The message

[Lovely]

April 29, 2010
7:45pm
Runs alongside: Big Bad


The woods were thick, but not enough to contain Antony in their shadows for very long. He had an appointment to keep. Del had let him out at the side of the road to walk home and he had, but stayed only a moment to explain himself to Mitch. With a nod and a blessing to return when he was ready, Mitch watched him vanish again into the woods at full throttle and fully furred.

AJ arrived at Del's place shortly before the others. Del was taking her time. He shifted form and untied the jeans from his neck that held the shirt he'd been wearing, looking now much the same as he had. She would arrive any minute. From his shirt pocket he slipped out a small plastic package and slipped from it a minted toothpick, chewing on this as he waited. He found a comfortable spot on the porch to lean where she would certainly see him... and wonder.

Del had spoken to her sister on the phone briefly and then stopped to pick up a few things for their 'b*tch fest' which would take place once she got home. Annia promised to be waiting with opinions and a shoulder though Del had no idea yet what had happened to her sister as she shopped. The radio was playing as Del pulled into the dark driveway and brought the truck up to park near the front porch.

The headlights splashed over the front of the house and illuminated a figure that was leaning there, for half a second Del assumed it was Steve come to beg her to get back together with him. She did a double take and hit the brake pedal harder than she meant to and the truck lurched, jerking her in the seat a little. There was no way AJ could have made it here before her, she'd dropped him off up near the mill, on foot.. no cars had passed her on the mill road.. so it was impossible, yet she was staring at him right now. She slowly reached to shut the engine off and quickly glanced in the bag to make sure she hadn't started drinking already and was hallucinating. "Alrighty then." The bottles she bought were in the bag still sealed, she scooped the bag up in one arm and slid out of the cab, the heavy door slamming closed and she headed up the few stairs to the porch. "Hello.." Her heart was beating fast and her breathing not completely even but that wasn't all fear.. most of it was her attraction to him if she was honest. She wasn't prepared to see him again so soon!

He looked back over his shoulder and listened a moment, checking the sound levels, but Del wasn't likely to hear much with the shock of seeing him ringing in her head. He fiddled with the toothpick before setting it against his lip and reaching out for the bag of bottles before she decided that dropping them might be a good idea. "No key under the mat? Don't you trust me?" He honestly hadn't checked, but wondered if she would call his bluff or not. If Steve could come and go, he figured she didn't need one for him.

[Lovely]

Still shocked, she didn't verbally answer him for a moment, more staring at him and trying to figure out a way he could be there -before- she was. He reached for the bag and she let him take it, finding it endearing that he was gentleman enough to offer. "I ah.. heh.. I wasn't expecting you. That and I don't make a habit of giving out my house key to men I've just met, no matter how likeable they are.. My sister likes to run around in her pjs and she looks just like me, it gets so confusing for the poor guys." She laughed, it was a little nervous and her hand lifted to brush some hair behind her ear.

He chuckled. He was sure he could tell them apart, but it would take a while to explain how. "Let her run around in 'em. I won't be looking at her, anyway. I did a little thinking on the way here, about that dinner and all. I didn't want to wait for a phonecall," he said honestly. He stayed between her and the door. "Still a nice night and maybe she's already... pj'ed up, huh? You want one of these out here?" He took one of the bottles out of the bag to hand to her.

"I'm nearly certain she is.. I was sort of supposed to join her.." She glanced to the door and then back to him, licking her lips lightly. "I'm sure she'll forgive me.. for staying out here a few minutes." She gestured to the bench that was against the side railing a little more into the shadows of the porch. "I have to admit that I'm a little shocked.. but I'm happy to see you."

"Shocked? Why's that?" He knew very well, but wanted to hear her reason out how it could be possible that he'd gotten to her house so easily. He set the bag down by the bench and opened the bottle for her. "One for you... Nice little place... still no Steve," he said, mentioning that he hadn't happened to see him in the short time he'd been waiting.

"Because I left you way out there and.. you got here before I did.." She shook her head, she hadn't come up with a reason for that especially since she didn't see a car parked anywhere. "Thanks." She gestured to the house with her bottle as she sat down, accepting his compliment with a small puff to her pride. "I did and didn't expect Steve to be here.. I'm more happy to see you than I would be to see him.. He wouldn't answer his phone so.. I broke up with him on his voicemail."

"In his voicemail?" AJ laughed. Too bad he'd never hear the message. "That's cold, even for me, but I like it." He pulled out another bottle and helped himself then sat beside her and waited for her to calm down a little more. He was pretty certain the others heard the truck door close when she arrived.

[Lovely]

"Yeah, it was pretty cold.. I'm not usually cold at all. I guess he just really ticked me off, the final straw, you know?" She scuffed her toe against the porch floor and sighed, leaning back on the bench. "He's been distant and it feels like he's been lying to me about something.. I didn't feel like I could trust him anymore.. I guess it's for the best." Her shoulder shrugged and she took a sip from her bottle. "He would have been pissed if I let you take me to dinner.."

"Funny how you think you know a guy," he said, tongue in cheek with a shake of his head. He looked out to the street, listening to sounds around the back of the house. He sat back, rustling and fidgeting to get comfortable, it seemed. "Guess he doesn't have to know, then. About dinner, right? So that means yes? Tell me what sounds good. What do you dream about that Steve-o never bothered to treat you with, huh?"

Del couldn't see the road from the house at night, the driveway was long enough and being rural, she didn't have to worry about pesky neighbors. Her eyesight wasn't nearly as sharp as AJ's and she wondered what he gazed at in the darkness, maybe just gathering his toughts? "He'll find out about dinner.. you work with him and well if anyone sees us.." She motioned with her hand that people would talk about it, not that she cared much if they did. "I don't dream about fancy dinners or things money can buy.. I guess I'm more into the simple things.. the things that mean something. I'm happy with a pizza, comfy pjs, and cuddling."

"Meaningful... like the long walks on the beach, sunrises... and puppies kind? I could be cool with that, except maybe sunrises. I outgrew early mornings when there weren't any good cartoons left to watch that early," he chuckled, taking a sip of his beer. "Pizza it is. What do you want on it - be honest. Personally, none of that fancy California crap... if I can't pronounce it, it's not goin' on my pie, ya know?"

"Mmm sunsets are more my thing.. walks under the stars.. but I do love puppies.." She grinned and half turned on the bench so she was facing him a little more. "Meaningful like holding hands, or having a pair of strong arms wrapped around you that make you feel safe and warm.. and kisses of course.. kisses are definitely my favorite." She kind of pouted a little then, Steve had not been the greatest kisser.. she was always left just a little disappointed and longing for something more. Del shook her head a little to clear the thought. "I like bacon on my pizza."

He nodded and then paused as she got to her toppings. His mouth was watering just at the mention of it. "Bacon? Wow, who doesn't love bacon? C'mon. It's a cool night out here and until Steve shows up, gotta keep you warm, right? I won't tell him, I promise," he said, holding his arm out for her to cuddle up closer.

[Lovely]

"I wouldn't care if you did tell him.." She had a strange look on her face, almost as if she were slightly offended. She shook her head again and shifted to get up instead of moving closer to him. "No need to keep me warm -until- Steve shows up.. I should probably get inside."

He could sense how she bristled even if she didn't have the bushed up fur to show for it. His hand fell against the back of the bench. "Hey, c'mon, I was just trying to make peace here. I didn't say I'd let go if and when he does get his sorry ass over here, which personally between you and me, he's already missed that train. First screw up's a gimme. I'm sorry, okay? Sit with me? Please?"

"Well it sure sounded like that was what you meant." She said quietly, looking down at the toe of her shoe for a minute. "I'm not the sort of girl that jumps from one guy to the next and back again.. I sort of feel like I'm being naughty right now.. but I.. really like you." She sat back and chanced a glance at him with a soft apologetic smile.

"So you really like puppies?" He asked with a smile, sticking his tongue out to pant teasingly at her. He chuckled and looked out to the street and up to the stars, his hand out on the back of their seat still waiting for her to curl up closer. He motioned his fingers for her go ahead and snuggle. "Tell me what you like about 'em. Cute, furry, they lick your nose when you try to sleep... what?"

"Yes.. I really like puppies.. who doesn't?" She chuckled and bit her lower lip as she accepted his offer, moving closer to snuggle up against him. "For all of the above.. and because dogs are very loyal.. affectionate, they'll keep you warm or at least your lap, they'll watch any stupid movie you want to watch and don't complain.. they love you better than anything else."

"Wow, kinda makes me wish I was a dog... free movies and I'd get to keep your lap warm," he suggested, curling her into a warm embrace. "Okay, so how stupid of movies? Tell me there's at least one Stallone film for every ten chic flicks, right?"

"You want me to scratch you behind the ears?" She teased, lifting her hand as if she would really do so, and she might to be playful if he let her. "I actually like action movies... though I do need my comedy and drama.. so maybe like one Stallone film for every five other ones.. if you could stand that?"

"I might have to lick you if you do that," he said, raising an eyebrow. He apparently had more than just her nose in mind.

"Really?" Her grin and the sparkle in her eyes said she would accept that dare and her hand brushed into his hair, seeking a spot behind his ear that she gently scratched. At the same time she leaned over to find out whether or not his kiss was the perfect one she'd been waiting her whole life for.

He tapped his foot against the porch boards at first to be funny and licked her nose a little as he chuckled at the tickle behind his ear. He quieted quickly to a hum as he returned the kiss warmly, chasing it with another, slowly pulling her into his lap.

It was better than she had imagined, his was -the- kiss! Her heart fluttered and as he chased the first with another and she shifted as he pulled, she was in his lap before she realized it and was not complaining at all. He was nice and warm like his kiss which she sought more of, losing herself in them for several minutes.