It was as if time stood still as they walked the halls. The deafening silence encasing them. The only audible sound seemed to be their heartbeats, the pulse flowing between their joined hands.
Reaching the guest room, he slightly tugged her arm to turn her towards him.
With her head to the floor she turned his way. "Stop doing that," he spoke, lifting her chin. "Just because we're going beyond our norm doesn't mean the rules have changed. You don't do that around me. Alright?"
With that baritone voice, the authority oozed from every fiber of his being. She slowly nodded under his hypnosis.
"Good," he smiled, leaning over to kiss her cheek. "By the way," she could feel his lips lightly brushing against her ear. "It's okay to dream. August 23..."
"Goodnight lil mama," he slowly backed down the hall, waiting for her to step into the guest room.
All she could do was watch him increase the distance between them. In her heart, she desired just the opposite. The vital organ thumped in her chest as she watched him prepare to climb the stairs to the main level.
"Wait," she called to him. "C--can we sleep together?"
He leaned against the wall, shoving his hands into the pockets of his pajama bottoms. "I don't think that's a good idea, mama."
"Why?" The moment the childlike response spilled from her lips, she regretted it.
"Never mind." She turned away from him, rushing inside. Her back fell against the door as it shut. "Why? Why would you even ask that, Jamie?" She stripped herself from the door to hop on the queen sized bed. "Fuck..." she sighed into the darkness.
Still she lay wide awake. It seemed like an eternity as each minute passed by.
The light growl of stomach made her rise from the bed. With a blanket wrapped around her frame, she crept down the hall and into the kitchen.
On top of the fridge was a box of Cap'n Crunch. "Bingo."
Retrieving the box and a bowl, she filled it about halfway.
From there, she wandered into the sunroom, sprawling out on the couch. She peered around the moonlit room. On the wall she spotted the small clock reading 3:06 am.
"Can't sleep?"
She looked to the small figure standing in the entryway. His hazel eyes seemingly heavy. She slowly shook her head, answering his question. "Me either. Can I join you?"
She shrugged, sitting up to make room for him. "It's your house."
He laid on his back, resting his head in her lap. "So I make room for you to still lay on me?"
He nodded, with a boyish smile plastered on his face. She playfully rolled her eyes, while tossing a few pieces of cereal into her mouth.
"Is that my cereal?"
"Mhm," she giggled. "Did you want some?"
"You know it." She held two pieces to his lips, as he opened his mouth letting them fall inside. "I swear this is the best cereal on Earth."
"I second that," she grinned. Staring at him below her, slowly chewing, she could see he was already drifting away. "Have I ever told how pretty you are?"
The statement caused his lids to open. "Pretty, huh?"
"Yeah..." she began to explain. "You're handsome but pretty too. If that makes since." She bashfully bit her bottom lip. "Wait, that probably makes no sense at all."
"It makes sense."
"Really?"
He nodded, closing his eyes once again. "Crunchatize me captain," he instructed, pointing towards his mouth. Jamie giggled as she feed him more of the cereal.
She watched as he munched on the treat admiring the shape of his chiseled jaw...how his Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed...to the way his tongue ran across his lips sopping up the microscopic grains of sugar.
The beauty mark on his left cheek added flavor to his features, complimenting his butterscotch skin adorning perfectly manicured facial hair. And his hair...exceptionally curled.
"Can I touch your hair?"
"Why are you asking now?" He quizzed nuzzling closer to her stomach. "Especially when you already have."
"Last time I was falling asleep. It didn't really occur to me to ask. I figured I would this time because I hate when people touch mine," she explained, earning a light chuckle.
"Well, you can, mama." He sighed against her stomach as the soft manicured fingers ran through his short locks.
"You should get to bed if you're falling asleep.
"Nah," he placed his hand on her side. "Think I'm fine right here."
"And I get to sleep like this?" She pouted. "That ain't fair."
He groaned, sitting up and flopping down on the opposite end. "C'mere, bring it in."
"No," she shook her head. "I'm good right here." She got comfortable, curling against the couch. He scurried to the other side, pushing her on her back to settle on top of her. "Prince," she squealed, "What are you doing?"
"You made me move for nothing, woman." He laid his head in the crook of her neck as he wrapped an arm around her. "Now," he kissed her jaw, "Let's try to get some sleep before the sun comes up."
The constant ringing of her phone in the distance made them both stir. Still, neither got up to tend to the electronic device. Hearing the device finally go silent, she kissed the crown of his head before drifting back to sleep.
Only minutes passed before it rang again.
The gentlemen groaned against her chest as she sighed in frustration. "Who could be calling you this early?"
She cracked open her eyes, being greeted by the rays of sunlight. "What time is it?" She rubbed her eyes, scanning the room for the small clock. 11:12am "Get up. Get up," she shoved him off of her.
Jumping to her feet, she darted into his bedroom, the last place she'd left her device. She picked up the dying phone.
(x35 Missed Call) Bestie <3
Before she could even attempt to return his call, he was calling yet again. She prop the phone against her ear.
"Bitch, where the fuck are you?!"
She ran her hand through her hair. "I'm still in Chanhassen. Is everything okay?"
"No, it is not!" She could hear his irritation through the phone. "Give me the address. I gotta come get you. My folks think we heading out for brunch or whatever the fuck. I'll be damned if I come back without you."
"Okay, it's 8016 Dakota Avenue. Do you know how long it'll take for you to get here?"
"Maybe 20 minutes or so...why?"
Jamie tracked downstairs, into the guest room. "I just woke up and I need to get myself together." She rambled through her bag pulling out her outfit for the day.
Behind her, he settled against the wall watching her gather everything she needed.
"Just take your time getting here okay?"
"Yeah, yeah." He sighed. "Hurry up." He hung up the phone.
Jamie remove the charging cable from her bag and plugged in her phone. "Who was that?" She turned behind her looking at the petite figure.
"Henry," she answered. "He's on his way to pick me up. Can I use your shower?"
Exiting the glass shower she wrapped herself in a purple bath robe he had given her. With the extra towel, she attempted to dry her hair. Throwing the towel on her wild mane, she quickly brushed her teeth and examined her neck for any mishaps. Seeing her skin clear of any markings, she made her way back to the guest room.
She slipped on her undergarments, black skinny jeans, then her combat boots. As she prepared to slip on her tank top, a knock came to the door. "Come in."
He slipped inside of the room just as she brought the top down her stomach. "Henry's outside. At least I'm assuming it's him. A car has been sitting outside for the last five minutes."
Jamie retrieved her phone. Sure enough there were two messages from Henry.
"He won't say anything about this will he?"
Her brows furrowed. "You're kinda late with the concern, but of course not. He'd never do that to me. There isn't really much to tell anyway. You don't have anything to worry about." She continued to dress herself as he looked on.
"Are you coming back tonight?"
She slipped on her hooded trench coat. "Did you want me to?"
"Yes." He answered. "Leave your stuff."
Jamie removed the bag she'd just placed around her shoulder. "You'd have to come get me again and take me back before dawn."
"That's fine." He stepped towards her, fiddling with the end of the coat. "I'm gonna have to steal this."
"Before dawn," she reiterated as he leaned towards her. "I mean it."
"I heard you, mama." He placed his lips upon hers, sealing the deal.
Jamie hopped in to the familiar vehicle. "Hey babe," she smiled while fastening her seatbelt.
Henry stared at her then looked in the back seat. Finding it empty he looked back to her. "Am I missing something? Where the hell is yo shit?"
Jamie began to blush. "He's uh, he's coming back to get later tonight."
Henry held his hand up before shifting the car in drive. "Bitch get a little bit of dick and don't know how to act."
"Why do you insist that we're having sex?"
Henry snapped his head her way. "Bitch! You spent the night and still ain't fuck him? Get it together girl..."
Jamie laughed at her over the top friend. "I'd like to, but at the same time, I don't know. I really enjoy just being around him."
"Well what happened last night?"
They entered their favorite cafe close to home. After ordering they'd taken their usual seat near the front by the window.
"So spill."
Jamie brushed her now dried hair back. "Nothing really happened. Shit, to be frank I'm still trying to wrap my head around the dream I had. I swear I thought it was real."
"Dream? What?" The barista suddenly came over, placing their drinks and snack in front of them. "Explain girl."
"Well, we were fooling around and I snatched his candy. I booked it to the basement and he had me cornered," her cheeks reddened. "Dude, long story short we fucked--"
Henry nearly choked on his drink. "Whaa--but you said you didn't!"
"Then I woke up," she finished. "I was dreaming. Like legit dreaming."
"Then what really happened?"
After changing into their pajamas, the couple settled in his bed watching the second installment of a trilogy they both admired, the Matrix.
Prince laid across the foot of the bed as she occupied the head. Just as Neo reached the Oracle, she had begun to doze off.
"That it? You fell asleep?"
"Yeah," she shrugged. "He woke me up because he said I was moaning or whatever."
"Bitch having wet dreams," he giggled.
"So how are you and that guy?"
Henry sighed with a smile. "Oh my god, Tyee is just amazing and because you're ditching me tonight, I think I'm gonna hang with him. He has an apartment close to campus," he explained. "No roommates. So, I'm hoping to finally get some dick."
"Is that all you think about?"
Henry rolled his eyes. "No. Yes. Maybe. Bitch, shut up. I just want some. Let me do me. Alright?"
Her phone vibrated along the table. Henry leaned over to read the screen. "I bet it's him. We've only been gone an hour."
Life Alert
1:21pm
Is 10 2 early?
"10 is perfect," Henry smiled, flopping back in his seat. He pulled out his phone, texting away. "Let me tell Tyee he can come scoop me at 10:30."
1:25pm
That works.
Jamie set her phone down, as Henry continued to type away. "I'm gon' get some dick tonight, bitch. I'm gon' get it..."
.
.
.
Sitting in his car he waited patiently for her arrival. He glanced at the clock reading 10:21. As each second passed, he found himself in an internal battle. A battle that never seemed to end. A battle he was certain that would continue if he continued to see her in this fashion.
What are you doing, man? Go home.
She's just a girl...
As she emerged from around the blue house, his thoughts came to a halt.
Her hair blew in the wind as she trucked it towards his black Cadillac. Coming closer he unlocked the door, allowing her entry.
He watched her shiver in the seat. "It's gonna be a helluva winter this year, P."
He studied her as she looked towards him, her enchanting smile calming his nerves as she began to speak. "I'm ready when you are."