you’ll never look at me the same again. Please don’t make me.” My reply only intrigues him further.
For whatever reason my face just doesn’t move that way. I have to focus intently to even close one eye at a time, and when I do, my face constricts very slowly and deliberately, my mouth stretching into a wide O shape. This results in the side of my face scrunching up in a way that resembles bitter beer face, only around the winking eye instead of the mouth. It’s quite alarming for the recipient of the wink, which is why I never pull this particular move out. But Adam is insistent, and I can never resist his charm for long, so when I finally demonstrate my winking skills he watches this chain of events play out over my face.
He bursts out laughing once my right eye finally closes and shrieks, “Good God, Clausen. That’s terrible!”
“I warned you!” I’m laughing uncontrollably now, unable to stop myself.
“Come on, bear, can I get an ‘oh my goodness’?” he asks mid-chuckle. He’s clutching his stomach, eyes sparkling, a huge grin plastered on his face.
“Stop it, Adam! My cheeks hurt from smiling so much.” I playfully push him away, still laughing.
“Do it again!”
“I will not! Before long that’s all you’ll think of when you see me. I don’t want you to stop coming around. Then what will I do?”
I freeze, realizing what I said and how close it borders on the truth, of my terror that he’ll leave for school and that’ll be the end of us. He glances away quickly, averting his eyes, and quietly mumbles, “Well at least we won’t find out today” as he turns and walks away.
When I get to my car after work I see a slip of server paper discretely tucked beneath my windshield wiper. It’s covered in an upright, almost illegible scrawl that could only be from one person. I smile to myself as I read it.
Miss Alexa, if you’re not too busy later, I was thinking maybe, just maybe, I could see you.
I immediately text him two words.
Come over.
I feel like I haven’t seen him in ages, when in all actuality it’s only been a matter of hours. When he arrives at my apartment he’s carrying a DVD. I know instantly what it is and burst out laughing. “Oh no!”
“It's time.” He grins widely and waggles the DVD case at me. “I hope this doesn't make you reconsider your stance on your favorite animal.”
In addition to bringing the DVD, Adam has also replenished our stock of Ben and Jerry’s. He grabs a tub of Strawberry Cheesecake and pops the rest in the freezer, then sets us up to watch the documentary. He reclines into the corner of my narrow couch and I sit between his legs, pressing my back into his chest and tilting my head to kiss him. I drag my fingers up his thighs and feel him chuckle against my mouth.
“I won’t be distracted, Alexa. We’re watching this thing.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I reply innocently, grinding my hips against him.
He smirks at me, his eyes dancing brightly over mine, and shakes his head. “I’m onto you.”
“All right, Westbrook,” I relent, withdrawing my hands with a flourish. “Let’s get it over with. Let’s watch some bears eat somebody. But I really don’t think these bears are representative of the larger population. They’re probably outcast bears. You know, the really mean ones none of the other bears want around,” I say lightheartedly.
He chuckles and whispers into my ear, “Calm down, my bear. I’m sure they aren’t all like this.”
He kisses my cheek lightly and I snuggle back into his chest. We stay wrapped up in each other long after the movie is over, the room lit only by the light of the fish tank. Adam reaches for the remote to my sound bar and begins streaming music from his phone, turning the volume way down. I watch the fish absentmindedly, my head pressed against his chest, feeling him softly stroking my hair. I drink in each tender motion, feeling complete calm, feeling
For whatever reason my face just doesn’t move that way. I have to focus intently to even close one eye at a time, and when I do, my face constricts very slowly and deliberately, my mouth stretching into a wide O shape. This results in the side of my face scrunching up in a way that resembles bitter beer face, only around the winking eye instead of the mouth. It’s quite alarming for the recipient of the wink, which is why I never pull this particular move out. But Adam is insistent, and I can never resist his charm for long, so when I finally demonstrate my winking skills he watches this chain of events play out over my face.
He bursts out laughing once my right eye finally closes and shrieks, “Good God, Clausen. That’s terrible!”
“I warned you!” I’m laughing uncontrollably now, unable to stop myself.
“Come on, bear, can I get an ‘oh my goodness’?” he asks mid-chuckle. He’s clutching his stomach, eyes sparkling, a huge grin plastered on his face.
“Stop it, Adam! My cheeks hurt from smiling so much.” I playfully push him away, still laughing.
“Do it again!”
“I will not! Before long that’s all you’ll think of when you see me. I don’t want you to stop coming around. Then what will I do?”
I freeze, realizing what I said and how close it borders on the truth, of my terror that he’ll leave for school and that’ll be the end of us. He glances away quickly, averting his eyes, and quietly mumbles, “Well at least we won’t find out today” as he turns and walks away.
When I get to my car after work I see a slip of server paper discretely tucked beneath my windshield wiper. It’s covered in an upright, almost illegible scrawl that could only be from one person. I smile to myself as I read it.
Miss Alexa, if you’re not too busy later, I was thinking maybe, just maybe, I could see you.
I immediately text him two words.
Come over.
I feel like I haven’t seen him in ages, when in all actuality it’s only been a matter of hours. When he arrives at my apartment he’s carrying a DVD. I know instantly what it is and burst out laughing. “Oh no!”
“It's time.” He grins widely and waggles the DVD case at me. “I hope this doesn't make you reconsider your stance on your favorite animal.”
In addition to bringing the DVD, Adam has also replenished our stock of Ben and Jerry’s. He grabs a tub of Strawberry Cheesecake and pops the rest in the freezer, then sets us up to watch the documentary. He reclines into the corner of my narrow couch and I sit between his legs, pressing my back into his chest and tilting my head to kiss him. I drag my fingers up his thighs and feel him chuckle against my mouth.
“I won’t be distracted, Alexa. We’re watching this thing.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I reply innocently, grinding my hips against him.
He smirks at me, his eyes dancing brightly over mine, and shakes his head. “I’m onto you.”
“All right, Westbrook,” I relent, withdrawing my hands with a flourish. “Let’s get it over with. Let’s watch some bears eat somebody. But I really don’t think these bears are representative of the larger population. They’re probably outcast bears. You know, the really mean ones none of the other bears want around,” I say lightheartedly.
He chuckles and whispers into my ear, “Calm down, my bear. I’m sure they aren’t all like this.”
He kisses my cheek lightly and I snuggle back into his chest. We stay wrapped up in each other long after the movie is over, the room lit only by the light of the fish tank. Adam reaches for the remote to my sound bar and begins streaming music from his phone, turning the volume way down. I watch the fish absentmindedly, my head pressed against his chest, feeling him softly stroking my hair. I drink in each tender motion, feeling complete calm, feeling
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