Chap: 3

Having Eddie staying in her apartment felt like living in a dream come true. Every detail felt directly out of one of her fantasies. His easygoing smirk greeting her every time their eyes met, or waking up in his arms sprawled on the couch just like they did back when they were teenagers. Mary had to physically contain her contented moan after his shower saturated the bathroom with his manly scented soap. If she was a reasonable and or healthy person she may have pinched herself to see if she was dreaming or not, but Mary wouldn't take that chance. If she was dreaming—she didn't want to wake up.

Although, she did have to admit to herself, he wasn't exactly the same Eddie she visited in New York nearly a year ago. He was different, physically and emotionally it seemed.

Physically, Eddie was massive now, compared to his normal naturally tall, swimmer's build. When she visited him last back in New York, he had just lost his job due to writing an article in the paper exposing the true identity of the serial killer, Sin Eater. Mary's heart ached to even think of the terribly unfortunate details of that case. Everyone, including the police, the evidence, and the man's own confession aligned with Eddie's findings that the man charged was the culprit, but it all blew up in Eddie's face. Spiderman revealed the true identity of the murderer and Eddie was painted for the fool by the media and his own newspaper. Instead of understanding that things like this could happen or simply demoting him to another desk, Eddie was terminated from the paper and his reputation tarnished. Mary liked to think her visit helped but she knew Eddie and she knew he was only putting on a smile just so she wouldn't worry too much.

Well the joke was on him, because all she practically did was worry for him after that. When she left him at the airport that day months ago, he was seriously underweight from the stress and she remembered a couple months back he texted her something about going to the gym more. Mary was not however, expecting this level of transformation. She barely recognized him when he showed up at her door. The well-developed muscles of his broad shoulders and chest practically pulsed under his dark clothing. His long arms were thick and corded with the evidence of his gained strength. Even his face felt the difference in his added bulk, the aggressive line of his jaw gave his features an uncompromising hardness. The only thing that stayed the same was his tousled brown hair and signature facial scruff.

She was still thinking about his physical change when she went to the grocery store the next day. The way he polished off two boxes of pizza and half of hers attested to a man that had an unusual appetite; and she sure as hell wasn't going to give him any reason, like not having enough food to eat, to give him reason to leave. With her trunk full of groceries, she grabbed as many bags as she could. Making it to her apartment she was balancing a bag on her lifted knee when the door swung open.

"WeI mean, I—was wondering where you went," he coughed and cleared his throat as he quickly took the heavy bags from her.

Smiling she tossed her purse on the foyer table and turned back to the hallway waiting for him to close the front door and follow her for the rest of the bags. "Well I saw how much you can eat last night so figured I should probably go shopping, so you won't starve and waste away to nothing."

Laughing deeply, he thrusted his hands into his pocket as he walked alongside her to the parking garage. "Thanks, and don't worry I will give you the money when we go back upstairs."

"Eddie you don't have to…"

The warm heavy pressure on the back of her neck stopped her and pulled her to turn to him, giving her a very serious look Eddie stared down at her holding her in place. "Mary, I am not a freeloader I came back here, I came back to you, because I realized," he paused, the pressure on her neck pulled her closer until she was face to face with him. "…I realized where exactly my priorities lie." Mary felt as if her heart itself would surely start crying at the joy she was feeling at those words. "Besides, kiddo," he continued. "I have money dammit, I have been doing freelance work since you left me, I haven't been begging at street corners or whatever else your worrying brain conjured up."

Kissing the top of her head, in a completely familial brotherly love style peck, he let her go and continued walking.

One minute, her heart felt as if it couldn't soar any higher into the clouds of sheer happiness and the next she wanted to kick him and wipe off the stupid innocent kiss with the vehemence of a bratty teenager. Uggg, just kill her now God! Why did he insist on treating her like a child?!

"Whatever," she grumbled, as she popped the trunk. "I didn't think you were begging or anything and I wasn't even saying that. I…I was just being hospitable."

"Sure," he sounded unconvinced as he grabbed most of the bags and left her one with only bread and a bag of pita chips. "Also, when I get a job here I will kick in on the rent."

And off into the sky her heart soared again, nearly tripping her on the stairs as she followed him up. A job. Helping on the rent. Did this mean he planned on staying with her for good too? By the gods, she wasn't sure what the heck happened back in New York but she was happy it did. The other day, Mary did give a homeless lady a twenty-dollar bill, maybe this was karma paying her back. Eddie, in her daily life, in her apartment, planning to stay—miracles did exist.

After putting the groceries away, Eddie used her keycard to go down to the gym her apartment offered. Still happy at the news of his permanent residence, Mary began reorganizing the cluttered bathroom to make space for Eddie's toiletries. The doorbell ringing surprised her, setting down the spray bottle Mary wiped her hands on her old jeans she was wearing and rushed to the door.

"Wow that was fast…" her words died on her lips as she opened it to see Jacob standing on the other side, giving her a confused smile. "Jacob?" she couldn't hide the shocked confusion from her tone. "What are you doing here?"

Tall, dark and all-American good looking, Jacob's green eyes narrowed. "Well since you didn't return my call this morning," he let the blaming insinuation hang in the air between them before continuing. "I figured I would come to you directly to invite you out to eat today and maybe watch a movie on the couch."

Jacob stepped forward, silently suggesting to let him in, but Mary didn't budge from her blockade at the entrance. Instead she swiped her keys off the counter and stepped forward herself, pushing him back into the hall before closing and locking the door.

"What's going on, Mary?" she could hear the rising annoyance in his voice. Jacob was not a man accustomed to getting anything but his way, his magazine worthy good looks and six figure income practically ensured him a life of "yes of course" and "right away sir."

Grabbing him by the bicep, wrapped in no doubt a three-hundred-dollar shirt, Mary ushered him back towards the parking garage. She needed to get rid of him before Eddie came back and she knew if she let Jacob in her apartment there was no way she was going to get him to just turn right back around and leave. Mary didn't want Eddie to even see Jacob, regardless if their relationship was undefined and casual. If Eddie even suspected she had something even close to a boyfriend he would immediately get a hotel, claiming he didn't want to intrude into her personal life.

"I am sorry Jacob this really isn't a good time, my brother Eddie just came back into town," she explained. "And he is rather overprotective," she lied. Eddie was the exact opposite of overprotective, if anything he encouraged her to date. Nothing pierced at her heart worst, if she was being totally honest. "So, I just want to give him a few days to acclimate and spend quality time with him before I go out."

"I see," Jacob's tone was icy. "Well I guess we will just meet up another day then."

Standing near the stairs on the visitor's level of the garage, Mary looked up at him feeling guilt lance through her heart. Jacob was an all right guy, a little conceded sure but he always treated her wonderfully in the short time they had been seeing one another. The problem was—he wasn't Eddie, and now that Eddie was here in her life she didn't want to do anything to jeopardize that. Standing on her toes she gave him a soft peck on the cheek.

"Thank you for understanding, I really…Jacob!" her cry was muffled against his firm lips as he yanked her forward smashing his lips to hers before quickly releasing her.

"You drive me crazy, Mary," still holding onto her, Jacob pressed her against his firm chest and looked down at her. His eyes were a little wild and his voice deep with emotion. "I never met a girl like you before who I can't get out of my head. If its few days I will wait," smiling at her flabbergasted expression he kissed her again before turning to walk to his BMW. "Just don't make me wait too long."

Speechless, Mary hurried back to her apartment and finished cleaning the bathroom before hopping into the shower herself. Dashing to her bedroom, she reminded herself she was going to have to get used to bringing a robe or her change of clothes to the bathroom with her. Changing into a cute white workout set with white pants and a white camisole she brushed her dark hair up into a long ponytail. She was just exiting her bedroom when the front door opened, with Eddie walking through gleaming of sweat in his shorts and black tank top.

With his hand still on the doorknob, Eddie visibly paused. Turning his head, he looked as if he was examining the area.

"What's wrong?" She asked quietly.

"Was—somebody here?" His voice was dark, Mary could feel the unnatural stillness wrap around him as he brought his penetrating gaze to her.

For some reason, panic seized her. Putting on her best smile she gave a laugh. "No of course not, I have been cleaning and showering since you left. Why do you ask?"

Closing the door slowly he set his empty water bottle on the kitchen counter as he stalked closer to her at the hallway entrance. "Nothing," he muttered. "Just thought I smelled an odd cologne."

Wow his nose was good. Walking to the kitchen counter she looked around desperately thinking of a way to quickly deflect. "You hungry? Do you want me to start dinner now?"

"Yes." His voice seemed to echo over itself.

There is it was again, that odd voice he would sometimes do. Before she could even look up to question him about it he was already walking towards the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. How odd.

Mary was pulling the chicken out of the oven just as she heard the bathroom door open and close. Setting the hot food on the trivet, Mary grabbed two plates from the cabinet and began serving the mushroom smothered chicken on each before serving the rice and the side of vegetables. Turning around she nearly dropped the heavy plate when she saw Eddie standing at the kitchen table. Wearing only a pair of loose lounging pants, Eddie stood shirtless and barefoot with a towel draped around his neck. With each fist gripping either end of the towel, flexing his massive biceps perfectly, Eddie gave the steaming plate in her hand a hungry grin.

"Go ahead and sit down," she urged, forcing herself to look away. Grabbing a beer from the fridge she carefully sat the plate and beverage in front of him praying her hands wouldn't start shaking.

Glancing up, Mary's breath caught in her throat when she caught his gaze. His eyes, there was something primal about his eyes. His usually light brown gaze seemed darker, almost black as their eyes held each other's. Muttering something to himself, Eddie averted his eyes, looking back down at his plate. Turning she quickly got her own food and a glass of wine from the counter and sat down at the table. Though her living room was spacious there was really no room for a true dining area. Instead she bought a folding style table that she shoved up against the back of the couch allowing them to look over to the TV as they ate. The odd tension that was momentarily there was gone to her immense relief. They spent the rest of dinner talking and occasionally laughing at old memories.

Hours later she glanced at the clock and made a grand effort to push herself from the couch. After four glasses of wine she was teetering on the edge of consciousness, she wasn't strong enough to continue. Eyeing Eddie's neatly arranged collection of empty beer bottles she was amazed and little surly that he didn't even look buzzed. Shooting him an indignant look at his offer to help her to her room, Mary held her chin up and walked away—very slowly to avoid stumbling—and bid him a goodnight.

Taking off only her pants, Mary left on the camisole top and crawled face first into her wonderfully soft bed.

#

Warm and wet, somewhere deep in her muddled mind Mary felt the wet pressure on the back of her leg. Too weak to fight against the restraints of sleep she ignored it and fell back asleep.

#

The shift in light caused her to open one eye. Still lying on her stomach, Mary focused the best she could at the figure in her bedroom doorway. God, she was so tired. Her mouth was dry and her head felt heavy and full of wool. Again, she blinked focusing on the open doorway. The soft light from what she assumed was from the bathroom silhouetted the evidently male figure. Eddie, it had to be Eddie but why would he be standing at her door. Maybe he needed something. Using all of her energy she opened her mouth and half groaned and mumbled something out that she hoped sounded like English. The figure didn't move. Sleep was fighting back to claim her again, and she could barely keep her eyes open. With one last look at him, a thought floated in her mind before she fell asleep—he seemed taller.