FICTION: Time Slip 1x2
1x2, romance, just a little angst.
EXCERPT:
"Hi there, gorgeous," he said.
I blinked hard. I looked down at myself -- at the edge of my braid hanging tangled over my shoulder, at my "Joe Internet" T-shirt with an ingrained tomato sauce stain on the hem, hanging over a rather old pair of brightly checkered boxers. To say nothing of my Disney sleep socks, which thankfully were hidden under the sheets. "Um...hi."
His eyes narrowed, though he was still smiling. "What's up? I know I'm late, but I couldn't call you." For a moment, he looked puzzled. "I can't recall the reason. Anyway, I'm sorry."
I just stared. I was waiting for the Twilight Zone theme to stop playing in my head. "Um. It's okay."
"Are you sure?" He rubbed a hand across his eyes and peered around the room. "I'm not sure what time it is, I'm afraid. Did I wake you?"
I shook my head. This was bizarre but no point in antagonizing him further.
"Good." He looked reassured. "We both need our sleep, there's a long week ahead. There's such a lot to get ready for the Sherrringham presentation. Much as I like you bringing me a morning cup of blackberry cinnamon tea, I'd better pass on it tomorrow. Need to get in early to the office." He must have noticed my mouth hanging open because he frowned and took a step towards me. "Duo? Is something else wrong?"
I shook my head again. Felt like one of those dogs on the back shelf of a car. "No. No problem. Um..." Inspired conversationalist, that's me. "'Night then."
He smiled again. "Good night."
And he came right over to the bed and put his hand on the coverlet, as if to turn it down. On the other side of the bed. The empty side. The one beside me.
I think I may have yelped because his head jerked back up. I know I pulled the sheet up to my chest like some virginal heroine in a romance novel.
"There is something wrong." He looked concerned now. "Are you really annoyed?" He kept his hand on the sheet but he didn't move any nearer. An expression of confusion flickered across his handsome face. "I don't understand."
You and me both. I could smell cologne; the fresh laundered scent of his clothes. "Look. It's just." That conversational finesse of mine was way gone by now. I sighed, trying to calm my fast beating heart. "I don't know what you're doing here."
This time, the expression on his face wasn't confusion but distress. The dark eyes widened and his face flushed as if something had hurt him. As if I had, I suppose.
"I mean..." What did I mean? "I wasn't expecting you. Tonight. Here."
The change of phrase seemed easier for him to accept. He let go of the sheet and took a small step back, his puzzlement returning. "I can tell. I know what's happening here."
"Do you?" I blurted out.
****
Come and read the whole of the story at my WEBSITE
or at Moments of Rapture where there are MANY fabulous stories to read from Sharon's 2010 Contest Archive :).
HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone!
♥
EXCERPT:
"Hi there, gorgeous," he said.
I blinked hard. I looked down at myself -- at the edge of my braid hanging tangled over my shoulder, at my "Joe Internet" T-shirt with an ingrained tomato sauce stain on the hem, hanging over a rather old pair of brightly checkered boxers. To say nothing of my Disney sleep socks, which thankfully were hidden under the sheets. "Um...hi."
His eyes narrowed, though he was still smiling. "What's up? I know I'm late, but I couldn't call you." For a moment, he looked puzzled. "I can't recall the reason. Anyway, I'm sorry."
I just stared. I was waiting for the Twilight Zone theme to stop playing in my head. "Um. It's okay."
"Are you sure?" He rubbed a hand across his eyes and peered around the room. "I'm not sure what time it is, I'm afraid. Did I wake you?"
I shook my head. This was bizarre but no point in antagonizing him further.
"Good." He looked reassured. "We both need our sleep, there's a long week ahead. There's such a lot to get ready for the Sherrringham presentation. Much as I like you bringing me a morning cup of blackberry cinnamon tea, I'd better pass on it tomorrow. Need to get in early to the office." He must have noticed my mouth hanging open because he frowned and took a step towards me. "Duo? Is something else wrong?"
I shook my head again. Felt like one of those dogs on the back shelf of a car. "No. No problem. Um..." Inspired conversationalist, that's me. "'Night then."
He smiled again. "Good night."
And he came right over to the bed and put his hand on the coverlet, as if to turn it down. On the other side of the bed. The empty side. The one beside me.
I think I may have yelped because his head jerked back up. I know I pulled the sheet up to my chest like some virginal heroine in a romance novel.
"There is something wrong." He looked concerned now. "Are you really annoyed?" He kept his hand on the sheet but he didn't move any nearer. An expression of confusion flickered across his handsome face. "I don't understand."
You and me both. I could smell cologne; the fresh laundered scent of his clothes. "Look. It's just." That conversational finesse of mine was way gone by now. I sighed, trying to calm my fast beating heart. "I don't know what you're doing here."
This time, the expression on his face wasn't confusion but distress. The dark eyes widened and his face flushed as if something had hurt him. As if I had, I suppose.
"I mean..." What did I mean? "I wasn't expecting you. Tonight. Here."
The change of phrase seemed easier for him to accept. He let go of the sheet and took a small step back, his puzzlement returning. "I can tell. I know what's happening here."
"Do you?" I blurted out.
****
Come and read the whole of the story at my WEBSITE
or at Moments of Rapture where there are MANY fabulous stories to read from Sharon's 2010 Contest Archive :).
HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone!
♥