Anna
'Meet me in east conference room at lunch'
I woke up to that text on my phone. The problem is that it's not Sid or even Geno. It's Meagan. What could she possible want to talk to me about? Since that horrible elevator ride, I've been avoiding her as much as possible. What could she possibly want? It's been such a wonderful few weeks since Sid and I said we love each other. The time has been filled with work and sex and lots and lots of both.
Adam has noticed how 'chipper' I am – his word – and has correctly guessed that it's a guy. I asked him to leave it alone and he has respected my wishes much to my surprise initially. Adam's become a good friend and I really don't want to lie to him. He must guess that it's a player since I won't say anything but I bet he thinks its Geno. No one seems to understand my relationship with the Russian. I guess it's because he hasn't bonded with anyone outside of some of the players. I think that he's just misunderstood and people don't realize that a lack of language skills doesn't mean stupid.
It's still quiet in the office. I love this time of the morning when there is no one here but me. There's the equipment guys downstairs, I'm almost sure they never leave, but they don't usually come up to the offices. I look up when I hear someone and, like my thinking about him made him appear, here comes Dana.
"Good morning Dana" I tell him as he draws closer.
"Hi Anna. I thought that you would be here. How would you like to be part of a prank?"
Surprised, I ask "against whom?"
"Stewie" he tells me.
Chris Stewart is the head trainer and there is a huge contest going on between the trainers and equipment teams this season. They keep trying to top each other in practical jokes and pranks. Do I really want to get involved in it? Dana's grin and wiggling eyebrows convinces me.
"Ok, what do you need me to do?" I ask.
He explains the prank to me and it sounds very funny. Apparently, Chris' wife posted a picture on Instagram of Chris playing Barbie with his daughter. It's a composite photo so it shows him dressing one of the dolls, making her walk and showing her off to the camera. He has to know that something is coming from the guys. This is not something that they'll let slide. They've decided to fill Chris' office with Barbie dolls. They have heads that they'll hang from the ceiling, full dolls dressed in a variety of outfits and they even have a few Ken dolls too.
"We need you to keep Chris up here. He can't be at ice level. We have hundreds and hundreds of these dolls to bring in and there's no way to disguised them" he tells me.
"Ok, how am I supposed to keep him busy?"
"You can think of something, can't you?"
I think about it for a few moments and come up with an idea.
"What if I make up some article that the Trib wants to write about trainers? I could say that they want to interview trainers from the Pens, Pirates and Steelers."
"That's perfect!" Dana tells me with a big smile.
"How long do you need me to stall him?"
"If we can get a bunch of guys to help, we think twenty minutes might do it."
"Ask Flower and Pascal to help. They're always up for a prank" I tell him.
"Yeah, Duper is one of the guys bringing a bag of the dolls. This is going to be epic."
"What time do you need him gone?" I ask.
"Can you do it in about twenty minutes?"
I look at my schedule and juggle a few things.
"I can do that. Why don't I go down and get him? I can pretend that I left my tablet on my desk so we have to meet up here to meet. That should work."
"You may be quiet but you're sneaky Anna."
"High praise from a prankster like yourself. I just want a promise that you won't prank me and that you'll tell me if someone else is planning something. Ok?"
"You got it, ok."
Dana goes back downstairs and I return to my desk. I send the morning text to Geno reminding him of his schedule for the day. I chuckle when he sends back 'go away'. It's his usual response to my calendar reminders. It always makes me smile. A few more emails need to be returned and then it's time to go downstairs.
Adam comes in and says "Good morning. Where are you rushing off to? I have to tell you about this guy I met at Starbucks. Yummy."
I want to hear about Adam's newest boy but I have a prank to support.
I lower my voice and say "I'm helping the guys with a prank on Stewie. I have to bring him up here for twenty minutes or so. Go downstairs and help the guys with their prank but don't tell anyone. It will look suspicious if everyone leaves."
"Cool" he says and rushes to his desk to rid himself of his coat and bag.
We travel down together but there are others in the elevator with us so I can't tell Adam anything further. We go our separate ways after exiting the elevator and I go about finding Chris. I find him in the lounge.
"Chris, good morning" I tell him.
He looks slightly surprised, we don't talk much, but replies "good morning."
I notice the plate of food in his hands and decide to make that work for me.
"I'm just going to grab a plate myself but I have something to talk to you about. It's a story we've been pitched about training staff. Can we take a few minutes to chat while we have our breakfasts?"
I try for nonchalant as I fill up my plate with food I shouldn't eat. It's healthy but I've already had breakfast.
"Sure" he replies. "We can talk in my office."
Shit. I didn't jump in fast enough with the location.
"Actually, sorry to do this, but can we grab a meeting room upstairs? I left my tablet there."
I give him an apologetic look, smile and look hopeful. Yep, he's bought it.
"Sure" he tells me and we walk to the elevator.
I start my lie-a-thon on the way to the meeting room and then continue throughout breakfast. I feel a little guilty as Chris begins to get excited. This afternoon I'll have to check with a few of the media guys and see if they want to do a blog post about our trainers.
We finish breakfast and I see that it's been long enough for the guys to do their worst. Chris offers to take my plate down with him but I want to see this for myself so I make up an excuse about seeing Geno.
We part in the players' lounge and I can tell that all of the guys must know and are trying to look innocent. Chris must be really focused on something because he doesn't notice and I would think a blind man could see the excitement in the room. When Chris leaves, Marc comes up to me.
"Perfect timing, merci" he says.
"De rien" I tell him. "Did you really fill the office?"
"Yeah, come on" he replies and takes my arm.
Marc leads me down the hall silently and the rest of the guys follow us.
"Holy mother fucking shit!"
I know immediately that Chris is yelling from around the corner. I follow Marc and the scene in front of me is hilarious. Chris is standing in the hall with one hand on his hip and another on his head. He's about one foot deep around his feet are Barbie dolls. Some have clothes on but most are naked. As we get close enough to see inside of the office, I'm stunned. The office is full of Barbies about three feet deep. What is truly creepy is the dozens of Barbies, heads only, hanging by strings from the ceiling.
"You!" Chris says when he turns and sees me. His finger is pointing and he walks towards me, trampling some of the dolls. "You were in on this, weren't you?"
I give him my most innocent look and I see doubt slowly fall over his face. Hmm, he's buying it. The truth will come out at some point but for now I'm playing the innocent intern.
Chris turns to Marc and starts berating him and then Kris Letang. I take advantage of the situation and retreat back down the hall away from the scene of the crime. When I've turned the corner, I can finally let the giggles out that I've been holding in. I actually have to stop and lean against the wall I'm laughing so hard.
"What funny? I no see you yet this morning" I hear Geno say.
I wipe the tears from under my eyes and, between giggles, I tell him to go look in Chris' office. Geno, Patric and a few other guys go down the hall. I see Sid now that most of the guys are gone and he just raises his eyebrow. I can't talk anymore so I just point and laugh.
Laughter and joking ensues when all of the guys are at Chris' office. Of course that has me giggling again when I remember how creepy it looked and how horrified Chris looked. Oh God, this is quite the prank. I really hope my name stays out of things as they discover who is responsible. Now I really need to make sure that there is an article about the trainers to cover my own ass or make up for my part in the prank. It was totally worth it though.
When I'm finally able to find some composure, I go back up to the bull pen and my desk. The guys only have meetings and a workout today so there is no media availability. I can finally catch up on all the little things that I need to do but never seem to have the time. Of course I also have that noon 'meeting' with Meagan. That alone made me want to call in sick today but I've never done that and never will. I'll deal with whatever she has to tell me. Sid and I are in love and it makes me feel like there's nothing that I can't handle. No matter what has happened in the past, we are in the present now and happy.
"What to grab some lunch?"
I look up and Adam is standing beside me. Wow, its lunch already. The morning went by very quickly, too quickly, and now I have a much less desirable lunch 'date.'
"Thanks Adam but I've got something planned already" I tell him. To prevent and interrogation of what my plans are, I quickly continue "did you get to see Chris Stewart's office?"
"Some of it had been cleaned up but everyone had pictures to show. And those tiny heads hanging from the ceiling are freaky. I'll have nightmares for sure. A little birdie said that you were involved?"
"Oh, would I ever do that?" I ask and wiggle my eyebrows.
"Ha" is his response and he leaves for lunch.
I guess it's time to face Meagan so I leave my desk. I walk down the hall feeling like I'm being led to a firing squad. I have no idea what Meagan wants to talk to me about but it must be something big. If all she had was more catty remarks than she could do that anywhere and anytime. Instead, she wanted to meet with me, alone and at lunch when the office is mostly empty.
When I walk into the meeting room, I see that Meagan hasn't arrived yet. I sit down and smooth out my skirt. She'll feel like she has the upper hand when she comes in and sees that I'm sitting down. She'll probably remain standing so that she feels more powerful. When people are comfortable and feel powerful, they let their guard down and sometimes things can slip out that they don't want you to see. Wow, the things that you learn on the campaign trail.
She makes me wait five minutes, another ploy of course, before she breezes in with a flip of her hair and closes the door.
"On time of course" she sneers at me.
I remain silent. She will not get me to engage in a 'mean girl' fight no matter what she does. I'm not here to fight or argue with her. In fact, I don't yet know why I'm here.
"Such a goody two shoes" she sneers again.
She leans on one of the high backed chairs at the table and places the other hand on her hip cocked out artfully. Everything about this woman screams 'attention whore'.
"So, I'm sure you've been wondering why I called this little tête à tête." She chuckles at her use of French, impressed with herself. "I couldn't stop thinking about our little chat in the elevator the other day. You remember that, don't you?"
"I do" is the first thing I've spoken and I keep my voice modulated evenly. "I believe you called me a whore."
"Clever" she chuckles. "A whore is a good summary for what I've said. The problem is that I couldn't figure out if you were fucking Geno or Mario."
"I remember. Meagan, if this chat is for you to rehash that conversation then I'm leaving. I have no interest in it."
"Oh, I have something new, trust me" she replies. The way she sounds so gleeful has a shiver running down my spine. This doesn't seem good. "So, I had to go back to my desk that night after our elevator chat because I forgot something. To my surprise, I see you walking down the hall towards the executive wing. Finally I was going to find out exactly who you're fucking and surprise, surprise, you walk directly into Mario's office."
I maintain my expression but I can feel all of the blood drain from my face. Is she going to think that this is proof? Is she going to tell everyone what she saw? This is bad, really, very bad.
"You didn't shut the door, which surprised me, but you're so fucking entitled that you probably figured you didn't need to. It was interesting that, as I got closer, I heard you and Mario talking. Sure you're boring enough to have conversation before sex but I decided to listen."
Now I know why I felt the dread earlier. She heard our conversation. She heard everything that Mario and I said to each other. This means that she knows. She knows. Oh my God, she knows.
"Ah, I see that you remember the conversation. I didn't think you had it in you but you weren't fucking Geno or Mario because you had your eyes on the big prize. You're fucking Crosby!"
I feel cold and hot at the same time. I shiver and sweat. Meagan could get me fired, and worse, the backlash on Sid and the Pens would be horrible especially if she says that Mario covered it up. Oh God, my dad's run for President! The press that his daughter is having an affair with a hockey star, and an affair meaning sex, would be worse than bad.
"I knew it was something. It wasn't just because you're the Governor's daughter who is the best friend of the team's owner. Geno is just too goofy and doesn't really have the power to get you everything you're getting. I should have known it was Sid. The face of not only the Pens but the NHL could literally give you everything you want. I wouldn't have thought you were a good lay but maybe Sid has low standards. I mean you're hardly attractive enough for him so you must be a good fuck. Ha, who would have thought little mousy Anna was a good fuck. I wonder what Jen would think if I told her. I could go to Moorehouse and let him deal with it. But I don't think they'd do anything. That's why you are so smart to fuck Crosby. They couldn't possible let it get out. But a quiet leak to the press, maybe TMZ would even pay for the news, and no one could trace it back to me. How would daddy react to a story of his good little girl fucking a rink rat, huh?"
She final winds down and watches me while laughing. I can't move. I can't think beyond how truly screwed I am. She hasn't even asked me for anything to keep quiet.
"Nothing? You have absolutely nothing to say?" she asks.
"What do you want?" is all I can say.
"Cutting right to the chase huh? I suspect you've done this before as a politician's kid. What do I want? Hmmm"
She's enjoying this, a lot. I'm terrified. Everything was going so well and now it's turned to shit. For the first time I wonder if I could get away with murder.
"I'll have to think about what I want to stay quiet. Right now, just the look on your face makes me giddy. I'll give some thought to what I want and I'll let you know. Well, I'm late for a lunch date" she says. With a toss of her hair she says "ciao" and leaves the room.
Oh God, what am I going to do? I know what I'm going to do first as I empty the contents of my stomach into the garbage can.
Sidney
"Why are you so fucking happy?" Tanger chirps me. I ignore him so he continues "seriously man. You're whistling and haven't stopped smiling, even through the wind sprints."
"He got laid" Perron yells across the room. "That's the only thing that can make a guy smile through wind sprints."
"Oh oh oh, and what have we here" Tanger says as he grabs my shoulder and spins me so he can see my back. "Distinct nail marks. Perry right."
Oh no, I remember the exact moment when Anna dug her fingers into my back and moaned out her orgasm. I can't help but grin at the thought.
"Yep, laid" Perron says.
I ignore them and put my shirt on. They may chirp me about it but I know they won't pressure to know more. The one thing that everyone on the team respects is that I like my private life to remain private. That doesn't mean I won't be chirped every second of every day. Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever had more than a hickey before and only faint ones.
I don't care about the chirping or the wind sprints. I'm making dinner for Anna tonight at her place and I'm anxious about poisoning her. Mom sent me a recipe for her baked chicken and green bean casserole that she says is fool proof and when it comes to cooking I'm definitely a fool. It does look simple enough. There's a lot of prep but then you just put it all in the oven and time it. The salad is easy to do and I just need to pick up some fresh bread. She gave me her key so that I can get dinner started while she finishes working. I hope she likes some of the other plans I have for us tonight too.
I walk out with Duper and he waits until we're alone walking to our cars before he speaks.
"So it's true" he says.
I don't want to lie to him so I just nod.
"Who?" he asks. I don't answer so he asks again "who is she?"
I sigh. I guess he already knows that there is someone. Knowing who it is won't make much more difference.
"It's Anna" I tell him softly so it doesn't echo in the parking structure.
"Really?" he replies. "Hmm, I guess I always thought that you be with someone more outgoing."
"Really? She is, when you get her alone. She's had to be quiet and circumspect in her life. It kind of tramps down your natural instincts, you know?"
"Now I see why it's her."
"What do you mean?" I ask.
"She's you" he replies. "Having a public persona that's you but not fully you. I guess she learned that since her dad's in politics huh?"
I don't know why I'm still surprised when Duper is so insightful. I guess we joke around so much that I forget how well he knows me and how well he can read people. He probably knew that it was Anna and was just shitting me about being surprised.
"Yeah, we have a lot in common" I tell him.
He claps me on the back and we each go to our own cars. Before Duper gets in he calls to me.
"I am glad you're getting laid kid" he says and gets into his car.
I'm still chuckling when I drive away. First stop is at Whole Foods where I pick up the last few bits of groceries and, at the last minute, I decide to get flowers too. Oh, and chocolate sauce.
The doorman recognizes me when I carry my groceries in. It doesn't take me long to get upstairs and into her apartment. I know it's small but it feels larger with the high ceilings and bright walls. It always feels homey.
After unpacking all of the groceries, I look up the emailed recipes on my phone then place it on the counter. I have to laugh when I read it. Mom even tells me to wash my hands first. I want to make fun of her but I was about to start without doing just that so it was probably a good reminder.
The rest of the recipes are just as specific and detailed which makes them easy to follow. There is so much chopping that I nearly take a couple fingers off but only manage to nick my thumb.
I take in my surroundings after placing everything in the oven. I think the food is going to taste good but I'm a fucking mess when I cook. The kitchen is a disaster and it's going to take a while to clean it up. It's a good thing that I have time before Anna comes home.
It takes time and a lot of elbow grease for me to put the kitchen back together. Next I set the table and arrange the flowers. The flowers look happy but disorganized. Oh well, Anna will appreciate the effort, I hope.
Anna texts to say that she's on her way which gives me just enough time in the bedroom.
First, I move the brightly coloured pillows that always cover the bed and then I pull down the duvet and sheets. I place the blindfold, grey tie and chocolate sauce beside the bed. It will definitely be worth breaking my training to lick up some chocolate off of Anna's delicious body.
I hear the key in the door and quickly jog down the hall to meet Anna as she comes in.
"Hi" I say and kiss her.
Quickly I pull back. Something is wrong. Her face is serene and smiling but it doesn't reach her eyes and I can feel the tension radiating from her. She looks tired but there's more. She looks weary and completely devoid of energy. Something is definitely wrong.
"Hi" she says and rises to kiss me again.
I put my hands on her shoulders and ask "what's wrong?"
"It's been a rough afternoon and I'm exhausted" she tells me.
Before I can probe more, the oven timer goes off telling me that dinner is ready.
"Ok, that's dinner" I tell her and go to the kitchen.
I take out the chicken and use the meat thermometer to make sure that the temperature is right and that it's cooked. The bean casserole is bubbling so it's ready too.
"A meat thermometer?" Anna asks as she enters the kitchen.
"Yeah. Mom wouldn't send me a chicken recipe unless I promised to use it. She didn't want me killing you; her words, not mine. There's a bottle of red opened" I tell her.
"Thanks."
I watch as she fills her glass, drinks it down and then fills it again. With one hip against the counter, she sips from her glass.
"Thirsty?" I ask sarcastically.
"It was a very difficult afternoon."
I hear it in her voice then. You have to pay close attention to catch the real Anna if she's trying to hide something. Thankfully, I've been paying close attention the past couple of months.
"Come here" I tell her and open my arms.
She hesitates, which causes a slight pain in my heart, and then comes to me. After putting down her glass of wine, she wraps her arms around my waist and hangs on tight. I slowly rub my hand up and down her back trying to sooth. She sighs and turns her face into my neck.
"Are you sniffing me?" I ask.
She chuckles as I hoped she would.
"You smell good" she tells me. I hear her stomach grumble and she laughs again. "Although I think my stomach believes the chicken smells better."
I pull back slightly and look down at her. She offers me another small smile but this one is real.
"Ok, would you pour me a glass of wine too and I'll put dinner on the table?" I ask her.
When did my world change so far that I'm putting dinner on the table?
I survey the table and everything is there so I serve Anna a piece of chicken and some casserole. It looks wrong. I'm missing something.
"Oh shit, the salad" I say.
"You dish out your dinner and I'll get the salad" Anna says and leaves the table.
She comes back into the dining room a few moments later with the salad and the bread.
"Did you want this out too?" she asks gesturing to the bread.
"Shit, yeah, thanks."
We sit down and dig into our dinners.
"This is really good Sid. Tell your mom she has great recipes but of course the cook makes all the difference. It's like a good play, it's only good if you execute and put the puck in the net."
"Did you just use a hockey metaphor?" I ask with mock surprise.
"Did you just use a big word like metaphor?" she asks with equal mocking.
We tease back and forth as we eat. Every time I ask about Anna's afternoon, she changes the subject or tells me about something that clearly isn't bothering her. I guess she doesn't have to tell me everything that's going on in her head. I don't share every thought that passes through mine.
After we finish eating, we clean up the dishes and Anna even packs up a container of leftovers for me to take home.
"Does that mean I'm leaving?" I ask her.
She frowns "no, why?"
"It just felt that way with you giving me a doggy bag. Usually that's when someone leaves."
"Oh, no, I assumed you'd stay. You want to stay, right?"
She's back to the shy, unsure Anna. Yeah I'm definitely staying because something is definitely wrong.
"I don't just cook for every girl you know" I tell her and wink. "Actually, I've never cooked for a girl."
This makes her smile wider so I take advantage and kiss her letting the kiss deepen quickly. She clings to me letting her fingers fist into my tee shirt. I can feel her desperation but still don't know the cause.
I pull away "Anna, wait" but she cuts me off with a kiss.
Her tongue invades my mouth and explores mine. Her fingers slide up into my hair and I feel her nails in my scalp. I wrap my arms around her hips so that I'm palming her ass and lift her up. Anna wraps her legs around my waist I and I walk us to her bedroom.
Peripherally, I remember the tie and chocolate sauce but then the thought is gone.
We tumble to the bed and I try to roll off of Anna but her legs are wrapped around me so tight and her fingers digging into my shoulders that I'm unable to move. She is relentless with her kisses, the thrust of her hips into mine and her hands which travel down my back. She sits up, forcing me to do the same, so that she can pull my shirt off and then she reaches for my jeans.
"Anna?" I say but she ignores me.
My jeans are quickly unzipped and her hand reaches inside to grasp me firmly. That's when all thought disappears from my brain and my muscle memory takes over.
I pull her blouse out of her skirt and rip it open when the buttons take too fucking long. Thank fuck this bra has a front closure so I pull it open too and latch onto one of her nipples. Anna moans and I feel my dick swell. She squeezes instinctively and I bite down on her nipple in response. That causes her to cry out and pull my dick out of my jeans and shorts.
"Hurry" she says in a husky voice. "Hurry Sidney."
I push her so she's lying flat on the bed. She's so fucking hot with her hair in a halo around her head, her blouse and bra open and her nipples tight and standing up. I push up her skirt and lean down to take her other nipple in my mouth. Since she's released my dick, her hands dig into my hair. I continue to suck and worry her nipple between my teeth and Anna cries out, her finger nails dig into my head and her hips thrust up.
Suddenly I have one goal, only one, and I'm urged on by desperation.
I move up to take her lips in quick, hungry bites. Anna surprises me when her teeth dig into my bottom lip. I taste blood but don't give a shit.
My hand gropes down and I rip off her panties. Thankfully I have the presence of mind to pull a condom out of my pocket. In less than two seconds it's on and I'm thrusting inside of her. She cries out, loud, so I immediately stop.
"No, keep going, please" she pleads me.
Her 'please' sounds so desperate and part of my brain tells me to stop but I can't. I'm too far gone.
Her hips meet mine thrust for thrust. She cries out and moans over and over. It's like she's possessed and she pulls me with her. Desperately I try to hold on because she's not ready yet, I can tell. I try to pull away so that I can work her clit and move her closer to her orgasm but she holds me tight with her legs around my hips and her hands now holding my shoulders. I manage to pull back slightly since I am stronger than her but then she grabs my face and pulls my lips an inch from hers.
"Fuck me now" she tells me and her lips latch onto mine.
I lose the last bit of reason and it takes only a few more thrusts before I cum hard, long and with a primal yell.
I fall on top of Anna and it takes me a few moments before I can roll over and lie beside her.
As I rub my hand over my sweaty face, I'm left wondering 'what the fuck was that?'
I pull off the condom, tie the end and put it on the side table to take care of later. Propping myself up on my elbow, I face Anna and am able to take a good look at her. She's still breathing hard and her entire body is flush. Her skirt is bunched around her waist, she's still in her stockings, bra and blouse only the last two are ripped and hanging away from her chest. I know immediately that she didn't cum and I feel guilty. This isn't good.
I run my hand up her thigh, between her legs, and to the junction; but, before I can slide my fingers between her folds, Anna closes her thighs.
"No please" she says and then rolls onto her sigh away from me.
Not a moment ago she wouldn't let me stop and cried out for me to keep going. Now it feels like, it feels like I, I can't even finish the thought. I don't know how.
"Anna" I say softly. "Please tell me what's wrong. Let me help you baby."
She turns over, facing me, and burrows into my chest. I fold her into my arms and pull her with me as I lean onto my back and tuck her into my side. I feel her tears wet my chest.
"I love you Sidney" she whispers and kisses my chest.
Ok, at least that's still true. If it's not about me then what the fuck is going on. Clearly she needs me so I guess it's up to me to figure it out. Just as clearly, it isn't sex that she needs right now no matter what the last fifteen minutes were about.
I push her back gently and slide out of bed.
"Sit up baby" I tell her and she does. Gently, I push her blouse and bra off of her. I kneel in front of her and pull down one stocking and then the other. I can feel myself getting hard watching all of that gorgeous skin being revealed. My focus returns to the task at hand and I ignore the rest. I help her stand and pull her skirt down so that she's naked.
"Get under the covers" I say softly and pull them over her when she's lying down. "I'll be back in a moment."
I go to the bathroom and set about filling the tub for a bath. There's bath oil that I add to the hot water and the room begins to have a lovely fragrance. It smells like my Anna. The water is hot but not unbearable so I return to the bedroom. Anna is sitting up now.
"I'm sorry Sid. God, how many times have I said that to you? How many times have I cried on you? Would you believe that I've only cried once in the last ten years before I met you? Shit, I didn't mean that the way it sounded. Wow, I'm a mess huh?"
"Here's what we're going to do" I tell her. "First, you are going to take a bath and relax. When you're done, come out to the living room, we'll share the rest of the bottle of wine and talk."
She gives me a small smile and nods. I lift her from the bed, carry her to the bedroom and stand her in front of the tub. I help her in until she's lying completely submerged up to her neck.
"Take your time. I'll meet you in the living room" I tell her.
"Ok" she replies. I'm at the door when she calls out "Sid?" I turn. "Thank you."
"Relax in there" I tell her with a smile.
I don't think I every truly understood the word dichotomy until I met this girl. And it's only one of the many reasons that I love her.