Friendly Dating 2 - Ethan

Chapter 20 - Marital Bliss

Kira is looking from me to the tube in her hand and back as if she's expecting a covert attack from one or both of us. Well, she's right to be wary... who knows what that tube might get up to?

It's muscle gel, and these bulges covering my chest and stomach are sore muscles. What doesn't she get? Is she suddenly shy now? Her cheeks are definitely growing in colour, and she seems to have some difficulty looking at me. Is it making her nervous that I'm not wearing a shirt? Is that a good sign or a bad one?

"I got thrown around quite a bit this morning," I give her some context so that she can understand that I'm not just giving her a strip show or pretending to be modelling for a swimsuit advertisement. I really need some serious TLC. I'm in pain... well... a little. "Some of these bruised areas are starting to hurt, and my muscles are cramping a bit."

Kira is chewing on her bottom lip, her eyes running over me, and a concerned frown appears between her eyes as she sees all my scrapes and bruises. When they come to rest on the huge bruise at my ribs where Marshall rammed his shoulder into me, her eyes grow large with shock, and reaching out, she tentatively runs the tips of her fingers over the area, causing goose bumps to break out in their wake. Now, it's more than just my abs that are cramping up.

"Maybe you should go to the clinic for a check-up," she suggests, and I'm touched by how worried she looks. "You might have cracked ribs or internal bleeding."

"Nah," I say, pulling a face. "I've had worse."

Shifting uncomfortably, she lowers her head and gingerly applies the gel to all the areas I point out to her. I might be pointing out more areas than strictly necessary, but I rather like being touched by Kira. I cannot tell whether she is enjoying it, though; she refuses to meet my eyes; she just bites her lip and goes to work as if it were an assignment.

Why is it that every other girl I know is always trying to take off my shirt or touch me, while Kira is always trying to get me to put on a shirt... or two... and definitely only sees touching me as a chore?

I eventually run out of ungelled skin and cannot point the same sections out more than three times before it starts getting weird. Can I? So I regretfully roll onto my stomach so that she can get to my back where there is plenty more of me she can run her fingers over. I'm probably not supposed to enjoy this as much as I do, but... well... it is what it is.

This is heaven!

Kira has applied muscle gel to my skin more times than I can count, and we've rubbed suntan lotion on each other a gazillion times. I was really disappointed the day she said she no longer wanted me to put suntan lotion on her back; only Delia is allowed to now. Golly! You use the lotion to draw a cartoon on her back and cause a weird tan ONE TIME, and suddenly, you're declared incompetent!

I really shot myself in the foot big time with that one...

Lying here on the soft duvet, smelling the comforting, familiar fragrance of the detergent Kira uses for their washing (the smell of home), and seeing the blue and green leafy design of the fabric, a contented smile starts to spread on my face. I remember the cute puppies and kittens of a previous cover she had eight years ago, and the memory calls to other memories, and soon, my brain is flooded with so many cherished moments I've spent with Kira through the years.

The most vivid of these memories is of Kira looking like an angel, wearing a white veil and me staring at her, feeling as though my heart was going to explode. That day, I didn't really understand what a wedding and marriage meant. I just knew that it had something to do with two people promising to love each other forever, and I liked the idea of Kicks and me being together forever a lot. I meant every word I said during the play ceremony, even if they were only a couple of yesses and an 'I do'.