She didn't sleep except for a few scarce hours at sunrise. The sexual tension was built up like static electricity, and she wished she could just touch something metal to discharge herself.
She woke to the sun shining in brutally. She finally understood what BW meant by having an East facing window was crap. her white curtains did little to block the sun. She took a picture from bed and sent it to him. "I get why you always want to go to breakfast...who can sleep late with this oppressive sun? And what's with those loud-ass geese?"
"I can hear them too. Maybe it's mating season? Let's get breakfast."
"Okay, but I have to shower first. I had a whole 32 ouncer last night and I'm sure I smell like booze." She replied, leaving out the almost-sex part.
"OMG, the primping. Hurry up!"
She got out of bed and went to the bathroom, taking off her old t-shirt in front of her mirror. Then she saw something large and black on her arm and gasped. Her hand went to the spot, ready to flick away whatever gross bug or whatever it was had landed on her. Her vision focused in and she realized it was a bruise. A bruise almost the size of her palm, more black than purple. She touched it, it didn't hurt. Upon further inspection, she realized it was the size of his mouth. His fingertips were etched in bruises on her other arm, and there were several tiny bruises across her chest.
She hadn't realized how out of hand it had gotten. She had gotten her first sex bruise. She couldn't tell anyone about it...but she was still a little proud.
BW urged her to hurry, so she jumped in the shower and then went through her closet trying to find a half sleeve shirt to cover up her torrid night. Breakfast was fun but uneventful. BW kept marveling in how many bears were in the Black Bear Diner, making her laugh until she cried. She was really going to miss him when he spent a few months in Prague.
She texted KSL asking if he was still coming to help her out that day. He said yes, but at noon. She asked him to meet her at the storage unit.
They hugged, and he followed her into the unit. "So," she started, "I didn't realize how intense we got last night."
"Oh?" He said, his eyebrow raising in interest. She pushed up her sleeve to show him the bruise. His eyes widened in....fear? Was it fear? It certainly seemed it. She realized with his history of violence, he was most likely going to worry about hurting her. She assured him that it was really impressive, and she was glad she didn't have anyone to really answer to that day. She saw his wall go up. She never should have told him about it.
They packed random stuff in the car and headed to the front of her building where they were unpacking into grocery carts. BFF drove by in her car, rolled down the window as she passed and whooped at them. "Bitch." KSL mumbled under his breath.
Despite the wall being up and him being extremely reserved, he was very helpful. He made dinner and put away all the groceries, ran all around town with her, went on an adventure for a pizza cutter, but was still very silent (for him) the whole day. There was little to no eye contact, and he was always looking at his phone. Like he was just fulfilling an obligation. While they were in line he again said he was proud of her decision. "At least you aren't going through this alone."
"....aren't I?" She asked. His look was very hurt, and she suddenly realized that he had meant he was there for her. As a friend. She apologized, but another foot had already gone up on his wall. She was pushing him away without even knowing she was doing it. Why?
Because he had a girlfriend. That's why they hadn't had sex the last night too. She couldn't bring herself to fully be the other women. She realized she was splitting hairs on the cheating thing at this point, but she just didn't feel right about it. Part of her really wanted to drop it and just have fun with him.
He noticed she was changed by his mood, and had become more reserved. He pulled her aux cord in her car and started blasting music that would cheer her up, loud music. It was classic KSL while in the car, he gave her lots of sideways glances to check her mood. He commented on her smile as certain things amused her. He made fun of her driving. "I'm glad I've always made you drive before. Let's go back to that." She said.
After setting up a few things in the studio, he suddenly said he had to go. "But we haven't had time to over-talk about last night." She joked to him.
"No, that's good." He said rather coldly and with finality. "I'll call you tomorrow."
She didn't walk him to the elevator, instead closing and locking the door behind him.
