I Love Him, I Love Him Not - 15

Hey people!!!

I'm back. And I've written a good five chapters for you guys. So get yourselves ready!

Zy: Hey! No, I haven't read fruit basket I'm afraid. I've only just started reading the novels - before I just appreciated the stand alone art. But I will keep an eye out for it now!

CLEO: Hi! I'm not sure about the another guy thing. Because she's a princess, do you think we should have some marriage stuff in there? Comment back with your ideas!

Life: I had exactly the same problem! if you look back on my other stories, they either got together after the first day or took a lifetime to realize their feelings for each other! I've only just got better with that - practice (lots and LOTS of practice) helps.

Rachael: Thanks! i didn't get a jazzy sticker. But then again, I didn't get hives either. You get better soon, too.

Pauline Bal: lol. Heartfelt moments coming your way! (Even though Gwendolyn is, too.)

Hani: Hey! Your comment made me laugh. I'm not always so psycho - I was just going through a really, really bad time at that point. Sorry. And for the criticism - thank you! I can only get better by learning what I'm not doing right. And now that we're moving out of the human world, there'll be more stress on the powers thing, don't worry.

Everyone else: Thank you and love you!

P.S: Sorry for the scandalously short part. All my other stuff is on my laptop at home, so I'll post soon with something a lot longer!

~x~

Swallowing hard, I made my way into my father's old study. Everything supported a thin layer of dust, as neither I nor my mother had found the strength to go in there yet. Everything in there screamed James, from the dusty old globe to the mountains of books, to the pictures on the walls.

I felt tears prick my eyes as I went to the wardrobe. Cole and my father were about the same height, around the same build. His clothes would fit him. They were only temporary, anyway. I flung open the door and was accosted with dad's smell. The subtle cologne he used to use, accompanied with the sweet perfume of musk.

Ignoring the water pooling in my eyes, I found dad's black cut offs that he almost never wore and a simple black tee-shirt. I gathered everything in my arms, and then went to the top of the stairs.

Unfortunately, (or fortunately - depends on which way you look at it) Cole wasn't done changing. He had his shirt off, and was undoing his belt. I took the opportunity to check him out. And there was a lot to check.

His skin was that same stubborn tan color, and his abdomen was nicely muscled into a six-pack. There was the lightest spattering of hair on his chest, that lead down to a narrow v at the belt of his jeans.
And I mean the lightest. You could hardly tell it was there, but I didn't think they shaved their chests back in medieval times. The lingering rain on his skin made him shimmer in the weak light from the thunderstorm outside, and he looked more like a God than ever before.

"Here." I said, limping down the steps and having the satisfaction of watching him flush in my presence. "Put these on." I threw the clothes and one towel at him, before starting to rub my own hair dry.

Cole just looked at me. "Um, Summer? Could you turn around or something?"

I laughed. I couldn't help it. Who would have known Cole was shy?
"Why? Does somebody wear tighty-whiteys?" I teased lightly, hoping against hope that he didn't. I hated men who wore y-fronts. They were just so... bulgy. Boxers were definitely better.

"No, I just..." He trailed off, flushing again.

"All right, all right, don't get your knickers in a twist." I said, before bursting into a full-blown fit of laughter. I turned around reluctantly, and began making my way to kitchen, padding softly in my socks. "Do you want anything to drink?" I called, hunting through the cupboards for some hot chocolate.

Cole appeared in the kitchen doorway. I turned around and froze. Yup, now I was quite sure that he wore boxers. I was the one blushing now, and he grinned a cheeky, easy grin. He leaned against the door frame and crossed his arms, making the thick bands of muscles around each arm bunch up wonderfully. He was in a shirt and long, baggy boxers that could have been mistaken for shorts, but still.

Cole Lodger (Antonio Armani) was standing in my kitchen in his boxers!

"Um... Cole? It seems that you forgot to put your pants on." I said, dragging my eyes away from him and back to the cupboard.

"Nope. They don't fit. The waist is too baggy." He said, walking into the kitchen and sitting on a stool like he owned it.

"Um, could you put your other jeans on, then?" I asked weakly; it was a great sight, but an incredibly distracting one.

"They're soaked, dummy." He said cheerfully, standing up and leaning over me to grab a mug for himself. I caught my breath as I was suddenly enveloped in his warmth and scent, and then released it slowly as he drew back with my mug.

"Hey, that's mine!" I protested, trying to grab it out of his hand. If there's anything I hate, it's somebody using my special mug.

"What? It's just a cup." Cole said, moving it out of reach. I jumped up to grab at it, but he kept on moving it away. This was a game where we could get dangerously close.

"It's my cup. I don't want somebody's germy mouth all over it." I said stupidly, trying to grab at it. Cole smiled a crooked, heart stopping smile.

"You didn't protest when I had my germy mouth all over you." He said, effectively stopping me in my tracks. It was a good point, a valid one, but it didn't help my mood much. I blushed a deep, deep ruby.

"Fine, you have it." I said, sitting on my stool and crossing my arms huffily. I stuck my bottom lip out slightly, a gesture that had stayed with me since childhood tantrums.

"Oh, don't look like that." Cole said, setting the mug down. He ruffled my wet hair. "Summer, stop being so cute."

I shook my head furiously and stayed glaring straight ahead.

"Summer, that's not fair." Cole protested, moving himself so he was in my direct line of vision. I turned my head stubbornly. "Oh come on, Princess. You want the stupid cup? You can have the stupid cup." He said, pushing it towards me. I shook my head again.

"You wanted it. You have it." I said mulishly. He sighed.

"All right. How about we share? Are you all right with that?" He said, taking the hot chocolate that I had found and scooping some powder into the mug.

I nodded reluctantly. "Fine."

He laughed at my childish behavior before proceeding to make the hot chocolate.