Page 29 of That First Night
“Ms. Peyton, are you awake?” he whispers.
“Good morning, James,” I whisper back. “Please just call me Peyton.”
“My daddy told me I have to be respectability to you.”
I laugh in my half-asleep state, because he’s the cutest kid trying to use big adult words.
I haven’t seen James since I moved in yesterday and while my shifts don’t start until Monday morning, I want to take the morning to get to know him a little bit more, I want him to be comfortable with me. I take a minute to take him in. He looks so much like his father with his blue eyes and little combed over hairstyle. His hair is lighter than Thomas’, but it’s the same style. James is wearing dinosaur pajamas and I wonder what time it is and where Thomas is this morning.
“Where’s your daddy, bud?”
“He’s still sleeping,” he whispers. “He told me last night he wasn’t going to work today and was going to work from home.”
Shit, I wasn’t expecting that today, nor was I expecting to wake up on the couch. Last night, Thomas ordered us dinner and said he was going to take a shower before it arrived. I must have fallen asleep while he was upstairs. I was starving after having that weird conversation with him because sometimes people look at me different when they find out I’m vegan. The fact that Thomas didn’t, caused my belly some weird fluttery feelings. Instead of judging me and questioning my choices, he just asked me to write down what I like so Rosie can stock the kitchen for me. Talk about swoon.
I have been eating vegan since I was about 18 years old. It’s mostly for my love of animals but it’s also just a personal preference. I noticed when I switched to a plant-based diet, I started to feel better in general. I started sleeping better and had less stomach issues. Contrary to what people believe, I actually enjoy my vegan food choices.
To add to the conversation about my food preferences, we had to tackle the elephant in the room. He walked in on me soaking in the luxurious bathtub.
Last night I learned two things: first is the reason why they call this building Sunset Square, because when I stepped into the bathroom and looked out the window, there was the most beautiful cotton candy sunset I have ever seen in my life. I have seen some beautiful sunsets living by the beach on the Jersey Shore, but the one last night was the most beautiful one I’ve ever seen.
The second thing I learned was that Thomas can hide no emotions from his face. What do I mean by that? The look on his face when he barged in on me in the bathtub is a look that made me thankful that I was sitting in a bathtub full of water and bubbles to hide the fact that my hands were deep in my own pussy getting off to the thought of him. That fucking suit and seeing those strong forearms got me. I made no motion to remove my fingers or stop rubbing my clit when he was standing there in that fucking blue suit. His mouth dropped open and his eyes went wide when he trailed his look from my face down to my exposed breast and then to the bubbles that covered everything below my chest.Thankfully. After I screamed his name in a mix of shock and pleasure, my eyes trailed down his body and I didn’t miss the bulge that was starting to grow in his pants. Thankfully he was in such a state of shock, that the way I screamed his name made no difference to him. His body language told me that he wished he saw more, and I won't lie when I say that I wish he had seen more too.
After I screamed at him to get out, I finished myself off with his name rolling off my tongue and wishing it was his fingers touching me in my most sensitive spot. He apologized profusely last night in an effort to keep this professional, but the last thing I wanted him to do was apologize for it. He should be sorry for not stripping his clothes and climbing in with me.
BE PROFESSIONAL, PEYTON.
“I’m hangry,” James says, breaking through my thoughts of last night.
I chuckle and get up off the couch because I am too, bud.
“Do you like waffles, James?”
“I LOVE WAFFLES!” he shrieks. “Will you make me some, Ms. Peyton?”
“Absolutely, buddy. But let’s keep it down and let Daddy sleep in a little bit.”
James doesn’t respond but skips into the kitchen, taking a seat on the barstool on the counter.
“Let’s make you some waffles, buddy!” I say enthusiastically.
“Can you make them with sprinkles in them, Peyton? Like the funtetti.”
“Funfetti?” I laugh with him.
“Yeah, that's it!”
I walk to the oversized pantry, and I stop dead in my tracks. Since last night, everything here is different. Many snacks were removed while a lot of different things have been added. I don’t grab anything because I am in such a state of shock. I make my way to the refrigerator to see if anything in there has changed and opening the door, I see that everything has changed in here too.
Vegan options.For me.
My stomach crumbles and my mouth falls open. Did Thomas have all of this done last night after I fell asleep on the couch? He had snacks replaced and he stocked the pantry with some of my favorite ingredients I use to cook. The refrigerator is packed with fruits, vegetables and I even noticed my favorite brand of tofu sitting in one of the pull-out drawers.
He did all of this for me when I didn’t even write a single thing down on the notepad that he gave me last night.
“Is that all okay for you?” Thomas asks from somewhere behind me pulling me from the trance I’m in.
I don’t have it in me to turn around and look at him. I have the refrigerator doors open and I am staring through teary eyes, trying to blink them away. I don’t think anyone has ever done something like this for me before.
