I decided to write a multi-chapter piece. Not sure how long it will be, but I do already have the whole story mapped out. Just don't know how long it will take me to tell it. Enjoy, and please review so I know if it's working. Thanks.
Jerry slowly drifted awake. He was only vaguely aware of his phone vibrating on the nightstand, most of his attention was focused on the feel of his girlfriend's warm body pressed up against his own. This is the only way to wake up, he thought to himself. He had absolutely no desire to get out of bed and start the day. It felt good, deliciously good. Her back against his chest, his arm around her waist, fingers splayed across her stomach, their legs intertwined. The best part was that she was naked, and so was he, which was very convenient considering that clothing would interfere with the plans that were beginning to form in his mind, and they were really great plans.
This was his favorite part of the day, the part where he got to wake up with Traci. It didn't happen nearly as often as he would like it to. He was going to have to consider doing something about that soon. He missed her when she stayed over at her own apartment. He had done everything in his power to make sure she was comfortable staying with him. he had practically converted his spare bedroom into a bedroom for her son. But Traci still spent more nights at home than she did at his place. Maybe it was because she was still looking after McNally. When was that girl going to find her own apartment? He was seriously considering finding a realtor for her himself. It was the least he could do. Any friend of Traci's and all.
He shifted a little, careful not to wake her, so that he could look down at her. He knew that he should probably wake her up, she had to be work in a couple of hours, and she hated to be late. He glanced over at the clock and sighed. According to Traci's way of calculating time if she woke up right now, she would have just enough time to shower, dress, eat and get to work on time. According to his far more generous calculations they had at least one solid hour before she needed to get out of bed, maybe more. It might be self-serving, but he liked his calculations much better.
He loved watching her sleep. It was his sixth favorite thing to do in bed with her. Well seventh if he counted that thing they did when her legs were up around his… but to be honest he couldn't remember the last time they had actually done that in a bed, it seemed much better suited to that chair in the living room. So yes, watching her sleep was definitely his sixth favorite activity to engage in while in bed with Traci.
He had noticed a long time ago that how Traci slept said a lot about the state of their relationship. When they had first started fooling around it was nearly impossible to even get her to stay over. Most of the time she practically jumped right out of bed and rushed home after they had sex, which was kind of insulting at the time. It wasn't until much later that he found out she had a young son at home, and that was the reason she rarely spent the night. Later on in their relationship, when they had gotten more serious, she would stay over more often. Sometimes, when the three of them had spent the day together, her son would stay too, but that hadn't lasted long before she had broken up with him to try to make it work with Leo's father. Then of course when they had first started seeing each other again, while she was still technically with he-who-must-not-be-named, they were sneaking around, and she couldn't stay over. Now though she slept over a lot, sometimes alone, sometimes she and Leo both slept over, and when she slept she slept deeply, completely relaxed and comfortable. It made him feel like she trusted him, like she was at peace around him and all was right in their little world.
He sensed, even before she moved that she was waking up, so he wasn't surprised when she shifted, rolling over to face him and her eyes fluttered open.
"Good morning," He said smiling down at her.
Traci smiled in return as she stretched, "Good morning to you too. What time is it?"
"It's very early," Jerry said.
"My idea of early or your idea of early?" she asked pushing herself up onto one arm her head resting on her hand.
"Early, don't worry about it."
"Just because you have the day off doesn't mean that I don't have to get to work. I really appreciate you volunteering to keep Leo today, I hope you know that."
"Oh, so that was appreciation you were showing me last night." Jerry said with a laugh as he reached over to brush back a lock of hair that had fallen across her face. "It's no problem. I have big plans for the two of us today, guy stuff. By the way, I was thinking, I should probably use your car today, piece of crap that it is, and you should take my car."
Traci looked at him in surprise. "I'm going to ignore your insulting my baby because it is a piece of crap, and I can't believe I heard you right, you are actually offering to let me drive Stella?"
"You've driven her before."
"Uh no, never."
"Really?" Jerry frowned at her.
"Really, you looked at me like I was crazy when I even suggested it."
"No I didn't, you're exaggerating. You do that a lot, it's becoming a problem."
"Okay Jerry, we'll play this your way. You do not have an unhealthy attachment to your car, whom you have named Stella Ann Barber, it's all in my head."
"At least you admit it, and it's Stella Anne, I'm sure I didn't hear you not pronounce the silent e. But seriously, if I'm going to have Leo today I need a car with a back seat."
"That's true, I didn't think of that," Traci said as she sat up fully and began looking around for something to throw on.
"It's because I have to do all the thinking and planning in this relationship. You'd be lost without me."
Traci laughed. "If I left all the thinking and planning to you we'd never get out of bed."
"Excellent idea," Jerry said as he reached over and pulled her back down on the bed.
Traci giggled as she half-heartedly attempted to push him away and sit back up. "Jerry I have to go."
"Just five more minutes. I swear," he whispered as he began kissing her neck and throat. "I can't help it. You are so sexy in the morning, and at noon, and lunchtime, at 3:15 oh and 4:47pm, you totally kill at 4:47pm…"
Traci gave in. "Okay just five minutes, I mean it Jerry."
"Um hmm," Jerry agreed still working on her neck as he rolled onto his back pulling her on top of him.
Sixty-five minutes later Traci jumped out of bed ignoring what had to be Jerry's thirteenth plea for 'just five more minutes' and raced to the bathroom making sure to lock the door behind her to discourage any ideas Jerry might have of scrubbing her back. She managed to shower, fix her hair and make-up and throw on her clothes in record time. When she came out into the kitchen Jerry had already pulled on a tee shirt and pajama pants and was waiting for her with a muffin and a latte in a travel mug. She took them from him gratefully.
"Least I could do," he said with a smile.
"You're right, it was," she agreed as she pulled on her coat.
"Okay, my Mom should be dropping Leo off in about an hour," Traci reminded him as she anxiously looked around for her bag.
"One hour," Jerry repeated as he handed the missing bag to her. "I'll be showered and dressed and ready to greet your Mom and Leo. You should hurry, I think you're a little behind schedule."
Traci glared at him. "Wipe that self satisfied grin off your face Barber," she snapped as he walked her to the door.
"What grin, am I grinning? I'm not grinning, and I'm certainly not self-satisfied. Traci-satisfied yes, for the moment at least," Jerry said pulling her close for a goodbye kiss.
"If I'm late I'm going to kill you," Traci tried to give him her meanest look possible, but he ignored it and started kissing her neck.
"I didn't make you do anything you didn't want to do, twice. I kind of impressed myself there that second time, that was unexpected. I guess you inspire me. We can do it again tonight after Leo's asleep."
"If you're lucky. Now leave me alone," Traci said pushing away from him. "I have to go."
"Five more…"
"Shut up Jerry."
He grinned as she grabbed his car keys off the hook and ran out the door. He was in for an exciting and active day with Leo today. He planned to do everything in his power to make sure Leo was passed out from exhaustion by no later than eight.
Traci ran into the locker room and checked her watch. Thankfully she still had time to spare.
She was glad to see Andy was standing at their lockers and already half dressed.
Andy gave her the once over, taking in her flushed appearance. "So, someone didn't make it home last night, Chris and Gail gave me a ride in by the way thanks for asking," She said feigning annoyance. Even though her own love life was in the crapper she still had room in her heart to be happy for her best friend, but it was still fun to rag on Traci.
"Just because we live together doesn't make you the boss of me Andy McNally. I'm a big girl now," Traci said as she began to quickly undress.
"I'll bet, up all night playing Cops and Hookers with Detective Barber," Andy laughed. "I'm glad you two are working out."
"It is working out," Traci said smiling shoving her clothes into her locker. "Things are really great right now. I don't know, it feels like it's growing at the right pace, you know. It's organic."
Andy rolled her eyes. "Like a fungus?"
"You really are a joy to talk to these days. A true romantic."
"What? You're the one talking about how organic your relationship is. Fungi are organic. They grow." Andy said as she handed Traci her uniform shirt.
"Thanks. I'm going to ignore that. I guess I should just be glad you've stopped moping around the apartment listening to Adele. Leo and I couldn't take it much longer."
"I wasn't listening to Adele that much."
"My son now knows all the words to Rolling In the Deep."
"It's a good song, maybe he likes it."
"He's seven years old singing 'the scars of your love remind me of us'."
"Jesus Traci, don't go blaming me for your son's musical tastes, maybe the kid is just more mature than you give him credit for, he feels things deeply. You don't know everything about Leo, he has layers, like an onion."
"Umm hmm, 'the scars of your love, they leave me breathless'."
"Shut it Trace. So was that Jerry's studmobile I saw you rolling up in, he let you drive it?"
"Yeah, I was shocked too. He's hanging with Leo today so he wanted to take my car."
"Wow, Uncle Jerry duty all day. Now that's love."
"What can I say, he loves me and he loves my kid. I'm a lucky girl."
"Well, Leo is definitely lovable. He let me finish off the the ice cream two nights ago and didn't say a word."
"It's because he likes you, and he's glad you've moved on from singing 'don't underestimate the things that I will do'."
"Seriously, shut it. So what are Uncle Jerry and Leo up to today?"
"Ugh, stop calling him that. I've always hated that calling your Mom's boyfriend Uncle So and So stuff, it's creepy. Your Mama should not be banging your Uncle Anybody. Leo calls him Jerry. My Mom is picking Leo up from Dex's and then she's dropping him off with Jerry for me."
"Why doesn't Jerry just pick him up?"
"Oh yeah, I can see that now. Jerry rolling up at Dex's with a hey Dex my man, how's it hanging? Good to see you, no hard feelings on the whole infidelity thing right? Who me? Yeah I'm still slipping it to your baby Momma every chance I get, just came to get your kid so I can steal his affections too, peace out."
"You might have a point there it could be a bit awkward."
"Ya think? So that's why my Mom is bringing Leo to Jerry's and then they have some sort of big plans today, it's all very hush, hush."
"He's already got your son conspiring against you?"
"Are you kidding? He got us season tickets to the Leafs. As long as it doesn't involving killing me and burying my body in High Park Jerry can pretty much get Leo to do anything he wants."
"Dex must love that."
Traci shrugged. "What can he do about it? Leo loves his dad, as long as Dex doesn't screw it up nothing's going to change that. He just likes Jerry too, and Jerry likes him. Jerry works really hard to have a relationship with Leo you know. He doesn't push or anything, he just makes sure that Leo knows that he's wanted and not in the way or anything. He's great with Leo. It's actually pretty cool that they have their own thing going on."
"You've got it bad."
Finally ready Traci slammed her locker shut. "No, I've got it good, and don't think I don't know it."