9. Green is my favorite color

Alexandra

I raised my eyebrows in response but did not say anything. I had never seen the second floor of the store, where he lived. I wondered what it was like upstairs.

He helped me sit in the passenger seat and I relaxed, feeling how comfortable it was. I could have easily drifted off to sleep. That was if he wasn't so close to me behind the wheel. Maybe I was getting sober, because I became more aware of how his hand was almost touching me, considering that I let mine hang near the gearshift. My dress was showing more of my legs, while I was sitting and I could have sworn his eyes were stealing a look or two as he was driving.

Soon we parked near the shop and I managed to get out alone, without falling, before he came to help me out. Again his hand snaked around my waist and the fire inside me lit up again. He was taking me to his place... where his bed was... at night. I tried to push my thoughts away, but all I could think of was his hand and what could he do with it... what I wanted him to do.

He opened the door, and we got darted upstairs where the front door to his place was. I had seen it before, but never what was behind it. The lights were on and the fresh smell of clean clothes hit me as I stepped inside. It was a big room with furniture of the same light brown color - a table, a sofa, two ottomans, a small desk with shelves above it, a wardrobe, and a big bed.

"Feel at home. The kitchen is that way, next to it is the bathroom." He pointed to the only other door, excluding the one we entered.

"Umm, can I take a shower?" I asked, feeling my face turn tomato-red. "I think I spilled some of my stupid drink on me, not only on the ground."

The memory of the fruit liquid falling as I saw Michael outside the bar came as if it was a few days ago.

He looked at me with his perfect eyes and I saw his hunger for me. I couldn't believe I never recognized it before. It was the same intense look he always gave me ever since I first saw him. Finally, I was sure that it wasn't just his way of acting... it was lust, it was the passion from the other day.

He swallowed and cleared his throat. "Of course you can... I will... umm... look for some clothes. I mean for you... to change."

He got me a towel and I went to shower. His bathroom was small and cozy. As I inspected the place, I saw a shelf with shampoo, soap and whatever a man could need. I couldn't resist smelling his shampoo. Yes, just like his hair the other day when he was kissing my neck. My thoughts were naughty and I could barely remember what I was doing or how long it went while the water cleaned the bar from my body. When I got out, he was nowhere in the room, but I recognized a new female pajama on the bed. It was from the shop downstairs. We sold a few things like that in case someone needed to buy them out of other options.

I dressed up quickly in the warm green sleepwear and plopped down on his couch. I found the remote on the table next to me and turned the TV on. A few minutes later he returned to the room and I relaxed, happy that he hadn't decided to avoid me the whole night and sleep who knows where in the store.

"Is the sleep thing ok?" He shyly asked, sitting on the end of his bed.

"Yes, thank you. Green is my favorite color." I smiled.

"Is it? I didn't know. I just... picked it because of the color of your eyes." He said and smiled, shifting in his place after realizing what he said.

"Oh, thank you! Umm, I didn't know you noticed." I smiled back as red filled my cheeks again.

"I guess you are tired. I will let you sleep on the bed and I will take the couch." He ordered and I agreed, hiding how disappointed I was.

We awkwardly switched places, and he offered to give me clean sheets, but I did not let him. I curled on the bed cover and draped the warm blanket that was on the other side of the bed over myself. Soon the sound of the TV stopped and I heard Michael settle down on the sofa. I kept hoping that he would come to bed with me. I even battled whether or not I should lie and tell him I was cold or something so that he would come near me, instead of falling asleep so far away. After tossing and turning, I finally drifted into the land where dreams were better than reality.

In the morning I woke up from a small noise that Michael was making in the kitchen, but when I saw the clock under his TV showing it was 6:30, I ignored it and fell asleep again. Sometime later I opened my eyes and the most amazing aroma of pancakes hit me. I looked around, pushing my hangover headache, but it was 8:30, so I guessed Michael was down in the shop. It was time to open. He worked alone on the weekends so that Aunt Eva and I could have two days off.

I got up, put on the dress from last night, and went towards the plate which tempted me from the table. Under it was a small paper. I picked it up and in Michael's writing, it said, "I will be at the store. Feel free to eat as much as you like. I hope you like pancakes."

I attacked my breakfast like a hungry animal and all too soon half of it was gone. He was so gentle, thoughtful, and seemed like he was a great cook too. I looked around his place in daylight. It felt cozy and tidy. Somehow I knew it would not be a mess. Michael was not a slob.

I went down and saw him talking with Miss Brown. He looked at me and I gave him a knowing smile. She was the most gossiping person I know. Once she started talking, there could be a line in the shop... not because of a busy day – but because she just wouldn't stop. I mouthed, "Thank you and goodbye" to my boss before leaving.