Jake!

I was rude

I woke first the next morning and sorted the dog and the coffee before Jake had even made his first groan of a hangover. I sat at the kitchen counter and text Steph, filling her in on the previous night.

Steph: so you're dating then? Like half way across the world and dating?

Me: not really. We're just not seeing other people.

Steph: exclusively fucking one person, whom you go out on dates with, IS dating!

Me: ok so we're kinda dating.

Steph: are you happy?

Me: so happy!!

Steph: brilliant then, when are you back to fill me in on all of the details?

Jake shuffled to the end of the hallway and stopped at the brightness of the living area.

"Argh! Can we close the blinds" he shielded his eyes and flopped onto a stool next to me at the breakfast bar. His hair was all over the place - stuck up and messy, he did look rough. But very cute at the same time. I rubbed at his shoulders and he sat up a little.

"Awh, you poor thing. Are you feeling a bit special this morning?" I overdid the sarcastic soppy voice and he grumbled a yes. "Well it's self inflicted, so there's not much room for pitty from me" he looked up and pleaded with his soppy blue eyes. "But you can have coffee and juice" I poured him a glass "and I'll sort some toast"

"I'm not sure I can eat." He looked a little green. "I'm just gonna lay on the sofa a bit and try and stop the world from spinning."

He ended up sleeping on the sofa for a few hours. I busied myself about his apartment, cleaning up the left over fun from last night, playing with the dog. By the time he woke again, he was feeling much better and was in a more pleasing mood.

"So Maggie wondered if you wanted to come with me to hers for dinner tonight?" He said before taking a massive mouthful of cereal. "I know it's meeting the small people and all, but I mean. I'd like them to meet you. You'd like them" his face lit up as he talked about his nieces but he also looked a little awkward asking me to go with him.

"Sounds good. I'd love to go"

"You sure?" He looked excited

I took a deep breath, in my mind it meant a lot meeting family like that. Almost more than meeting parents. Children were fragile, you didn't let them meet people you were just fucking and then moving on from, right?

"Yeah, I'm sure" I smiled and gave him a peck on the cheek "what time are we leaving? 'Cos you need a shower!" I wrinkled my nose at him and he hugged me close.

"Oh really? Wanna join me?" He raised an eye brow and stood with his hands out. I took his hands and we both headed for the en-suite, he was obviously feeling better.

We took our time in the shower, he soaped every inch of my skin, kissed everywhere as he washed away the bubbles. We giggled, we made out, he held me against the tiles and we had fun. The fun that this relationship had started out as, tie curling, knee buckling, orgasmic - fun.

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"Come on in" Peter greeted us at the door of their Brooklyn Brownstone.

"Uncle Jake!" The call of the two girls rang from the kitchen and Gloria ran to greet Jake with Ramona following at a more mature pace.

"Hey dweebs!" He called, scooping up His youngest niece.

"Is this the new girlfriend?" Ramona looked me up and down and I've never felt more judged. The stare from a tween could kill. I felt my self sinking back into the doorway.

"Jeez, 'Mona! Give them a break" Peter interjected and quelled the atmosphere. "I'll apologise for her now, she's in one of those moods and we're never quiet sure what she's going to say or do."

"Mona this is Grace, Grace - Ramona" Jake introduced us putting Gloria down "and this - yet to be blemished by puberty - small one is Gloria"

"Hi" I waved a little awkwardly.

"Come on, let's get a drink" Peter showed me though to the kitchen/dining area where Maggie was checking on dinner.

Fortunately, Ramona softened as the afternoon went on. She was a strong independent girl, and held up a bit of a front around new people it would seem. But as she felt more comfortable about me, and as conversation flowed she was much sweeter.

"Sorry I was rude earlier" she said as we took plates out together before dessert.

"You weren't rude" I lied

"I was. I just... I dunno, Jake doesn't really bring girls to meet us, he's talked about people in the past, but you're the only one we've seen in a while. I guess I just wondered what all of the fuss was about" she went on.

"Ha! Thanks!"

"No I mean. I, I don't know. I was just... I was rude. Sorry. You're kinda cool and I see now why he wanted us to meet you" she smiled and skipped back off the the table.

"Everything alright?" Jake asked from the door.

"Yeah, she's interesting" he walked over and I wrapped my arms around his waist.

"She far too clever for her own good, and she's figuring out how to use it all" he joked. "They're both fucking awesome though, I know I'm kind biased"

"Nah, I'd go with fucking awesome"

The rest of the evening was spent talking, getting to know Jake's family. It was lovely. I felt like part of something. I was excited to hear their stories, to be part of the things they were up to. As happy as I was I tired to remain a little detached, I was off to the other side of the world in a matter of hours and as of yet I had no actual plans to come back.