Fall From Grace(31)

Shane looked up at me from the kitchen table with an innocent look on his face.  “Morning, Sunshine!”

Skimpy little tank top, boy shorts, floppy bear slippers and bed hair is not the way I wanted someone like Shane to see me.  I was betting on at least two weeks of insults to follow, but, he didn’t even look at my outfit and he didn’t give any snide remarks.

I poured myself a cup of coffee and stirred in some sweetener, waiting for him to start with the teasing.  “Good morning.  Um, do you come here for coffee every day?”

Shane got up from the table and ran his hands through his hair.  “We were going on a run, but he slept late.  I’ll be out of your way in a minute, unless you feel up to running with me?”

I eyed him curiously.

“Why the hell are you looking at me like that?  No strings attached.  I’m seriously just asking if you want to go running with me.  Nothing else.”

“And you’re not going to start joking about me standing in front of you with this on,” I pointed to my outfit.

His eyes never left mine.  Never looking at where I pointed.  “Well, I’m sure you’ll change if you want to go running.”

I smiled at him.  I think he’s trying to be on his best behavior.  “Who are you and what have you done with that male chauvinist pig Shane?”

“Har, har, har.  You coming or not?”

“Sure.  Just let me change.” I turned to walk back to my room, and immediately regretted giving him that view of me with my short boy shorts on.  There was an audible sigh as soon as I did.  When I got to my room, I realized I was smiling.  Oh, that’s not good.

We ran for a good two hours, not once speaking to each other.  It was the most comfortable silence I had ever experienced.

We ended up back at my apartment.  I took a shower, leaving Shane sitting in the living room watching television.  The thought of Shane being in the next room and me in the shower made my mind go wild.  I tried to focus on Tucker and about how I could get out of our date on Wednesday, but Shane’s beautifully sculpted shoulders kept taking center stage in my mind.  What the hell?

I tried to relax myself under the hot water, but nothing helped wash away the images of Shane.  I blasted the cold water on and stood under the stream shivering.  Why do people say this works?  It doesn’t.

I leaned my forehead onto the cool tiles and closed my eyes.  There was always one thing that I could focus on, one thing.

I let my mind open up and go back, remembering.  Pale blue colored eyes.  It hit me like a slow roar of thunder, my skin could still feel his touch and my body shivered.  My knees felt weak; I sat under the icy cold stream.  I could still feel his breath on my neck; the way those eyes looked at me; I was his everything.

I didn’t know how long I sat there. I only got up when my skin looked a funny shade of blue.  I wrapped myself in a towel and cursed out loud for not remembering to bring my clothes in the bathroom with me.  Doubtful that Shane had stayed so long, I just wrapped the towel around myself tighter and walked out into the hallway.

I was still concentrating on those pale blue eyes when I noticed Shane was standing in the doorway to the kitchen, eyes wide and sparkling.

“I made lunch, if you’re hungry.”  He voice was no more than a whisper.

Standing there like a deer caught in headlights, I felt the heat rising to my cheeks.  “Yeah, sure.  I’ll be right there.”

He said nothing more and walked back into the kitchen.