The Real Deal

Part 11 - Money Money

Cassie dragged her fingers through the hairs on Bill's left shin. She paused when she felt a little scar and touched it a few times then continued her exploration down to his ankle. She sat between his long legs in their bed and read her book from SFI, Swedish For Immigrants. Bill used her back as a support to read his script to his next project but was just as interested in Cassie's book and glanced down over her shoulder.
"Hur erä me dej rå?" (So how are you?) He said with a broad Stockholm accent, what he didn't know was that his normal accent was more similar to that than he thought. Cassie smiled a little and sighed.
"Det är bra." (It's good.)
She had known some Swedish before but had never been confident speaking it but felt forced to learn now that she lived in Sweden.
"Shouldn't you practice your old school Swedish instead?"
She asked it teasingly because she knew he was reading the script for a specific character and she had overheard him practice in the shower.
Bill laughed a bit and hugged her from behind.
"Nah, it feels off to do that."
"You're shy. It's okay," said Cassie and looked up at him with a smile.
Bill made a doubtful sound and looked a bit embarrassed. He was so comfortable in his craft but he still thought it was embarrassing to act with her as an opposite actor.
Cassie kissed his cheek and with a smile lowered her eyes to the book again. Bill continued to look over her shoulder and played with the sleeves of the t-shirt she was wearing. It was his, an old black t-shirt that he had stretched out in the neck so much Cassie's shoulder was exposed. He himself wasn't better dressed, he wore a white tank top that was so washed out it was almost transparent, otherwise they were both just dressed in underwear. They had always been comfortable with each other but in the last couple of weeks a new intimacy had evolved between them. He had been home three weeks and in those weeks their relationship had moved forward in a way he wasn't prepared for. It felt like they had been a couple for years but in a good way. The apartment had started to look like a home, much thanks to a design interested colleague of Cassie's that had helped them.
Cassie had got a job as a personal shopper in the luxury mall NK. Her English background was seen as just positive and she understood Swedish so well she could understand the customers. It was a good, fun job even if some things were new for her.
Bill felt the love flood over and hugged Cassie closer to his chest and nuzzled his nose into her neck. She laughed and even more so when she felt his hand creep under her t-shirt to drag his hands over her chest.
"Billy… I must study," she said with fake annoyance and pushed away his hands.
Bill sighed but with a smile and leaned back against the headboard. They were really a couple now, she even deneyed him sexual intimacy. He watched her study a while then he broke free to stand up. Cassie felt him disappear behind her and looked at him wondering when he had stood up next to the bed.
"I think I want an espresso," Bill said and stretched his arms over his head.
Cassie looked at the stretch of skin that got exposed between his boxers and tank top, the lack of happy trail, because she had helped him shave it off.
"Espresso? Now? You just brushed your teeth?"
"So?"
Cassie furrowed her brows and looked at him pointedly.
"You just brushed your teeth?" She said again and smiled amused. Bill smiled bigger and shrugged his shoulders.
"I guess you don't want one then."
Cassie sighed like she thought he was weird but continued to smile.
"You can make hot chocolate for me."
Bill laughed and shook his head.
"You do the best hot chocolate." Cassie gave him an angelic look and bit her lip. Bill gave her a kiss and then walked out to the kitchen. None of them said anything about it being one of his exes' recipes on hot chocolate. It didn't bother her that he used it, it was really good and his ex sat somewhere without Bill while she shared a bed with him. She leaned back in the bed, laid down and smiled for herself because of the warm feeling in her chest. She wanted to stay in that feeling forever but the vibration of her phone disturbed it. She took the phone from the night stand and looked at it with a neutral expression but it was quickly changed to anxiety.
GV.
Georg Visser. She hadn't heard from him for two weeks. Then he called to say he had succeeded in getting the web site creators to take her picture down from the front page but they refused to take her account down. To know she wasn't on the front page, and also see it when she searched for it, was calming but she still wanted everything to disappear and Georg had promised to try a bit more. He was really a lifesaver and silently she had wondered if he wanted something for it. She sighed and shut off the vibration on the phone but let it continue to ring. It wasn't time for talking with him now, but tomorrow, tomorrow she would call him as soon as she was alone.