Sorry bout the lack of s/s posts they will have their part soon as in 2 chapters away, but its coming dont worry
"Damn it" Ryan growls as he and Marissa try to shove their Christmas tree into the lift, to get it up to his apartment.
"Guess it's the stairs then huh" she pants out, giving the tree one last shove in the hope it will magically fit.
Ryan gives a grunt in reply and they move off Ryan leading with the trunk end (that sounded really bad)
"Couldn't we have just got a fake one?" he whines making the most noise possible to show his disgust
"Ryan if you ask me that one more time I'll make you help me decorate it"
"Enough said"
After a seemingly never ending amount of stairs they reach Ryan's floor
"You just had to get a floor high up didn't you, I mean what's wrong with the first or second floor"
"Wasn't planning on ever getting a tree and some people appreciate the views from my apartment" he shoves the tree forward making her almost trip
"Well now you know to keep that in mind for next time, your elevators have to be a certain height and width" she stops for a breather while Ryan unlocks his door ,and then the tree is dragged inside with a heap of pulling to fit it through the door frame.
Ryan collapses on the couch surveying the room while breathing heavily
"So where's it going to go?"
"Don't you worry about that, by the time you get home all will be complete"
"Hmmm why do I get the impression your going to go crazy" he gives her a suspicious look
"Don't worry it'll be tasteful crazy, I mean I am an interior designer"
Ryan smirks "famous last words" which Marissa returns with a look
"Alright I'm going……and thanks to you I smell like pine needles"
"Well I happen to like the smell of pine needles, I find it very refreshing"
"Hmm well come over here and say that then" he grabs her and throws her over his shoulder while she squeals in surprise and dumps her down next to the tree, pulled down along with her. Their faces momentarily close, his body hovering above hers held up by his arms either side. So close that he hears the quick intake of her breath and sees her eyes as they glance from his eyes to his lips the moment stretches out and he finds his own eyes shifting to her lips that are just so agonisingly close.
"Achooo" the moments gone and Ryan starts to laugh, his body dropping to lay on Marissa's the movements of his body shaking with laughter makes her start to giggle and she rolls him off her letting her hand rest fleetingly on his abs. She feels him shiver slightly and then gets up glad she's still got the touch.
"Are you sure your not allergic to Christmas trees?" he asks still laughing
"Very funny" she sticks her tongue out standing above him.
"Alright well, I guess I better go change"
Marissa nods giving him a hand up. Even a touch as small as that is enough to send warm tingles shooting up her arm. 'What the hell, your not getting those from Ryan, he's a friend whose helping you out now get the hell over your tingles'. But the tension in her stomach tells her otherwise and for the first time in ages she lets her mind wander over what it would be like for them to be together again. She carefully watches his retreating form before glancing round the room, trying to forget her earlier thoughts.
"Bye, I'll bring home a pizza or something" he yells from the door, which is quickly shut after him.
With a sigh Marissa gets to work on rearranging the room to make way for the tree.
Outside the apartment door, Ryan slumps against the wall breathing deeply. No one said it was going to be easy him and Marissa in the same apartment. Not that he was complaining it was just that the whole friendship thing was getting harder and harder to maintain.