"Chloe, wake up!"

Hm. I stir slightly, refusing to open my eyes, half-wondering who's calling me. For a moment there, I can't remember what happened last night. Where did I go?

I can distinctly smell the fragrant scent blueberry waffles. Mhmm...I wouldn't mind a taste of that....Since when did Mum learn how to cook?

Hang on. This doesn't seem right.

Nobody I knows has a decent breakfast. Mum doesn't eat at all to maintain her slim figure while Evelyn eats healthy organic food which tastes like grass. So who's cooking in my kitchen? I don't have a waffle machine....

"Shit!" I bolt up right, my eyes flashing open.

Standing right in front of my bed is Ed. He looks amused and I notice he has a fresh grey T-shirt and pants on.

"Woken up yet?" he asks.

I look down at my body and gasps. I'm naked! I quickly pull the bedsheets over my bare form and asks, "What happened last night?"

"You don't remember?" He sounds disappointed.

"I've delayed reaction in the morning until I've some decent coffee," I snap.

"Fair enough," he laughs. "We had sex. It's as simple as that. And you agreed to be my girlfriend," he says this truimphantly and his entire face glows with happiness.

Okay. I need to handle this rationally.

"We used protection, right?" I ask.

"Yes." His face changes. "Did you regret it?" he asks softly.

"No!" I laugh. It's unimaginable that I will ever regret that. Now that I'm slightly clear-headed, I remember last night's events perfectly. The sex was completely mind-blowing and I think we broke the orgasmic record. Of course, sex is just the added benefit. I mean, we've all heard how guys reveal the basic nature in bed right? I just have to say, Ed is the most gentlemanly and caring guy ever- in all situations.

"I'm just afraid that you used me for sex and just walked away," I say soberly. Admit it, this happens. I hate all those girls that go, "Why did he dump me after we had sex?" Honestly, all guys are horny and I'm not afraid to admit that I've this insecurity too. Mum used to say that guys date girls only for one thing and I'm still afraid that she might be right.

"I won't." He sits next to me on the bed and kisses me lightly on the forehead. "I love you, Chloe."

"Ok."

This is a pretty strange situation to be in. I have never had guys confessing to me that they "love" me. How am I supposed to react? Obviously I feel the same way for him but is it weird to just say "Thank-you"?

"So do you want breakfast?" he lightens up.

"Yes! Erm, firstly, I've to get changed." I flush, highly aware that I'm not wearing any clothes.

Ed chuckles. "Don't be embarrassed, Chloe. I have seen it all. Besides, you're beautiful just the way you are." He leans in to kiss me once more before walking out of the room.

I rummage under the bed and found a T-shirt and shorts. They might have been there for months but they smell great. Putting them on, I stalk towards the kitchen where a full-fledged breakfast awaits me.

"Wow. You know how to cook?" I gape at the sight.

Two plates soft, blueberry waffles with maple syrup alongside with fresh coffee are placed on the table. I know Ed's cool and all, but how does he know how to cook?

"I took culinary lessons in high school." He shrugs. "Though I can't cook Italian to save my life."

Italian? I can't even cook cup noodles to save my life. I slice a piece of waffle and pop it into my mouth. Ah, bliss. It's so soft and tender.

"You like it?" he asks.

"Yes!" I giggle.

Ed smiles and says, "If you like, I can cook waffles for you everyday."

"Every day? But...it's too troublesome."

"I'm an early riser. I can come over every morning," he replies. "Or better yet. You can move in with me."

I pause, holding my fork in mid-air. Wow, this is..a big step. I don't have commitment issues but then again, I haven't had a relationship in years. Ok, I might have a little problem having to co-exist with someone in the same house. Look at Ed. He's probably neat and meticulous and arranges his briefs according to colour. I just throw my clothes everywhere and I don't wash them save fornightly. Can we live together? But of course I don't tell him that. He will go all pompous and say, "I'll sacrifice everything for you." I don't want to give him trouble.

"Erm, let's way and see how this progress, ok?" I say uncertainly. His face contorts in disappointment but it soon clears up.

"We need to hurry a bit. We're going to be late for work."

"Yes sir." I stuff all the waffles into my mouth quickly while Ed slices all of them into small little pieces and chews them slowly. I suppose he has the time. He's the boss after all. I quickly go to my wardrobe, pulls out some fresh underwear and a new blouse and skirt before dashing to the bathroom.

I run the water and sit in the bathtub, relaxing. It's a guilty pleasure of mine. No matter how late I am, I l need to have a good bath.

The doorbell goes off and I frown. Did Evelyn run into an emergency? Maybe it's her being all emotional regarding her unborn baby.

"Get that, Ed!" I shout. I don't think Evelyn would freak out and all if she sees Ed. She will just squeal and hug me in delight. It's as if she's been waiting for me to get laid. She would have been proud.

"Who on earth are you, young man?" I hear a feminine, screechy voice outside.

SHIT. SHIT. SHIT.

It's MUM.

"Chloe, where are you?" she shouts.

"Coming." There's no time to lose. I need to get out there before Mum stabs Ed. I grab a towel, wrap it around me and rush out of the bathroom into the living room.

"Chloe," Ed says in a straggled voice. I turn to face him. Did he get throttled by Mum? Why does he sound so weird? And then I realise why. His eyes are gazing at me appreciately. My towel is a bit on the short side so my bare legs and shoulders are revealed. Oh, Ed. You're human after all.

"Chloe Manson! What is the meaning of this?" Mum shouts, shaking me. "Why are you appearing naked in front of this man?"

Ok, let me explain. I know a lot of you out there probably thinks that Mum would have been delighted and all to see me have sex with a man. She doesn't admit this herself but she's a conservative at heart. Although she wants me to get married, she doesn't believe in pre-marital sex because she's secretly scared that I will get knocked up like her and abandoned by a guy. So...she's pretty humane after all in a scary sort of way. It's really the only reason why I've been tolerating her my entire life.

"I...This is Ed, Mum, Ed Hardy," I croak out. The last time she caught me in bed with a guy was when I was nineteen. She grounded me for a year, literally. Of course, I'm an adult now but she can still do pretty scary things, like command The Old Ladies Association (of which she is a senior member) to torture me with talk about their married children.

"Ed? As in Mr Ed Hardy? The blind date guy?" Mum asks in confusion. Her face lights up and she shakes his hand. "Nice to meet you, Ed. Have you been getting along well with my daughter?"

Has she forgotten that I'm standing here, almost naked in my birthday suit?

"Yes," Ed replies in the low, serious voice he has. "She has agreed to be my girlfriend." He smiles.

"Have you been intimate with her?" Mum asks seriously. I slap my forehead. Only Mum will ask my boyfriend directly. She doesn't tread on the SEX topic cautiously at all.

"Yes, just last night."

"Did you use protection?"

"Yes. Chloe reminded me repeatedly to," Ed laughs and I wince. I distinctly remember last night's scenario. Ed was all in a hurry to do the act but I kept screaming, "Put the condom on first!" Swell, everything seems more embarrassing now that I replay it in my head.

"If you knock her up, you will have to marry her. If not, I'm suing you," Mum threatens. I can see the fear in her eyes. She doesn't want the same thing to happen to me. I've never told anyone this but she almost gave me to the Social Services because she was pregnant with me, unemployed and kicked out of her parents' house

"Yes, m'am. Rest assure that I will be responsible for her. I love her." Ed's face softens.

Mum seems thrown. Even she can see the Ed's sincerity. "Well, I'm glad that things have worked out. I must get going," she mutters.

Before she goes, I hug her- almost unexpectedly- and murmur by her ear, "Thank-you for not going ballastic in front of Ed."

"I'll kill you if you show up at my doorsteps pregnant and unwed," she grunts. Good old Mum.

I close the door and sigh. That went pretty well.

"Your Mum seems nice," Ed comments.

"That's funny," I snort. Ed coughs.

He can't seem to take his eyes off me. I smile flirtatiously. "What's wrong, Ed?"

His eyes glint with amusement. "I think we're going to be really late for work," he says huskily.

"Why?" I ask mischievously but I already know the answer.

"Because I'm going to do this." He leans over and whips off my towel before kissing me, causing me to swoon.