His & Hers

by Francheska Fifield

  “Mmmm. This is comfortable.”

  He presses closer to me wrapping around me warming me up faster than the blanket can.

  “Will I promise to make dinner, but first I need a nap.”

  He chuckles, kisses my cheek and goes back to playing with my hair.

  “We can nap and then go to a movie and dinner. It’ll be our first official date.”

  “Sounds good.”

  He starts to get up, where does he think he is going? I grab his arm and pull him back down. If he doesn’t want to sleep with me fine, but he isn’t just leaving me like this.

  “Stay with me until I fall asleep at least.”

  He lies back down and wraps his arms around me snuggling in and getting comfortable.

  “Gladly.”

  I open my eyes and look around. I am alone in the dark. I am fairly certain Will had been here when I fell asleep. I get out of bed and walk into the living room. There are candles lit, I can smell the vanilla. I also can smell Italian. What is going on?

  “Will?”

  He turns holding a rose and smiling.

  “What’s going on?”

  “We got up too late for a movie and dinner so I decided to bring our dinner date to you.”

  He moves to the side and I see all the candles I smelled and all the food. Ohh this is so sweet.

  “We can eat here at the island or bring everything into the living room, set it up on the coffee table and you can pick something to watch on TV.”

  “You did all this for me?”

  He nods but looks scared; like he’s been caught doing something wrong. I smile and hug him. It is the most wonderful thing anyone has ever done for me.

  “This is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me.”

  “It’s not a big deal. I just felt bad we slept through our date.”

  “I think it’s fantastic. Let’s eat out here and then have dessert in the living room with a movie.”

  “Sounds good.”

  He pulls out my stool and I sit down piling food onto my plate.

  “It’s really sweet of you to do this Will. You don’t have to you know. Just because we are dating. You don’t have to do anything different.”

  “Trisha I don’t want it to be exactly the same as when we were just friends. I don’t want you to think I'm only doing this because I wanted to add the physical aspect to our relationship. I want to be with you and you deserve to be treated like this. I want to do it. I want us to be dating and do all the things couples do. We can still hang out and game or watch anime, but that doesn’t mean we can’t do couple stuff to.”

  I smile at him and try to hold back a giggle. “Even going to see chick flicks?”

  He laughs and nods. “Yes even that. I don’t promise it’ll be my favorite thing to do with you, but I still want to do it.”

  I feel myself blush and lean over and quickly kiss him before picking at my food again. I ask what he wants to watch while we eat dessert. He says it has to be something lovey dovey, so a girly movie, and I argue for an action movie or anime.

  We ended up watching a chick flick then an action movie I have been waiting to see. When it is time for bed I want to ask him to spend the night with me, to stay with me, but I don’t want to push him into anything he doesn’t want to do. He kisses me goodnight and turns to leave.

  “You don’t want to stay?”

  “You want me to?”

  I blush and nod. “If you want to.” I don’t want to force him.

  He smiles and kisses me.

  “If you want me to I would love to.”

  I smile and grab his hand dragging him in to sleep with me. I snuggle against him and fall asleep almost instantly. Completely at ease and comfortable.

  “Say it...”

  I hear someone speaking and slowly blink myself awake. “Say what?”

  “You’re awake?”

  I nod. Well I am starting to wake up. I can’t promise I will be lucid at this point, but close enough.

  “What were we talking about while I was asleep? I heard ‘say it’ that’s all. Sorry.”

  He kisses me making me temporarily forget the slightly embarrassed grin on his face. What had he been saying?

  “That’s okay. We can have a do over conversation after breakfast.”

  I just nod and stretch too lazy to question him more. That and food seem like a wonderful idea now. “What do you want for breakfast?”

  “We could go out for breakfast if you would like.”

  “Shower. Then breakfast.”

  He looks indecisive. This isn’t about the shower I hope. I mean I was freshly hung over. I needed a shower to not look and smell horrible. I wasn’t fit for the public eye. Not to mention all the sex we had. I smelled like sex. Fine when at home, not so much in public.

  “Okay. I’ll take my clothes to my room and shower.”

  I grab my clothes and stumble into the shower. My competent always sunny persona has been ruined. Will will now know I am so not a morning person. He has never seen me before the beauty that we call a shower. I require one to wake up and function.

  Once out we decide to go to a diner, well more like I drag and cha at a mile a minute and he follows seeming completely at ease being tugged around town by me listening to me spew about anything and everything I can think of. Great now he will think I am an airhead.

  We finally get our movie in, a chick flick. Then we do some shopping, Will, ironically, seems content with it all. We end up snacking instead of having a real lunch. We do make it home in time for me to make dinner and dessert, which we bought and brought home. We then proceed to snuggle on the couch while watching a movie. Of course we end up making out, and then we end up in my bedroom not sleeping, well not for a couple hours anyway.

  I wake slightly before the alarm goes off. I usually do I just never get out of bed until it goes off, enjoying those extra few minutes. But I know Will is still in bed and he usually gets an hour more of sleep than me. So I quietly and carefully get out of bed and head to shower. After which I start breakfast. Once done Will still hasn't woken up so I decide to wake him up with a kiss….or two. He opens his eyes, smiles, and mutters. He’s not a big morning person either huh.

  “Hey.”

  “Breakfast time sleepy head.”

  One more quick kiss and I return to the kitchen. Food is there and I am so hungry. I need to get back on my normal schedule.

  “So Bobbi and I are going to the Y today I’ll make sure to have my cell with me in case you need anything. Sorry ahead of time for any mushy girly sentiments I text your way during the day.”

  I am hoping a cute smile will get me out of trouble or earn his agreement even if he doesn’t like mushy texts.

  “I don’t mind.”

  My response is a quick sigh of relief I cover with a laugh and stuffing food in my mouth. “That’s good.” A lot of guys are anti mush. We call those men sucky.

  "Have a good day in your work cave."

  Will smiles and nods giving me a goodbye kiss before reluctantly ambling into his work room. The door closes and I clean up running out to meet Bobbi before he decides to leave me behind.

  The Y is good. Bobbi and I decide to jog so we can still talk.

  "So when are you two getting married?"

  I almost stumble I am so shocked.

  "We just started dating!"

  He chuckles and rolls his eyes….seriously he is whacked.

  "We did."

  "You guys have been circling one another trying to get to this point before you even met in person. It was going to happen one way or another. Might as well lock it in so his parents cannot interfere again."

  I have to admit he has a point there. Not that I will admit it to him. So instead I stay silent and think. Will's parents are going to hate it. They will disown him, hire a P.I. so they can get the dirt on me and publish it in the most popular newspaper in the country…maybe even the world.

  "Bobbi do you think if we d
id...I mean not that we are, but if we did….I mean his parents…"

  "They won't come and it wouldn’t change his mind about you."

  I sigh. I want them to like me…or at least tolerate me. I don’t agree with Bobbi though. I think they would come and bring his ex and then protest loudly when they whole speak now part comes up. Damn bastards.

  "Hey look on the bright side Trish we already know you are a good house wife."

  I look over at Bobbi smiling and laughing. He even has to catch me when I start to trip.

  "Do not make me laugh while running. You know my sense of balance is non-existent."

  He shrugs trying to keep his laughter from escaping. He’s not doing a very good job of it.

  "Let's get back to it. You want to keep your figure so you can fit into your wedding dress."

  I roll my eyes, but start running again.

  "Bobbi don’t try to force him to ask me. When he wants to he will."

  "You would say yes though?"

  I try to look away to hide my blush. Bobbi is having none of it and since he has great sense of balance and direction he easily stares at me and doesn’t waver from his track. "Yes I would."

  He nods and picks up speed. Oh he isn’t getting away with that. No way am I letting that smart ass beat me.

  "You wait Bobbi. When you get married I am giving the most embarrassing toast in the world."

  "Look forward to it."

  We smile and stop talking both determined to come in first. I can’t wait to get my laps done and go home for lunch.

  I texted Will asking him to warm up leftovers for lunch. I have so many errands to run. Bobbi and I shower and go about doing said errands. I am home not too long before dinner. I go inside to find a note from Will saying he had an emergency meeting and will be home late so to not wait up. Sad. Why didn't he call? It's not like I would be mad. Oh well. I make dinner, eat, and go to bed early and alone.

  I wake in the morning to the alarm. I went to bed early, but had trouble sleeping hoping I would still be awake when Will came home. I hadn't been. That is obvious because he is beside me now and I don’t remember that. I reach over for my glasses so I can grab clothes without picking everything mismatched.

  "No glasses….what's this?"

  I pick it up. Ohh a present! Maybe Will got me an apology gift for missing dinner last night. I open it excitedly and almost drop it. I turn to shake Will awake, but he is already awake smiling.

  "Like it?"

  I look back at it. It is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.

  "Of course. Who wouldn’t? But Will….we just started dating and…"

  He puts a finger to my lips and leans up to kiss me.

  "I love you. I have since the moment we first talked and it’s only gotten better from there. You can say it's too soon and we should wait and I will pack it away for a bit. But only say it if you mean it. I spent my whole life holding back and this is far too important to care what others will think of us. So Trisha, will you marry me?"

  "Of course!" I throw myself into his arms and kiss him. When I pull back he takes the ring and puts it on my finger. I hold it up examining.

  "It fits perfectly."

  He kisses my fingers and smiles.

  "It must be a sign."

  I laugh and nod.

  "You know Will we are going to need a bigger bathroom if we are both going to be using it daily."

  He gaps at me for a second before falling over laughing. He rolls onto the floor and I lean over smiling at him.

  "You okay down there?"

  He smiles up at me reaching for my hand.

  "Never better."

  Will's Story

  Prologue

  Dear William Saxton,

  You don’t know me, but I was wondering if you might consider going into business with me. I don’t want a piece of your company or anything like that (I am really no good with computers hence the writing to you), but I really need a website made and as I just noted I literally suck at computer things. I know you don’t do that anymore, but just hear me out and if you don’t like what I have to say (or my desperation doesn’t strike a chord in your charitable heart) you can say no. But please just read the whole email first.

  As I said before, I know you started out fixing computers, designing websites, and so on. I also know that now you do much more high profile stuff like making software and salvaging for companies when they stupidly crash their computers and aren’t smart enough to back up their data. But I really need help and you are the best (I don’t say this just to appeal to your ego though if it helps, hurray).

  I’ve researched everyone who has ever made a website (it was more work than writing any novel) and your name always comes up as the best. No matter whom I ask. Now normally I would find that odd (people are great liars when they are paid to be), but some are actually people I trust.

  I’m really not big time, since I’m in the process of publishing my first novel as we speak, so I really don’t have much money to give you, but I will pay you and I promise to always sing your praises and thank you in my first published book (if you read you will know that is the excerpt in the beginning from the author where they thank people and make their dedication. If you don’t read, well now you know what I mean). I would love to learn how to keep the thing going so you don’t have to be bothered more than needed. So if you are willing to take time out of your busy schedule to help me I am willing to learn and would be grateful for any help and or instructions you could give me.

  Sincerely your next customer

  Trisha

  I reread the email for the hundredth time since I received it that morning. She is right, I don’t do that stuff anymore, but for some reason I keep coming back to the email anyway. I am guessing, judging by her email, she isn’t like other people and that I will never meet anyone else like her again. Definitely creative, as no one else had ever come close to asking for my help in the same way even if they did send me an email. She is different. I don’t know if it is the determination, the humor, or the flattery, but I decide to email her back and accept the job. Who knows it could be a fun break from my usual stuff and I am intrigued.

  Chapter One

  I walk into the McDonalds in a small town in the middle of nowhere. I see Trisha sitting at a table looking around. She looks unhappy. When we worked together on her site and I got to know her, she was spunky and upbeat with a very outgoing personality. Nothing in life seemed to get her down.

  It was refreshing to work with someone who didn’t believe their small little problem was the end of the world. It is likely why, when she asked me personal questions, not so subtly thrown in with work related ones, I had answered. I’d been right in thinking I had never met anyone like her before, and I doubted very much I would ever again.

  She stands smiling and holds out her hand like it is the first time we have ever met. Really? I can’t help the smile that appears on my face. I don’t usually do it a lot, but she always manages to surprise me in new and interesting ways. I shake it and sit down across from her.

  “Very proper,” I say.

  She blushes lightly and looks a bit embarrassed.

  “It’s the first time we have officially met,” She says.

  She has me there. We have never done the formal introduction thing and this meeting is her idea to see if she is interested in moving in with me. I don’t know why I am offering her the job, it has been open for a few weeks, but no one I interviewed seemed like someone I could live with. I know already she writes a lot, so all my time in the office won’t bother her. I also know she sets alarms so she doesn’t forget to eat. They have sometimes gone off while we are working and she grabbed a granola bar and water to tide her over until we are done.

  “I suppose that’s true. Have you eaten?”

  If we are meeting here I am getting something. The drive up was horrible, borrowing my friend Tommy’s car a worse idea than driving from California all the way to New Hamps
hire to begin with. Every hour, on the hour, I got a call asking how his ‘baby’ was.

  She shakes her head no. She looks so nervous.

  “Would you like something?”

  She shakes her head no and I frown.

  “Was there a point to meeting for lunch if you won’t eat?”

  She shrugs and looks embarrassed again.

  “It’s a public place.”

  I can tell she doesn’t want to offend me, but she is going for honesty as well. Sometimes the two conflict. I don’t take offense; you never know with people you meet online.

  “And you think I would have jumped you had we been alone?”

  She laughs and I don’t think she even thought of that. I don’t know why not. She is beautiful. Not in the classical sense guys usually think of; she doesn’t have lots of curves, but she does have them and in all the right places. No it is her personality, something about her makes you look twice.

  “Actually that never entered my mind. I don’t really worry about things like that. I don’t exactly beat guys off with a stick.”

  “So you picked here to meet why?”

  “Because growing up we are taught to never meet strangers except in a public place. Didn’t your parents ever tell you that?”

  I smile. My parents told me a lot; I never listened to any of it. In fact, unless I knew their motive was to goad me, I did the exact opposite.

  “Yes. Doesn’t mean I listen to everything they say.”

  She watches me, looking me over as if trying to form an opinion and I wonder, not for the first time since meeting her, what she is thinking.

  “Is something wrong?”

  Perhaps she decided not to move in with me.

  “No. Sorry. I was spacing a bit.”

  I can’t help but smile at her trying to gloss over whatever it is she is really thinking with that excuse.