Homeless Heart

I walked over with my jeans on, but I hadn't put my shirt on. "You're pretty fucking beautiful." I gave her a quick peck; she tried to wrap her arms around me to pull me back to bed. I had to pull away; we needed to get out of here. I took another quick shower before I left, knowing it might be a long time before I have another one. At that moment, my need to be clean outweighed my need to have sex. The bubble we'd built was about to pop, and the rest of the world was about to come roaring in to tear it apart. I had hoped to keep the world out longer, but life wouldn't have it.

The shower was quick, and it helped to clear my head. I got dressed in the bathroom, not wanting to chance her seeing my back. When I came out, I stood in the doorway watching Elizabeth as she put on her jeans and T-shirt from yesterday. She looked adorable as she put her hair up in a high ponytail. I watched her intently walking around this opulent suite, looking to make sure she had everything. Something had changed while I was in the shower. I sat on the bed, watching her when she finally spoke, breaking through the awkward feeling that had taken over the room.

She sighed. "You got everything?"

I smiled at her, trying to get her to lighten up. She could tell something was wrong. "Yep, I travel light, baby."

"Let's go." She pulled me up and stopped and wrapped her arms loosely around me.

The pout was back on her face. This one was real, unlike the one I had earlier thought was too cute. I cradled her face as I rubbed my thumb across her bottom lip. "Someone has got her pout on, huh?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "I don't want to go." She moved her arms up around my neck, and I pulled her close.

"It will be fine, Elizabeth." Liar!

We went downstairs, and she checked out of the room. We walked hand in hand into a warm, breezy day like we'd been doing it forever. "My car is at the Sutter garage." I was familiar with the garage. I'd slept in the stairwells in the past.

Walking to the car, we chatted, but we could both feel the dread between us. I didn't want our time to end, and I didn't know what to do. We were walking toward a red Mini Cooper. "This is your car?"

She nodded her head. "This is Cherry!"

"Figures, it's fiery and sassy like its owner." We both laughed, but it was a nervous laugh. We stood staring at each other awkwardly; you know that feeling at the end of a great date when no one knows who's going to kiss whom. I leaned against her car and pulled her into a big hug, not wanting to let her go.

She shifted back and smiled at me. Those light blue eyes were now a dark blue, and they twinkled back at me. Almost getting lost in her eyes, I tried to focus on her face and her adorable freckles. I wanted to spend a lifetime kissing all her freckles.

"You want to come home with me? I will hang out and relax for the rest of the day. My condo is nicer than that hotel room, maybe a bit messier. We'll order pizza and relax." She pulled on my hand to move away from the car. "Come on. Don't make me beg."

I was relieved that she'd asked me to come home with her. If I spent more time with her, maybe I could ensure she wouldn’t contact my parents. Getting to spend some time in her home gave me hope that she might let me stay longer. Hope, was a dangerous beast, filled my heart, and my head blinding me to anything else.

"Sure, sounds good." I wasn't sure it was the best idea, but I couldn't say goodbye just yet. Those eyes had killed my resolution to flee. The heavy feeling of dread I had in my chest evaporated in seconds at the thought of spending more time with her and not having to find a place to sleep tonight.