He opened his eyes and found me watching him.
Daylight seeped in through the windows, casting a sunny line across his face. He sat up and regarded me. Our sweet night together began to give way to the new day. Details became fuzzy and more dreamlike as we sat facing each other on our separate couches. It hit me once again, how little I technically knew this man. On paper we should seem more like casual acquaintances, but our lips were breaking into smiles and our stares became intimate and something much more than casual. My childhood knew the boy but my soul seemed to know the man.
“How’s your butt?”
He broke into a smile. “Sore. It could use a massage.” He raised his eyebrows hopefully.
“That would be a sweet scene for my grandparents to walk in on.”
“It’s probably tamer than a visit last night would have been.”
I flushed and then forced myself to stand and walk to the kitchen, checking out what foods we had available to us.
“Wait a second,” was all I said before I thought of something and flew down the stairs to the basement storage room. I was back in a flash, triumphantly holding something behind my back.
“Do you want to hear the best news you might hear all day?”
“Try me.”
“Lucky Charms is gluten-free.” I pulled out the box behind me.
A relieved smile crawled across his face. “Ahh...you weren’t kidding. How many boxes do they have? If this power stays out, that may be our ticket to survival.”
“As long as the fridge stays cold, we have a gallon and a half of milk, two boxes of Lucky Charms, and one box of Cheerios. I forgot they used to keep a few boxes of cereal down in their storage room for when grandkids come and visit. Grandma did too, apparently.”
We moved through the kitchen together, bumping and teasing as we reached for bowls and cereal and milk. We sat kitty-corner to each other on the table, our feet brushing. I had almost begun to think our morning would be only silent looks and butterfly stomachs when he spoke.
“How come you haven’t been dating? Nothing adds up.”
I took a sip of milk, gathering my wits. “Well, according to the ‘reports’ there have been too many bodies and not enough explanations. People get scared off.” I threw up my hands in an ‘I don’t know' gesture.
A smile lit his face. “Good to know.”
“Do bodies scare you off?” Ugh. I heard it, but it was already out before I could stop it.
His eyes drifted down mine briefly. “Not presently.”
Words. I needed words to not make this awkward. He was flirting with me. Must give him words.
“What about you? Why aren’t you married? Any skeletons in your closet?”
He took a bite of Lucky Charms, chewing once and swallowing. A tiny drop of milk landed on his bottom lip before he licked it away. Oh to be that drop.
“Oh, I don’t have too tragic of a past. Good parents. Good siblings. College degree. I go fishing a couple of times a month with some buddies. Just couldn’t stay away from ranching and haven’t found a woman wanting me enough to live through a Wyoming winter.”
“I would.”
He regarded me curiously, eyes shining. My eyes went buggy. Did I say that out loud?
“What was that?”
“Nothing.” I looked away, wide-eyed and clearing my throat. “So, you’ve dated a lot of women then?”
He was silent for a few beats, forcing my curious gaze back to his before he spoke again. A small smile was growing on his face and my heart dropped into my stomach with a splash.
“A few.”
“None of them stuck?”
