A Winter Classic

Ellie looked over at Stella laid out wide across her couch, eyes open but looking at nothing in particular. She’d volunteered to take her while they were out of town, it was easier for him then having to drop her off somewhere else and he’d eventually agreed to it after double and triple checking it really was okay with her. She hadn’t had a dog since she was a kid but having Stella around for the last couple days reminded her of how much she really missed it. Really it had her contemplating maybe getting one of her own. Ellie looked up at the clock; decided she’d given the boys enough time to recover before looking over at Stella again.

“You ready to go home Stella?”

She watched her ears perk up before jumping off the couch and trotting right to the front door, tail wagging ready to go.

“I think we’ve given them enough time to settle in, haven’t we?” when her tail began wagging more aggressively she took it as a declaration of agreement so she grabbed the plate of cookies she was going to bring, a small batch she’d divided from a bigger batch she’d made for a potluck at work then they made their way over. Ellie knocked, followed by a bark from Stella, and waited a beat till the door opened.

“Hey.” Tyler greeted her with a hug as Stella took off from behind her, right past Tyler and towards Phil’s bedroom.

“Well she missed you didn’t she?” Ellie teased.

“You wait till there’s food later she’ll be begging for me.”

“It doesn’t count if you have to bribe them Tyler.”

She laughed at the look on his face.

“I’m not so sure I should let you in now.” He started with a pout. “This is a positive environment.”

“Well I made cookies.” She wiggled the plate in front of his face.

“And that is why you’re the best neighbor I’ve ever had.”

He moved aside, taking the plate as she came in; before she even had a chance to say anything Tyler had the plate unwrapped and a cookie hanging from his lips.

“I bet you say that to all your neighbors.”

“Not true.” He shook his head. “The couple that lived there before you were a pain in the ass.”

“Good to know.” Ellie confirmed with a laugh. “So how are you Ty?”

“I’m good, glad to be home.”

“I bet.”

He finished off his first cookie before they even sat down, biting into a second when she heard Stella’s nails clipping against the floor on her way back to the living room. She wasn’t alone, Ellie could hear sock covered feet making their way towards them, felt someone’s hands sit on her shoulders as she leaned her head back looking up into Phil’s face.

“Good morning sunshine.”

He leaned down and kissed her.

“It’s nearly dinner.” He corrected. “And I wasn’t sleeping.”

“You sure?”

He looked like he’d been sleeping, she recognized that sleepy look in his eyes, could see the indents of the pillow against his cheek. She watched as he moved around the couch taking the seat next to her, then leaned in as she reached over to tame the sleep tousled hair that was standing on end.

“He was definitely sleeping.” Tyler confirmed finishing off his second cookie.

“And last I checked you were busy binge playing Call of Duty?”

“Well it’s a good thing I took a break or Ellie would still be outside waiting for you to answer and I wouldn’t be eating these cookies.”

Tyler reached for a third and Ellie swatted his hand away.

“First of all they aren’t all for you.” She started. “And second of all you’re not supposed to eat them all in one sitting, it’ll make you sick and I won’t be held responsible for that.”

“Yes ma’am” he saluted her with his hand then laughed.

“So what’s on the agenda tonight boys?” Ellie leaned in to where Phil sat, his arm slung around the back of the couch around her.

“Well we were heading out to meet the boys in about half an hour.” Tyler chimed in looking at the clock. “I guess I’ll be doing that on my own now.”

Ellie looked between the two boys before she said anything.

“No.” she shook her head looking at Phil. “You should go.”

“It’s just dinner, they won’t miss me.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Plus it’ll give Bozie a chance to pay for himself for a change.”

“Not if the credit card roulette gods are on my side.”

They all laughed as Tyler got up of the couch, snatching another cookie before escaping to his bedroom. When the door closed behind him Ellie turned in her seat.

“You should go.”

“You trying to get rid of me already?” he reached over pushing the hair off her shoulder just so he could make contact with her skin.

“No.” she laughed pushing him away. “You made plans.”

“Not really.” He countered. “Plus I’ve spent enough time with them; I’d rather spend time here with you.”

They had never really spent much time at his place, not alone anyways. It was easier to meet in her apartment then barge into his place. Tyler was here a lot too and the last thing she wanted to do was make him feel like the third wheel in his own place.

“Are you sure?” she double checked. “I really don’t mind.”

“I know you don’t but I’m sure.”

He knew she didn’t mind, somehow she’d managed to blend into his life seamlessly, stepping up when she wanted and taking a backseat when she felt it was necessary. He didn’t know how she did it but she seemed to always know what he needed. Ellie leaned in pressed her lips to his then lingered in close to him. He looked a little relieved to stay in and even though he’d clearly just woken up he looked exhausted.

“Hard trip?”

“Not what we wanted.”

Despite the fact they’d lost all three games, and he hated losing, they’d all been long games, two of which had gone into overtime.

“Not what I asked.” She got the distinct feeling that he carried a lot of the team’s problems on his shoulders. They were doing well, he was doing well, but when they team lost he took it personally and this city had no problem pinning it on him either.

“It wasn’t great.” He confessed wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her close. She responded wrapping her arms around is shoulders as he tucked his face against her shoulder and chest.

“You wanna talk about it?”

“Not really.” He closed his eyes as Ellie’s lips brushed the top of his head. He wanted to forget about it and this was going a long way to helping that.

They sat in the silence for a few minutes, Ellie’s hand rubbing comforting circles across his back till Tyler walked back into the room.

“Gross, get a room.” Tyler commented as she burst out laughing.

“This is my room, actually this is my apartment.”

“And you never let me forget that do you?” Tyler joked. “So I guess you’re both staying in tonight?”

“Yeah, tell the guys I’ll owe them one.”

“I’m sure they’ll hold you to that.”

Tyler buttoned up his coat, grabbing his keys and phone.

“Well I’ll see you guys later then.” He started. “Oh and for my sake try making it to the bedroom, I use that couch too you know?”

Ellie laughed as Tyler dodged out the front door before anyone could reply. It was a fair warning even if he was joking. When she turned back she collided right into Phil’s lips, returning the kiss before pushing him away with a laugh.

“We’ve been warned.”

“Well he didn’t specify which bedroom.” Phil started. “And his is much closer than mine.”

She almost cried laughing at the thought then kissed him again.

“And as entertaining as that would be, I’m scared of what I’d find in there.”

“Then the couch it is.” He kissed her back leaning into her body as she went down on the couch still laughing. When his lips moved to her neck the laughing died down immediately, his hands gently slid out of her hair and down her body leaving a trail of goose bumps behind. Ellie sat up a bit, moving around till she got her sweater off, then reached out and pulled him back to her lips.

“Wait, wait.” He looked over in the direction of his bedroom then back at her as if he was deciding what to do, when she finally thought they were going to get somewhere he pulled away again.

“What is it?” she asked concern etched across her features.

“It’s umm…” he shook his head then looked down at her. He could do this really he could, he was gonna stop being stupid and just follow his heart. She wouldn’t care; she wasn’t some shallow self-involved gossip, she seemed to really like him, seemed to understand him and this hang up he had was just stupid.

“It’s what?”

“Nothing.” He leaned down and kissed her again, felt her hands slide down his back and rest against his hips. “It’s nothing.”

His lips drifted down her neck to the hollow in her shoulder. Ellie felt his fingertips glide against the skin of her hip, felt his palm graze her hipbone as he pinned her down to the smooth leather below. She moaned reaching around him, gliding her hands across his lap she felt his body go stiff against hers. Every relaxed muscle was now tense like she was about to do something he didn’t want so she kissed him again, waited for him to relax into her but when he didn’t her hands fell away from his body. Ellie pushed him off, watched as he sat up then moved over and across the couch. After a deep breath he watched her sit up, reaching over to slip her sweater back on, pulling the zipper in anger.

“Ellie…”

She cut him off, running her fingers through her hair.

“Forget it.” She began turning her back on him.

This wasn’t the first time this had happened, that he’d pushed her away without physically pushing her away but there was only so much embarrassment she could take. Only so many times she’d throw herself at him and come back feeling foolish.

“Ellie I…”

“No I don’t wanna hear it.” Her face was red, she could feel it. “I really can’t do this anymore.”

Ellie got up and reached the front door had her hand on the knob before she stopped.

“I don’t know how serious you are about this, about us but I won’t do this again.” She said her voice shaking in every word. There were tears now, she could feel them fall and was not willing to turn around to let him see. “It’s not fair to me.”

She knew she was right and he’d need to decide whether he was going to completely trust her or not, their whole relationship would hinge on that.

“So until you decide what you want from me, from us, just leave me out of whatever this is.”

She left on those words, out his front door and directly across the hall to hers. When she closed the door behind her, firmly convinced he had not followed she slid down the door and broke down. Large, fat tears slid down her face as she cried into the night.