Everyone Needs a Little Tenderness Sometime

“Why won’t you just tell me? I thought we told each other everything?” Jordan stood in front of me; his hands were on my upper arms.

I shook my head. “What difference would it make? You decided that you just want to be my friend, so I don’t see the point in going into it.”

“Argh!” He pulled his hands from my arms. “You are so bloody stubborn, you know that?” I agreed.

Ring. Ring. Rin – Jordan snatched up the receiver. “Hello?” He snapped. He held out the phone to me, “Stalker boy.”

Rolling my eyes, I grabbed the phone from him. “Stop calling him that, his name is Josh.” I hissed at him. “Hey Josh.” I turned away from Jordan but I saw him mimicking me.

“Hello Beautiful, did I interrupt something?” He sounded so good on the phone, just hearing his voice in my ear made me wish he was here.

I glanced over my shoulder at Jordan, who was sitting on the couch giving me dirty looks. “No, you didn’t interrupt anything. I had just finished eating.” So much for his plan to just be a friend, I thought. Men are such liars sometimes. I headed down the hall to my room with the phone. “So how are you doing?” I asked as I closed my door.

We talked for a while, about everything from work, to family and a lot of little things in between. I was surprised when I looked up at the clock, it read 11: 23, two hours had gone by and we were working on the third one.

He yawned, “Oh sorry.” I chuckled and asked if I was boring him. “No, I haven’t slept enough in the last couple days and I’m normally in bed by now.”

“Oh, so why don’t you go to bed?” I smiled at the memory of him in bed with me.

“No, it’s ok.” He tried to hide his yawn but I could hear it in his voice.

I laughed, “I heard that! Go to bed Josh.”

“Yes mom.” He jokingly replied.

“Did you need me to come tuck you in?” I bit my lip and regretted saying it when he didn’t say anything. “Josh?”

“Would you?” His voice was low; the laughter had gone out of it.

“I would, but I’m already in bed.” I hugged the blankets tighter around me, wishing I wasn’t so quick to have gotten into bed when he called.

A small groan came through the line. “Can I come over?”

I thought about it for oh, 2 seconds. “Yes, I’d love that.” He said he’d be over in a couple minutes. After I hung up the phone I laid there, with my eyes closed smiling. He’s coming over! Suddenly I sat up in bed, crap! Jordan.

I jumped out of bed and grabbed my robe, wrapping it around me and returned to the living room. “Stalker boy finally shut up?”

“Jordan, don’t be like that.” I placed the receiver in its cradle. “He’s coming over.”

“What? It’s almost midnight!” He jumped off the couch and was at my side in a flash. “Why is he coming over? This isn’t some kind of booty call, is it?”

I hit him, hard. “Don’t you dare say anything like that to me again! You wanted to be my friend, so be one! Don’t go acting like a jealous prick.” The doorbell rang and he grabbed hold of my arms. “Jordan let me go.”

“Anna, please give me a chance. Send him home and spend the night with me.” He leaned closer and pressed his lips against mine. “Please Babe?”

There was a soft knocking on the door. “Jordan,” I pushed him off me. “I’m not going to send him home.” I headed towards the door, “Make up your mind on what you want to be to me because I’m not having you play this game every time Josh comes around.”

Walking through the kitchen, I took a deep breath and tried to smile. “Hey,” I swung the door open and held out my hand to Josh. “Come in, it’s cold out there.”

He stepped through the doorway, unzipping his jacket. “I thought you changed your mind there for a minute.” Frowning, he looked down at me. “Honey what’s wrong?”

I shook my head, “Nothing.” My hands slipped around his waist and I held him tight. We stood in the dark kitchen like that for a while, just holding each other. It felt so right being with him. I turned my face up to him; he smiled down at me his fingers softly brushing my cheek as his thumb ran over my lips. “Josh?”

“Mmm?”

“You’re poking me.” I whispered.

He started to laugh, a deep chuckle that shook his whole body. “Yes, yes I am.” He kissed my lips. “It’s all your fault.”

I grinned, took his hand and lead him out of the kitchen, down the hall to my room. Before we got to the door though, Jordan come out of the bathroom and was kind of blocking our way.

“Night Jordan,” I said as I tried to go pass him but he wouldn’t move. Josh’s hand tightened around mine and I looked back at him, then at Jordan. The tension in the room seemed to quadruple; they were locked in a stare down of sorts. “Jordan, please move.”

Jordan’s head slowly turned towards me, he studied my face for a moment, and then turned back to Josh. Out of nowhere, his hand wrapped around my neck, he lowered his head and kissed me, hard and firm then released me. I could feel Josh’s anger rising, his body became rigid and his hand squeezed mine harder, it seemed to take all his will power not to deck Jordan. I turned to him as Jordan moved to let us by. I started to move towards my door but Jordan stopped Josh, he had his hand pressed against Josh’s chest. Josh glanced at Jordan’s hand and then me, he finally looked at Jordan. “Get your hand off me.” He said through clenched teeth.

Jordan kept his hand where it was, glanced at me and then lowered it. “This isn’t over, not by a long shot.” He made his way down the hall and disappeared into the living room.

Josh’s grip relaxed on my hand, he took a deep breath as he ran his hand through his hair. Gazing into my eyes, he sighed, “Honey, I’m sorry. Please don’t cry.” He held me in his arms as the tears streamed down my face.

“Please, let’s go in my room.” I whispered against his chest. Without a word, he scooped me up in his arms, carrying me through my door and gently laying me down on my bed. I tried to undo the sash of my bathrobe but my fingers trembled. He had returned from closing my door, kneeling on the bed next to me, his hands brushed mine aside as he helped me remove the robe. He laid me back against the mattress, his body moved above mine, my hands reached for him and he let himself be pulled down to me. His lips were soft and gentle on my face as they kissed away the tears.

“I never want to make you cry.” He whispered as his lips captured mine.