by Bloom, Nikki
“Oh, is that what you are?”
“For now,” I said with a giggle as I attempted to roll a meatball as perfectly as Leo had but of course, it was no use. I really didn’t have the knack for cooking. Most nights, Sara took care of it and when she didn’t, we ordered take-out.
“For now?” he raised his eyebrow in question.
I just smiled and left him wondering.
“Do you want to stir in the tomato sauce?” he asked.
“Sure.” Again, he stood behind me. This time, his body was pressed against mine. For a second, I forgot how to breathe as my heart thumped like it belonged to a racing stallion. If he kept this up, my skin was bound to melt right off the bone.
His fingers wrapped around mine. They were strong and filled with purpose as he helped guide the wooden spoon around the pot. “Is this really necessary?” I asked, my voice catching in my throat. “I mean, you standing this close and all.”
“Well, from my perspective, you haven’t slapped me yet so I’m guessing you’re okay with this.” He wrapped his arm around my torso. “Besides, it’s rather impossible for me to resist a woman I find so attractive.”
I had to remember to breathe.
Just then, the front door swung open and Sara walked in.
I quickly removed myself from his embrace and tried my best to look nonchalant. From the snicker that erupted from Sara’s lips the second she saw me, I knew it’d been a failure. “You two having fun?” she asked.
“Dinner should be done in just a minute,” Leo answered, side-stepping the question.
“Perfect.” Sara grabbed a few wine glasses and filled them to the brim.
I decided to set the table if only to get my mind off of Leo. His body against mine, it had excited me more than I wanted to admit. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched him. As he finished stirring the spaghetti, his arms rippled with lean muscle. I bit the inside of my lip. It should be illegal for someone to be so handsome.
He carried over the steaming platter and placed it on the table. “Eat up,” he said.
Before I could sit down, he rounded to my side of the table and pulled out my chair for me.
“Oh, it looks like we have a gentleman joining us tonight,” Sara commented as she sipped her wine with this smug I-told-you-so look.
“You’re cute when you blush,” he whispered into my ear before sitting down himself.
“So, what did Autumn knock over while you two were at the market?” Sara asked as she helped herself to a good helping of spaghetti.
He chuckled. “The tomato stand. There was a whole avalanche headed her way, but I managed to stop them just in the nick of time.”
“He’s a hero too.” She winked in my direction.
I was seriously starting to regret this entire thing.
They laughed amongst themselves as I spun a few strands of pasta around my fork. I added a meatball to the mix and popped the combination into my mouth. The flavor was amazing.
“Save the moaning for the bedroom,” Sara called.
I blushed even harder. “Shut up,” I barked.
“She doesn’t like to be teased,” Leo added.
“Oh, I know, but that’s half the fun.” She refilled her glass. “Sometimes, she gets so red in the face, I worry she’s going to have a stroke or something.”
“Ha-ha, very funny,” I simpered.
Leo reached across the table and squeezed my hand. “No need to take the teasing so seriously.”
I narrowed my eyes in his direction. “I’d be careful if I were you. I’ll go right back to hating you if that’s what you want.”
That quieted things down for a bit and allowed me enough time to enjoy my meal.
When everyone was done, Sara rose to her feet and yawned. By the way she stretched, I could tell she was faking it. “Well, I’m beat. I’m going to head to bed. You two have fun,” she said, smiling. “Thanks for dinner, Doc.” Before I could stop her, she was already gone.
“Looks like it’s up to us to do the dishes,” Leo said as he turned on the tap.
“You don’t have to–”
“I want to,” he interjected. “It’s the least I can do. I’ve really enjoyed myself tonight.” It looked like he wanted to say something else, but he stopped himself before he could say it. “Anyway, how about I wash and you dry?”
“Sounds good to me.”
He started to hum as he worked. It was a soothing sound. Soon, I lost myself in the motions and before I knew it, we were already done.
“Well, I guess I should get going. I don’t want to overstay my welcome.”
I shuffled my weight from one foot to the other. “Actually…if you wanted to, we could watch a movie or something. There’s low-fat popcorn in the cabinets somewhere…”
“Are you asking me on a date?” he asked with a grin. “Because that’s what it sounds like to me.”
“Don’t push it,” I growled.
“Alright, alright. Where’s the popcorn? I don’t want you climbing on the counter and hurting yourself.”
“Over there. Top shelf.” I pointed. “Mind taking care of that and I’ll handle the movie.”
He groaned. “You’re picking the movie?”
“Yeah, why? Is that a problem?”
“You always had the worst taste in movies.”
“What are you talking about?” I had one hand on my hip, daring him to explain.
“You always pick stupid romcoms.”
“I like romcoms,” I said defensively. “And, if I remember correctly, you used to watch them with me.”
“Only because I liked spending time with you.” He stepped forward and took me by the hips. It was so sudden that it took me completely by surprise.
I blinked and then it happened.
He had his lips pressed against mine. I melted. He held me tighter as his tongue trailed along my bottom lip. I parted my mouth and he slipped inside.
My mind was racing.
Suddenly, I came to senses and pushed him away. “We’re definitely watching a romcom now,” I said as I wiped my mouth with the back of my arm. “And the worst one too.”
“Please don’t punish me. I couldn’t resist. Your lips were calling my name.”
“Oh, we might even have to watch two if you keep being so corny.” I shook my head and walked away.
In the living room, I tried to find the worst possible movie. I would make him eat his words.
But I couldn’t concentrate. My lips were burning.
He has kissed me.
And I had liked it.
6
Leo
Popcorn was harder to make than I’d originally thought. There was a popcorn button on the microwave but all it did was burn everything to a crisp. Then, I tried following the directions on the package but that didn’t work either. In the end, I had to Google and by some miracle, I managed to pop a great big bowl that I carried into the living room.
There, I found Autumn cross-legged on the couch, her face focused. I smiled to myself. She was incredibly cute when she looked like that. I considered teasing her about it, but I didn’t want to push my luck. With Autumn, it was easy to get a slap to the face.
“May I sit?” I asked.
She didn’t answer but she scooted over.
“Popcorn?”
Again, no answer.
So, I took it upon myself to throw some in her direction.
Well, that got a reaction. She glared. “What the hell was that for?”
“I was aiming for your mouth but I missed,” I answered with a shrug. Before she could say another word, I threw a few more pieces. One actually shot between her lips.
She laughed and swallowed it down. “Hole in one.”
“That’s what she said,” I smirked.
Autumn rolled her eyes. “You are so lame it’s not even funny.” She leaned back and pointed the remote to the TV. Nothing happened. With a growl, she slapped the back of it and the batteries came flying out.
“Damnit.” She cursed to herself before getting on the floor. “Pass me my phone, will you?”
I did as she asked even though it was incredibly hard to focus with her ass in the air, hips swaying from side to side. I bit the inside of my lip as my thoughts wandered into naughty territory. Oh, the things I wanted to do to this girl.
She continued to wiggle about as she reached for the battery.
If she kept this up, she was bound to drive me to complete insanity.
To my dismay, she got up, battery clutched between her hand. With a triumphant smile, she popped it back into place and selected the movie she wanted to watch. “Finally.” She was about to sit down but then she reached over me and flipped the light switch.
For a split second, her chest hovered inches away from my face. The v-cut of her t-shirt did little to contain her cleavage. It was so close to spilling out right in front of me.
My pace quickened and I felt something stir between my legs. I shifted in my seat so she wouldn’t notice.
I swear, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say she was trying to tease me on purpose.
As the movie started, she leaned back and rested her head against my shoulder. “Hmm?” I mused.
“Well, you’re hogging all the pillows so I really don’t have a choice but to use your chest,” she explained. “If you don’t like it, suck it up.”
I chuckled. “I’m hardly going to complain about having a beautiful woman in my arms.” I leaned down and kissed the top of her head.
To my surprise, she had no comment to offer me. Instead, she settled herself and focused on the movie. I will admit, despite it being a rom-com, I got sucked into it. Before I knew it, I had reached the bottom of the popcorn bowl. I was about to ask if Autumn wanted some more when I realized she was fast asleep.
Her face an angelic quality to it. I couldn’t help but stare. She was gorgeous. There may be plenty of other girls in the world, but none could compare.
Gently, I picked her up and carried her into the bedroom. There, I eased her onto the mattress and pulled the covers around her. I even went so far as to tuck her in.
A smile colored my face as I stood there, enjoying the look of her peaceful expression. It was free of pain –of hurt– of the betrayal I had caused. I hated myself for what I did and from that point on, I knew I had to make it up to her – to prove that I would never treat her the same way again.
I lingered a moment longer before kissing the top of her head one more time. I desperately wanted to crawl into bed alongside her, but I knew better than to cross that line. So, I tiptoed out of the room and left.
* * *
When I got home that night, Jade was waiting for me. She circled around my feet the second I stepped into the kitchen.
“I’m sure there’s kibble in your dish,” I said. “There’s no need for you to beg me for food like this,” I chided.
Of course, she didn’t heed my words because a second later, she hopped onto the counter, sat on her haunches, and meowed at me.
“I said no.”
Meow!
“I mean it, Jade.”
She licked her paw in a nonchalant manner like she couldn’t possibly take my threat seriously.
Ignoring my three-legged cat, I opened the fridge and grabbed an ice-cold beer. I popped the cap and brought the bottle to the balcony.
The wind was a little nippy, but it felt good as I leaned against the railing and watched the waves crash against the shore.
Jade joined me, tail flicking and forth in contemplation. “You have it easy,” I said. “You don’t have to worry about anything. If you make a mistake, all you have to do is bat your eyes in my direction and I forgive you.” As I spoke, I ran my hand along her sleek fur. “Humans, on the other hand? Our pasts have a habit of haunting us, but I guess sometimes we’re offered a second chance.” I looked at the moon and wondered if I could turn things around with Autumn – and I mean really turn them around.
I couldn’t settle for us being ‘just friends.’ I wanted much more than that.
With a sigh, I plopped into the hammock and rocked back and forth as I stared into the distance, mind racing. What if I screw up again? What if she rejects me? What if this is a mistake and I’m just wasting my time?
I tried to push these questions out of my mind but they persisted to haunt me. Maybe reading will do the trick, I thought to myself.
Jade followed me into the living room and curled up by the fire. From the looks of it, she had completely given up begging for food. Sometimes she could be such a little glutton.
The book didn’t help. I kept thinking about Autumn. The way she laughed. That smile of hers. Everything.
She was the woman of my dreams and I wouldn’t lose her again.
* * *
A week later.
Autumn was still on my mind but because of our busy schedules, I hadn’t seen her since our movie date. A part of me feared that she was actively avoiding me – that she regretted giving me a second chance.
I looked at my phone and considered texting her but I didn’t want to become a nuisance. If I kept bugging her, she would surely push me away.
No.
I had to play this smart. If I wanted her to fall in love with me then I needed to do this just right. There was no room for screw-ups.
So, I hid my phone in my drawer and got back to work.
There was a thick stack of paperwork on my desk for me to plow through. With a groan, I started from the top. Most were prescriptions. Others were release forms. Pretty basic stuff in the office.
But then I got down to the prognosis section. This is what I hated the most. It never gets easy to tell someone they have cancer. Your goal, as a doctor, is to keep them optimistic but sometimes all you can do is watch the hope drain from their eyes. You can tell them all the lies in the world but it won’t change a thing. In the end, you’re still tasked with telling them they’ll be dead by next Christmas.
Trust me, it’s one of the hardest things to do.
Luckily, today most of the prognoses were good. Nothing too major.
That is until I got down to Sara. My mouth went dry as my eyes scanned over the array of information.
She had cancer.
7
Autumn
That same day.
Sweat dripped down my brow as I skipped rope at the gym. Beside me, one of my clients huffed, tripping over his own two feet. “Come on, Clyde, you’re never going to get anywhere if you keep giving up like this.”
The man bent over, wheezing.
I was forced to stop and look him over. Clyde had a habit of faking it. Like most people, he didn’t like to work out but, like most, exercise was a must.
“Can we take a five-minute break?” he begged.
“Fine. Five minutes. Not a second more. After that, it’s the treadmill.”
He groaned. “I was thinking we could cut it short today…”
I shot him a dirty glare. “I’m sick of your excuses, Clyde.” I stepped forward and squared my shoulder. “Your wife is putting in the work. She already lost fifty pounds and you’ve barely lost ten.” My tone sounded harsh but sometimes clients needed a reality check before they could fully understand the consequences of their unhealthy habits. “You two want to have children, don’t you? Think about how much easier that’ll be if you two are happy and healthy.”
Clyde frowned. “It’s just so hard.”
“I know it’s hard,” I said as I placed a hand on his shoulder. “I’ve gone through the same journey. I’ve tortured myself in night after night to get the results I wanted. In the end, trust me, it’s worth it.”
He thought it over and nodded. “You’re right. I’m not being fair to Caroline. Let me just get some water and I’ll get on the treadmill.”
“That’s the spirit.” I patted his shoulder with a smile.
As he walked over to the vending machine, I felt my phone b
uzz against my thigh. It took me by surprise. For my last birthday, Sara had gifted me these leggings with a mess pocket meant to hold your phone. Let’s say it got pretty awkward pretty quickly. Still, they were a pretty decent pair of leggings, so I continued to wear them from time to time.
I could tell that Clyde was going to be a while, so I decided to figure out who was texting me during working hours. Sara knew better so it had to be someone else.
Leo’s name popped up on the screen as soon as I looked at it. Underneath it was the words, “We need to talk.” An icy chill swept through my skin like Jack Frost has just blown in my direction.
“What about?” I texted back.
“It’s better if I tell you in person.”
I didn’t like the sound of that – not one bit. “Why can’t you just tell me now?” Without realizing it, I started to pace between the yoga mats.
Clyde returned before I could get another text from Leo. “Alright. So how long do you want me on the treadmill?”
“Fifteen minutes,” I answered offhandedly. “3.5 incline, 2.5 speed.”
I expected Clyde to groan as he always did whenever I instructed him onto the treadmill but to my surprise, he headed over with his head held high. “You know, you’re right,” he said as he started up the machine.
“About?” My mind was muddled with the meaning behind Leo’s text message. What did he want to talk about that was so important? My stomach tightened into a knot just thinking about it.
“Well, taking my health seriously, for starters.” He dabbed his sweat rag against his forehead. He hadn’t been on the machine for more than a minute.
“I’m glad to hear it.” I smiled. “Realizing the need to stay healthy is the first step. From there, your life is bound to change for the better.”
He nodded, chugged back some water, and increased the speed to 3.0. “I just want to prove myself to Caroline.”
“Well, if you keep it up, you’re bound to make her proud.” I patted his machine for emphasis. “Just don’t push yourself too hard.” With that, I left him to the rest of his workout.