Chapter 11

Drayer

I woke up slowly, feeling more content than I had in ages. I didn’t remember having any particularly good dreams, so at first, I couldn’t figure out why, but as my eyes opened, the previous night’s activities came swirling back to me.

Right. Ella and I had slept together. I almost didn’t believe it was true, but I could hear her breathing beside me and still smelled her and the laundry detergent she used on her sheets in the air.

I felt something warm and soft against my side, and I didn’t dare move. Trying to crane my neck as slowly as physically possible, I looked down at Ella as she slept.

She looked so peaceful, so beautiful. Like Snow White or Sleeping Beauty but without all the creepy connotations that came with those fable’s backstories. I wanted to reach up and stroke her messy hair from her face, but I didn’t dare disturb her.

Although Ella was always pretty amiable, there was a certain aloofness to her that intrigued me. But now, with her snoring ever so slightly into my side, she looked so open and serene.

I must have stared at her for too long, because her eyes fluttered open, and she looked up at me with confusion before realization took its place.

“Good morning,” she murmured, voice slightly raspy.

“Good morning,” I responded. “Do you have to get to work?”

She shook her head. “No, I usually have Sundays off. I just picked up an extra shift last week.” She sat up, and my body instantly missed the warmth of her at my side. She kept her apartment pretty chilly, but if I put my clothes back on, I was sure I would be fine.

“How do you feel about some breakfast?” she asked, sliding out of bed. “I make a pretty mean omelet.”

“Hey, I’m not one to turn down free food,” I answered, watching her as she walked away. She looked borderline angelic in the morning light, the illumination slipping between her heavy curtains and caressing her body in a particularly artful way. Of course, my eyes went right to her backside, which jiggled when she walked in just the right way to make me wonder what her stance was on both quickies and morning sex.

She laughed at my comment, crossing to her dresser to pull out a pair of what looked like woolen pajamas. From there, she went to the bathroom, and I figured I should get dressed too.

I was just putting my jeans on when she came out and went straight for her kitchenette. First thing she did was pour both of us a glass of water and then put a coffee pot on.

I joined her, giving her enough space so I wouldn’t get in her way, and downed the water quickly. I hadn’t realized how thirsty I was, but after last night’s activities, it really wasn’t a head scratcher as to why I might be a little dehydrated.

I barely set my cup down when she took it from the counter and refilled it with water from her fridge. I had no idea how she had been watching me closely enough to know I needed more, considering she had two pans going and was cooking an omelet in each, but I knew better than to ask questions and disrupt her concentration.

It had been so long since I had someone else cook a meal for me that I didn’t have to pay for at a restaurant, and I felt myself getting all sorts of warm and fuzzies over it. I realized I kinda liked being looked after. Not that I expected it of her or that I couldn’t do it myself, but there was something especially comforting that her first thought after waking up was making sure I had sustenance.

“Hey,” I said abruptly once I saw a safe spot where she wasn’t juggling frying pans or trying to flip the eggy creations.

“Hey what?” she shot right back, pulling some plates from one of her two cabinets.

“I’d like to take you on a date sometime. A real date. Maybe we could go out to dinner or see a movie. Whatever you want, really.”

The smile she sent me was so sweet, I swore I got cavities on sight. “Sure. That would be nice.”

“Great. What day works for you? Sundays, obviously, but anything sooner?”

“How about Wednesday? That’s my other day off.”

“Sure, I work, but I get out at five. Want to do something then?”

“Yeah, that sounds like it’s doable.”

She finished whatever it was she needed to do to finish the food and then quickly plated it before leading me to her couch. There, we both dug in, and it was absolutely delicious.

“This is amazing!” I said around a mouthful of egg.

She just laughed, and the expression made her look that much more beautiful. “Thanks. If you think this is good, you should have my lasagna sometime.”

“Hell, yeah!” I said, pumping my fist into the air.

That seemed to amuse her even more, and I basked in the affection. Although everything had happened so fast, I was more than enthusiastic about how everything was panning out.

I could already see future dates, her curling up in my oversized comforter at my place, taking turns cooking for each other, and making so many terrible puns.

But I really shouldn’t get ahead of myself. We’d had one roll in the hay together and hadn’t even gone on our first date. For all I knew, she would decide she didn’t like me after I bombed our first night out on the town and that would be that. I needed to play this cool, and what would be would be.

But still, I couldn’t help it as excitement bubbled up in me. I chowed down happily, knowing that no matter what happened, I would always have last night to think about. And I knew, without a doubt, this week was going to be absolutely fantastic.

All I had to do was make it to Wednesday.