Finding Love (GxG) -completed-

Chapter 18- Rendezvous

After a brief stop at the local sandwich shop, Kam led in her Prius with Eli close behind in her Tacoma.  Kameron’s two bedroom apartment is in the city of Kasson, population about 6,500. Twenty minutes seemed to go on forever but at the same time was not enough time for Eli to prepare herself to be alone with Kam in her apartment. Remember, you don’t have to do anything you aren’t ready for. But, what if I am ready? Woah. What is it about this woman that makes me throw all my cares aside and just want more? Before she had time for anymore thoughts, they were entering Kasson and turning down a residential street to Kam’s apartment. Kam turned into a parking lot that was marked with numbers, so Eli waited for Kam to show her where to park. Way down on the end of the last row, were two spots marked, ‘Visitor Parking’, so that’s where Eli parked her truck. Eli had insisted on paying for supper, so she carried their subs into the apartment as they walked side by side. The building appeared well maintained and although not new, it appeared newer.  Elise wasn’t feeling overly nervous until she heard the apartment door click shut and the deadbolt slide in place. Kam’s living room, dining room, and kitchen were in an open floor plan, which made the apartment seem larger than it was. Kameron gave Eli a brief tour. The bathroom had a single sink, stool, and standard tub with a shower but was decorated with a loon theme. A short hallway led to a door with one bedroom on each side. The first bedroom held a full size bed, dresser, and small desk, all in neutral beige colors. The bedroom was adequate and had the potential to be nice, but was fairly empty of personal touches; this was a guest room. The last room, off the left of the hallway was decorated quite nicely and larger than the other bedroom. The master bedroom had the same color scheme as the kitchen, black and white with touches of color but mostly red to accent the monochromatic color scheme. The bedroom and kitchen looked very classy the way they were decorated. The four poster bed had a translucent white canopy, black satin bedding, and red accent pillows. The closet took up the whole wall along the bathroom and was just shy of being a walk-in closet with the whole wall in doors with floor to ceiling mirrors. Again, the mirrors give the room the appearance of being more spacious than it really is. After a cursory look, I walk back out to the dining area with sandwiches still  in hand. In her nervousness it hadn’t occurred to Eli she could have left the subs in the kitchen or dining room. I’m such a dork! Eli laughs at herself which piques Kam’s interest and she grabs her hand and asks, “what’s so funny?”

Elise’s cheek blush slightly as she meets Kam’s eyes and answers honestly, “I was laughing at what a dork I am for carrying the sandwiches around instead of setting them down prior to the tour…” Elise walks over to the table,  sets the sub bag down, unzips her zippered flannel jacket, hangs it over the back of the black metal chair, and sits down on the padded seat. 

Kameron sits down on the chair next to Eli and begins taking the subs out of the package and taking hers and handing Eli’s across the table. Eli thanks her and begins unrolling the paper. Each got a six inch sub with chicken; Elise’s sub is chicken teriyaki with southwest sauce instead of sweet onion, and loads of vegetables but no cheese on Italian bread. Kameron’s sub is chicken breast with cheese, veggies, and BBQ sauce on wheat. Kameron stops and looks at Eli suddenly, “I’m sorry I’m not a very good host, would you like something to drink?” Kam gets up and goes into the kitchen. Opening the fridge she lists off several different flavors of soda pop, two kinds of juice, coffee, and bottled water. “Hey, no problem. A bottle of water would be great if it’s not too much trouble.”

“No trouble at all.” While at the sink, Kameron washes her hands and dries them on a dish towel hanging on a black metal towel rack just above and to the right of the sink. Grabbing two bottles of water, she then turns to being one to Eli. Eli had seen Kam wash her hands and realized she needed to do the same. She was to the sink when Kam turned around and literally ran into Elise’s chest. Elise put her hands out to steady her since she had a bottle of water in each hand. Kameron gasped when she bumped into Eli and looked up into her eyes with a very surprised look on her face. “I really gotta stop doing that.” Kam’s laughter makes Eli smile. “When I was a kid, I changed direction so fast that my mom used to tell me I needed blinkers so she knew where I was going.” 

Elise laughed then at Kam’s funny, but had to agree since they’ve already collided three times in about two weeks. “I just wanted to wash my hands too.”

“Yeah, please do. I’ll sit before I knock one or both of us down.” Before stepping around Eli to go sit, she placed a firm kiss on her lips. Kam then sat and began to open her sub. After washing her hands, while singing the ABCs in her head, and drying them thoroughly on the dish towel, Eli joined her back at the table. Eli quietly bowed her head with hands clasped in her lap and said a brief prayer of thanks for the food she was about to eat and the wonderful day she has had so far. Eli then opened her eyes and her sandwich before beginning to eat. Through small talk, Eli learned Kameron had lived in her apartment over three years, had worked in ICU for over four years after completing the internship, but Kameron had gone to Wisconsin for her nursing degree before moving back to the greater Rochester area. Also interesting was that Kam’s favorite color is red, but fire engine red, not brick red. Cleaning up their mess and placing wrappers in the trash, Kam grabs Elise’s hand and leads her into the living room to the couch. “It’s only 6:30PM. Would you like to stay for awhile and watch a movie, play board games, listen to music and talk, or maybe something else?” Kam wiggled her eyebrows when she finished the question. 

Eli couldn’t help but laugh nervously, while still holding Kam’s hand. “I want to be here Kam, but honestly, I’m nervous. I’m afraid I’ll say or do something to chase you away. I was so afraid you weren’t going to go out with me again. I thought it went well last time but then you didn’t contact me, so I thought you didn’t feel the same way.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I thought you were blowing me off that day at clinicals because you said you had to go and left. You didn’t contact me either, so I thought the same thing about you.” Kam sat looking over at Eli, not sure what else to say. “I guess your roommate's accident was a blessing in disguise for us huh? I won’t assume again, next time I’ll be sure to ask. Please promise me you’ll do the same?”

Eli turned her head and body sideways toward Kam to make better eye contact, “Yes, I will contact you next time. I was afraid you might think I was too clingy or assumed maybe you just didn’t want to talk to me. Guess the saying holds true.”

Kam makes a funny face, “What saying is that?”

“Never assume. It makes an a$$ out of you and me.” Both ladies smile at Eli’s quote and Kam nods. 

“Yes, yes it does.” Kameron then moves closer to Eli, so their hands are still intertwined but now resting on Elise’s thigh. “Remember, I’m in no hurry, and I don’t want you to do anything you are uncomfortable with.”

Eli smiles, nods, and grabs Kam’s hips, boldly pulling her toward her until she is again straddling her on the couch, like when in the truck at the mall. Kam is surprised but judging by the smile on her face and the fact she wrapped her arms around Eli’s neck, she seems on board with it. Kam rests her head on Kam’s shoulder and strokes her hair repeatedly. Kam relaxes into Eli thinking to herself, it feels so good being close to her. I have to remember she isn’t Ashley, and everything she does is not in an attempt to hurt me nor manipulate me. 

Elise sits quietly, running her hands up and down Kam’s back and hips. Other than my brother and sister, I don’t remember feeling this protective and this caring toward someone else. Not sure I understand this need to be close and care for Kam, but I like it. Now if I can just not screw it up. I screwed up with Kenny and it ruined my reputation, I certainly don’t want that at the hospital like in our hometown!  Elise kisses the top of Kam’s head and continues to run her hands from Kam’s head to her hips and is certainly not unaffected by the feel of her warmth under her jeans and sweatshirt, the slight wiggle of her bottom as she moves to be flush against Eli, and the intoxicating smell that is a combination of Hair products and Kam. The smell reminds me of Japanese cherry blossoms with a hint of musk thrown in. I’m in trouble here.. it’s not just her appearance, though I really like her looks, but her smell, her expressions, her sense of humor, it all speeds my heart rate and gives me a giddy feeling…. so when does the other shoe drop? No one is perfect; I’ve learned that the hard way.