Page 23 of Stuck With My Christmas Crush

I reach out for the Zippo, flick a flame, and light the candle. I squint to focus in the dim wavering glow.

“I was asleep and then, you know how your mind plays tricks on you when you’re not fully conscious.” I laugh. “I thought it was you.”

“Me?”

“Yes. Heavy breathing. Bad smell.”

“Oh. Thanks.” There’s a moment before Jason says, “Come on, Rocko. We’re sleeping on the couch tonight.”

Rocko lifts his head and looks at Jason as if he’s a stranger who hasn’t yet been introduced. Then, he lowers his head back to the comfy spot next to me on the blanket with a luxuriant sigh.

“Gosh. He’s so perfectly well trained, isn’t he?”

“I’ll try that again,” says Jason. He claps his hands and whistles. “Rocko. Hey buddy. Let’s go. Quick… Now would be good. Alright. All in your own time.” The dog doesn’t move. Rocko has closed his eyes as if to block out the annoyance of a person trying to tell him what to do. “When you’re ready. Okay… one, two, three… Go!”

This performance is hilarious. I’m trying to suppress giggles, but they bubble out of my mouth and cause thebed to wobble. Jason reaches for Rocko’s collar and tries to lead him off the bed.

“You are in so much trouble and if there wasn’t a storm, I’d throw you out right now,” Jason says to his beloved hound. Then he turns to me and says, “He’s not usually like this. I think he’s showing off to get attention.”

“Look. If he wants to sleep on the bed, you know, that’s fine with me,” I smile up at Jason who sits down and ruffles Rocko’s ears. “I mean, who’s to say that he won’t try it again, right?”

“That’s true. He’s smart and he knows how to open doors. I mean, short of taking off the door handles, what else can I do? He can let himself in any time.”

Rocko lifts his head again as if he’s telling us off for making too much noise.

“Come on, buddy. Time’s up,” Jason says more direct and firmer this time.

Rocko thinks for a bit then heaves his bulk up to a standing position, gives himself a quick shake, then hops off the bed and out of the bedroom.

“Good boy… eventually,” I say smiling at Jason.

“I’ll put a chair in front of the door,” Jason says standing to leave. “That should keep him out.”

“Alright.” I sit up and hug my knees up to my chest. “Are you going to be okay on the couch?”

“Yep. I’ll be fine.” Jason moves toward the door. “I’ll try to persuade Rocko to sleep on the floor.” He laughs. “I’m not sure how successful that’s going to be.” Jason pauses in the doorway and prepares to pull the door shut behind him. “Let’s see if we can get some sleep now.”

“Yeah. Goodnight Jason.”

“Goodnight, Charlie.”

I blow out the candle and wriggle back down under the blankets listening to the storm but thinking about Jason.

Chapter 11

Jason

Back on the couch, I’m not sleepy at all. Rocko has jumped up beside me and is turning around in circles before curling up to snooze again. I reach over to the stove, pick up the tongs and open the door, then toss in a couple of logs. Sparks rush around in a flurry when I poke the orange embers.

There’s something deeply satisfying about poking a fire. Maybe that’s what cavemen did. Sometimes I feel like a caveman, sitting in his cave with his big old obedient huntingdog. Except that, my big old dog is far from obedient. And tonight, he showed up my lack of dog skills, alright. But I wasn’t really trying, and he knew it. Good boy.

The newly stoked fire burns brightly, and I’m cheered by the warmth. Is it just the fire? Or is it my house guest that has placed a contented glow somewhere in my chest. And just now, I didn’t want to leave her. Not that I wanted anything to happen physically at all. Not that she isn’t cute and attractive and…

I reach out and pat Rocko.

“You feel it too, huh?” I say to my doggie best friend.

Since Charlie entered my space, I just want to be around her. My attention switches to a sprinkle of pink glitter that’s sparkling on the back of my hand.

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