Caught in the Unexpected

Chapter 10

June 2   Laurabelle

I figured the first thing on our agenda for our day together was sleeping in because Grayson waited until 9:30 before waking me. "Breakfast's ready for the sleeping beauty," he whispered into my hair.

My mouth smiled before my eyes opened. "What are we having?" I asked.

"First course is you," he said trailing kisses from my ear to my mouth.

I turned away. "Haven't brushed my teeth yet."

"I don't care," he said, and he wasn't joking.

"Well, I do. That's so gross, Grayson. My breath is nasty." I slid off the bed, grabbed my toothbrush and headed for the bathroom going to great lengths to protect Grayson from my morning breath.

He was still on the bed when I came back from the bathroom. So I let him have his first course. For the second course, which took place in the kitchen, Grayson made me an omelet while I sipped coffee. Afterward, I helped him put away the food before we washed the dishes, mostly we worked in silence.

After a long shower, I emerged fresh and, better than that, lively. Khaki shorts, plain white flowing shirt, a sort of lost bohemian look. I stood at the door of Lilly's room and watched her lounging across her bed. Her appendages moved with a rhythm that was silent to me. Even though I hadn't meant to intrude, Lilly must have sensed my presence because she turned toward the door. Her whole face lit up when she saw me there. "Hey, Laurabelle," she said.

"Hey, Lilly...what are you listening to?" What did a music prodigy listen to? Bach, Mozart, Brahms? I was amused and mostly surprised when she told me she was jamming to the  soundtrack from the movie Frozen. "Are you kidding me? That's one of my favorites!" It really was. Lilly handed me one of her earbuds, and I climbed onto the bed next to her. It was funny how we both listened to music with our eyes closed. 

Almost an hour later, I found Grayson on the couch watching a basketball game. I sat next to him and casually put my head on his shoulder. He kissed the top of my head. "Lilly and I bonded over music," I told him.

"I saw you," he smiled.

"I thought these NBA finals would be closer," I said. The game was a blowout, 83-61.

"The Bulls have guys in foul trouble," Grayson explained.

"That's too bad," I sympathized which briefly distracted him from his spectator melancholy.

"We're going to the Pier today...because I want to ride the ferris wheel with my girlfriend." Grayson smiled when he said girlfriend.

I brushed the tips of my fingers across Grayson's abdomen and an accidentally exposed an inch of his stomach. It tickled him, and soon he forgot about the game altogether. Eventually, we ended up on the floor in a wrestling match. "Stop it! Stop! I can't breathe, Grayson!" I gasped for air while he attacked my ribcage.

"Geez, you smell so good, Laurabelle." He stopped tickling me and buried his face in my neck. "Your hair always smells like grapes." His face tickled my neck, and I laughed. "I think I'm going to take a little nibble," he warned.

"Seriously...Grayson, stop!"

"Okay, I'll stop...but only for a kiss." He put his lips within an inch of mine but didn't come any closer. A mischievous smile spread slowly across his mouth. "I certainly hope you brushed your teeth." I blew my breath in his face. Grayson inhaled the minty air as his lips found mine. He kissed me playfully. Made me giggle. I crawled away, and he chased me around the room until we spotted our audience in the entry way of the living room. Lilly and Lisa. They just stood there...watching us. "Can I help you?" Grayson questioned.