Chapter 6

As he unconsciously stretched out his leg to get into a more comfortable position, he felt his foot brush against something beside him. Not really paying any attention to what he was rubbing up against, he straightened his leg and felt her do the same thing in her sleep.

Her? He thought as his brain and his body began to wake up. He blinked a few times before he was able to focus on her. She was there, lying beside him sleeping peacefully. It wasn't a dream. She's really here.

Ray didn't dare move, not wanting to wake her. As he finally convinced himself with 100 certainty that he had not dreamt the fact that he fell asleep with her in his arms, he looked at her. He noticed that they had barely moved throughout the night. Her back was to him and his arm was still draped over her waist. He slowly brushed a strand of her hair away from her face.

She's beautiful, he thought, just watching her sleep.

Ray rested his head back next to hers on the pillow. He pressed his lips against the back of her hair where a bruise had already begun to turn black and purple, and he kissed her softly. He felt her stir next to him.

She drifted slowly into consciousness, feeling so warm and protected that she felt like it was a dream.

Was it another dream? She asked herself. She felt his arm tighten around her waist and she smiled. This definitely wasn't a dream.

"Good morning," he whispered.

"Mm…good morning," she replied.

Any awkwardness that he thought might be between them was nonexistence. He felt so comfortable lying there with her. He knew that if he had the choice, he would never get out of bed again.

"What time is it?" She asked, attempting to roll over. He reluctantly took away his arm from around her waist and shifted over, giving her more room to move.

"It's just before eight," he answered.

She stretched out her legs and rolled over to face him.

Why does he have to look so cute in the morning? She asked herself, looking at him for the first time. She brought her hand to his head and brushed his hair down, smiling.

"Thanks," he said sheepishly, wondering just how messy his hair was. "How's your head?"

"It hurts a little, but it's fine. I had a good doctor."

She had felt him kiss her on the back of the head, even though he didn't know it. No medicine could have made her feel better.

"Did you sleep okay?" He asked.

You've got the most beautiful woman you've ever seen…the woman you're in love with…in your bed and you're making small talk? he said to himself.

She nodded. "And you were right. It is definitely much warmer in your room."

They laid there, facing each other, both not wanting to move. Neither of them had ever felt so completely peaceful before.

"We should get up and start shoveling ourselves out," Ray suggested, even though he really didn't want to.

"I guess you're right."

After laying there for a few more seconds, Ray finally slid his legs over the side of the bed. He stood up, stretched, and then walked over to the light switch. He flicked it and the overhead light turned on.

"Guess the electricity's back on," he said, turning back towards the bed. She was still lying in bed, but she had closed her eyes. Her hair fell across her face and her hand was resting on the spot where he had been lying.

What I wouldn't give to wake up like this every morning, he thought, gazing at her.

"Let's hope the heat is back on," she murmured, feeling herself falling back to sleep.

"Well, you sleep for a few more minutes. I'll go fix us some breakfast."

Ray took one last look at her, imprinting the picture of her lying on his bed, half asleep, before leaving the room. As he walked out into the living room, he stopped first at the heating unit. He placed his hand close to the vent and immediately felt heat coming from it.

I guess this means there won't be anymore little sleepovers, he thought, somewhat disappointed. Realizing how much warmer it was in the apartment than when they had fallen asleep the night before, he took off the sweater he had been wearing, threw it on the couch, and walked off to the kitchen.

As Neela began to drift back into sleep, she smelled the scent of something mouthwatering cooking coming from the kitchen. She immediately woke up and got out of bed as her stomach growled loudly. She thought back to the night before, remembering that she hadn't eaten because Ray had walked away from her.

Does last night mean things are different? She wondered. Does sleeping in the same bed with a man mean that he has feelings for you or was he just being a nice guy? She sighed as her own thoughts confused her. Where's Abby when I need here?

Realizing that the heat must have been fixed by the fact that she was about to begin sweating, Neela began stripping all of the extra layers that she had on. As she walked through the doorway, wearing only a long sleeved shirt and a pair of pajama pants, she spotted Ray's sweatshirt among the pile of clothes that she had taken off. She had forgotten that she was still wearing it underneath several other layers. She had forgotten that she hadn't taken it off since he had let her borrow it the morning before. Even though she was no longer cold, she slipped the sweatshirt over her head and breathed in his scent that still lingered on the fabric.

"Hey, the heat's fixed," Ray stated, flipping over a large pancake in the pan on the stove.

"Yeah, I noticed," Neela said, as she approached the kitchen doorway. "It smells delicious in here."

Ray looked over at her, noticing right away that she was wearing his sweatshirt and it made him smile.

"Pancakes," he replied. "A Ray Barnett specialty." Neela took a seat at the kitchen table. "And by the way, we have some serious cleaning to do in the refrigerator."

"Oh?"

"Let's just say that take-out leftovers don't last too long when the refrigerator's not on."

Neela made a sickly face, just thinking about the smell that would probably come from the refrigerator once they opened the door.

Ray flipped the pancake he was making onto a plate and set it down in front of Neela. As soon as he handed her a knife and fork, she immediately began to chow down. He poured more batter into the pan.

"I've never met a woman who eats like you," he remarked as he watched her shovel the food into her mouth. She immediately stopped eating. Her face fell and she swallowed the food that was in her mouth with a loud gulp.

That's great, Neela. You really know how to make a good impression, she berated herself.

"Don't get me wrong," he continued, noticing her reaction, "it's one of the things I love about you."

Love? Did he say love? she asked herself.

Ray turned back towards the stove to flip his pancake.

"Thank you for…" for what? Sharing your bed with me? "…last night," she said.

"Anytime," he replied, sitting down at the table across from her with his pancake. Did I really just say anytime? "The weather channel this morning said it's supposed to get up into the forties today so hopefully some of the snow will melt," he said, changing the subject.

"It could get up into the eighties and that snow still wouldn't all melt," Neela responded.

Ray looked at the clock over the stove. "Then we better get a move on shoveling ourselves out."

They both quickly finished eating and then went back into their rooms to change. They met back by the front door fifteen minutes later. She was still wearing his sweatshirt.

"I know, I know," Neela said as she approached him. She pulled the blue, fuzzy hat that she had been wearing the day before over her head. "I look like Cookie Monster."

"But remember," he replied, pulling it down more tightly on her head, "you're a cute Cookie Monster."

She smiled flirtatiously and put on her blue mittens. He pulled a wool hat over his own head and put on a pair of thick, black gloves.

"You ready?" He asked, grabbing a shovel from the hall closet and handing it to her.

"Yeah," she replied, zippering her coat.

Ray opened the front door.

"Oh, I just have to grab my scarf," she remembered, realizing that her neck was bare.

"I'll go out and get started. I'll meet you out there," he decided.

Neela nodded and headed back towards her room. Ray walked out of the apartment with a shovel in hand. As Neela searched for her scarf through all of the stuff that had once been neatly in her closet, but was now on her bedroom floor, she heard the sound of someone walking into the apartment. The squeaky floorboards made it impossible for someone to walk in unannounced.

Neela walked out into the hallway and spotted Lindsey standing just inside the doorway.

"I see you survived the night," Neela said, walking closer to her.

"Barely," Lindsey replied. "I don't think I've ever been so cold. Oh, and I came over to bring these back." She held out the box of matches that Ray had let her borrow. "The door was open so I figured I'd just leave them on the table."

"Yeah, Ray and I were just going to try to dig ourselves out," Neela explained.

"Good luck with that. You can barely open the front door."

"Great. Something tells me we're going to be late to work. Oh, and keep the matches," Neela insisted. "Just in case."

"Thanks." She stuffed them in her pocket. "So, I suspect your night wasn't so cold," she said, raising her eyebrow and smiling.

"Why would you think…" Neela blushed as she figured out what Lindsey had been implying. "No, it was nothing like that." Although I wish it had been like that.

Lindsey put her hand on Neela's shoulder as only an older, more experience woman could do.

"It always takes men a little extra time to figure out what they really want," she said. "But I have a feeling that he'll be coming around sooner rather than later."

"How can you be so sure?" Neela asked, perhaps acting more boldly than she normally would. It wasn't everyday that she asked an almost complete stranger about her relationships, or lack there of. "I mean, you barely know us. How can you be so sure about…us?"

"Oh, honey, when you know…you know. You love him, don't you?" Neela didn't respond. "Don't you?"

Do I? I mean, yes, I know I do. I've loved him practically since the day we met, but I've never said it. My God, what if I can't say it?

"Yes, I love him," she said. The words flew easily from her lips and she suddenly felt relieved. She had said it and it only made her want him more.

"And he loves you. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what comes next. It's just a matter of how long it takes you. But when he finally does come around…I want all of the juicy details."

Neela laughed out loud at the thought of spilling her guts to a woman she barely knew. And yet, she knew that Lindsey was just one of those kinds of people you could do that with.

"You two have fun at work," Lindsey said, winking. "Bye now."

"Bye."

As soon as Lindsey left, Neela went back to her room to find her scarf. When she found it, she wrapped it tightly around her neck and tucked it into her coat. As she grabbed a shovel, she kept repeating in her mind I love him over and over again.

Author's Note: Again, I wrote this one pretty fast and I think I actually like this "fast-paced" writing because it gives me less time to think about all the things that I think "could be better." I really had no intention of bringing Lindsey back into the story, but it seemed like people liked her, so she made a return. There's only one more chapter to go so stay tuned!