Chapter 36: Our Room

June 2015, Tuesday, part 4

"What?" asked TJ his face a picture of complete surprise.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have asked like that" said Spinelli hurriedly "I mean it's obviously okay if you are-"

"-Why would you think that?"

"Look, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked. It's none of my business. Sometimes my mouth runs quicker than my brain. Forget I said anything, you don't have to answer that"

"I'm not gay Spinelli" said TJ, shaking his head "What would make you think that?"

"Really?" asked Spinelli, raising an eyebrow "I threw myself at you in the elevator yesterday and you stepped away. Last night, you had a hooker in your bed, and chose to sleep on the couch, I mean come on TJ…."

"I've explained I've not hired you …for your usual services …I also didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable last night. I've just been showing you respect, I thought you'd realised that"

"Respect? That's a bit of a foreign concept to me" replied Spinelli, before quickly trying to lighten the heaviness of the conversation, and change its direction; things had suddenly become very tense between them, "Respect, that's the whole thing where you regard someone with esteem and show consideration for them, right?"

"So I'm led to believe"

"Great. Well I like the consideration for my stomach you were talking about, let me check out this menu" said Spinelli glancing down for a moment "I'll have the 12oz NY Strip Steak, with the black peppercorn sauce?"

"Ok, what about the starter, and desert?"

"Are you trying to make me fat?" asked Spinelli, glancing again at the menu "To start, I'll have the onion soup. Chicken soup just reminds me of being sick as a kid, and for desert I'll get the sinful chocolate pudding? What are you having? Do you need the menu?"

"Nah, I'm going for the onion soup too, the chicken curry pot, and the NY cheesecake. The cheesecake is supposed to be amazing; if you're lucky I'll even let you try a bite. I was going to get the Mac and Cheese, and Market Mushroom Fricassee side dishes, if you fancied sharing them?"

"I'm sure you're trying to get me fat Detweiler!" chuckled Spinelli "It's a good job I've got the appetite of someone twice my size! Mind you, without my usual exercise regime I think I will be twice my usual size by the time the week is out! I think that personal trainer might come in useful to me"

"Right, we'll I'll order now. They serve us up here, we'll sit at the table by the window?" asked TJ, Spinelli nodded in response "You look nice by the way"

"You're kidding, right?" asked Spinelli, raising an eyebrow, she was wearing a pair of trainers, jeans, and a hoody. She hadn't even taken her hair out of the messy bun.

"No, you do look good. You look a lot more comfortable in this, than you did in whatever it was you wore when I met you yesterday"

"If you say so"

Just over half an hour had passed since TJ had called to order the food, when a knock at the door alerted them to the arrival of their first course.

"Do you mind getting that?" called TJ from the bedroom, he'd not long had a shower, and had gone into the bedroom to dress.

"Sure. Are you sure it's okay that I haven't changed into something else?" asked Spinelli, looking down at her jeans.

"Yes, its fine, we're in our room, so who is there to impress? I left the tip on the table by the door"

"You" muttered Spinelli to herself. She pondered TJ's use of the words our room, as she opened the door and greeted the two men on the other side with a smile "Hello, could you set it through here on the table please?"

"Of course Ma'am" the first said, as they followed her direction, both carrying trays with the soup, and required utensils for their meal "Mr Detweiler stated that you did not require a bottle of wine, please do inform us if you change your mind"

"Is there anything else Ma'am?" asked the second waiter.

"I don't believe so" said Spinelli, before calling over her shoulder "TJ, is there anything else we need?"

"No, we're good"

Spinelli thanked the waiters, after handing them the tip she turned back into the room, just as TJ had walked in. He was wearing a pair of grey jogging bottoms, and a black hoody. Spinelli tried to hide her mild surprise, she'd yet to see TJ in anything other than a very expensive looking suite, but somehow, he seemed to carry both looks off well. Well, said the little voice in her mind, you've also seen him shirtless, and he looked pretty good then, too.

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Just a short and sweet chapter this time :)

Aryal Stone: I think, given Spinelli's not-so-great history with men, we can't blame her for needed to ask TJ if he was gay!

Rose-Aki: You were right, TJ was very surprised! Sadly, things got a little tense and awkward between them, but with any luck, that will change as the evening progresses!

Please review, it would make my day! If not, and you can offer me some constructive criticism, please do! I will just ask for "no flames" please? I am dyslexic, and have worked hard to make sure this is perfect, but if you see any, please highlight any spelling/grammar errors that I've missed in proof reading, please highlight them, so I can correct!

I will update as soon as possible, but can't update every day.

Big Cliffy Meanie