She walked outside and looked up at the dark starry night. During the day when she was busy and now was later, she figured she'd be fine with this, and she was, fine, with it. Fine anyway if she ignored the unease nibbling away at the corners of her heart. So she'd planned to stay busy and distracted. But whatever it was that was going on in her kitchen wasn't distraction, it was confusing and angsty, and she as trying to move on from that in her own life, not embroil herself in others.
So at this point the porch, the stars her freshly brewed ultra strong mug of coffee seemed like a nice option. She'd sit her and think. Not dwell. Just think. About stuff, but hopefully not that.
She crossed over to the porch swing and nudged it with her knee, smirking slightly when the action caused movement. She lowered herself to the seat, tucked one knee up under her chin, the other braced against the porch floor, being used as her lever to maintain the gentle swinging motion. She blew on the steam rising from her hot coffee succumbing to the relaxing sway of the swing.
Half a mug of coffee later, but before dwelling could commence she noticed a familiar black car pull into her driveway. Her face impassive she watched him climb out of the car and head to her front door. Nothing external betrayed the quickening in her chest that he always seemed to create.
"Hey" she breathed as he neared the swing.
He was momentarily taken aback, his focus had been on the door "Hi" he smiled "You look comfy".
"I am" she smiled back. She relaxed into his smile, "That was quick"
He looked at his watch and shrugged "I guess" he replied.
She motioned with the steaming mug in her hands "I just made a pot, you want one?"
"Yeah that would be great, thanks"
"Ok, wait here, I'll grab you one" she replied as she unfolded and rose from the seat.
"Oh" he said, his eyes flickering confused to the house.
"Izzie and George drama in the kitchen, I'm escaping" she offered as she opened the front door.
"Okay then" he smiled "I'm good here then", he moved to sit at the other end of the swing from the one she'd just vacated. He leaned back in the swing legs sprawled, both of the braced against the floor. His swinging motion stronger and less rhythmic than hers had been.
She returned with two mugs of coffee, handing him his before resuming her seat.
"Thanks"
"You're welcome"
They sat in silence for a few moments, sipping at their coffees and finding a sooth rhythm for the swing.
Finally she asked "So was it bad?"
"Bad? no, not bad" he replied
"Oh, it's just you're, well here, and, I mean it's not even gone nine. Not that there is a, you know, right length for that, just, well. It seems kind of early for not bad" the words just seemed to tumble out of her mouth.
He looked at her over her mug and gave a wry half shrug, half smile."It was ok, good food, nice company, kind of awkward, but ok".
"Ok, well ok's good, not bad, right?" she queried
"It's, well just Ok" he replied
"Oh" she breathed as they returned to their coffee's.
"It was your idea you know" he finally offered.
"I know, I know. I just figured, you know, I'm trying to get ready but not sure if I can. You're trying to wait, but not sure if you can. She was there all pretty and keen, and totally available, and I know you noticed, so I figured.. well at least one of us can know.."
"Hmmm.." he turned his head to the side and smile
"Don't McDreamy me, what does that mean?" her voice rose an octave with the building unease
"It means I'm waiting" he replied
"You're waiting?"
"Yeah, I'm waiting, not dating"
"Oh" she let out a puff of breath that could have been mistaken for a sigh of relief "Oh, no more dating, but it wasn't that bad?"
"No that date wasn't that bad" he said
"So just because one date was ok, not great, but not bad, you now know" she asked.
"Hmmm.."
"Derek" she growled, lightly hitting him in the arm, her face asking for an explanation
"Yeah well, after the date, she asked me in for coffee" he offered
"Oh" she said past the lump forming in her throat. "Coffee"
"Yeah, and I knew then, well I've probably always known. I don't want to get my coffee from anyone else but you" he said his eyes smiling at her
"Oh" she puffs again, as a smile breaks out on her face and she beams her reply of "Ok then"
"Yeah, Ok then" his smile matching hers.
"So you're waiting?" she repeats.
"I'm waiting, I'm not going anywhere, there is nowhere else I want to go" he clarifies.
He leans across the seat as tilts her body towards hers and their lips meet in a kiss. A soft kiss, a kiss full of many promises, and the taste of coffee. They eventually pull apart and resume their drinking and swinging. The only evidence of a change their entwined hands lying between them on the chair.
"Do you want to come upstairs" she eventually asks.
He stops his swinging motion and peers into the bottom of his nearly empty coffee mug as if it holds the right answer to this. Eventually he says "Can I take a raincheck?"
He sees her face start to close up and adds. "Look I'm not stopping the S&M, if that's what you still want, while I wait. But only at the hospital and stuff…. but I can't keep leaving your bed" he looks up and straight into her eyes as he adds the last part.
"Oh" she nods as she reads the pain in his eyes. She squeezes his hand and says "Come up, sleepover".
"Are you sure"
"If you are waiting, I'm getting ready, and were sleeping over"
He stands up, places his coffee mug on the seat reaches over and takes hers from her and places it beside his, he tugs both her hands and pulls he to stand, there bodies pressed tightly together. He lowers his head to kiss her again.
"Let's go to bed" he murmurs against her lips.
