his abs to his belly button, Nate takes in a deep breath, and holds it. I tighten my legs' hold around him. Nate wipes the sweat off his head and releases his breath.