Robert would have a ball making fun of her! Joe had come up beside her with the wine bottle. “I think it’s better not to tell anyone,” he said and leaned in a bit, his voice dropping to a whisper. “You and I eating together, that’s real bad…” “Shut up or you’ll really leave without any food!” she
“Yeah, it’s been there for four generations. I saw his father only once, and his grandma… VIP, high society kind of people. I think there’s even some aristocratic streak in there as well. At least that’s what Richard let slip once…” Joe laughed. “Hence his regal behavior. Still, can’t picture him i
Poking around in her noodles, D registered that apparently he had told Jack. Across from her, Joe straightened up and she could feel him look at her. She glanced over at him and found him giving her a crooked smile. “So, it’s all a bit of a mess right now.” He shrugged. “But you’re hardly the right
D swallowed, feeling as if someone had just knocked the air out of her. Petrified she stared down on her plate. This dinner had just gone very, very wrong. Across from her, Joe resumed eating. She didn’t dare to look at him, but from the corner of her eye she could see him finish the last bit of hi
The abruptness of her movement in combination with the look she gave him, made him take a step back reflexively and just place the dishes on the counter. Raising his hands in surrender, he backed up and got out of her way. Her hands shaking, D grabbed the salad bowl that still had some salad inside
“Okay,” he said as he opened the fridge, “now that we have survived the real uncomfortable part, let’s have some tiramisu!” Even though she had heard what he had said, it took D a moment to grasp that – unexpectedly – he hadn’t informed her that he was going to leave. It was so unexpected in fact,
“I don’t know…” Joe said calmly, “maybe I’m even glad it still bugs you.” Her eyes darted up at him. He was running the very tips of his fork over the thick layer of cacao on his tiramisu, creating some wavy lines. “And about your question, how long I’m staying,” he said, picking up the conversat
“He has followed his real calling as he calls it.” With her fingers she was indicating quotation marks. “He’s making jam!” Joe burst out as if he was a competitor in a TV quiz show. “Almost,” D laughed. “He started a catering business. Works with two other guys and a young woman. And Mom is helpin
“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