The hot water felt real. She stood under the shower head letting it fall over her head and wash down her face. It helped to separate her from the dream like experience of the previous night. Not that it had been a dream. No. It had very much been real. Firstly she was sore in all the right places; pleasant little reminders, but tender all the same. Secondly, she had left him asleep in the bed. He hadn't vanished on her.
The water poured down.
Of course, now that it was the morning after, what were they going to do? He couldn't very well stay here in her dorm room. She imagined explaining things to her study mate, 'Yes Penelope, I keep a man locked up in my room for emergency's sake, you know. No he really doesn't mind, so long as I open a window for fresh air every few days and feed him regularly enough.' That just wouldn't go over well at all though it did make her chuckle softly to her self. Really, now, what were they going to do? Unable to answer her own question she washed her hair and got out of the shower.
Wrapped in a towel she came out of the bathroom to find him stirring from sleep. He stretched and yawned. Rolling on to his side he regarded her with a satisfied smile. Quite suddenly the towel around her didn't seem to offer enough coverage. She held the tucked in corner pinched between her fingers. "Morning," she managed to say.
"Good morning." His eyes looked her over, registering the towel and water dripping from her wet hair. She looked delicious. "Up and about already I see."
"Yeah, well, I have a couple of classes to go to today; some last minute work before Spring Break." She shifted her weight between her feet. "What- what are you going to do today?"
He shrugged. "I hadn't quite decided yet."
"Well you can't stay here," even to her own ears it had sounded harsh.
"Naturally."
"So…?"
He rolled to his back. "Sarah I told you last night I wanted one more than just a one time tryst. Are you trying to shoo me off now?"
"Not exactly." She evaded his eyes for a moment. "Look, last night was amazing, really, but… it's been five years Jareth. Five years!" she stressed. "We don't even really know one another."
He looked away from her, annoyed. "That didn't seem to matter last night," he muttered just loud enough. Throwing aside the covers he turned and sat on the edge of the bed. "You fend me off for a good twenty minutes, then concede, and now in the light of morning," he slapped his hands on his knees. "you want me gone."
"I didn't say that!" she countered. "It's just… Look at us! You're a king from another realm. I'm a college student. How is this ever going to work out or even remotely develop into something?"
He was off the bed and standing very close to her. "I'm also a man and you're also a woman," he said poignantly. "And there is something between us. Five years ago we parted ways with unfinished business. You know it, as well as I do."
"Unfinished business?" she repeated. She was trying not to let his close, naked presence distract her. Pinching her towel tighter she continued, "I won, you lost- nothing unfinished about it!"
"Such facts say nothing about chemistry. I made you quake and shiver, despite your age. Believe you me woman I have not forgotten your reactions to me." His tone had dropped several octaves.
Dang it, but he was right. Those were memories that she had tried to forget, right along with the details of his face. In every dream though, the searches, the glimpses had forced her to hold onto some small fragment: a tunnel, a shimmering object. She had been so young though.
"Nor," he continued inclining his head. "your effects on my own person." Involuntarily her head tipped up expectantly. He grinned, wicked and delighted. "See, you cannot deny what is. You react to me, as well as I react to you."
So near. So close. She smelt fresh. And what was that other scent? He inhaled. She must have a citrus scented body wash- she smelt like a right tarty orange. It smelt wonderful. He put his hands on her towel clad hips, tilting her body towards him. He wanted to taste her clean skin.
Putting a hand to his chest she stopped him. "You're evading the topic," she chastised him.
"Alright!" He let her go and took a step back. Dropping the sexual over tones he attempted to address her concerns. "I suggest that you let me court you."
"Court? You mean you want to date me? No, I don't have a problem with that. So then… you're just going to pop back and forth between here and the Underground?"
"Not exactly." He took a couple of strides about the room.
Such an exhibitionist, she thought to herself amused.
He continued, "You give me thirteen days to win you over."
"Thirteen?"
"Yes. It seems like a well suited number after all I gave you thirteen hours to run the Labyrinth-,"
"Ah, no, you gave me eleven," she interrupted. "You stole time from me in the tunnels remember?" Alright maybe she hadn't done such a good job of forgetting what had happened.
Shrewdly he looked at her. "Alright then, I am confident enough that I could do it in eleven days."
"Nope. You get thirteen. I reserve the right to take two days from you should I deem it necessary. You're not intimidated by your own playing rules, are you?"
"Hardly! Now I suggest you get dressed- that towel hardly does you justice. I'm going to take a shower- don't worry I won't be about when you get home later." He moved into the bath room.
"Where will you go?" she asked leaning on the door frame.
He turned on the water. "I'll leave a forwarding address," he replied sarcastically. "Don't you have classes to get to?"
"Oh blasted yes! There are clean towels under the sink."
"No need. I'll just take yours!" Gracefully quick he yanked the towel from her body and scooted her out with a quick pat to her backside. He had the door closed before she could react.