I Swear It: Herophine

Chapter 26

I went home with the biggest fucking smile on my face that night and I was still wearing that smile days later. We were texting nearly everyday, Jo would even call me on her drive home from work as I was getting ready to drive in to tell me about her night and I found myself wishing I had a longer commute. Things were good, we were good, not where I wanted us to be but I saw it falling into place and all I had to do was not ruin it. Did I want to invite her over every fucking night so I could talk to her, touch her? Yes, fuck yes, but I had a plan. I was going to take her out to dinner then to a drive in showing of Clueless, which was apparently one of her favorite movies. I had done my research, asking Katie and Taylor about one hundred questions each to make sure this date was perfect. Reservations were made, tickets were purchased, the only thing left was to buy her favorite snacks and actually ask her. I'm not exactly avoiding it but I'm trying to find a moment to do it that isn't over text and not when she's bone tired driving home from work but I'm running out of time. It's already Wednesday, she worked the past two days and again tomorrow so it has to be tonight.

As I'm leaving my office, thinking about how I'm nervous to ask a fucking girl on a date like a teenager I feel my phone vibrate in my jacket pocket and smile when I see Jo's name pop up.

I need you to come over and pretend to be my boyfriend ASAP. Doors unlocked.

I'm at her apartment in record time.

When I walk in the first thing I note is what looks like a huge toolbox sitting in the hallway outside the laundry closet. Then I see her sitting at the counter, arms crossed around her chest, her hands in little fist while a man relaxes against the counter next to her, way too close.

"Hi baby," I call as I slam the door shut, I'm not really sure what's going on but I can assume someone came out to work on something in the apartment and making themselves a little too comfortable. The man straightens, giving Josephine the room to dart away from the counter and rush to me.

"Hello love, how was work! They finally replaced the washer and dryer so we don't have to keep doing laundry at your mum's house." She says, snuggling into my chest and squeezing me in a tight hug as if to say go with it. And go with it I do. I hug her back, burying my face in her hair and place a kiss there. As she goes to release me but I keep her close, turning her in my arms so her back is flush to me and my arms wrapped around her. She immediately relaxes back, placing her hands on my arms, running her fingers up and down them, causing goose bumps to erupt on my skin. And since I'm having fun I decide to keep kissing her, another one to the crown of her head, her ears, her neck, her shoulder, anywhere I can reach. It's not exactly ideal, considering there is still a strange man in her apartment staring at us but I can't find it in me to care right now.

"Work was fine but I couldn't wait to come home to you." I say in her ear, loud enough for the serviceman to hear. She responds with a hum and sway of her hips into mine, forcing me to bury my smile in her hair and I find myself caught between wanting this guy to get the fuck out and wanting him to stay if it means I get to play house for a little while longer with Jo. But then I look up to him again and see the way he's looking at her and I decide playing house can wait, this guy needs to get the fuck out.

"Thanks for coming out man, we appreciate it. Now fuck off, I don't want you watching what happens next mate." I say with a smirk on my face as his eyes finally drift to mine. He looks pissed, because I told him to fuck off or because he realizes he doesn't have a chance with Jo I don't know. What I do know is he has obviously been making her uncomfortable while she was alone in this apartment, which means I give fuck all about his feelings right now. With a curt nod of his head he grabs his toolbox and darts out the door.

To my surprise Jo stays in my arm, turning so that she can wrap her arms around my waist smiling up at me.

"You're a life saver, seriously, he finished the job 45 minutes ago and wouldn't leave. Kept talking about his lifting regimen, asking if I wanted to go to the gym with him sometime so he could see me in... nevermind, it was disgusting and you are my hero," she says with a wink and doesn't try to move away. We stay like this for another minute, wrapped in each other's arms, staring at each other before she clears her throat and moves away from me. I follow her into the kitchen where she begins pulling out ingredients for dinner.

"What are you making?" I ask as I come to stand behind her, my arms on either side of her, trapping her against the counter.

"Um, I was going to make this steak salad thing I had seen on Instagram, it um, it looked really good, would you like some?" she says nervously, moving her produce around the counter, busying her hands. This feels like a make or break moment. Part of me wants to haul her to her bedroom, taking advantage of the quiet apartment and her not kicking me out. I try something else.

"I'd love some, how can I help?" I say, moving away from her to give her room to turn and look at me. With a smile she begins to direct to on how to grill the steak she's been marinating, handing me a beer and guiding me to the balcony I hadn't noticed she had where a small grill sits. She assures me I won't catch the entire building on fire before retreating back to the kitchen.

Twenty minutes and one beer later I head back into her kitchen, steak in hand. Jo shoos me out of the kitchen after handing me another drink while she plates our dinner before joining me on her couch. We eat in comfortable silence until I hear her chuckle behind her wine glass.

"What?" I ask, taking a bite of my salad, which is actually pretty fucking good.

"Nothing I just," she turns to me, a bright smile on her face, "I'm happy right now."

I can't stop the smile that spreads across my face. Her cheeks have a faint pink tint, from the wine or her admission I don't know, either way the color looks gorgeous on her. I clear my throat and figure now is as good a time as any to ask her on a date.

"What are you doing Friday night?" I ask after finishing my beer, needing a little bit of liquid courage.

"Going on the date you've been planning for the last week." Jo responds with a wink. "Taylor didn't give anything away I promise, someone asked me to switch with them and work Friday and she basically told them to fuck off because I had a date with my future hus... um because I had a date apparently."

I chose to ignore the future husband comment because she obviously didn't mean say it but I do pat myself on the back for getting Taylor's obvious approval.

"Perfect, I'll pick you up at 6 on Friday. She didn't tell you where I'm taking you did she?"

"No, I swear, I tried to get something out of Taylor but she said, and I quote, 'that man would kill me if I ruined this for you'" Jo says with a laugh.

"She's not wrong. This is the most thought I've put into a date in my life." I smirk at her as her eyes grow wide and her cheeks redden before she quickly stands, gathering our plates and hurrying into the kitchen. I move to follow her, unsure what to do with her sudden change in demeanor.

"Did I say something wrong?" I ask her and she all but throws the dishes in the sink. When she doesn't turn around or speak my anxiety worsens. She seemed excited about the date 2 minutes ago, what the fuck could have happened.

"Josephine talk to m—" I begin but her lips connecting with mine cut me off.