"How precious is that?" That's what Alex said to herself as she glanced at the passenger seat.
They had been on the highway –on the way home from the Reunion, less than ten minutes when she saw him out of the corner of her eye. He had tilted the seat back and closed his eyes, and in no time at all had drifted into a peaceful sleep.
"Poor thing," she thought. "He must be exhausted from all that playing and swimming and fresh air."
She kept sneaking glances between the road and Bobby, enjoying the sight of his handsome face—now sunburned—and his beautiful hair; a mass of waves and curls and ringlets that she wanted to reach for and run her fingers through. She restrained herself, though, so as not to disturb his well-earned slumber.
Although the CD player was on, she wasn't paying much attention to the soft music in the background. Her mind was fully occupied with the memories of the day: Bobby in shorts; Bobby in his bathing suit; Bobby's glistening wet body—muscles bulging—as he pulled himself onto the raft; and her favorite thing of all –the symbol of love on his chest.
She smiled once again, as she looked at his chest rise and fall with the steady, rhythmic breathing of his sleep.
"Well, maybe the tattoo isn't my favorite thing of all," she silently admitted to herself. "If I'm gonna be totally honest with myself, then I'd have to say my favorite thing was being in his arms…and hearing him say 'I love you.' Yes, that's definitely it…but that tattoo is a close second."
Alex checked the clock. "Hmm, only 6:30. The night's still young," she thought to herself and began imagining ways that the two of them could spend the remainder of the evening. She couldn't stop smiling.
X X X
Alex turned off the ignition and turned herself in the driver's seat to face Bobby. She reached with her left hand and gently stroked his temple, then caressed his cheek. "Bobby, we're home," she softly said, rousing him from his nap.
He awoke, but kept his eyes closed. He smiled as he reveled in the touch of hand on his face.
His skin was hot from the sunburn and her cool hand brought him relief.
"I couldn't find a parking space close to your building, so we have to walk almost a block."
His brow furrowed and he squinted as he opened his eyes, adjusting to the light. "You didn't have to park, you couldn't just dropped me off."
"Drop you off?" she questioned, eyebrows raised. "You're not getting rid of me that easily," she teased. "I'm coming upstairs with you. Remember? We have things to talk about."
He let out a sigh of resignation and reached for the door handle. Alex hopped out of the driver's side and joined him on the sidewalk. Before the trip home, he had removed his wet swimsuit and put on his clean tee shirt in the mens' room at the park. He was now holding his wet bathing suit and sweaty tee shirt in his left hand, and reached for Alex's hand with his right.
All Alex could think of was the fact that now, there was nothing under Bobby's shorts…except Bobby.
They walked, hand-in-hand, silently. Bobby still felt a bit groggy from his nap
Once inside his apartment, Bobby went to his bedroom and put his dirty clothes in the hamper.
He stood in the bedroom doorway and called to Alex, who had made herself comfortable in the living room.
"You mind if I take a quick shower?" he asked.
"Go ahead, I don't mind," Alex answered, while a "Bobby-all-soapy-and-naked-in-the-shower" image instantly flashed into her head.
Alex shook her head, clearing her mind, and mumbled to herself, "Geez, I think I must've had too much sun today."
Bobby appeared in the living room less than ten minutes later, dressed in a fresh pair of shorts and one of his V-neck undershirts.
"You thirsty?"
"Yeah, what'cha got?"
"Beer, soda, iced tea."
"Iced tea is fine," Alex answered.
Bobby joined Alex on the sofa, handing her a tall tumbler, while he took a gulp from his bottle of Yeungling.
Automatically, from habit, he reached for the remote and quickly got his hand swatted.
"No TV yet. We're talking, remember?" Alex said.
He remembered their conversation on the raft: she had more questions to ask about his tattoo, and uncharacteristically for him, he realized that he had been the one to say that they had a lot to talk about.
He sighed and leaned back.
Alex inched closer, turned towards him and tugged at the bottom of his undershirt. "I wanna see it again," she announced.
Bobby looked at her skeptically, but obliged. He set his beer down on the end table and yanked the undershirt over his head, feeling totally inhibited at being naked from the waist up.
He realized it was silly –after all, he'd been in his swimsuit, bare chested, in front of Alex for the better part of the afternoon. But at home –well, it just felt different. Being only half dressed in Alex's presence, with her still looking adorable in her little outfit, with the privacy of being behind closed doors. It was… tempting.
Alex, with catlike quickness, straddled Bobby's lap and immediately raised her fingers to his chest, tracing the design.
He was startled, but enjoyed that she was enjoying it.
Her middle finger left the artwork and slowly trailed across his chest, lightly brushing his nipple.
"So, why didn't you tell me when you first had it done?" Alex asked.
Bobby sighed, "I don't know…I just…I didn't…."
"Bobby Goren," Alex scolded him. "You don't 'do' or 'not do' anything without a reason. You know your own mind –you know your reasons."
He sighed again, deeper this time. "I have a couple of reasons."
Alex looked at him, eyebrows raised, silently asking him to explain.
"I –I thought you would make fun of me," he sheepishly admitted.
"Why? When do I ever make fun of you?"
"I thought…y-y-you'd think I did it 'cause of some middle-age…thing…like guys in their 40's who go out and buy convertibles, or get their ear pierced, or do other stuff to make 'em feel young….I don't know…I just thought…"
Alex smiled and ran her hand through his damp hair, then cupped his face in her hands. "Tell me your other reason."
Her smile and the look of encouragement in her eyes gave him the confidence to continue.
"I thought you'd be angry."
"Angry? Why?"
"I just…thought you'd be angry that I did something…so permanent without checking with you. I thought you'd think it was too presumptuous of me…es-especially the "Forever" part.
He face was serious, his eyes searching for her true reaction; her approval.
Alex smiled. "I'm glad you presumed I'd be with you 'forever.' It's the feeling I've been trying to convey and instill in you for the past five years."
He relaxed and rubbed his hands up and down along the outside of her thighs, his fingertips delighting in her silky smooth skin.
He thought that the 'interrogation' was over, now that he'd explained himself.
"But despite those fears…those reservations you had, you went ahead and did it. Why? What compelled you?
"Do I really have to explain?" his brown gaze asked the silent question.
"C'mon, tell me. Why did you do it?"
"Because…it's a reminder –a visual one that I can look at when I need to. I-I wanted to commemorate our years together –to pay a tribute to you—the one who stayed."
Alex smiled.
"An-an-and I –I like having you close to my heart." He was embarrassed. He couldn't make his eyes meet hers.
"It's the sweetest –most wonderful thing anyone's ever done for me. I'm so flattered. I love it." She leaned forward and kissed his forehead. "I love the way it honors our past…and our partnership…and our future."
Alex held his cheeks and bent forward to kiss him. Bobby accepted her kiss, but didn't want to take too much liberty at deepening it or prolonging it.
"Do you realize what this means?" she asked with a smile, after ending the kiss.
Bobby looked at her –watching her tongue glide across her lips, as if she was trying to continue tasting him.
Having her accept him; kiss him – his mind had a hundred ideas of what it meant to him; but he didn't want to assume what it meant to her.
He shook his head, 'no.' "What does it mean?" he asked.
"It means," she answered, planting little kisses on his forehead, then down to his nose, "We're going to Maryland next weekend so I can get mine."
He smiled, then was surprised by how just as quickly, Alex removed herself from his lap.
"You mind if I take a shower?" she asked, already heading towards the hallway the led to the bathroom. She knew he wouldn't mind.
"Be my guest," Bobby answered, as he took another sip from his bottle and watched her little, mini-skirted butt sway down the hall."
"Thanks," she yelled back over her shoulder. "I feel icky."
Bobby laughed and sank back into the sofa, grabbing the remote. A moment later, Alex reappeared.
"I don't want to put these sweaty clothes back on," she announced, grabbing his previously discarded undershirt from the arm of the sofa. "I'll just wear this."
She smiled and left him to his imagination as to what the rest of the evening held in store.
END Part III