Here With Me

February 15th, Friday

My head was against his chest as we laid in bed together, his arms wrapped around me. My fingers ran through his dark hair. He lifted my chin to plant a soft and lingering kiss against my lips. I smiled, my eyes were closed the whole time.

"Let me love you." He whispered in my ear.

I smiled and lifted my head, slowly opening my eyes to meet his blue ones. I then realized he was Christian.

I opened my eyes and was immediately blinded by the sun coming through the window in the bedroom. I rubbed my eyes and sat up, hearing some noise in the kitchen. That must've been Hudson. But that dream...that was weird. It felt too real.

Shaking my head, I got out of bed and put on my robe before checking the time, 9:20am. I walked into the other room and couldn't help but blush when I saw Hudson only in his boxers, making breakfast.

"Good morning." He smiled.

"Morning." I shyly smiled, taking a seat at the counter.

He set a cup of tea down on the counter and pushed it across to me. "We're gonna have to wash this counter." I lightly laughed, noticing fingerprints and even a hand print of chocolate on the countertop.

"Yeah, but it was fun." He smirked.

I blushed again, remembering each and every moment of last night. "We should do that more often."

He laughed and turned off the stove. "Do you want breakfast?"

"Um, I'll have to pass. I have just about enough time to shower, get dressed, and head out to work." I replied.

"You're not gonna eat anything?" He looked up.

"I'll pick up a bagel on the way." I smirked, walking around the counter to give him a kiss. He held me for a moment and kissed me for a long time before letting me go.

After I showered and got ready, I left the apartment and went to work. When I got to the office the first thing I noticed was that Christian was M.I.A.

I went up to the front and asked Jen where he was. "Oh he called in earlier, he's sick, he came down with a cold or something, he ain't coming in today." She replied in a tone that was too cheerful for my taste.

"Oh, okay." I nodded, turning and making my way back to my office. I then met up with Jann and he stopped me. "Hey doll face, got a new assignment for you." He smiled.

"Cool, what's up?" I asked.

"I've been thinking lately, you've been such an asset to us, and you have a writing style of your own. I've given you a few assignments here and there, mostly review pieces, but I thought that you should have your own column."

My small smile became a grin as I looked at him, almost confused. "My own column?"

He nodded, "I was thinking maybe it could be, Avery's Top Five or something like that, giving your picks and opinions on maybe your top five favourite films, or films to look forward to, or albums, or shows or political things. I'd like it to be in every issue if possible. I want you to make it your own."

I then abruptly hugged him, "Jann, this is amazing! Thank you!"

"Now I'll give you the weekend to plan things out, but before we go ahead and release your first feature, I've been talking to Christian about it and he loves the idea and he suggested that we do a spread on you. You know, an interview, photo shoot, the works. What do you think?" He smiled.

"Yes, yeah sure." I was beaming, "Jann, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

He laughed and hugged me once more, "You're welcome Avery, you deserve this."

Afterwards I went back to my office and took out a notebook and pen, jotting down ideas. I then noticed how quiet the room was and how I was doing work without interruptions. I realized how much I missed being distracted by Christian.

I took out my phone and sent him a text:

"Hey you, heard you're sick. It's lonely here without my partner in crime."
-Avery

He quickly replied, "Sorry, I miss being at the office. Is that really geeky to say? Lol."
-Christian

"Haha, just a little. I should bring you soup later, Hudson's working late tonight. I also wanna discuss Jann's proposal, you know, my own column in the magazine :) You sly dog, keeping secrets from me ;)"
-Avery

"Surprise! (cue balloons and confetti falling from ceiling) LOL. Yeah, come by later, it gets lonely up here."
-Christian

"Awesome, see you after work then!"
-Avery

I then continued the day working and writing and finishing off some reviews that Jann had asked me to do earlier in the week. The day went by slowly, but once the clock struck six, I was out of there. I went and picked up some soup from the deli down the street and a pint of Ben and Jerry's cookie dough ice-cream.

When I got to his building, The Dakota, he buzzed me up and I took the elevator up to his floor and went down the hall to his door. He opened the door, looking pretty casual. Jeans, t-shirt, no shoes. His five o'clock shadow coming in and his bed head hair sticking up in different directions. I giggled as I walked in.

"Hey good looking." I chuckled, running my fingers through his dark hair. "What's wrong, cold, flu, chicken pox?"

He laughed. "A cold. I started feeling sick last night. But thanks for coming by."

"I brought you soup and ice cream, I'm gonna make you feel better." I smiled, holding up the bags.

"Sweet, thanks. Come in, let's go to the living room." He smiled, taking the paper bags and following me into the living room. I was still so in awe of his place, it was dark and mysterious, but regal and beautiful. I could understand why he gets lonely sometimes, it's a big place and he lives here all alone.

I sat on the dark sofa and looked up at him, smiling. "We're having a Girls night tonight."

He furrowed his eyebrow and sat down next to me, "Girls night?"

"Yeah, Girls is on tonight." I laughed, taking the remote and going to HBO.

"Oh, the show." He started to laugh.

"I love Lena Dunham, I wish I was her." I smiled, leaning into the couch.

"Why?" He asked, sipping at his soup.

"She's so fun, and quirky, and fearless."

"Well you're fun and quirky, sometimes fearless. I think you're just as cool as Lena." He smiled.

"Thanks." I smiled.

After we watched the show, we talked about plans for my new article and he talked about his ideas for the photo shoot. He said that he'd like to be the one to do the interview and write a little piece on me about his time knowing me.

I got up and walked across the room to his docking system and turned on his iPod, putting it on shuffle. I began dancing, making him laugh. "Yeah that sounds like a good idea, I've never been interviewed before...or had a photo shoot."

"Well your fun to talk to and you've got a great face." He chuckled, watching me dance to the techno beats of a Skrillex song, I wasn't sure which one it was, they all sound alike to me.

He got out his pen and notebook, "I've created some questions, could I ask you a few?" He asked over the music.

"Sure."

"Okay, pick a number between one and ten."

"Five." I grinned, changing the song and swaying to Be My Baby by the Ronettes.

"What has drew you to intern for Rolling Stone when you did?" He asked.

I thought for a moment and smiled, "I just love the atmosphere. It's a magazine that focuses on the best of music, film, pop culture, and politics. It's not a stuffy office type of environment, everyone gets along and works together to release each monthly issue. And I get to share an office with a pretty swell guy. It's the best job in the world."

He smiled as he jotted down my answer. I then danced over and grabbed the pen and book from him, tossing them on the table, I grabbed his hands and pulled him up.

"What are you doing?" He laughed, rolling his eyes.

"Making you dance." I grinned, "You probably know how to dance too."

"I do." He smiled. "Not only are my parents nuts, they know how to dance. They taught me." He snaked his arm around my back and turned us around, swaying to the music. I laughed as he then twirled me around and occasionally dipping me.

"You're a natural Patrick Swayze." I teased him.

"Thanks. You dance kind of like Baby, but practice makes perfect." He chuckled. I rolled my eyes and playfully punched him.

"This is a nice dress." He said, feeling the fabric of the skirt between his fingertips.

I just smiled, looking down admiring my skirt. The song then changed and I quickly became excited when I realized it was the theme from the 1968 film, Romeo and Juliet. "Oh, this song is so beautiful." I said as I stopped dancing. He released me and I took a step back, hugging myself and smiling, my eyes closed.

"When I was 16 and in high school, our school put on the drama production of Romeo and Juliet...oh how I wanted to play Juliet. For months, I read the book and memorized it inside and out, line for line. I learned the part of Juliet and would practice it for hours on end till it was just perfect. It came to audition day at the school, and it was perfect..."

"Did you get the part?" He quietly asked.

I opened my eyes, "No. Jennifer McCaully did. And it was the biggest mistake the drama department ever made." I started to laugh and soon he joined me. "But that was a long time ago, I probably should let it go."

He smiled at me for a moment and then took my hand. "If I profane with my unworthiest hand this holy shrine, the gentle fine is this: My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss." He watched me as he brought my hand up to his lips. "I always wanted to play Romeo."

I smiled back and gently pulled away my hand before he could kiss it. "Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much, which mannerly devotion shows in this; For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch, and palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss."

"Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?" He spoke.

"Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer." I replied.

"O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do; They pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair." He placed is hand against mine. We both glanced at our hands and carefully watched each other.

"Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake." I whispered, feeling my breath hitched in my chest. I know what this scene is.

"Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take. Thus from my lips, by yours, my sin is purged." He whispered back, leaning in and softly pressing his lips against mine. I closed my eyes, my dream was all too real and this, this was just like it.

When I no longer felt his lips on mine, I opened my eyes and gazed into his blue ones. My heart beating wildly.

"I'm sorry." He spoke, stepping back.

I watched him for a moment and continued. "...Then have my lips the sin that they have took."

He lifted his eyes and looked at me. "Sin from thy lips? O trespass sweetly urged...give me my sin again." He stepped forward and gently placed his hand against the side of my face, hesitating for a moment, but finally kissing me once again.

I placed my hands on his shoulders and he cupped my face, kissing me more sweetly as I gently ran my fingers up into his hair, knotting them. My eyes were shut tightly and only a short time after we had started to kiss, I stepped back.

I flushed and dragged my hand through my hair, finally rubbing the back of my neck. "Whoa...I'm sorry...it must be the music." I bit my lip. "It's getting late, I should get going."

He walked over to the music and shut it off, turning to face me again. His hands were behind his back as he leaned against the table, watching me.

"I watch you move and I can't think straight...my feelings for you haven't changed." He murmured, looking down at the floor.

I picked up my purse and coat from the sofa, clutching them to my chest. My heart still was beating wildly and my mind was racing, I felt so confused. I quickly walked up to him and kissed his cheek. "I know." I half-smiled. "I'll see you on Monday."

He half-smiled and nodded before I quickly left his apartment, taking the elevator downstairs. When I got to my car, I sat in there for a long time, touching my lips and trying to calm my heart rate down. What was going on? Why didn't I freak out like last time? I'm so confused.