Chapter Two, Untitled

CHAPTER TWO


A few days passed before I heard from him again. I was alone, when it was past 1am and the movie on television was over, when there was a knock on the door. I got up and looked out the keyhole, then opened the
door.
Clark was standing there.
"Hi."
"Come in," I said.
Moving out of the way, he walked in and sat down on the couch.
I closed the door, walked over and sat down, then turned to him.
"I just wanted to come over," he said.
I yawned, trying to hide it.
"Not keeping you from your beauty sleep, am I?"
Pause.
"Don't worry about it."
"OK, I won't."
I looked him over. Clark was wearing a clean long sleeve shirt and
khakis. He looked at the coffee table, then at me.
An ashtray was in the middle of all the things on it, which he leaned
over and set on his lap.
"But, you don't smoke."
I looked at the ashtray, then back at him.
"I've been trying to quit. And, it doesn't help that I've got friends
that do."
We sat there, as he took out his pack of cigarettes from his shirt
pocket, opened it, took out a cigarette, put it in his mouth, then took
out the lighter from his pocket and lit up. He took a couple of drags,
then set it on the ashtray.
"So, what do you want to talk about?", he said, when he turned to me.
"Hmmmmm. Let me think."
Pause.
"We could always talk about the old standby," he said.
"Sex?"
"No, music."
Pause.
Clark took his cigarette from the ashtray and took a quick drag then set it back down. He blew out the smoke, then became momentarily distracted by the television, which was still on. He looked around then picked up the remote and turned off the television.
I sat there, then looked at him, when he turned to me and grabbed my arm. He got up and dragged me over to the balcony and opened the door. He took me outside, then grabbed the chair. He sat me down on it, then stood nearby.
Pause.
"It's a bit cold out here," I said.
"Want my shirt?"
I hesitantly nodded.
He took off his shirt, then leaned down and helped me into it. He wasn't wearing a tshirt underneath and had hair on his chest. He was leaning so close to me that several factors were starting to turn me on, and I had to turn away and distract my thoughts.
"I feel kind of funny putting clothes on a woman who let me touch her shoulders, after my ex-wife, because I always thought she would be letting me because I was going to make love to her," he said, before continuing his rambling.
When he finished talking, I looked at him again. He was still leaning close and looking like he wanted to kiss me but he backed away and shook his head.
"It's time to leave, Clark. Before you do something you might regret," he said quietly to himself.
Before I could say anything, he left me in the chair and rushed into the living room, I heard the front door close before I got up and went inside. I was standing in the living room, when I looked down at myself and saw, in his hurry, he forgot his shirt. I was going to take it off and go to his place to give it back, but lifted up the collar to smell if there was any lingering cologne on it, instead. It had the same exact musky smell I to it that he had, which was probably why I didn't take it off and chose to sleep with it still on.

At around 6am, the next day I was sitting outside on the balcony, drinking the remnants of a steaming cup of coffee. I looked at Grant's balcony. He was standing in the doorway,sneaking a look at me. I saw him move with the smoke forming around him, before I smiled and went back to drinking.
"Clark, if you want to play hide and seek, don't smoke."
I looked at him again, as he stepped out onto his balcony.
It was far enough away that we couldn't reach out and touch each other, but near enough to audibly understand each other. I got up and stood against the side he was at. He looked at me, then pulled the cigarette from his mouth.
"I see you like the shirt."
I looked at myself then smiled back at him.
Pause.
"Did you already eat breakfast?"
I shook my head.
"No? Come over. I'll feed you."
I nodded my head, turned away from him and headed over to his place. After softly knocking on the door, he opened it and let me in. I walked into his place. It looked like the studio, minus a television. I stood near him as he closed the door.
"The kitchen's this way."
We walked the short distance to his kitchen, where he pulled out a stool from under the counter and I sat down. I still had my cup in my hands, which I set on the table. He walked away and went over to the coffee maker, picked up the glass pot, then walked back over to me and filled my cup,
"Thank you."
He walked back over to the machine and set the coffee pot back. Clark ruffled his hair back, then scratched his head. He moved over to the ashtray, took a final drag before exhaling the smoke and putting out his cigarette.
"There's something I want to ask of you," he said.
"Hmmmm," I mumbled, before picking up my mug and started drinking.
"Would you be willing to pose for a portrait?"
I looked at him and he was watching me intently.
"Please," he added.
I smiled, then he looked away.
"Is that a yes?"
He looked back at me.
I nodded and swallowed.
"When is it a good time for you?"
"I don't know. Tomorrow afternoon?"
"OK, then," he said,
He looked around the room, then smiled at me.
"I better feed you now. It wouldn't look good on my part, if other people found out that you were being starved," he added.
I shook my head and laughed,
"No. It wouldn't." I said.
Clark turned away and went over to the sink. He picked a small skillet off the dish rack and turned it over, as he walked over to the stove and set the skillet on the stove.
An hour had passed, when Clark and I were still sitting around the kitchen counter. He bent his head down and a strand of dark hair popped forward which, without thinking, I reached out and smoothed back. My right hand was in his hair, when he put one of his hands over mine and kept my hand prisoner. We sat there as he casually used his free hand to pick up his coffee and drink.
Clark finished and set his cup down. He swallowed and smiled at me. He plucked my hand from his hair and set it on the table resting his hand on top of mine. I never noticed it before, but he was wearing a wedding band.
I found myself staring at his ring.
"I ... I've got to go. I've got to get ready for work," I said.
I withdrew my hand, took off his shirt, dropped it on the counter, picked up my cup, pushed in my chair, then got up and rushed out of the apartment.

Throwing open my apartment door, I rushed over to my bedroom. I opened my closet and chose some clothes for work. While I showered and put my clothes on, I tried to think about other things but the image of his wedding band was dominant in my head.

After work, I arrived home. I closed the door and was somewhat surprised to find someone had picked up my mail and dropped it off because it was scattered on the ground in front of the door. I knelt down, picked up the envelopes and sorted through them. Bill, bill, bill, bill, letter from Clark, bill...
I sorted back and picked the crisp blue envelope out of this bills and dropped the rest on the coffee table. I went over to the balcony, opened the door, walked out and carefully opened the envelope. In big letters, one sentence was written,"I'VE GOT SOMETHING TO SHOW YOU. Clark"
I turned the envelope upside down and shook it to see if this cryptic message came with anything to decode it with then looked at Clark's balcony.
The door was open.
"Clark!"
Not much time passed before he walked out onto his balcony, smoking.
"Yes?"
I turned the note his direction.
He looked at it, then took the cigarette from his mouth and blew out the smoke.
"Oh, that. Come over. I have to show you a magic trick."
I looked at him, then nodded.
"I'll be right over."
I walked in my living room, flinginq the note on the couch, before I opened the front door and walked out. I was standing in the hallway when his door swung open. He looked at me and smiled.
"You're in for a big surprise."
I walked into his living room and stood there, looking at him, when he sat down on the couch after closing the door. He picked up his ashtray, which was cleaned out. He made a big spectacle of it, when he raised his hand and took his wedding band off. He put it on the ashtray, then got up and walked over to the balcony, then flinged the ashtray off the balcony edge onto the pavement below.
I stood there, feeling a mix of amusement and surprise.
He came back inside and walked over to me. "
Impressed?"
I responded with a smile.
He smiled back, then sat back on the couch.
"Are you ready?"
Pause.
"Ready? For what?"
"Now you know exactly where I stand, we can go out tonight."
Pause.
"I already have plans. You forget I--."
"--Oh, him," he interrupted.
I nodded.
"So, where do you plan on going?" he continued.
"Grant plans on taking me to a bonfire where we have some mutual friends."
Pause.
"Another night, then," he said.
I stood there and looked at him.

Grant and I finally arrived the beach. It was dark, when he parked the car near the bonfire. We could see the outline of some friends and the fire burning from where we were. He parked the car, then we sat there. Most of the crowd were there, but we didn't do anything. Grant put his hand on my shoulder and leaned over, kissing my neck, then whispered into my ear.
"The others are waiting for us."
He kissed my cheek, opened his car door and got out.

It was around 6am when Grant left my place. Saturday. A whole day to do nothing. I went back into my place exhausted, after not getting much sleep the night before because Grant refused to let me fall asleep.
I lied down on the couch and put a pillow under my head.

I woke up to someone knocking on my door. Groggily getting up and going to the door, I opened it.
Clark was standing there, looking rather surprised.
"It's 4pm. What are you doing still asleep?"
My loose black tank top was sliding off my shoulder, which he looked at. Clark reached over and fixed my strap then casually rested his hand on my shoulder.
"Go take a shower and change. You promised you'd sit for me," he continued.
He took his hand off my shoulder, then I turned away and left him in the doorway. I heard the door close behind me.

I came back showered and wearing different clothes. Clark was sitting on the couch watching television. He looked at me, then back at the television. I noticed he was watching cartoons before I turned and looked at him.
"Your television was calling my name. Hope you don't mind," he said.
I walked up to the television then turned it off.
"I'm ready," I said.
He pouted.
"I was watching that," he said.
"I really don't think cartoons are good for a man your age."
Clark looked at the remote in his hand. I could see the momentary temptation to turn it back on on his face, but he set the remote down on the couch and looked at me.
"OK, then, after you cut me down and made me feel older than I am, let's go."

We arrived at the studio. He opened the door, then I walked in. I walked over to the couch and sat down, holding my purse. He walked over to the screen and moved behind it. He came back holding a strappy red velvet dress.
"What do you think?"
I looked at the dress, then him.
"It's pretty."
He set it on the couch next to me.
"You'll find most everything you need behind the screen. I'll get the easel ready."
I got off the couch, picking up the red dress, then stepped over to the screen, Behind the screen, there was a floor length mirror and a couple of hooks. A set of garter and stockings hung on one hook, while the other one was empty. I hung my purse on the empty hook.

I finished hooking up the second garter, then fixed my dress. I looked at my reflection in the mirror. I made sure my hair was still mostly bobby pinned back and done up into a loose bun with a few loose tendrils. Everything was perfect.
I cautiously stepped from behind the screen. Clark was sitting on the bench, smoking a cigarette. He saw me, then put out his cigarette on the ashtray and stood up blowing out smoke,
"I feel a little weird not wearing any shoes."
He looked me over.
"I didn't know how that dress would look on you."
Pause.
The both of us were looking at each other.
"Well, let's start," he added.
I moved over to the couch and sat down, He came over and moved me, so I was reclining on the couch. I had one hand on the floor, while the other was on my side. He looked at me, then leaned over. My dress was completely covering my legs.
Clark pulled up one side, so a bit of my garter was showing. He looked me over, then undid my hair, so it fell around my shoulders, before he went and sat in front of the easel, then started sketching out the details.

Clark worked for a couple hours, before he took a break. He put out his cigarette on the ashtray, then set his pencil down. He got off his stool, picked up the ashtray, then came over to me. He sat down sideways in front of the couch and lit up another cigarette. He turned towards me, while I lied there looking at him.
"Do you want one?" I barely thought about it, before nodding my head. "A cigarette once in a while can't hurt, I suppose," I said.
He took out another cigarette from the box then popped into my mouth.

Clark leaned up and carefully held his cigarette up to mine. He lit my cigarette, and pulled away. I instantly relaxed and sat back, then casually put his hand on my thigh. I looked down and saw my dress was still pulled up on the same side. He was still smoking, when he pulled the cigarette out of his mouth. He blew out the smoke, then leaned over and kissed my knee. He gave me a sideglance to gauge my reaction.
I was staring at him through the smoke.
He turned to the ashtray and put out his cigarette, then got up and sat next to me.
I finally relaxed, then leaned down to the ashtray, absentmindedly moving one of my legs onto his lap so I wouldn't fall off the couch. Clark put his hand on my leg below the knee. I stayed still as he moved his hand above my knee.
His hand was on my thigh, which I stopped. We didn't move until I slid his hand back below my knee and got up. After I sat up we sat there and stared at each other. His one hand was still on my knee, when he looked at me, then at my shoulders. I turned away and moved my leg off. I felt his hand on my shoulders. then he moved the straps on the red dress down, so they were off my shoulders. He grabbed me and held me close, kissing my shoulders.
He caught me by surprise and I froze in his arms. He stopped kissing my shoulders, then kissed a trail up my nape.
I turned around and looked at him.
He slowly opened his eyes and looked at me, then stopped and sat back.
"Sorry. I don't know what got into me just right now."
Pause.
I got off the couch and walked over behind the screen to change.


As soon as I parked the car, I hurriedly opened the car door and rushed over to my place. Grant was waiting for me inside my apartment. I walked up to him and we kissed hello. Grant smacked his lips together in disgust.
"Have you been smoking again?"
Pause.
I nodded.
He shrugged it off, gave me a kiss on the cheek, then asked, "Where have you been?"
"I'll explain later."
I moved away from the door and took my keys from the door.
Grant walked over to the kitchen, opened the refrigerator, and took out a water bottle. I sat down on the couch, before he came back over. He unscrewed the cap, then turned and looked at me.
"Open your mouth," Grant said.
I looked at him.
He motioned with the water bottle. I smiled, then playfully opened my mouth. He put the bottle between my lips and carefully made me drink the water. Some of the water started dripping down my chin, which in turn made me alternately start laughing and coughing. He took the bottle away, then screwed the cap back on and set it down. My eyes were watering, when he put his arms around me and kissed my cheek. I swallowed whatever was left in my mouth, before he moved in and kissed my mouth.
He pulled away and said, "Much better."
We were looking at each other, before he took me by the hand and led me to my bedroom. He opened the door, then let go of my hand. He went over to the bed, then pulled back the sheets.
He sat down on the bed, looking at me, when I moved over and sat down on the bed. He moved closer to me, then ran his hand down the back of my neck, then we started kissing.

We must have been kissing some time when I thought I heard knocking. I stopped and the knocking stopped, also. I went back to kissing Grant before the knocking started up again. I stopped and got off the bed, then walked over to the front door, as the knocking continued. I opened the door.
Clark was standing there.
"Hi," he said.
I looked around behind myself.
"Busy?"
Grant walked in at this point. He came up from behind and put his arms around me. Clark looked at him, jealousy written all over his face. Grant didn't notice as he buried his face in my nape and was kissing my neck.
"Come back to bed," he whispered.
Pause.
Clark motioned to me, before he looked at Grant again, then left the doorway. I closed the door, then Grant kissed my cheek, took my hand and dragged me back to the bedroom.


I was lying awake, when I looked at Grant and he was asleep next to me. I carefully got out of bed, trying not to wake him, taking one of the sheets and wrapped it around myself, as I walked into the living room, over to the refrigerator. I opened the freezer, then took the ice tray and broke it up, so I could pick up a cube. I had one in my hand when I put the tray back. I was holding the ice cube and sucking on it. While I was leaning against the freezer door, I remembered the way Clark kissed me. I took the cube out of my mouth and c1osed my eyes, then rubbed it over my neck. I had it over my nape when I opened my eyes and realized what I was doing. I walked over to the sink and threw the ice cube in it, then went back to my bedroom. I crawled back into bed and looked at Grant. He was sound asleep, when I lied back and looked up at the ceiling.