Quality Time

"You first," I urged.

"Oh no," he sighed. "Ok, well, there were several." After deliberating for a moment, his tone brightened, "Oh, I know. Alright, remember when we were out getting groceries so you could, ah, delight us all with your cooking?"

I elbowed him in the side. "Shut up! You said yourself it was a great meal!"

Chuckling, he continued, "You and I split up, and when I finally found you again, you were in the office supplies section, just staring in wonder as though you'd never seen paper before."

My face reddened, and I was suddenly glad we were sitting back to back. "I told you then, and I'll say it again now-"

"I know, I know, let me finish," he said between laughs. I huffed and rammed myself into his back. "Let me paint this picture for you the way I saw it. You were standing there like a child, your guard was down, your awe was evident by the sparkling in your eyes, and I knew you were trying to think of uncommon ways to use all of those supplies in your crafts. It was one of the first times I'd ever seen you express unrestrained joy. For a moment, the veil parted so your beauty became clear to me. Then you noticed me, and instead of trying to pull your guard back up, you said very sheepishly, 'Have I ever told you how much I like office supplies?' At the time I really wanted to kiss you, but I settled for saying-"

"'No, you haven't. You're so strange,'" I finished while I chuckled. "Yeah, I remember that. Geez, I felt like a total geek after that."

"I thought you were rather adorable."

"I'm kinda glad you didn't kiss me right then and there. We weren't exactly dating then, so I would've been super confused and probably suffered a heart attack."

We laughed against each other until I finally said, "Ok, so I first realized you were the hottest man alive when-"

"Oh no." I felt his head fall into his hand as he nervously chuckled. Good naturedly embarrassing him is always a plus for me.

I continued, "You and your brothers were outside plucking weeds and doing yard work. Let me, uh, paint the picture for you. It's hot outside. Like, blazing hot. You guys are sweaty, shirtless, but look like you're having a jolly ole time. I step outside to take you guys a pitcher of icy water when, lo and behold, the, ah, veil parts, and I notice you are ridiculously handsome even when you're sweaty and stinky, and some not-so-pure thoughts run through my head." I feel him shaking his head as though he either doesn't believe a word I'm saying, or he is very embarrassed by the way I'm telling this story; I'm hoping it's the second one, and I'm almost wishing it were possible to see him blush.

"Anyways, I back inside the house to let my heart pound a bit and compose myself. Then I enter the backyard again with a loud shout so I know all of you notice me so I don't fall back into your spellbinding daze again. I mean, I always knew you were cute, but this was the first time I realized how frickin' sexy you are."

His face must have been in his hands because his speech was muffled. "You are ridiculous."

"Oh, don't be modest. You're fine, and you know it."

"Ridiculous. So ridiculous. I can't even- there are no words to describe how I feel right now."

I laughed and relaxed against him. "Is it that weird for me to call you sexy? Because you definitely are."

"You know when I call you bel in front of your friends, and they ask what it is I'm saying, so with beaming pride I tell them, but you put on this mask so you can hide your embarrassment?"

I was quiet for a moment before uttering a small, "Oh." Another second later I amended, "But that's different!"

With a heavy sigh, he fell into laughter, and soon after, I followed suit.