Eli Krauss & the Starry Eyed Girl

Fiona stands in front of the mirror. She is naked and wet, just having exited the shower. She wonders if Eli will think critically of the scars on her legs. They are a result of a childhood accident on the fourth of July. Sparklers and glittery shorts do not mix well. She knows that the day will come when her boss will reach down and wonder why her thighs are ridged with marks. And she will tell him the truth and hope he doesn't mind too much.

At this moment, however, Jake Rhys marches into the bathroom in a half asleep tirade. Fiona yells, "Get out, Jake!" and reaches for the towel on the rack. Jake looks up with a shocked expression and then says, "Oh, shit. Sorry, Fi."

They stand there for a moment. Jake watches as she covers herself with the pink towel. Then he clears his throat and says, "Hey. Do you ever think of getting back together?"

Fiona is so dumbstruck that she almost gasps. "Uh. Is this really the time to have this conversation? When I'm naked?"

Jake chuckles and there's that thrill in being liked that zings through her body, saying something like, Oh, I remember why we liked him. Jake reaches around and grabs Fiona's waist. "Jake, come on," she whispers. But she does not resist. Instead, she lets him kiss her and love her and lead her to the futon. And when Jake reaches down and touches the ridged marks on her thighs, he mumbles, "I missed your scars."

_____

Eli notices Fiona's flustered mood when she walks into HOME. She doesn't greet him or Brad and automatically he knows something is wrong. Maybe she has discovered that he doesn't like her as much as he liked Rachel. But then it registers that this is not possible. So after a few hours, Eli discreetly talks to her behind the bar as she fills up glasses with beer.

"Are you okay?" he mutters, bending down to get a basket of peanuts. She looks at him for a second and their is an instant wave of awe that flutters across her face. She finishes filling the glasses and says, "I'm fine." He nods and gets behind her. She feels his breath on her skin. There is a mixture of affection and revulsion in her as he softly kisses the nape of her neck.

She closes her eyes because she realizes the revulsion is aimed at herself.