A Date For A Lie In

Sylvie awoke slowly. She felt Athos against her back and snuggled in further. The sun was peeking in through the slats of the blinds causing her to squint slightly.

She closed her eyes again, but she couldn't keep them shut. She looked over to her bedside table where a pile of papers sat unlooked at.

She sighed thinking she really needed to finish her work before tomorrow. But an arm came around her waist pulling her back farther. A kiss was pressed to the back of her neck and she sighed contentedly.

She turned around in Athos' arms preparing to kiss him only to stop suddenly. "Teeth," she said getting out of bed and going to the bathroom.

A minute later Athos joined her. They brushed their teeth and took turns taking care of other needs before returning to bed.

"I can't believe you interrupted sex to brush your teeth," Athos said as he hovered over her brushing a kiss against her neck.

"I had other things I needed to do." Sylvie argued.

Athos dove in kissing her more. However, her stomach had other ideas. She dropped her head to the pillow and Athos chuckled as Sylvie's stomach growled. "Food," he said.

"Seriously?" Sylvie scoffed.

"Your stomach is distracting." He lifted the hem of her t-shirt pressing a kiss to her stomach making her squirm.

They fixed bowls of cereal and a piece of toast with a glass of orange juice bringing the food back to Sylvie's bed.

Food eaten, Athos took Sylvie's bowl from her placing it with his on the side table on his side of the bed. Turning back, he kissed her pulling her into his arms. Sylvie happily fell into his arms as they made love.

TM

"What time is it?" Sylvie asked lying back against her pillow sated and feeling satisfied.

"Nine," Athos said.

"Is that all? Feels like it should be lunch time already," said.

"Hungry again?" He teased.

She swatted his arm playfully. She turned back then seeing the still unlooked at pile of papers. "I really should finish these," she said.

"Want me to leave?" He asked.

She turned and looked at him. She really didn't want him to leave, but she was afraid he would be bored.

"Do you have any books I could read?" He asked taking her by surprise. "I rather like lounging in your bed," he said.

Sylvie got out of her bed pulling on her t-shirt before looking at the books she had. She found one in paperback and tossed it to him. "Sorry it's in paperback. I know how you love old hardbound books."

Athos shrugged and looked at the book. Leaning over the side of the bed he pulled out his reading glasses from his jacket pocket. "The Handmaid's Tale?"

"It's a dystopian. But doesn't feel like it's too far off for some parts of the world," she said.

She watched surprised as Athos opened the book and began to read. She took another moment to enjoy the view. She really liked him in those glasses.

She climbed back into bed pulling the students' papers over to the bed. Opening the drawer of her nightstand, she pulled out a pen and her own reading glasses.

After a few minutes of grading, Sylvie felt as if she was being watched. She looked over her shoulder and found Athos looking at her. "Is something wrong?" She asked.

"When did you start wearing reading glasses?" He asked.

"I usually wear contacts," she said.

He surprised her when he leaned forward kissing her hard and fast.

"You like?" She asked.

"I think you like mine too," he smirked.

She shook her head feeling her cheeks warm realizing he noticed.

He leaned back and continued reading his book. It took her a few moments to pull herself together before she could continue grading papers.

A few minutes later Sylvie hhmmed to herself.

"Problem?" Athos asked.

"I think I may have a student with dyslexia," she said.

"That must be difficult," he said.

"With the right help she should do well," she said. "I'm going to recommend some tests this week. The sooner I know what I'm dealing with the more I can help her."

"Do you have much experience with students with dyslexia?" Athos asked.

"It was a particular area of study when I was in school," she said. "I never asked; what did you get a degree in?"

"Law," he said with a twist of his lips.

"You're a lawyer?" She asked surprised.

"It's what my father wanted me to do, but I quickly joined the police force as soon as I graduated rebelling. My first marriage quickly followed that," he shook his head. "I was young and foolish."

"You regret joining the police force?" She asked.

He shook his head. "That was probably the best outcome of my rebellion. My marriage…not so much."

He had not said much about his first marriage other than it ended badly.

Sylvie's buzzing phone interrupted them. She looked at the text. "Oh no."

"What's wrong?" Athos asked.

"I promised to help my neighbor Rochelle with her college applications today. She's waiting for me," she said.

"Time for me to go," Athos smiled.

Sylvie pouted. "We can have dinner if you're available," he said kissing her cheek.

"I'd like that." She brightened. "One of my students asked me if you were my boyfriend the other day when you came to get me for lunch."

"Oh?" His eyebrows rose.

Sylvie smiled. "So, what do you think?"

"It sounds like we're a couple of teenagers," he said.

"I kinda like it," she bumped his shoulder with her own.

He smiled softly at her brushing a kiss over her lips. "I suppose I could endure such a title."

Sylvie smiled even more. Her phone buzzed again and she sighed. Athos got up out of the bed and grabbed his clothes. He went into the bathroom and when he came out a few minutes later dressed he grabbed the book he had been reading.

"You're taking it?" Sylvie asked.

"If you don't mind," he said. "It's very enlightening."

Sylvie walked him to the door after putting on a robe. They kissed one more time and agreed upon a time for dinner before he left. She watched him walk down the hall of her apartment building.

The door to the apartment next to her swung open and Rochelle stuck her head out. "There you are," Rochelle said. "Who was that?"

Sylvie grinned broadly at her young friend. "My boyfriend."

The End

I came across the book The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood on Amazon recently. I haven't read it, but thought it was a good fit for Sylvie from the synopsis.