Habitude, page 5
Faith is grateful that he hasn’t pushed. The amount of self-control it’s taken him the past few weeks is honorable. It makes her feel safe with him. Safe enough to go to bed with him.
Jonathan is snapped out of his thoughts by a notification on his phone. There’s a text message from Faith.
Faith: Hey handsome! I hope work is going as well as it can late on a Friday night. I’m excited to see you tomorrow!
Jonathan: It’s bearable. I’d much rather be with you. I can’t wait to see you tomorrow too.
Faith: I’m going to be heading to bed in a little bit.
Jonathan: OK, Sweetie. I’ll talk to you in the morning. Sweet dreams.
Faith: Thank you! Don’t stay too late at the office.
Jonathan: I won’t.
Jonathan tries to get back into his work, but it proves futile. He finishes the most important items and figures the rest can get done on Monday. The drive home is short, but knowing Faith won’t be there makes it feel longer. He’s nearly home when he turns and heads to Caulfield instead. He’s going to satisfy at least one urge tonight, even if it’s not the one he really wants gratified.
Meanwhile, Faith snuggles in under her blankets, comfortable in her warm bed. She allows her mind to wonder if she will be sleeping in her own bed tomorrow. Jonathan was extra careful to be respectful while she spent time over there this week. Almost to the point Faith was wondering if he could be having second thoughts.
She felt the need to ask him about it yesterday. He explained that he was scared of not being able to stop himself again. He didn’t want things to go too far and her regret it. He reassured her that he definitely was not having second thoughts about anything.
It was a good conversation, and Faith came away from it happy that she asked him. It gave her the peace of mind she was craving. Being able to talk to him about her feelings and especially about the things she needs reassurance on is very important to her. Faith is relieved that so far Jonathan has been understanding and clear on his intentions. They are just beginning and she needs to make sure this relationship has a solid foundation of trust and honesty. Both of those begin with open communication.
Chapter 9
Vastitude
Noun; immensity, vastness
Faith wakes up to the sun peeking through her window shade, cascading light directly across her face. She was hoping to be able to sleep in, but she knows there’s no way for her to go back to sleep now. She stretches, throws on some clothes and her running shoes, then steps out the front door. When she returns, she undresses, turns on some music, fills the bathtub with warm water and steps in.
The water feels wonderful on her skin as her body sinks down deeper into it. She closes her eyes, feeling the warmth of the water surround her entire body. She sinks her head under the water. The muffled sound of the melody plays like an underwater concert.
After shaving she turns the shower on and washes her hair and body. When she finishes, she towels off, brushes her teeth and moisturizes. Faith looks at herself in the mirror, feeling anxiety build in the pit of her stomach. Faith reminds herself today is no different than any other day with Jonathan. She worries that waiting may have put too much pressure on them. She reminds herself there is no guarantee that anything is even going to happen tonight, and the likelihood of it being a good experience is pretty high.
Jonathan wakes up to the sound of his phone going off. He sees that it is after ten in the morning, and he curses himself for sleeping in so late. He was expecting the message to be from Faith, but it was only a news notification. He immediately calls Faith. They knew they were spending time together this weekend, but hadn’t made any concrete plans.
“Hello?”
“Good morning, beautiful. How did you sleep?”
“I slept pretty well. I just woke up too early and couldn’t fall back to sleep.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s definitely not your fault. I got a run in at least. How did you sleep?”
“I got home later than I would have liked, so I pretty much passed out.”
“So, are we doing something today?”
“Yes, I’d like to take you to brunch. Then I have a surprise planned, followed by dinner at my place. Does that work?”
“Sure does!”
“I’ll be over in about twenty minutes.”
“Perfect.”
They hang up. Jonathan had showered before he fell asleep last night, so he applies deodorant, gets dressed, and adds a couple spritzes of cologne.
Walking up to Faith’s door, Jonathan can’t help but wonder what she is thinking in regards to tonight. He has had a hard time keeping his mind off it. Trying to fight the thoughts is useless. His detour into Caulfield last night only helped for a short time.
Soon after he knocks, Faith opens the door. He is taken aback by her, the sunlight shining on her long brown hair. She doesn’t seem to notice him staring when she says, “I wasn’t really sure what to wear.” She looks down at what she’s wearing.
He blinks, trying to focus on her clothes now. She’s wearing a jean skirt with a white, short-sleeve shirt. All of which is showing off her womanly figure in the most perfect way. His eyes linger on the curve of her hips, then slowly move to her breasts before finally making their way back up to her face, first her lips and then landing on her deep chestnut brown eyes.
Faith smiles, she can tell he very much likes what he sees.
“You look absolutely incredible.” He says it almost as if he can’t believe his eyes.
“Thank you.” Faith can feel her cheeks getting warm. Any anxiety she felt earlier dissipated watching Jonathan take in the sight of her. She grabs her purse and they get into Jonathan’s car.
“I was thinking about taking you to Love’s Café, but I thought better of it.” He smirks at her.
Faith laughs a little before saying, “Yeah, I’d suggest not taking me there until you’re ready to meet my parents and Hope, plus nearly every other person in this town that has known me my whole entire life.”
“I don’t think we want that quite yet.” He furrows his brow and gives her a sideways glance, and they both start laughing. “Tollero’s it is.”
“That works. There’s not too many choices here in town.”
“It’s probably a good thing for your parents.”
When they arrive Jonathan holds the door for Faith. Walking through it, she immediately thinks of their first date. She turns to look at Jonathan. “Our first date seems so long ago already.”
He smiles at her, agreeing wholeheartedly. It does feel much longer, but in the best possible way.
There is a wait since the restaurant is busy for brunch. Once they are seated, the service is quick. They receive their coffee and juice and then their food quickly.
“The service here is great, and brunch was just as delicious as dinner had been. This might have to become one of our spots.”
“Love’s Café’s service is better.” Faith rolls her eyes and starts to giggle.
“I’ve heard their summer help is the best.”
“You’re too kind. Especially for someone who hasn’t even been served by me.”
“I’m hoping to change that soon.” Jonathan smiles, not meaning to have said it out loud. He nervously laughs a little, hoping that Faith didn’t take it the wrong way.
“How soon are you thinking?”
His nervous laughter grows. He decides to play innocent and not push the envelope. Faith has been very quick to set boundaries.
“As soon as you’d like.”
“I like that answer.”
“I kind of thought you might.” Jonathan smiles at her. “I never want to do anything you’re not comfortable with.” He reaches across the table for Faith’s hand.
The waitress brings the check, and Jonathan pays before they go to the door. When he opens the car door for Faith, she asks, “So, what is this surprise you have planned?”
“If you knew before we got there, it wouldn’t be a surprise now, would it?” He closes her door and gets in the car. Faith gets a slight uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. She normally loves surprises, but for some reason she’s a bit worried about this one. Looking over at Jonathan driving, she decides that he wouldn’t have planned anything bad, especially if he wants to spend the night with her. As quickly as it came, the feeling subsides for now.
Chapter 10
Crassitude
Noun; the quality or state of being crass, grossness
The drive takes less than five minutes. Faith sees the sign for Ironshore Park at the driveway Jonathan is turning into.
He smiles, glancing over at her. “Have you been here before?”
“No, never.” She shakes her head.
“Well, I’m sure you know, it’s owned by Kansen Corp for their employees to use. There’s an indoor pool and rooms we can rent out for parties or whatever, but the reason we’re here today is because every first Saturday of the month there’s a beer garden.”
“That’s pretty cool. Am I going to be meeting your co-workers?” The anxiety is trying to creep its way back in.
“I didn’t set up to meet anyone here, but I’m sure there will be some people I work with. It is a pretty popular perk.” Jonathan notices Faith looking down at her fingers, fiddling with them. “Is this OK? We can go do something else if you want.”
“This is fine. I’ll be OK. I wasn’t really prepared to meet anyone yet.”
“You don’t have to.”
“No, we can stay.” She looks at him trying to show she’s sincere.
Jonathan pulls into a parking spot near where the beer garden is set up. He’s feeling like he may have made a mistake bringing Faith here, or at least with keeping it a secret. Maybe he should have given her a heads up, but it’s too late for that now.
He gets out and opens her door for her. He outstretches his hand to help her stand while watching her swing her legs out the door. Jonathan would be lying if he said he wasn’t excited to show Faith off. He can only imagine the comments he’ll get at the office on Monday.
That wasn’t the only reason he’d brought her here, of course. It’s simply an added perk. Faith is a beautiful woman by anyone’s standards. It’s surprising to him that someone hadn’t swept her off the market before he got the chance to.
Jonathan holds Faith’s hand, and they walk toward the small building the beer and snacks are served from. They stand in line, gazing up at the big menu that’s been hand painted on a sign mounted to the side of the stone building.
Jonathan squeezes her hand. “Any idea what you’re going to have?”
“I prefer something on the sweeter side. Is there something you suggest?”
“You can get one of the ciders. Those would probably be the sweetest options.”
Looking at the menu, under the ciders heading, Faith sees that most of these have some sort of fruit flavoring to them. “I think I’ll have the cherry one.”
“That’s a fine choice.”
“What are you going to have?”
“I’m not sure yet. I think I’ll start with one of the IPAs.”
As they are standing there, Faith notices a woman watching them intently. When the woman sees Faith looking at her, she abruptly turns away. Faith focuses back on Jonathan and the line in front of them until she feels someone’s eyes on her once again. Quickly darting her eyes in the woman’s direction, the woman looks away again.
Jonathan notices the stern look on Faith’s face and asks, “Is something wrong?”
“Do you know that woman?” Faith gestures towards her without trying to draw additional attention from her.
Jonathan’s eyes follow Faith’s to a woman standing fifty yards or so away. She’s wearing a red dress that hugs every curve of her body with a jean jacket over it. Her curly black hair rests on her half exposed breasts. Faith watches Jonathan’s expression flash with recognition. Her stomach drops. She had secretly hoped he wouldn’t know her.
“That’s Candi. She’s the receptionist at the office.”
“She seems to be extremely interested in us. She keeps looking over here.” Slight annoyance coming through in her tone.
Just as Faith finishes her sentence, Candi quickly glances at them. Realizing her mistake, she turns away almost as quickly.
“I see…” Jonathan scratches his chin. He’s not quite sure how to handle this situation.
“Could there be a reason for that?”
“Aside from the fact that she is the office gossip? Not really. She has tried and mostly succeeded in sleeping with the majority of the higher ups.”
“Have you slept with her?” The words are coming out of her mouth before Faith has a chance to think about what she’s asking. She’s not trying to accuse him and she hopes he doesn’t take it that way.
“I haven’t. No. That is why I only said ‘mostly succeeded’.”
“Oh, OK.”
The line lurches forward and they both take a step. Jonathan places his hand on the small of Faith’s back, trying to reassure her in whatever way he can. He doesn’t entirely understand Faith’s apprehension. However, when he takes a minute to think about the situation being reversed, he understands a bit more, and contemplates suggesting they go find something else to do.
Faith’s stomach is in knots. She is having second thoughts about ordering anything but water. She feel’s Jonathan’s hand move up and down slightly, rubbing her back. It feels nice, and it lets her know that his focus is on her. She can’t help but wonder if he knew Candi would be here, though.
The person in front of them orders and receives their drinks. Jonathan steps up and orders. Within a few minutes, they are walking over to a picnic table to have a seat and enjoy their cold drinks. Faith never really takes her eyes off Candi, and every once in a while, she catches the other woman looking their way.
Jonathan takes a drink of his beer. “Don’t let her bother you. I can promise you nothing happened with her and nothing ever will. She doesn’t have anything I want. We can leave if you want to.” He gestures towards the parking lot.
“What is it that you want?”
“You.”
“Very specific, thank you.” She mentally scolds herself for how insecure she sounds right now.
He grabs Faith’s hands in his and looks directly at her. “I understand that it is extremely early on in our relationship for you to know this about me, but I’m a very particular person. I don’t pursue things I don’t believe to be worthy of me. I never go for the easy thing, and I certainly don’t revel in distractions.”
“That is definitely good to know. It doesn’t answer why it seems she is so obsessed with you, though.”
“Honey, I don’t think she is obsessed with me.” Nodding towards her with a smirk he continues, “I think it’s you that is drawing all her attention.”
“What makes you think that?”
“Because I turned her down months ago and she hasn’t tried since.”
“Just because she hasn’t tried doesn’t mean she doesn’t still want to. Now you bring me around and she sees that she has competition.”
“There is no competition. You are my girlfriend. You are all I want, Faith.”
“I don’t think she cares.”
“We can either ignore her and try to enjoy our date, or we can leave and go find something else to do. I want you to be comfortable.”
Faith considers this a moment, then says with a smile. “Let’s enjoy our date.”
Faith tries her hardest to ignore Candi, which is a little difficult since her red dress is like a beacon.
“How is your cider?”
“It’s pretty good. Thank you.”
“Would you like another?”
“Yes, please.” Maybe it will help her relax.
“I’ll be right back.”
“OK, thanks!”
Jonathan walks back to the building to order another round for them. While he’s standing in line, a tall man with slicked back jet black hair approaches the table. Faith is a bit taken aback but wants to be friendly, knowing that it’s most likely a co-worker of Jonathan’s.
“I’ve never seen you before. What’s your name?” he asks.
“I’m Faith. And you are?”
“Vern. Did you come here with someone?”
She gestures towards Jonathan standing in line. “Yeah, I’m here with Jonathan.”
“Oh, I see. Are you two a couple? I’ve never seen Jonathan with anyone.” Putting his hand up to the side of his mouth as if it’s a secret he says, “Honestly, we all thought he was gay.”
Faith scowls at him, quickly realizing this guy is a prick. Faith replies, “Not that it should matter to anyone if he were, but yes, we are together.” She quickly stands and walks over to Jonathan waiting in line.
“I just met Vern.” She says in a low tone dripping with disdain.
“I’m sorry you had the displeasure. I would have saved you if I’d seen.”
“I can save myself.”
“Clearly, you did.” A sense of pride welling up inside him.
Faith turns to scan the crowd behind them and sees Vern and Candi standing very close to each other. Candi has her hand on Vern’s chest, leaning into him. It’s then that Faith realizes what it was that happened.
“Hey, buddy! It’s nice to see you here!”
Faith’s train of thought is interrupted by an older man wearing black dress slacks and a designer button up shirt without a white hair out of place, greeting Jonathan while very enthusiastically patting him on the shoulder.
Jonathan turns and address him. “Mr. Kansen! It’s great to be here.”
Mr. Kansen turns to look at Faith with a big grin on his face. “And who is this you have with you?”
