I promised Marie that I would come back for the night. The clock strikes nine, so it's time for me to head over. I knock on 206 and wait for her to answer.
"Oh, hello Mr. Hyde," she says. I nod.
"Can I come in?" I ask.
"Yes." I follow Marie into her room. The lamp by the bed is on, but it's pretty dim in the room.
"How are you doing?" I ask her. She's standing in the middle of the room and looking at me.
"I'm just fine," she says.
"You know," I say, taking a stroll around the room casually. "I was surprised at what'cha did today."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, o'course."
"Why is that?"
"Who wouldn't be? You didn't seem like the kind of broad who would make a move like that."
"I thought you were better at reading people than that."
I take my jacket off and drape it over the coffee table. I'm facing the sofa, and Marie stands behind me. I'm pretty sure she's watching what I'm doing. I kick off my shoes and I start to unbutton my shirt, but then I feel hands come around my waist.
"Hi," I say. She presses her forehead or cheek against my back. I'm expecting her to start undressing me, but it seems like she's just giving me a hug. She squeezes her arms around me, and I hear her sigh. "Everything okay?" I ask.
"Yes."
Since she won't, I continue to take my clothes off. I'm starting to question if she wants me here to have sex, or actually to protect her. I kindly ask her to move her arms so that I can get out of my shirt. She withdraws. I take off my pants and drop them over the arm of the sofa. Now I'm just in my undershirt and boxers. I pretend that it's no big deal, and lay down on the sofa.
"I'll just sleep here, right?" I ask. She nods and walks over to the kitchen. "Marie?"
"Yes?" She's acting a little absentminded.
"Why do you want me here?"
"Because I'm enjoying your company." Marie fills her teakettle with water and puts it on the stove. "Can I get you anything?"
"That's alright. Thanks." I'm feeling somewhat confused. Does she have some ulterior motive? She was so suddenly sexual earlier, but now she's acting like a lonely old lady. I thought she'd be easier to figure out than this.
She stands in front of the stove until the water is boiling, and then she pours herself a cup of tea. Carefully keeping the cup steady, she steps over to the sofa where I am and sits at the end, near my feet. To be honest, she looks very pretty in the light.
"What's on your mind?" I ask her. She blows some steam off of the cup and takes a tiny sip. It's obviously too hot and she quickly moves away from it. She puts it down on the coffee table and turns to me. "Nothing. What about you?" She asks.
"I dunno. I guess…" I trail off midsentence as I realize my words might be rude. I want to tell her that I expected her to be more sexual.
"What? You can tell me." She crosses her right leg over her left and continues to stare at me. Her expression is rather blank. Maybe a little concerned. I swallow hard.
"I thought you'd be more eager," I tell her quickly.
"Eager? What do you mean?" Ahh, she's not making this easy.
"Eager to have sex."
"Oh." She looks away. I think she's embarrassed about how she was acting before.
"What's the deal?" I ask. I'm trying to be polite, but maybe it's not coming across so well. It's not exactly my strong suit.
"Mr. Hyde," she begins, looking serious. "I was just a little desperate earlier. This whole thing has really gotten me mixed up in my head. Um. Don't get me wrong; while I meant what I did, and I enjoyed it, my actions were foolish. I admit that."
"I was fine with it. Wouldn't bother me if you wanted to do it again. But I think there's something else going on."
"What? What do you mean?" She looks worried.
"I don't know," I tell her in all honesty. "Some feelings you have you aren't entirely sharing. But it's alright. I'll still be here. Got nothing better to do."
"Thank you, Mr. Hyde." Marie flashes a small smile at me and she takes her teacup once more. She drinks it carefully.
"Glad to see you smiling." I say.
"You know what?" She says between sips. "At first I thought maybe you were just a rude man. But, as I've gotten to know you, I think there are many layers to your personality."
"Like what?"
"Well…" she finishes the tea and sets the cup onto the table for good. She pulls her legs up onto the sofa and lies down across my body. Her arms reach up to my shoulders. I spread my legs so that she can rest comfortably on me. Her breasts sit against my abdomen.
"Well, what?" I ask, once she gets comfortable. This is a nice way to sit. She puts her head on my chest. I think it's interesting that a person can so quickly find comfort in another's arms. There's almost something endearing about it. I give her all the time she needs to answer me. I put my hand on top of her head and stroke her hair. It feels nice.
"Even when I thought you were rude," she says, finally. "I had a secret hunch that you were sensitive."
"Sensitive, huh?" Hah! She thinks I'm sensitive? We'll just see about that.