Another brilliant piece from a GUNNAS WRITING MASTERCLASS WRITER
What I had forgotten was how much it meant to me to have someone sit and just listen. It really had been a long time since someone put me first, put my needs first and really listened to what I had to say. He was special and despite it being quite new for us, being together in person, having conversed for months over letters while his work took him overseas. Having him home, being in the same city was just phenomenal. We sat on my balcony with a glass of red wine each and spoke in soft and hushed tones, soft like the candles that flickered beside us.
He looked at me; his attention and focus completely on me as I vented about my day and all the issues I had at work.
It was exhilarating to communicate face to face, rather than the written word. I felt free to tell him everything and anything without worrying about a hand cramp from writing.
Nick glanced down at our glasses and gently interrupted me. “We need more wine.” He got up and walked into the kitchen to fetch the bottle still chilling in the fridge.
The Japanese have a saying about a sense of home in a place you don’t expect and I felt that applied to him as I watched him comfortably move around my space as if it were his own. I tried to remember the exact words of the phrase, knowing it was something my high school Japanese teacher had taught me, but for the life of me I could not think of it. He looked absolutely breathtaking in the candlelight as he returned to join me on the balcony, bottle in hand. His dark eyes glittered in the dim light as he watched me.
“It’s great to spent this time with you, Lula.” He topped off my glass, “You are fantastic company.” He added in his usual way of not saying much but somehow still leaving those words open to such interpretation.
“I’m glad you are home now and we could finally spend time together.” We clinked glasses as he took his seat again across from me. “How was your day?” I asked, leaning forward, eager to let him know that what he had to say was very important to me. He launched into talking about his day and whilst I took in every word he said; I couldn’t help but be distracted by the way his eyebrows gently arched as he made a comment and how his hands moved around gesticulating as he spoke. A habit I also had; it was definitely our genetics which made us that way, our families from similar parts of the world.
Originally, he used to be quite sedate in his responses and interactions with me when we first met at work. This was a sign of how comfortable he was with me and I loved it.. It meant the world to me that I could be the one to make him relax and feel at ease. We had been friends for over a year when I first started to feel something for him, it was at first the easy and comfortable friendship of two colleagues. After a few huge bumps in my life, he showed me what a great friend he is and I realised how much I needed his support and caring nature in my life. I was always real with him. I felt there was no room to be anything but, he was so matter of fact and direct yet so gentle. He made it very easy to be myself.
Next minute, the stead flow of quiet conversation was interrupted as my cat came bounding out and onto Nick’s lap, causing him to spill his wine all over his pants and the cat. The cat hissed and bolted away as quick as he came. We both shot to our feet as I took the glass from him and he tried to mop up the wine on his jeans with a nearby tea towel.
“Oh goodness, I’m so sorry Nick!” I exclaimed as I grabbed his hand and led him inside.
“It’s not your fault. It was brilliant of your cat really, if his intention was to make me need to take off my pants in your apartment.” he grinned and I blushed darkly.
“I’m sure he isn’t that clever.” I replied shyly, not sure I knew where to look.
“Well, I better take them off quickly to get the stain out, if that is alright.” he asked. I nodded and gestured to the bathroom. He dashed in and closed the door, emerging a minute later with a towel wrapped around his hips and the wet pants in his hand.
My eyes widened imperceptibly at the sight and I secretly thanked the cat for his actions. Once again, I love the way he seemed so at home in my home. It filled me with a warmth I couldn’t quite place.
“Let me wash that for you.” I said, taking the pants from his hand. “We can have it washed and dried in no time.”
He took a seat on the lounge and picked up the glass of wine I had left there.
“I’m drinking yours since I have no pants and it’s your cat’s fault.” I laughed loudly from the laundry room as I set his pants to wash. That homely feeling once again striking me, the almost domestic nature of me washing his clothes while he sat half dressed in my living room.
I stepped back into the room tentatively, quite unsure of what to do. The towel completely changed the dynamic in the room and I suddenly could think of nothing else but what was beneath that towel.
I knew deep down we were leading to this, I had wanted it from day one but feeling this now was surreal. Nick stood up and stepped towards me, his beautiful dark eyes looking down into mine as he closed the gap between us and pressed his lips to mine.
My heart hammered wildly in my chest as I brought my hands up to his face and deepened the kiss. We broke apart slowly, eyes locked, his forehead resting on mine our breath intermingling.
“You are beautiful, Lula.” he whispered reverently.
“I’ve been waiting for that kiss for as long as I can remember.” I murmured, cheeks flushed and any nerves I previously felt completely disappeared. I waited a beat and took a leap of faith. “You know what else I’ve been waiting for…” and with that tugged the towel from his waist and let it pool at our feet. He wrapped his arms around me, hungrily pressing his lips to mine, as he swept me up in his arms and strode purposefully towards my bedroom.
A clumsy, interfering cat sat on the lounge with what passed as a feline smile, perhaps smarter than anyone would give him credit for.