Title: Work

Title: Work

Name: Joy

Email: SleepingBeauty2@ziplip.com

Rating: PG-13

"I heard you slip out last night," Original Cindy says to me as I make myself some breakfast. She hasn't noticed the flowers Logan gave me yet. They're sitting in the glass vase that accompanied them over near the window.

"I was just restless," I say.

"Don't give me that. You went to see him…didn't ya?"

"What if I did? No big!"

Cindy raises an eyebrow… Crap! She just noticed the flowers…

"Roses… The man got you roses… He was expecting you… Ya give him what I know he wants?" she asks in the oh so delicate way only she can…

"No…"

"Anything happen? Ya less nervous now?"

"Yeah… It's all-good… We'll figure it out. It'll take some time but…"

"But what? Ya ain't gonna bail on the guy, right?"

"No!" I say. Jeez… "I'm just not used to the warm fuzzy feeling… It's weird, but I'll deal… I just have to get used to the idea that its OK that my body temperature changes in his presence, I have to swallow a lot more often, and staring at each other is par for course…" I say breathing deep.

"Aiight… Let's hit it. Normal gonna be Bipping at us all day," Cindy says as she throws on her coat.

When I arrive at work, Herbal and Sketchy are trying to contain themselves. They seem to be suffering from a fit of laughter. "What's up?" I ask.

"Check out your locker Max…" Sketchy says laughing hard.

Cindy, Herbal, Sketchy and I gather around what used to be my locker. The area surrounding is filled with flowers and balloons. Dear God, what has he done? My locker is filled with my favorite motor oil and a note…

Max,

I had to do the boyfriend thing… I also had to prove I understood how to be your boyfriend… I really hate that word. Oh well, come by tonight and we'll find a better term.

Logan

My friends are going through all the flowers and balloon bundles finding notes and cards Logan attached. Cindy found something she wants explained…I can tell.

"The Kiss- Brother man wrote you a poem about a kiss. Start talkin' girlie 'cause you gonna get smacked for not telling me this morning when I asked."

I'm toast.

"Yes…We are all happy that Max is in love. I myself am happy that he continues to pay me to use our services to drop the packages off… However this is a place of business so… Bip Bip Bip…" Normal says making his way over to us.

"Sista Girl is goin' to talk to us before we leave Normal… You will not deprive us of this moment!" Cindy says getting in Normal's face.

"Five minutes!" he says back.

I'm surrounded. Dammit Logan. Did you have to be this public with your affection? All right just talk quick, pick up a package and jet! "Aiight… He caught me spying on him on his roof… We 'danced' to a song in his chair… And before you go someplace sexual Sketchy, I sat on his lap and we rolled to the music… We had one brief kiss… no tongues involved even… Yes, I'm happy about it… No, I don't want advice… That is all you get. Now I'm going to deliver packages."

Before they can complain, I get on my bike and grab a package. I just need to peddle and get out of here. Crap! I just left them with all the notes Logan attached to my presents… I will not have them keeping those. He writes too well for me to give up a word!

"You didn't deliver that quickly!" Normal yells.

"Bite me!" I yell back. I pull up in front of my friends… "Aiight. Hand them over… All of them." I give each of them the evil eye. Herbal, Cindy and Sketchy hand me the little notes and tags that were on my gifts. I stand in front of Sketchy cause I know he is holding out on me. He finally produces two other notes… "Thank you. Sketchy and Herbal why don't you take a few of my flowers home to your women at the end of the day. Cindy and I won't be able to live in our apartment with all of them."

"Thanks Max…" I hear the guys call after me as I head out again.

I've been riding a while and got that last package delivered rather quickly… I'll go sneak up on Logan.

"Knock, Knock," I say into his apartment.

Logan rolls up to me with his grin that makes him look like a little boy… "Hey, there beauty. What do I owe this honor of a daytime visit?"

"I thought I should tell you that I have a stalker… Sent me all these flowers, balloons and motor oil… Sounds like a job for Eyes Only."

His cheeks turn pink and he grins sheepishly, "I couldn't sleep last night… I had to do something…" he says tugging on my fingers.

I decide it would be easier to discuss this in his lap. I set the break on the wheels and set myself in his lap. "Something," I say, "is one bottle of motor oil in my locker, not ten. Something is one bunch of flowers, not enough to fill my apartment… I'm sending some home with Herbal and Sketchy…share the wealth."

"But I got those for you…" Logan begins to pout. I suckle his lower lip.

"I'm going to have plenty… I promise! Besides, if I bring them all home you won't be able to get in the door," I say playing with his fingers in my lap.

"Thinking of having me over?" he asks with up lifted eyebrow.

"Maybe?"

"I thought you liked it over here?"

"I do, but we're always here… This is also Eyes Only domain… It might be nice to have my place become more 'us' space." I can't believe I just said that… Why is this easy? That shouldn't be… I should be freaking out. I guess that's what I'm doing now.

"US space, huh?" he notices I'm squirming at my own words. "But I don't have a roommate…"

"Yes, but you do have a Bling… Did you tell him?"

"I don't kiss and tell!" he says with mock annoyance.

"OH… Right… You just attach a poem to a balloon punch about our kiss where my friends could find it… Do you realize my boss actually uttered the words 'We're all happy Max is in love' to my peps and the rest of Jam Pony because of all your gifts…"

Logan's face just went pale… Why did Logan's face just go pale? He is having trouble swallowing and looks like he is breaking out in a cold sweat.

"What's wrong?"

"Uh… I… He… He said what?" Logan mutters.

What did I say he said that would freak out Logan? Ok… I'm confused… In Love… I used the words 'in love'… OK now I'm the one breaking out in a cold sweat and can't seem to find my tongue…

"Uh…" Just gain confidence, breathe. "He said 'We're all happy Max is in love.' He also said he was happy you paid him to leave me things… Normal is just being Normal." That was good. Covered very well.

"Are you?" he asks.

Why did he have to go and do that? I don't know…

"I shouldn't have asked… I'm sorry…too soon… Normal's statement just threw me for a loop, that's all," he says.

Apparently we both are letting things slip out of our mouths without thinking… I'm still playing with his fingers… "So, ya want to come over tonight… No Eyes Only or Bling… I'll cook, of course and we'll watch a movie. Something I'm allowed to snuggle up to you while watching," he asks.

I meet his eyes. "I'd like that… So is this our first official date?"

"Yeah… I think we have beaten the pseudo date to death…" he says with a glimmer in his eye. "Where's my calendar? I need to write this down… Well, I guess we really became a thing last night… What the hell am I doing? You aren't going to be girlie about this… You won't even pick a birthday for God sake," he says wracking his fingers through his hair.

I laugh at him. "You were going to write down what day we 'got together' so you would know when our 'anniversary' is?"

"Yeah…" he says like a little schoolboy.

"That is sweet… But you're right…it won't matter to me," I say running my finger over his cheek. "Hey… Can I steal something before I head back to work?"

"What?"

"Close your eyes." He is so beautiful. I lean in a kiss his lips very gently. His eyes flutter open to look at me for a second and then close again. Maybe tonight I'll have the guts to… He just traced his tongue along my lips… He read my mind… He's as good a kisser as I thought he'd be… I don't want to stop, but he has to come up for air.

"Wow…" he pants.

"Keep that in mind when picking a movie… Later," I say strutting out the door.

He looks shell-shocked. Life is good…very good.