STAND 4

A loud bang on the door makes me jump off the couch and on the floor. I hit my head on the wooden corner of the coffee table, “merda” I mumble. My head hurts, I rub my eyes to realize I felt asleep with my clothes on. My fingers are black with the mascara I managed to spread all over my face.
Another loud bang, *damn!* I manage to stand up and walk to the door “WHAT’S THE RUSH? MADDI I’LL KILL YOU! YOU BETTER BE JASON FUCKING ORANGE OR YOU’RE DEAD MEAT”
“I’m never been happier to be me” his laughing voice says
I lean with the back against the wall *tell me it’s not happening*
“Open the door”
“Wrong apartment”
“Nice try, open the door”
“I’m not in”
“Yes you are. I have coffee and pastries”
*why, why, why?*
I look at my reflection in the window *ARGHHHHH* I sigh “Here’s the deal. I let you in on two conditions”
“Let’s hear them”
“1. you’ll forget about the last 3 minutes of your life, in fact you haven’t knocked on my door yet”
“Can do that” he says amused
“2. you cannot look at me. You make yourself comfortable and wait for me while I take a shower”
“Did you fall asleep with your clothes on?”
“None of your business”
“Deal! Open the door, your neighbor is scaring me”
“Mrs. Evans bugger off!” and it’s my turn to bang on the door
“…she’s gone, thanks”
I open the door and rush into the bathroom.

I take a long hot shower. My head still hurts, I check my reflection in the mirror and I can see a nice bruise on my forehead.
I put a t-shirt and jeans on and I get back into the living room. Jason is lying on the couch.
I run my fingers through his hair, “what are you watching?”
He slightly turns his head and smiles. “Discovery Channel. Something about how to build a bridge”
“Sounds interesting. Can I join you?

“Sure, you’re just the person I was looking for. We need to talk”. He takes my hand and pulls me down onto the couch until I’m spooned with my back against him. I nestle into him slowly rocking my body against his.
Jason grabs my hips preventing me from moving. "Titti" he whispers in my ear "lie still. You're going to cause trouble if you keep that up."I laugh and try to keep perfectly immobile “I’ll see what I can do Mr. Orange”. He places an arm around my waist, smoothing down my hair with the other, and rests his chin against the top of my head. We fit together perfectly."What do you want to talk about?" I ask over the frantic beating of my heart."Well, I thought perhaps we could bridge our 10 year gap. I want to know what you have been doing all this time without me"."What do you want to know?" and I start rubbing his arm.Even though I cannot see him I can picture the concentration on his beautiful face. "What's your favorite film of the last decade?" he asks.I giggle "that's your most urgent question about me? What's my favorite film?"Jason tightens his grip around my waist and laughs against my hair. "I'm working my way up to the more important stuff, bear with me."I nod. "If I was to impress you I would name some boring and obscure French drama”
“And don’t you want to impress me?” and lightly kisses my earlobe
“I believe you’re impressed enough” and I laugh “so I’ll just speak my heart, Possession”
“Chick flick”
“Always! What's yours?""Life is Beautiful” "My turn?" I ask. He nods "How many girlfriends have you had in the past 10 years?"Silence. "Jason?" I insist.He clears his throat. "Well...I would like to use my wild card now and answer to the next question"I laugh "Come on, you can tell me"He pauses for a moment "A lot, but I don’t remember anyone of them" he says softly.“Want to know about my love life?”
“NO. Favorite food?""Too bad. I have nice stories to tell. Are you sure you don’t want to know about the time I did it…”
“I said NO. Favorite food?”
“Maddi’s eggplant parmesan. You?""Spicy tofu baked pilaf”
“It sounds disgusting and I bet it tastes even worse”. I bury myself into him a little deeper, he mans softly “it’s a good thing I came to your rescue Mr. Orange, you need help”
He drops a small kiss on the top of my head and moves his hand slowly from its resting place around my waist to my breast caressing it gently."I think you’re right" he says huskily. My heart skips a beat when his fingers find my nipple through the cotton of my shirt. “But we will have to work on your diet” and nibble my earlobe.
I close my eyes trying to enjoy the sensations of his fingers on my body. I’m breathing deep now.“Why you moved to London?” and slips his hand under my shirt cupping my breast. I moan.
“I thought we were supposed to talk” I tease.
He licks my neck in response.
I move one hand over my head so I can run my fingers through his hair. “To be nearer you, that’s why I moved to London, I was hoping I would run into you”
“You should have come to Manchester” and he’s brushing his thumb against my nipple
“There’s a limit to the things you can do for love”
He laughs against my hair and I arch against him as sparks of arousal shoot straight to my toes.
"Don’t stop” I whisper. He rolls my nipple between thumb and finger.
“Better?" he asks softly.I nod."Any time” he teases me tilting my chin so he can kiss me. He’s gentle, almost shy. *enough foreplay*. I turn around and straddle him. His back on the sofa.
"What the hell do you think you’re you doing?" he asks amused"Let me think" I say with a giggle, running my hands up and down his chest pressing myself against him "I'm going to kiss you" and I lean toward him, his lips welcoming mine."You're really testing my self-control"I sigh feeling his erection pressed against my abdomen. "I’ve been waiting for so long” I whisper.Jason kisses me with a passion that takes me by surprise. He shifts, so he’s on top of me holding my arms above my head.
He’s placing butterfly kisses all over my face when the bell rings.
He looks at me “I guess whoever it is will call back”
The bell rings again “It’s Maddi, she always comes by before going to work”. Both his hands are under my shirt now, I feel it hard to concentrate “I have to open; she’ll call the navy if I don’t. Besides, she’s kind of crazy”
He looks at me amused.
“Can you believe it? Yesterday she went to the Ritz hoping to run into her favorite band. She’s supposed to be a mature woman”
Jason laughs into my neck.
“And I have the feeling she got lucky last night. Maybe she nailed a TT member. I wonder what it would be like…”
He tickles me “you are so funny”
The buzz of the bell is driving me crazy “There’s no way we can avoid her! Tell you what, you get the door and I’ll have one of your pastries, as long as they are real, you know, sugar, flour, eggs, preservatives...”
We are both standing up and he pats my bottom “I’ll get rid of her in no time”
“Be gentle, she has been feeding me for the past 6 years”

I’m in the kitchen, trying to spread some marmalade on Jay’s very much organic pastries when he enters the kitchen. He looks surprised and mad, very very mad.
I hide the food behind my back “I was just making a little experiment here”
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”
*It’s not about the pasties* “what’s wrong Jay?”
“There’s a man at the door. He says he’s your husband”.



“Gerry’s here? He was supposed to stay in the Lake District at least until Tuesday” I storm to the corridor passing in front of a very surprised Jason
“What are you doing here?” I ask him hungrily, hands on my hips
He looks at me doing his puppy eyes “honey I’m home?” he says shyly.
“Your charm is wasted on me!”
“The meeting didn’t go as expected. I didn’t get the grant”
Jason followed me and he’s now staring at us from the kitchen door.
I throw my arms at Gerry changing my tone completely “I’m sorry love, maybe next time”
“Yes, maybe” and hugs me back.
Jason pushes us on the side, grabs his coat and heads to the door.
“What are doing Jay? Jay! Let me explain” and I find myself running after him down the stairs “my legs are shorter than yours! Jason wait for me! It’s not what it looks like!”
He freezes on the last step and turns towards me. I burst into a fit of laughter “I’ve always dreamt to say it! It feels great!”
He’s not amused “are you crazy?”
“Can we talk?”
Gerry leans over the baluster and yells “can I have the pastries? I’m starving”
Jason gives him a killer look, places his hands in his pockets and keeps walking. He’s almost out of the building when I reach him. I grab his arm “look at me! He’s my husband but we’re separated. We’ve been separated for almost 9 months”
“What he’s he doing here then?” he hisses
“He lives here”
“You gotta be kidding me! Here’s my number, give me a call when you get rid of him”
I’m not letting him go “I’m not getting rid of him. He has no job and no place to stay. We’ve been married for 2 years; the fact it didn’t work out between us doesn’t mean I’m letting him down”
Jason grins “so what are Mr. Free-Ride’s plans for the next future?”
“Don’t call him that! He’s a writer”
“Of course!” and smacks his head “Have I read anything by him?”
“Your sarcasm is really uncalled for!”
We’re fighting right in front of my building entrance; the family living on the first floor is coming back from the Saturday shopping. We fall silent and move on the side so they can pass us.
“Sarcasm? You have a man living in your apartment. You buy him food, probably wash his clothes and I am supposed to be happy about it? How does he repay you?”
My fingers are clenching his sleeve, I look into his eyes and I bite my lower lip “you’re jealous”
“No, I’m not, I’m just mad at myself. I’m out of here” but he’s not moving
“No you’re not” I’m standing on tiptoe and I gently tug his lower lip. I place my other hand around his neck so to push his face down to meet mine. I caress his lips with my tongue. His hands still in his pocket but I feel he’s struggling not to meet my kiss. I pull the base of his hair, he moans and I slid my tongue inside. Suddenly his hands are all over my body. Our tongues are hungry for each other. He pins me against the wall in a long passionate kiss. He breaks it hastily and looks at me while I lick my lips.
“Whatever you’re trying to do it’s not working missy”
I trace imaginary lines on his shirt “I can tell”
“He has to go”
“No way. I’ve been supporting him for almost 3 years now. He’s that close to finish his first novel. He’s going to be famous and repay me, plus interests. And what if he’s the next Hemingway? How can I deprive the world of a literary masterpiece?”
“He’s a loser, capital L and the world won’t miss him. Where is he sleeping?”
“On the couch”
“The same one we …”
I nod and he smiles “that should serve him right”
“Titti, this stuff is disgusting!” Gerry yells still chewing the pastries Jason brought “where did you buy it? Shit-r-us? Bleah! Maybe if we hurry up we can get to McDonald before they stop serving breakfast!”
“I’m just gonna kill him”
“No, you’re not” and I laugh “come back upstairs”
“Let me set the record straight. If he keeps living here there’s no way in hell I’m ever spending the night”
I grin mischievously, “what makes you think I want you to?”
He ignores me “and neither are you. I’ll empty a drawer in my place and you can leave some of your things. You don’t share food, I don’t share you”
I run my fingers through his hair and smile at him “I need to log on tell the ‘Rules Girls’ that bloody book really work. You’re asking me to move in after less than 24 hours. I’m one hot lady”
“You’re not moving in, you’re just avoiding me getting extremely pissed at the fact I’m gonna date a married woman”
“We’re dating now?” I tease
“I’m a very serious, considerate and sensitive man. You’re so going to corrupt me. My mom won’t like it. And it was just yesterday you were a kid”
“Come on up. I’ll grab my coat and we can go somewhere else” I go one step up so I’m almost as tall as he is and I lean my mouth on his ear, nibbling it “please…” I whisper “I’m sure the two of you could be friends”
His rubbing my back, eyes closed “don’t push your luck”
I smile and take his hand “follow me, time to properly meet my hubby”