Housing A Dragon

Zeke left with mixed emotions. On one hand, he was glad because he was about to have his first starting assignment, but on the other hand, he would miss Keri. He had decided not to mention anything about seeing her semi-nakedness, but that caused a bit of tension within himself whenever he was with her. He looked at her in a different way now, finding more things he liked about her than disliked. He never found her unattractive before, but he was now finding her more and more appealing. Of course, he battled himself as to whether it was only because of what he saw or because of what he was feeling. Truthfully, he didn't want to fall for her or anyone now. In his mind, he felt he would be promoted to class-AA Chattanooga should he continue pitching well and he didn't want a girl to be in the way. But, he also knew a promotion probably wouldn't happen until perhaps mid-summer or later no matter how well he did, so he would have time to deal with Keri and his feelings towards her.

She drove him to the bus station that morning before she went to work, something he didn't think necessary, but something she wanted to do for him. True, she had been puzzled by his behavior as of late, but in the last few days, he had been friendlier again and more open. She didn't know what the difference was, but she shrugged it off and wished him well when he left. When she found she was missing him as he walked away, she knew she was in trouble.

She listened to every pitch he made on the night he started in Lansing. Whenever Lansing got a base hit or scored a run, she would cringe and silently curse. She would cheer every strike he threw and every out recorded. In six innings, he gave up three runs and seven hits to go along with eight strikeouts. Although they would lose, 3-1, he was happy with his performance, as were the announcers who broadcasted the game back to Dayton, stating it was one of the best performances by a starting pitcher all season.

His next outing went much better as he pitched seven scoreless innings in a 7-2 victory.Keri was thrilled, not only because he pitched well, but because it was almost time for him to come home. She missed him more than she cared to admit and couldn't understand why. They had never dated and except for that one little kiss she gave him, they had not been intimate. But, she had melted when he touched her and it wasn't all because of the alcohol in her system. She loved it when he was holding her and loved his touch when he rubbed her back. She chastised herself for wasting her time and having sex with Brian when perhaps the real person for her actual lived with her. She was getting no clues or signals from him that he was interested in her in a dating sort of way, but she had the feeling he liked her, and the feeling was quite mutual.

His bus arrived Thursday evening and he called her to be picked up. Her heart leapt at the sound of his voice and she hurried to get there. She took extra care with her hair and makeup, hoping he would notice. It was now important to her to know how he felt about her and how he thought she looked. For Zeke's part, he was as anxious as Keri was He was lonely for that week and a half and resisted many opportunities to call her. He had bought a phone card just for that very purpose, but couldn't drum up the courage to go through with it. Instead, he called Cathy and they talked for over an hour. He told her everything and revealed his confusion about his feelings. He told her about seeing Keri's semi-nude body and could now joke about it as he compared the scene with their own escapade.

"Did she look as good as me?" Cathy jokingly asked.

"I don't know," he answered, "you covered up too quick!"

They both burst out laughing and Zeke was grateful to be able to talk to her.

"You know what you should do," she pointedly said to him.

"What's that?"

"You need to tell her how you feel and stop tiptoeing around the issue."

"Yeah, but what if she doesn't feel the same? That's going to make it pretty awkward between us."

"Well, if I'm getting a correct picture of the situation, I think she's feeling the same way."

"How do you figure that?"

"Just call it woman's intuition. I'll tell you a pretty safe way to find out. When she picks you up, just say something innocent like 'It's good to be back.', or 'I missed you.'. It doesn't have to be mushy or romantic when you say it. Just say it matter of fact-like. Look for clues and go from there."

"What clues should I look for?"

"Well, if she jumps into your arms and wraps her legs around you..."

"Good clue."

"If she grabs your crotch..."

"Another good clue."

"If she..."

"Come on, Cathy, get serious," he moaned. "I think I can figure out the obvious clues. I need to know the subtle clues."

Cathy smiled on the other end. "Well, if she can't stop smiling at you, I think that's the biggest clue of all."

"Yeah," he sighed.

Keri parked across the street from the bus station and waited for Zeke to safely cross. Even from a distance, he could see the difference in her appearance. For one of the few times since he began living with her, she had her hair loose and free about her face. The smile on her face was quite evident and she looked very pretty. There was no other word that could describe her. Maybe it was a her inner being showing through or maybe he was seeing her in a whole different light.

Before he could say anything, she hugged him lightly and let go. She stepped back and smiled at him. "It's good to have you home again," she said softly.

"I missed you," he said seriously, looking her straight in the eye and forgetting his sister's instructions.

"Oh, I missed you, too," she replied. Gaining confidence, Zeke drew her into his arms and hugged her, burying his nose in her hair and neck and taking in her sweet aroma. Nothing was said for the few seconds of their embrace, but Keri was turning into putty and plainly wanting to melt into him. When they did part, Keri looked dreamily up at him and couldn't stop smiling. He had never really noticed how big and brown her eyes were and liked the way she was staring at him. He certainly didn't need any more clues about how she felt about him.

"Maybe I should go on more road trips," he laughed. "I wasn't expecting this type of welcome." Keri could only stand by and smile as he put his luggage in the back seat of her car.

On the way home, they talked about the trip and his two starts. She was happy that he pitched so well, but she pushed away the thoughts that he might not stay in Dayton for the entire season. That was a distinct possibility now, especially if Chattanooga had any pitching injuries or promotions to class-AAA, Louisville. Keri didn't want to think about that now. But, in the back of her mind, if he continued to pitch well, it was inevitable.

"Are you hungry?" she asked as they entered the apartment. It was a little after eight o'clock. "I have some pot roast leftovers in the fridge."

Zeke moved past her as he headed to his room. "That would be great, Keri, thanks." He put his two bags on the floor next to his bed and left them there. He would deal with the laundry issue later. Zeke returned to the kitchen where Keri had already started to get his supper ready. He went to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of flavored water. Keri was starting to eat and drink a little bit healthier since he began living with her, having given up her customary sodas in favor of water and juices.

Zeke sat at the table and watched her as she moved around the small kitchen. Keri was wearing a colorful, form-fitting sun dress and it hugged her body attractively. It showed off some of her small cleavage, but no more than her nightgown had. Keri noticed his attentiveness as she moved about, but she said nothing. After his supper was reheated, she placed a steamy plate in from of him. She took a seat, watched him dig in, and enjoyed being able to do something to make him happy.

Zeke turned in early that night. He didn't get to discuss with her how he really felt as Cathy had suggested, but things had definitely changed between them and they both felt they were no longer just roommates.

After he had gone to bed, Keri called Fran. They had already discussed Brian at length during Zeke's road trip with Fran apologizing over and over again for introducing them, so that subject didn't come up. This strictly pertained to Keri and her feelings toward a certain ballplayer.

"I really did miss him, Fran. When he hugged me, I thought I was going to die!" she giggled. "When I was cooking supper for him, he couldn't take his eyes off me. It was like I was the greatest thing he'd ever seen."

"Looks like you got a live one there, Keri," Fran replied.

"I like him a lot, Fran. It's just too bad it won't last."

"What are you talking about?"

"You know as well as I do that if he keeps on pitching like he is, he won't stay here. They'll move him to Chattanooga and I'll probably never see him again." She sighed sadly at the thought.

"Even if he gets promoted, you can't be sure about that. Anyway, my God, Keri, you guys haven't even kissed and you're missing him before he's even gone!"

"Yeah, well, I'm a mess as usual."

"Don't you think it would be better if you two had an actual relationship before you get all weepy about him?"

"I could go into his room and jump his bones right now if you like," Keri suggested. "How would that be for a relationship?" She was joking, of course, but she certainly wouldn't mind getting naked with him.

"Keri, come on! You know what I mean."

"Yeah, I do. But , if I get really attached to him, it'll kill me if he leaves. Part of me doesn't want to get too involved with him and the other part wants to ride it out for all it's worth." Keri sighed. "I don't think there's any winning in this."

* * * * *

It was Monday night and the Dragons had an off night as they waited for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers to come into town. Zeke was scheduled to pitch the last game of the series before they would head out on the road again. Immediately after the game on Thursday, they would board a bus and go to Fort Wayne. Zeke had started in front of the home crowd for the first time the previous Saturday, losing 4-3, but pitching decently by allowing three runs in five innings. He wasn't happy about his performance and groused about it all day Sunday, but by Monday, it was forgotten and he was back to his normal self again.

By now, it was Keri's habit to stay up until he returned from the ballpark, waiting for him and talking to him for just a bit before he went to bed. She usually got home from the ballpark about a half hour or so before he did. If he was still hungry, she'd warm up supper for him, something she didn't mind doing. Besides, it was the only time they saw each other unless he got up when she went to work.

After supper and dishes, there wasn't much on TV that appealed to either of them. Zeke had debated about having a serious talk with Keri for the past few days, but thought he wanted more time to express himself. Their time together after the game when he came home wasn't adequate in his mind. Now that he had her alone with an evening all to themselves, his nerves were getting the better of him.

She sat next to him on the couch and put her head against his shoulder, much like she had when he comforted her that one morning. Zeke liked it when she did this and was getting used to their more intimate moments, although it hadn't gone past that. Their hands found each other and he liked that feeling, too. Although she was above average in height, her hands were small and they were dwarfed in his "bear paws", as she affectionately called them. He held her hand, as he had done the previous evening after their afternoon game.

"I'm going to miss you when we go on the road again," he said out of the blue. In fact, he had missed her that day when she had been at work. Although he had practice in the early afternoon, his thoughts went to her periodically and he was anxious until she came home.

The thought of him being gone again saddened her. He hadn't been home long, and now, it was almost time for him to go again. "It'll be a short trip, though," she replied. "I'll be sure to give you a big hug when you get back."

Zeke smiled at the thought. "Will you miss me?"

"Without question." Keri sighed.

"I talked to my sister on our last road trip."

"You did?"

"Yeah."

"Did you talk about anything in particular?"

"Oh, lots of stuff," he replied, "but mainly, things about you."

"Me?"

"Yeah, well, you were on my mind a lot," he explained, "and she's always been a good listener when it comes to my girl problems."

"Have I now become a problem to you?" she asked.

"Only in a good way," he smiled. He kissed her forehead, something he'd never done before. "You're a problem only because I don't know what I truly feel about you, nor do I know what I want from you." He squeezed her hand lightly.

Keri was melting from his touch and was barely cognizant of what he said. "I see," she said, trying to buy some time and get her thoughts straight.

"I mean, I never wanted to get involved with you. I thought I'd spend the summer here, do my job, and then go home to Arkansas in the fall. I hoped we'd be friends, of course, but I didn't want or expect us to go any further than that." He sighed deeply. "Sometimes, I think it would have been better if I had found another old couple to live with."

"How's that?" she demanded, a bit alarmed at the last sentence.

"It's just that I'm starting to like you more and more." His eyes fell. "I'm really not going to want to go back home when the season's over."

Keri thought over what he said. Even before he kissed her forehead, she suspected he had deeper feelings for her than he let on. "I'm getting the same feeling myself. I missed you the first time you went on a road trip. You've been such a good friend to me, especially with that Brian mess I went through. You haven't given me a speck of trouble and I'm so used to you being around now. It feels weird when you're not here. I don't know," she shook her head, " but..." She fell silent, her head bowed.

"But what?"

"I don't know."

"Yes, you do, just say it."

Keri hesitated and pushed away from his shoulder a few inches. "Promise me you won't get mad."

"I'm not going to get mad. Why would I get mad?"

"I don't know," she said again. "It's just that I think I would like to be more than just friends with you." She cringed slightly and didn't know what his reaction would be.

Zeke laughed lightly and smiled at her, shaking his head slowly.

"What?" she asked. Keri didn't know whether to be confused or upset with him at this point.

"Like I said before, I didn't want to get involved with you or anyone because I would have to leave and go back home after the season. I've been fighting my feelings for you for the past few weeks, ever since we stayed up that morning. That's why I called Cathy and talked to her about you. I figured she could give me some answers and she did. She told me I should talk to you and let you know how I feel."

"Smart girl."

"Yeah, well, that's Cathy. She's a year younger and about a thousand times smarter than me."

"Someone has to keep you in line."

"There's no doubt about that," he agreed.

"So, how do you feel about me? You've never really said."

"Well," he looked at her thoughtfully, "I like you a lot and I miss you when we're apart. I even thought about you at practice today. That hasn't happened to me before." He smiled to himself. "I think I'd like to get to know you better and see what you're all about."

Keri smiled at him. "I'd like that very much," she purred.

Zeke pulled her close and hugged her to him, his arms wrapped around her protectively. Keri didn't know what he showered with, but it smelled wonderful to her. She took in his scent several times and tried to commit it to memory.

His hand rested against her forearm and he lazily brushed his fingers over her skin. Her skin was very soft to him as he now wanted to discover and remember many things about her. This was going to be hard for both of them. He knew that. Zeke thought about the possibilities his career could take that summer and he guessed Keri had thought about it, too. She wasn't ignorant when it came to baseball and Zeke figured she knew he might be promoted or that the possibility existed for that to happen. Heck, he could even be traded, but he thought that to be a remote possibility. They would discuss that later, he supposed.

They sat together quietly for some time and didn't wish it to be any other way. Once again, Zeke enjoyed having Keri in his arms and Keri felt content, safe, and secure. It had been a long time since she felt this good.

As the clock chimed eight o'clock, Zeke shifted his position and turned his face to hers. He looked at her big, brown, expressive eyes and saw a lot of joy coming back to him. It really pleased him to see her happy.

It had been a long time since she thought of Zeke as just a big farm boy from Arkansas. Once she got to know him better, she came to realize he was far from simple and was in fact, quite complex in his thinking and analyzing. The fact that she was a few years older than he mattered little to her. Michael and Brian were both older than her, but Zeke acted and was more mature than either one. She knew he could very well be the one for her and she was willing to take the chance to find out for sure. She liked the way he looked at her, as if she were the only thing on his mind at that point.

Out of nowhere, he asked, "Would you mind if I kissed you?"

Keri blinked for a second and wasn't sure if she heard right. Zeke had a whimsical look on his face as he waited for her answer. "You said you wanted to kiss me?" she finally answered.

"Yes, I do, unless you find it too unappealing." His smile was starting to disappear as his puzzlement grew.

"No, no, no," she said quickly. "It's just that noone's ever asked me before. They just did it whether I wanted them to or not." She tried to reassure him with a smile, but he still looked confused.

Taking matters into her own hands, Keri leaned forward and placed her hands on both sides of his face. She pulled him close and kissed him tenderly for a few seconds before stopping. "Yes," she said breathlessly, "please kiss me."

Zeke had been kissed by a number of girls in his lifetime, but hers was different than any of them. Keri's kiss was light and feathery, yet a bit urgent at the same time. It was a woman's kiss to be sure and he loved it. He had never kissed someone with such full lips before. He wasted no time kissing her back, holding her to him and savoring her taste upon his lips. Keri's breathing quickened almost immediately and she parted her mouth to accept more. Zeke continued his gentle assault before he drew back slowly, letting their lips linger near until their bond was broken completely.

Keri was slightly lightheaded as she opened her eyes and looked at Zeke. He was smiling broadly and had already committed their first kiss to memory. Keri regained her senses enough to say, "Don't you ever ask for permission to kiss me again!"

Zeke laughed out loud and pulled her close to him once again, thankful they had time to explore this new facet of their relationship before they turned in.

* * * * *

They enjoyed being with each other over the next few days as much as possible, considering their schedules. Zeke was now making it a point to wake up at the same time as Keri and eat breakfast with her before she left for the office. He would then do the dishes and go back to bed for a few more hours of rest. He didn't mind changing his schedule a bit and they both enjoyed the few extra minutes it gave them while he was home.