Ross actually chuckled softly, and sweet potatoes, the sound was like angels singing. It was rich and deep and a little dark and did things to places that Teela wasn’t even quite sure she knew existed to have things done to them.
“You’re right. I thought it was going to be a walk in the park, given that I used to live here. It’s kind of my hometown. I thought it would be like coming back after a real long time away. That people would welcome me with open arms kind of a deal.”
“It sounds like they did, for the most part,” Teela admitted. “It was just me. And I didn’t know you grew up here, so you’ll have to excuse my bad manners. I could blame it on the pregnancy hormones, but that wouldn’t even be true. Everything I said and did had nothing to do with being pregnant.”
Ross slowly nodded. His eyes grazed her body and her already flushed skin heated up another ten thousand degrees. She was glad that her robe hid the way her nipples suddenly went hard as rocks and the spot at the juncture of her thighs tingled. Even if it wasn’t like Ross could actually see that. The robe was too hot, and it was slightly damp after her puke/sweat fest but she was glad for the barrier it created between them.
“I’ll head back to the living room then. If you’re okay, we can keep talking. If not, I can go…”
“I- no. I’m okay. Once I get it out of the way, I feel a lot better.”
Ross gave her another sympathetic look that she didn’t quite know how to decode and disappeared out of the doorway. His soft steps sounded down the hall.
Teela turned on the tap and splashed cold water against her overheated skin. It felt good but she couldn’t quite reach the strange warmth that was seated far too close to the mushy part of herself that she’d never been able to fully turn off.
In her previous relationships, she was always the one giving. Her exes were too selfish to realize that she even had needs half the time. If she went on vacation, it was to a spot of their choosing. If she went out for dinner, it was to a place they liked. If she moved in, she had to work around their space, which usually meant bringing or buying a dresser because they weren’t going to make room in the closet for her crap. She used to be an optimist, but the previous years had ground her down.
Teela doubted there were nice guys out there that were still single. She seemed to have a bullshit magnet that attracted only the worst kind of men. Everyone had their breaking point and hers came two years ago. When she got tired of being stepped all over and used and ground down. She’d been single since then and with the big 30 rapidly approaching, she’d one night, after a few too many drinks with Amy, mentioned that she was perfectly fine with being single the rest of her life. Amy asked about kids and one thing led to another and she’d come up with the idea of single parenthood. Something Amy knew all about, given where she worked.
And bam. The night the power went out and Amy came over bearing stolen sperm and syringes kind of just happened.
Then Ross.
Now, suddenly, despite everything, she wasn’t actually looking at raising her child alone. She wasn’t sure if that terrified her more or less. And the fact that it was Ross Day. Who might not actually be such a self-centered prick after all. He might actually be kind of nice underneath all those protective layers. Layers she was far too familiar with herself.
After a thorough teeth brushing that made her feel almost human again, Teela wondered back to the living room. Her condo was small, but Ross wasn’t where she expected him to be. She glanced around, wondering if he’d decided that leaving was the better option after all but a shrill whistle from the kitchen signaled that maybe he was still there. Or maybe her kettle needed an exorcism.
She actually smiled at the absurd thought. It had been a long time since she’d laughed about anything silly or stupid and it felt good. Too good.
Teela found Ross bent over two mugs. He poured steaming water into them. He turned when she shuffled in.
“I heard mint was good for a sore stomach. That and ginger, but I couldn’t find anything in here.”
“I hate ginger.” Teela glanced at the steaming mug where the little white tab draped over the edge, and the glorious smell drifting her way, declared that Ross had indeed found the mint tea bags. “Thanks though. I usually do drink a few cups of mint tea at night and it seems to help. I didn’t tonight. Maybe that’s why…”