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Chapter 25 - Chapter 25 - Relationship?

After a late night, Arles woke to find Kelly taking a shower. The light from the sun, beamed him directly in the eyes. He pulled the pillow over his face and groaned.

What a night it had been. He had never remembered enjoying someone's company as much as he did Kelly's. His sides ached from laughing, his cheeks from smiling, and his back from all of the sex. He smiled as he realized he had never woke up sore from having too much sex. He didn't realize that was even possible.

Then he remembered. He had misjudged a step as they came downstairs last night and had fallen. Maybe he was feeling that.

"Nah, it was from sex." He insisted.

As he lay there and replayed the night before in his mind, he smiled. They had lain on a blanket on the top of the ship, looking at the stars. He remembered the sudden rain storm and how incredible Kelly had looked as she climaxed with raindrops on her face.

They had thrown their clothing through the hole and then he had put it in the dryer as they had headed off to bed. There, they had enjoyed one another's bodies again until both of them had fallen asleep in one another's arms. He had woken up and smiled as he watched her sleep. He didn't even remember going back to sleep.

He turned and checked his phone to see if Sam or Genie had contacted him.

Kelly walked out of the bathroom, wrapped in a towel. He put his phone back on the shelf behind him and smiled at her. "Good morning."

She climbed back onto the bed with him. "Good morning."

He grinned and ran his hand through his own hair. "What time is it?"

"Nearly eleven. We'll have to leave in a bit."

"Nah. We can stay until….well, when did you have to go to work?"

She smiled. "One."

He groaned. "Kelly. Damn it. Must you?"

She giggled and rubbed his chest. "Next time give me more notice when you are going to be in town."

He rubbed his face. "Alright. Damn."

She took his hand in hers and became serious. "Arles. I need to talk to you."

He propped his head up on his arm and looked at her hand. "Okay. What's on your mind?"

"Are you happy?"

He smiled. "Very happy. Are you?"

"You talk in your sleep so much-"

"Ah. Happy people do that." He reasoned.

She nodded, "Yeah, they do. But, you talk about crazy stuff."

"Like what?" He became worried.

"Oh, crazy words. Sounds like German."

He grinned, "I speak German."

"You do?"

"Yeah."

"Why? That's odd."

"Is it?"

"Well, I guess it is. I mean. German?"

He waved his hand from behind his head, "What mad stuff do I say in my sleep?"

"Umm. You said, 'He's alright,' several times. And a strange word….ummm."

Arles rose his eyebrows. "What word?"

"Oh, I can't think of it. Umm. You said it about five times."

"And you can't remember it?"

She laughed, "It was a weird word!"

He smiled. "I'm sorry if I kept you awake."

"Arles. Sometimes, people who are troubled, talk in their sleep."

"What am I troubled about?" He asked.

"Hell, I don't know. Arles, I don't know anything about you."

"And that's probably best-"

She took a deep breath. "We're friends. You can talk to me."

"About stuff I talk about in my sleep?"

"Well…."

"Ask me when I'm asleep." He told her and rubbed his eyes.

"I did."

"What did I say?"

She sighed, "You answered in German."

He grinned. "And there's your answer."

She groaned. "Arles."

"Do you really have to go to work? Can you….call them or something?"

She smiled. "I'm the one they call when people can't come to work. I have to show up."

He groaned. "Damn it."

She rubbed his chest. "Arles. What are you getting out of this?"

He looked back up at her. "This what?"

"You told me you wasn't good at relationships-"

He pointed at her. "I'm not."

"Why do you say that?"

He sat up, "Because it's true! Kelly, I don't want a relationship."

Kelly considered, "Arles. Listen. I don't want to push you-"

"You're not-"

"But, is there a reason? I mean, is it me-"

He sat straight up to be closer to her. "No! Kelly, wow. No! It's not you-"

"Then what is it? Arles. This is amazing. You and I can talk for hours, about everything. I feel so comfortable with you."

Arles shook his head and sat back. "No. Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"Bring feelings in this. Friends. We're friends. That's all."

"I'm not pushing you-"

"Maybe a little bit-"

"Arles. Stop! Just….tell me why."

Arles grabbed the pillow to cover himself and stood beside of the bed. "Kelly. Look. It's just something I can't do-"

"That's what you keep saying, but you won't say why!"

Arles sighed. "I can't talk about it-"

"Why?"

"What's with all of these questions? Kelly. Friends. That's all I'm capable of. Some guys are wired like that. I'm not."

Kelly nodded, "So, let me see if I have this straight. You, Arles. Are a guy who enjoys calling a girl on a phone. Speaking with her to see how her day is going, what she's having for dinner. And you also like to pop in to see her at work, traveling hundreds of miles to take her on a date, and then later you sleep with her."

Arles thought. "Umm. Yeah?"

"How is that not a relationship? What is different?"

He looked at the ceiling and groaned. "Ugh. It's not!"

"How is it not-"

"It's not!"

She rolled her neck back in surprise. "Then, what is a relationship, in your mind?"

He shook his head and was at a loss for words. "Hell, I don't know-"

"Then, how do you know this isn't one?"

Arles rose his eyebrow at her. "Huh. That's a good question."

Arles stood thinking for a few seconds and then walked to the bathroom.

"I thought we were talking about this." Kelly said.

He turned and looked at her. "I find I think better in the shower. Excuse me."

He closed the door.

Kelly slapped the mattress, "Damn it. What's with this guy?"

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