Everywhere, All At Once

Chapter 19 - Woke Up Just In Time

The next two full freaking weeks passed without incident, sexual or otherwise, much to Kenna's disappointment. Aaron treated her the same as he always did. He was such a goddamn gentleman. He continued to stop any physical happenings between them before they got too exciting. It was frustrating. Kenna had actually taken a cold bath after leaving his house once and it was horrible.

"Do you want to come over tonight?" Aaron asked Kenna from the other end of their telephone conversation. She was on her lunch break and he was on a free period at school. She was considering saying no because she knew she would just end up going home worked up and disappointed.

"I don't know," she hedged. "I have stuff to do. And don't take this the wrong way - but as lovely as watching another movie together sounds, it would really be smarter if I stayed home and worked on the two articles I have due this week."

"Oh. All right, then."

"Don't be mad," she said, feeling a little bad, but also knowing that self-preservation was key at this point.

"Well... I had kind of hoped you would come over tonight. And stay."

Stay.

Kenna didn't speak. Was he saying what she thought he was saying? No, probably not. He probably really just meant stay over, like sharing a bed but not sharing a bed. She wanted to punch herself in the face for having to debate his actual meaning in her head. She also wanted to stay over very much. She wanted to be around him all the damn time. But how much longer could she hold out? She was starting to become a major bitch to everyone, all the time. Two months with only her own hands to attempt to satisfy her desires. Yeah, it wasn't enough.

"Kenna?"

"Huh?"

"Do you want to? Stay over tonight?" He sounded so nervous that it made her feel slightly less so.

"Sure. I mean yes. I would love to."

"Great."

"Yeah, great. Good."

"I'll see you around six, then?" He asked.

"I'll be there."

She wasn't sure quite what to expect when she got there, but she put on matching underwear, just in case.

***

Aaron had texted her that the door would be unlocked and that he was in the backyard working on a project he'd started for the kids since they were gone for the weekend. She let herself in, hung her jacket, and walked out the back door to the yard where Aaron was crouched on the ground, nailing some pieces of wood together.

"What'cha makin'?" Kenna called, coming to stand by the wooden contraption on the ground.

Aaron looked up at her and smiled, abandoning his tools on the ground to oblige her with a kiss.

"I'd hug you, but I'm dirty and sweaty," he said, gesturing to the dirt-strained, damp t-shirt clinging to his chest. "Sorry, I lost track of time. I hope you don't mind me taking a few minutes to shower."

Kenna shook her head. "Go for it. I'll just watch TV or whatever and wait for you."

"I will be right back down, I promise," he said, dropping another kiss on her lips and backing away from her so as not to contaminate her with his filth.

When he came back down, he was in basketball shorts, and a t-shirt, feet bare, and more casual than she'd ever seen him. It made her heart pound, looking at him like that, and she averted her eyes. Self. Preservation. She chanted in her mind. Self. Control.