023: Still here

She pulled the curtain back  further.

Kell caught the movement and glanced up. He immediately jumped off the tramp and sauntered over to kneel in front of her window, which was semi-below ground level. She opened the window. He put his fingers to the screen and cupped them so he could see inside.

"I've got to go, Melia." She clicked off with her sister, feeling her heart race at Kell's continued interest in her.

"Hi." She offered softly, a little shyly, suddenly remembering that she very much wanted to spend another day with him, but hoping her presence wasn't imposing too much. Did he feel obligated to take her now?

"Come, come, come. I have clothes for you." He indicated the plastic bag beside the trampoline. Maille's eyes shot to his own attire, knowing his penchant for dressing her however he was dressed. She grimaced. He was wearing tie-dye baggy T-shirt pants and a long dark green men's blouse, not tucked in, with a macramé belt, and a flashy scarf around his neck. He had on white sneakers with no socks as well. Maille always wore socks.

He watched her check out his clothing and then smiled at her with a challenging grin, flashingthose white teeth as he did, knowing her thoughts.

"Okay." She dropped the curtain and with a sigh she went upstairs and opened the back door, he was already standing there with the bag which he kept hold of as he walked past her. For some reason, Maille had not anticipated letting him in. When he walked past her, she felt a queer sensation.

He was on her turf now. It was revealing, in a way she'd never thought of. She screwed up her lips behind his back as she watched him take in the dining area with its light green carpet, its oak table and chairs and hutch filled with crystal and china. He roved lazily over the family room, hardwood floors, marble fireplace, and cream and green Indian print sofas. The floor to ceiling windows drew his attention and he went to stare up at the vast ski resort.

"I'll just go and change." She said and he jerked around to see her standing at the head of the stairs. He bounded over to her and took her hand.

 "Okay." He said, as if ready to be led to her room now. Maille froze, remembering her thoughts about letting him see her room. Suddenly it was too private, and she was queasily aware that he would judge her by her room.

"Why don't you just wait here?" she said trying to take the bag from him.

He gave her one of those very knowing looks and then pulled her down the stairs. Her room was the first at the foot . The door was open. Maille chewed her lip. She tried to pull away or pull him back. Kell gave her another look and then pushed open the door. But he didn't enter. He pulled her through and let her stand there. She cocked her head and raised her eyebrows.

"What?"

"I won't enter your room with you in it." He said.

She hadn't even thought of that this morning. Embarrassed, she turned around. He caught her by the braids and pulled her back to face him. "Unless you don't mind."

She shrugged. Nothing had happened last night and they'd even been in the shower together. How much more intimate could you get? What would be so wrong with him waiting for her here in the room?

She looked at the table and chairs, the easy chair and TV. She could lock the bathroom door while she showered and changed. She actually found that she minded more him seeing her room.

Kell watched her overcome her natural inhibitions in the face of experience and logic and was pleased. He didn't want to change who she was, but help her see other possibilities.

Maille nodded and Kell immediately strode past her to stand in the center of the room, taking in the brown quilt, the plain tan curtains, the familiar plaid chair. He turned and surveyed her domain with a practiced eye.

"Go, go, go!" He waved a dismissive hand at her, and Maille realized she'd been holding her breath thinking he would make some derogatory comment, though he never had before. She scuttled into the bathroom and locked the door and a second later she reopened the same door and Kell was there, holding out the bag.

How he anticipated her!

She returned to the bathroom and locked the door.

When she came out moments later drying her hair carefully with a brown towel, and clashing miserably with the plain room, she found Kell sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of the TV, the small stand was open and all her DVD's and videos were out on the ground. Embarrassment flooded her. What would he think of her small collection? Mostly Disney 's, and a few chick flicks. She hadn't bought a DVD in ages.

He had made two piles and was reading the back of a movie. He looked up at her, his goatee swinging, his dark eyes alight with amusement. Maille smiled lopsidedly. "Well.. .." She winced.

He held up "10 Things I hate about you", and Maille shrugged helplessly.

Then he grabbed four other films and she knew to what he was referring. "So, I had a crush on Heath Ledger." She said with a laugh. He studied her seriously.

Then he quirked his lips to the side and picked up a Disney. "So did I."

Maille winced. It was almost easy to forget...

She came over to the easy chair and sat down... "That's my favorite." She indicated the one he had in his hand. He leaned against her knees and his brows rose at her provocatively. He waggled the disk case in front of her.

"I brought cereal." He said as if the movie and the cereal were somehow related. And for a split second Maille laughed inwardly ... they sort of were... and maybe he had the same thought?

He did.

He pulled the box of cocoa puffs out from behind his back and with a gleam in his eye, opened it. Maille pictured the little girl in Monster's Inc. She could see the monster, Sully, throwing cocoa puffs at the little girl and she was catching them in her mouth. It was one of her favorite parts of her favorite show. Kell reached into the box and took out a handful and let it drop into her cupped fingers. He popped one in his mouth and then scooted back and tossed one in the air and caught it in his mouth.

Maille plucked a puff and flicked it at him. Kell had to bend a bit, but he caught it. Maille laughed in delight.

"They are brown." He said. "Match your room."

Maille's eyes flashed and she flicked several at the same time. He caught one, and the others ground into the carpet. He flicked one at her, and she ducked to catch it and missed. He tried again, and again, but she was hopeless and knew it. After ten minutes failure, Kell grabbed her, tackled her to the floor and shoved a whole bunch into her upturned mouth. Maille tried to spit them back out, but Kell shoved her mouth closed, pinned her down. She squirmed and kicked, but he was on her and still trying to make her chew. Maille was laughing so hard, she almost choked.

Kell pinched her cheeks together till she opened her mouth and then popped another cocoa puff inside.

"Eat your breakfast little fishy." He said, closing her mouth over the top. Maille spit the puff back out and it hit his eye and then landed on her neck.

Kell then did the grossest thing, he actually bent and sucked up the cocoa puff that she'd spit at him and ate it. Maille made a face and pretended to gag.

*****