Succulents on the Window Sill

Chapter 7

Zach folded his arms, shifting from one foot to the other. Corinne watched his expression, not liking what she saw. 

"I don't know. I don't think it would be too comfy to lie on." 

"It's a sofa, Zach. It's for sitting on, not lying on."

"Yeah, but if there's a movie on, it's been a long day at work..." He turned to her, giving her a look, and she sighed. Corinne glanced at the arms of the small sofa, the thin seat and straight back. He made a good point. 

She passed him to stand by another sofa, eyes scanning around the others on display. "I don't want to spend a fortune on something."

"And you don't have to; I'm paying." 

"Zach, I'm not letting you spend lots for something to just plant your ass on."

He grinned at her. "We're in Ikea; nothing's too expensive. Now, either agree that comfort comes over style and price, or I'm bringing out the big guns, Corinne." 

She rolled her eyes at him as he came to stand beside her. "Oh no, Zach,  please. Whatever you do, don't take your jacket off!" Corinne playfully clutched her chest, widening her eyes dramatically at him. 

He laughed, lightly swiping at her arm. "You flatter me. I wasn't talking about my muscles at all."

"What were you talking about?" Corinne dropped the hand from her chest, following Zach's nod to a nearby family with a young child. 

"You think a child could have a good nap on that thing?" Zach pointed back to the sofa Corinne had been admiring. 

"Zach..." He was looking to the future, far too far into the future. 

Glancing at the little girl practising ballerina twirls while her parents got up and down trying a sofa, Corinne couldn't hold back the thoughts that walked the same path as Zach's. 

"I know." He pulled a face. "Shut up, Zach, and stop talking about the things we don't want to talk about." 

"Yeah." Neither of them was ready to talk about just where they stood with each other. "You're right though." 

The sofa they stood in front of now would be much better for cuddles with a sleepy toddler than the last. It was a neutral grey, not too dark or light, with thick plush cushions, and it wasn't a bad price either. 

"This one is kind of nice." 

Zach sat down on it and made an impressed face, before grabbing Corinne's hand to pull her down with him. "It's comfy. Can you see my ass on this one in the living room?"

"Fewer images of your ass in my mind, please." 

Zach snorted. "You love it, don't lie, you little fox." 

"Why am I a fox now?" 

"You just are." He looked around him at the arms of the sofa. "Thoughts?"

"I like the style. And the comfort." 

"It's an option then?" 

Corinne nodded, before jumping up to pull her phone out from her bag and capture a quick photo of it. Zach was still sitting on it, hand pushing down on the space she had just left to check how much give the springs had. It looked like it could take a bit of weight and abuse, which only made Corinne like it even more. 

"Do you think you can have your trampoline in that?"

He looked up, eyes turning to mischievousness. "I'll get my trampoline someday, don't worry."