I stayed in the salt bath until my fingertips turned as wrinkly as a prune. Draining some of the lukewarm water, I added hot until it made my skin tingle. Heat seeped into my muscles. Eased the tension. With a gentle sigh I placed my tablet on the side table and watched three episodes of Anne with an E. 

Afterward I washed my body clean until the soapy mixture turned the water light gray. In the background Emily role-played her roguish character with perfect ease. Detailing all of her kills. Laughing and joking with the guys. 

Socializing came so easily to her. Fit her like a leather glove.

Once the game had ended, I drained the bathwater and combed through the tangles in my long, dark hair. Almost immediately it began to spring up in gentle waves. 

I didn't bother drying it. Letting it happen naturally kept the curls intact.

"Hey, you didn't eat any dinner," said Emily after I'd finished getting ready for bed. "You all right?"

"Yep, just a bit tired." Before closing my door, I called out, "Night, Em!"

"Night-night, Vee."

Sinking under the covers, I missed Neil. His comforting voice. His presence. Ending the day with him felt so right. Unlike it had with anyone else in my whole life.

I grabbed my phone and texted him.  

Me: Hey 

Me: Are you still awake?  😊

Neil: Yes, have a nice bath? 😇

I couldn't explain why, but that question gave my stomach butterflies.

Me: yes it was so relaxing 

Me: Did you enjoy your game?

Neil: yes it was fun

Neil: missed you though 😊

My stomach performed a world-class series of hooble-de-flips.

Neil: what did you do?

Me: watched Anne with an E

Me: I know...bad girl I should have read a book 😈

Neil: Netflix is simply a different medium

Neil: Neither better nor worse than reading

Neil: Sure reading might use your imagination more

Neil: but sometimes the story is more important

Neil: than how you piece together the details

Me: Exactly

Me: I was watching the episode late in season 2

Me: when Anne puts on a veil

Me: play acting getting married you know?

Neil: I haven't watched it but I can imagine yes

Me: and she says her vows

Me: to no one in particular

Me: just to the person who will one day be her partner

Neil: what vows?

Me: Absolutely lovely

Me: I swear if I ever made my own, I would say similar

Me: 

I take you,
Matched to my intellect
Proponent of my happiness
Friend of my heart
To be my life mate
Let us dance as equal partners
Through the years

Neil: spot on 😀

Me: it is, isn't it?

Me: that's what it is to be together

Me: with the person who's right for you

Me: only I wouldn't make it so focused on me, I guess

Me: like both of you together

Me: but Anne is only a teenager...

Neil: Do you see a lot of yourself in Anne?

Me: Yes. Her personality at least. 

Me: she fights for what she believes is right

Me: believes in fairness

Me: loves writing and stories and play acting

Me: feels connected to nature

Me: gets frustrated when dealing with others

Me: wants to be liked but finds it hard

Me: struggles with her past

Neil: I can see the strong resemblance 🐈

Me: yes, I can relate to Anne as a character

Me: What about you?

Neil: I admire Anne. I'm not the same. 

Neil: Compatible, yes.

Neil: But different. More logical. 

Neil: Less based on feelings and values

Neil: I do love her vivid imagination and good nature

Me: You're Gilbert? 😉

Neil: More Gilbert than Anne, perhaps? 🐧

Me: I miss you too 🤗

Neil: Do you want to talk? 

Me: yeah

Me: but I'm in bed

Me: is that all right?

He went silent for a couple of minutes, and my heart leaped into my throat. Oh no, was I too direct?

Neil: I'm rather tired too

Oh, no! I did go too far! You stupid, foolish idiot!

Just before I was able to hit enter with a contrite message, he added:

Neil: Do you mind if I rest in bed as well?

My heart thudded against my ribs. I exhaled a deep breath.

Me: not at all

That could be misconstrued. 

Me: go ahead

Breathing had become difficult all of a sudden. My hands turned clammy. I brought the sheets up to my chin even though I was wearing a lace cami to bed that covered everything. But I felt oddly exposed. Perhaps because I dared to lay in bed in front of him. 

When my Skype rang on the laptop, I almost declined like a fool. But I accepted at the last second. 

Unlike me, Neil rested fully clothed on top of the bed. Conservative as can be. Dressed in a beige Mount Lafayette T-shirt and brown chinos.

Oh, no! Ahhhhhh!

I scurried under the covers. "Sorry, I'll put on a robe."

"You don't have to." He rushed to add, "I mean, I'm happy if you are..."

"I feel strange being all ready for bed when you aren't," I admitted.

Neil hesitated. "If you like, I can get ready for bed, too--"

"Yeah."

"Yeah?" Neil gave a bashful smile. "I didn't want to assume anything."

My face turned beet red. "Yeah, if it's all right with you."

"Yeah, sure."

Wow, we really are a pair of awkward nerds.

It took Neil all of two minutes to turn the camera aside, get undressed, and hop into bed. When he turned it back toward him, only his slender shoulders were visible above the covers, which he'd pulled up to cover everything as well. Collarbones prominent. The tips of his shoulders more angular than buff.

My cheeks felt like someone had set them on fire. We'd already had about half a dozen online dates playing games of all kinds. Stardew Valley. The Lord of the Rings card game. 

But not these ones. 

"Hey," he whispered. 

"Hey..." I chuckled and turned away from the camera. "Well, if I'm not used to online dating, I'm definitely not used to this."

"We don't have to if you don't feel comfortable."

"I haven't ever tried it before, so I don't know what to think," I said honestly.

"We don't have to...do...anything," said Neil. "If you want, we can position the cameras so that it looks like we're facing each other in bed and keep talking."

"Is that all right?"

"Of course it is."

Laying on my left-hand side, I placed the laptop on my nightstand and had it angled down on me. When he did the same and tucked an arm under his head, it looked like we were facing each other in bed. A purely intimate moment. At least for me. 

Neil had the most indescribably tender look on his face. One that made my heart swell with happiness. And a bit of pride.

"Is this all right?" I asked softly. 

"Yes, perfect."

We gazed at one another in silence before I broke the spell. "What are you thinking about?"

"Ten things at once."

"Tell me?"

When Neil smiled, it lit his whole face, including his eyes. "I'll tell you one."

My blood rushed in my ears. I nodded. 

"If you were here...," he began before trailing off. 

"Yes..."

"I would pull you close and wrap my arms around you," he whispered.

My heart almost burst in my chest. The feeling was so intense that I couldn't help the gentle squee that fell from my lips. "I'd like that."

"Would you like me to read to you again?"

"Yes!"

"The next chapter of The Hobbit?" he suggested.

I nodded. "Is it okay if I close my eyes and imagine your arms wrapped around me?"

He agreed. Filling my daydreams with wondrous fantasies, Neil read to me until I fell asleep.

___

Word count: 1,234
Total word count: 22,568/40,000 (max)