fifteen

November 12, 2019

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

When I pulled into my driveway around seven that night, it was nice to see the house next door lit up again. It had been dark at night since my arrival until two nights ago. Although I hadn’t seen Creed since Saturday, when he gave me a tour of the house, I saw his lights. He was home and that made me feel warm inside. It was strange I know but it did. I liked knowing he was there.

I wondered if he was hungry and considered making a big pot of chili and calling to invite him over. Other than Albert at work, I hadn’t talked to anyone in days and I was lonely. Albert couldn’t be considered a conversationalist. Griff had texted twice to tell me he was busy and would call soon. He still hadn’t called.

After parking the car, I walked toward Creed’s house, deciding I’d invite him over for dinner if he hadn’t already eaten. It was a neighborly and friendly thing to do. I didn’t get very far though when I saw a brunette with long brown hair standing in the kitchen with a glass of wine in her hand laughing at something.

He had company and I was doubting he was hungry for food. Turning back around, I headed for my house and another night alone. I was getting good at dinner, the Hallmark Channel, and wine in the evenings. It wasn’t a bad thing. Soon we’d have snow and I could have holiday parties by myself.

Sighing, I unlocked my door and went inside the cold house. Doing my regular routine, I hurried and got the fireplace going then moved to the wooden stove in the kitchen. I kept my coat on until things warmed up, but I found my furry slippers and took off my heels and put them on instead. Maybe I would get a puppy…no, those could be a lot of trouble and needed attention. I had work. Oh! I could get a cat. They liked being left alone for the most part.

Pouring myself a glass of wine, I went to the living room to turn on my trusty companion, the television, and then stood in front of the fire. I was almost warm enough to take off my coat when there was a knock on the door. I sat my empty wine glass on the coffee table and went to the door.

Creed was standing outside, holding a large pot with oven mittens on his hands. Was he bringing me dinner? “Hey,” I said stepping back so he could come inside.

I glanced behind him, hoping the brunette wasn’t about to follow him. I didn’t see her. “Are you bringing me your left overs?” I asked.

“No, I’m bringing dinner over here to eat.”

I looked outside again to make sure the other woman wasn’t out there then closed the door before any more warmth escaped.

“Since you just got home, I figured you wouldn’t have eaten yet,” he said as he sat the pot on my stove.

I walked into the kitchen behind him. “Uh, no, I haven’t eaten yet,” I replied. “I was about to make some chili but I never made it that far. I’ve been warming up.”

He leaned back against the counter and crossed his arms over his chest casually. “Good. How’s your week going?”

He was staying? I looked out the kitchen window toward his house. “I uh, thought you had company?” I said, wondering why he was here with me holding a pot of something in his hands.

His eyebrows drew together in a slight frown then he smiled. “Are you talking about Rachel?” he asked.

I had no idea who I was talking about. I didn’t know the woman I had seen through his window but then Creed had a lot of women it would seem. “I guess if that’s the woman at your house.”

He shook his head. “Rachel isn’t company. She’s family. Our mothers are first cousins and she’s lived most of her life in London with her father. She just left her fiancé at the altar this weekend and fled to the states. I got a call yesterday from her, asking if I’d pick her up at the Boston airport. Somehow from that I got stuck with her hiding out at my house for now.”

A female that he wasn’t dating. I wasn’t expecting that. “So you don’t want her to stay?” I asked him, getting the feeling his coming over here made more sense now. He was getting away from his cousin.

“I like Rachel, in small doses. She’s loud and bossy. She talks a lot about herself. I needed some peace. I brought dinner with me, hoping you’d let me stay,” he said with a hopefulness in his tone that made me laugh.

“Sure. Who am I to turn away a warm meal. I’m exhausted from work and cooking didn’t sound appealing.”

He let out a dramatic sigh of relief and I laughed some more. Creed was grinning at me then he winked before turning back around to his pot of mystery meal. I was happy he was here. Not being alone was much better than my previous few nights.

“What are we eating?” I asked him as I took out another wine glass from the cabinet.

“Clam chowder,” he replied.

“You can make clam chowder?” I asked impressed and unaware his culinary skills were so good.

He glanced over his shoulder at me. “No. But I can order takeout.”

That made me laugh and he smiled again. I loved that smile. Wait. No. I didn’t need to love anything about Creed Sullivan. That was wrong. Wasn’t it? I shouldn’t be loving something about another man unless he was related to me.

“Where’s the bowls?” he asked, opening a cabinet that held my Gran’s baking dishes.

“Here,” I said, walking over to the other side of the stove and opening the correct cabinet for him.

I took out two bowls and handed them to him. “Did Rachel eat already?” I asked.

“Rachel doesn’t eat. She drinks her calories or at least that is what she told me when I asked.”

“Sounds like a health freak,” I joked as I got us both a soup spoon and took them to the table.

“She’s fucking nonstop female chatter. Do I look like I want to know when she starts her period or how bad her cramps are?”

I laughed out loud again then covered my mouth and shot him an apologetic look over my hand. He smirked and sat a bowl of chowder in front of me then set his down. “It’s funny. I know,” he said with a sigh and pulled out his chair to sit down.

My kitchen was small but cozy and with Creed there to give me conversation, it felt like home. We ate and he shared some more of Rachel’s drama with me to make me laugh. He had no interest in her female problems, but he was using them to entertain me and I appreciated it. I needed to laugh. The chowder was delicious, and before I knew it, we had finished the entire bottle of wine.

When he stood up from the table, I thought he was about to leave and I didn’t want him to go. Not yet. I liked having company and not feeling so lonely. “Do you want to watch a movie?” I asked, hoping that didn’t sound desperate.

He put his bowl in the sink and turned back to me. “Yeah, I would,” he replied.

I knew he was staying just to get a break from Rachel, but I would take whatever I could get. We moved to the living room and Creed went and sat on the sofa. I picked up the remote and glanced over at the chair.

“I don’t bite. Besides I’m also warm,” he said and patted the space beside him.

This was innocent and harmless. We were old friends and the idea of getting to snuggle to someone was so very appealing. I missed human contact. I didn’t let myself think about it much longer and went over to sit down beside him.

Creed reached over me and took the blanket I had thrown over the side arm then covered both of us with it, before putting his arm on the back of the sofa and with his hand moving me against him by nudging my shoulder gently.

I inhaled deeply and he smelled amazing. He felt hard and he was right, warm. I wanted to sigh with pleasure of being near someone again and I refused to think it was because it was Creed that it felt so good. I was just affection deprived. That was all this was.

Creed took the remote from my hand when I did nothing with it to find a movie. He scanned the channels and settled on Lost in Translation. It was just coming on and I hadn’t seen it in a while. Good choice. Although, I’d probably be happy with a horror flick if I got to watch it like this. I hadn’t realized how much I missed being near someone else.

Creed began slowly stroking my upper arm and my eyes felt heavy. He chuckled at something happening on the movie and I soaked up the sound of his chest rumbling. I knew I was falling asleep and I wanted to enjoy this longer, but my eyes wouldn’t stay open.

I woke up when Creed laid me down on my bed. Blinking slowly, I stared up at him. I didn’t know how late it was or if he had finished the movie. “I’m sorry,” I said groggily as he covered me up with all four of the blankets I kept on the bed.

“For what?” he asked in a low voice.

“Falling asleep,” I said.

He smirked then and brushed some hair out of my face. “It was tough. I hate it when beautiful women snuggle up against me and fall asleep in my arms. but I’ll forgive you.”

Smiling, I closed my eyes unable to fight off the sleepiness.

“Goodnight, Sailor Moon.” I heard him whisper and I must have fallen asleep again because I dreamed he kissed my head and then my cheek.