D had so far kept her eyes on the bread. Now her eyes darted up at him, and she had it on her tongue to tell him to stop calling her that. It just stung to hear him say it. “Medium, right?” he asked. It was a normal harmless question, friendly even. Nothing wrong with it! She should have just said
From the grill behind her she could hear Joe announce that the steaks were done as well. The metal lid of the grill was closed and she could hear his footsteps approach on the gravel path. To distract herself and ideally seem calm, she reached for a piece of bread and started buttering it. The foo
“Well, sounds like you’re happy!” Gerry said from across the table. Tony nodded, looking embarrassed. “Yeah, after getting over the initial shock and after behaving like a jerk… It’s exhausting, but at the same time it’s so exciting and rewarding. I can actually recommend it now. In case you’re con
D was about to comment and totally agree with Tony when Sun’s exaggerated giggling from the other end of the table distracted her. A quick glance over there showed that Sun was not just giggling in a somewhat silly way, she was also snuggling up to Joe, her hand on his shoulder and her face close t
She decided to take the silverware in her two hands and carry it in like that. She had reached the patio door when Jack called after her. “Hey D…” She came to a halt in the patio door and turned around. “Could you bring a few toothpicks when you come back?” Jack asked. Still looking at him, she
In the kitchen Anja was putting two ice cream containers and some cookies on a tray. She looked up and smiled as D came in. D smiled back, trying hard to conceal her ruffled emotional state. “Too bad Sarah couldn’t get the evening off,” Anja said while D put the silverware into the dishwasher. “It
With Joe gone, it almost seemed as if it were easier to breathe. Definitely easier to concentrate. She told Anja about another great restaurant - a pretty place with outstanding food. (Pete and she had had a fight on the way there. He had suggested again that she should just quit her job, move to h
Through the side mirror D could see Jack come out of the house again a few minutes later. With Joe, who was just pulling a sweater on as he was approaching the car. D growled to herself. How much bad luck could she possibly have in one single day? The trunk of the car was being opened and being sh
“Let’s try,” she whispered and moved her hand down to his stomach.“Okay,” he put his hand back ontop of hers and slid his fingers between hers.It took only minutes until her breathing slowed down and a slight twitching of her hand told him that she was asleep again.Listening to her breathing and
Joe woke up around three, feeling really thirsty.It took him a second to grasp where he was (not in the cabin anymore) and that he was not alone.The realization caused a flash of excitement.D was sleeping far on her side of the bed.He remembered how she had always used to do that. No matter how
He was going for a mind-sweeping kiss here – one that would swipe her mind of any reservations there might still be. Even if, right now, she didn’t seem very reserved anyway. But he’d rather be absolutely sure…His own reservations were all gone by now. And having her so close just confirmed that ke
Three minutes later Joe returned, a chocolate bar in his left hand and a glass of milk in his right.“I see chocolate,” D chirped with a greedy grin. She had sat up and was leaning against the headboard. “Come here…” Like a lazy princess she waved for him to come over.Stopping at his desk, Joe set
“I don’t wanna mess this up…” he said, his gaze on the bedcover beside her head, his hand tracing one of the lines in the pattern.“Didn’t exactly feel like you were in the process of messing things up,” she said softly and reached out to touch his face.“You don’t think so, huh?” He leaned into her
Joe pushed himself away from the windowsill.“Guess I’ve really earned a jerk medal,” he contemplated as he stepped around the bed to her. “I’m sorry I didn’t pick up.”“Mhmm,” D growled, trying hard to unwaveringly hold his gaze as he came closer. “And you’re hopefully also sorry that you didn’t ca
He shrugged and kept glaring out the window. This had become kind of a habit - turning his back on people and staring into space. It was a bad habit he had developed thanks to Liz. It just helped him focus or stay composed, and it made it easier to get through situations he would rather avoid altoge
What she had before her, was part of the job ads from Saturday’s paper. One of the ads had her company’s swan logo on it. It was the ad for one of the jobs in London.Joe had gotten up from the bed again and returned to his desk. He pulled out the chair and sat down on it backwards so he was facing
D was rising from the bed with the intention to follow him. Only that she was momentarily strangely overwhelmed by something. Something indefinable that affected her more deeply than anything had in a long time.When it only got worse once she stepped out on the landing, a moist wave from the bathro