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Rune Alignment

Chapter 31

Bobby woke with a start. He lay on his back, right arm crooked over his head, left hand on his chest. He glanced at the clock, six twenty-three. Gleason made a warm bundle beside him. She lay curled up, away from him, the top edge of the coverlet clutched beneath her chin. Her breath came slowly, deeply. This feels good, feels so right. He didn't want to wake her. He slipped off the bed, went to his dresser, opened a drawer and pulled out a pair of green plaid light cotton pants with an elastic waist. He stepped into them and left.

He stopped in the bathroom. He looked at himself in the mirror. His hair stood up in short, curved spikes – he didn't want to admit curls – and he had the beginnings of a real beard. I really need a shower. He reached behind the curtain and turned on the water. He had a thought and returned to the bedroom.

Bobby dug through the pile of clothes and sheets on the chair, found the bottom and pulled out his suit coat. Holding it up, he reached into the breast pocket and removed the small, flat box from Tim's gallery. He tossed the coat back on the pile, looked at Gleason still sleeping and returned to the bathroom.

He set the box on the shelf above the sink, shed his pants and stepped into the water.

"Over here," Gavin shouted. "Look at this. I think I've found it."

Gleason jogged to where he stood and looked toward where his finger pointed. "What?" she asked.

"Over there. See it? It's right there," he shook his finger, pointing. "There."

"Gavin, I don't know what you are pointing at."

"Come on, let's get closer." She felt him take her hand and off they ran, Gavin leading her.

"It's right there. Look. Gleason, you're looking right at it. Don't you see it?"

Gleason stared, searched, swept her eyes everywhere. She saw woods, the deep green masses of leaves waving in the slight breeze. A pasture spread wide to the right, bound by a rail fence along the dirt road and a short, stone wall on the far, far end. Rows of tall corn rustled to the left. She watched the moving shadows the clouds cast on the pasture as they passed above.

Gavin watched her search. "You don't see it, do you?"

She shook her head no, "Show me. Show me where it is. Take me there."

Gavin let go of her hand and took a step back, "I've tried to take you there, so many times; tried to show you so many times. It's always been right in front of you, but you can't see it. You won't let yourself see it. You probably never will."

Bobby finished in the bathroom, stepped back into his pants and returned to the bedroom for a shirt. He opened the door and heard Gleason whimpering. He stepped to the bed, concerned. The whimpering stopped and she took a big sigh, nuzzled the pillow, wiped hair from her face and settled. Bobby watched her, his heart full. He loved this woman.

Sledge crawled off and dropped beside her. They lay in her bed, panting.

"Jesus, woman, you're going to wring me dry," he panted.

Eames rubbed her forearm over her forehead, pushing hair out of her eyes. She didn't respond. What the hell am I doing, she thought. This isn't like me. I've never done this ever. She thought about all the sex they'd had, the few hours of sleep. The sex was good, however. Edward made her come every time. He was good. And stamina! She wondered if he had taken one of those little blue pills before their date.

She turned on her side to face him, "Edward, you should go."

He turned his head and looked at her. He thought of all they had done in this bed last night. She is gorgeous. Her tight, small body had kept him going all night long. But, he honestly didn't think he could go again. I need to leave, he thought. Maybe we'll go for dinner tonight. Maybe a movie.

"You're right, I should go." He rolled off the bed with a grunt and began to dress. She watched him.

"Want to go for dinner and a movie later?" he asked as he folded his tie and slipped it into his pocket. He felt her panties inside and pulled them out. "I think these are yours, Madam."

She smiled and reached up, grabbed them from his hand and said, "Call me later. We'll see."

He bent and kissed her lightly on the forehead. "Lock the door after I leave."

Bobby took a dark green tee shirt from the same drawer he took the sweatshirt. He pulled it on and left the bedroom one more time. He retrieved the box from the shelf over the bathroom sink and went to the kitchen.

No tea kettle, no tea, no teapot, and certainly no tea cozy. But . . . I do have hot chocolate! He considered filling the coffee pot carafe with water and running the cycle without coffee in the basket to get a pot of boiling water. Then he thought better of that idea, he didn't want some form of insipid hot mocha dishwater. He took a small pot and lid, filled the pot, and set it with its lid on the stove to boil. He made a stack of toast with the last of the bread, found a can of mandarin orange slices he didn't know he had, checked the expiration date, and split it between two small bowls. What else? he thought. He didn't want to make eggs again today. This will be enough, we can go for a big lunch later.

Bobby set the table, put the small flat box on her plate and looked at the clock on the microwave – nearly eight. He walked back to the bedroom and walked around to her side. He knelt beside the bed, watching her sleep.

She is beautiful; her eyelashes were slight golden arcs lining the edges of her lids. Her brows were nearly invisible, clear gold against her pale skin. The knot of hair at the back of her head had come loose. Sections of hair curved between her neck and shoulder, it spread behind her on the pillow. His heart pounded, I love this woman.

He gently, so gently, smoothed away a drift of hair from the side of her face. She stirred, sighed and opened her eyes, looking directly at him. "Morning glory," he said softly. She smiled and stretched. "Did you sleep well?"

"I had a new dream, about Gavin; I couldn't see something he wanted me to see."

He leaned in and kissed her cheek, "Who is Gavin?"

"An old boyfriend. How come you smell so good?" she asked. "We were all sweaty and smelly when I last remember."

"I took a shower."

"But you didn't shave," she said with a smile and moved her hand along his jaw.

"I didn't know whether you wanted me to."

"It's nice and sexy for the weekend."

"It will be a bitch to shave tomorrow morning," he answered.

"Yes, but you love m-," she stopped. Bobby looked at her looking at him. Neither said anything.

"Come on, you need to get a shower," he said, standing up. He reached for her hand and pulled; she stood up and walked around the bed to the bathroom.