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“It does. That’s the reason I bought the house.”
“Was it like this when you bought it, or did you fix it this way?” She runs her hand over the back of the couch.
Too late I realize the flaw in bringing her here. My house cannot be mistaken for affordable, and as far as Lisa knows, I only manage a few properties. That stupid pitch event can’t come fast enough, then I’ll be able to tell her the truth. Until then, this will be interesting.
“I did some work.” I shrug. That’s not untrue, I’m just not going to specify what that work was. Hopefully, she assumes that I’ve been able to get some insider pricing by being in real estate.
“It’s beautiful. If I ever need to make some upgrades to my house, I know who to call,” she teases.
“That’s all I’m good for? Work around the house?” I pull her into my arms.
“Among other things.” She kisses my cheek, but before she can pull away, I catch her mouth and slip my tongue inside, coaxing her to reciprocate, which she readily does. All too quickly my body reacts, and I have to pull away before I lose control.
“Let’s put things away and I’ll give you the tour.”
We put the groceries in the fridge and then carry her bag to the bedroom, where I place it at the foot of my large king bed. Like the rest of the house, the bedroom is done in shades of gray and white, with artwork providing the only real color. On the nightstand next to the bed is the terrarium we’d made on our second date. Lisa picks it up to admire it.
“This is supposed to be something you put out for people to see,” she admonishes.
“I don’t bring people here, remember?” I tell her. “Besides, I like to see it first thing when I wake up.” I take it from her and set it back on the nightstand, but not without sneaking a quick kiss.
“Why don’t you bring people here again? It’s beautiful, and you must be proud of doing the work.”
“I am proud of the work. But this is my escape.”
“You need an escape?” She cocks her head.
“Doesn’t everyone? You have books, I have my house. It’s private and relaxing, and tomorrow when you see the view, you’ll understand why I like to keep it to myself. And maybe a few select others.” I pull in her for another kiss. “Now, what I’d really love to do is have sex on the deck under the stars, but it’s not quite warm enough to indulge in that fantasy yet, so I’m thinking between the firepit and some blankets and a glass of wine we can stay warm while we look at the stars.” I take her hand and lead her back to the kitchen so we can get our drinks, then we make our way outside.
Lisa snuggles into the couch while I light the fire. Once it’s going, I join her, tucking her into my side so we can share body heat.
“The stars seem so close,” Lisa murmurs.
“We’re a few thousand feet higher than Denver right now, and without the city lights, they’re easier to see.”
“Can you see any constellations?” Her eyes dart back and forth as she searches for a familiar pattern.
“Oh yeah. The Big Dipper is the easiest to spot.” I point toward the direction of the distinctive handle. “I can see planets, too.”
“Really?” Her eyes grow wide. “How can you tell planets from stars?”
“Planets are brighter than stars.”
“Oh.” She sips her wine and resumes gazing above.
“You can also see satellite dishes and even the space station,” I add.
“How?”
I try not to laugh as I swallow my wine. “They move across the sky, kind of like airplanes, but the light is a reflection of the sun, not an electric light, so it doesn’t blink. They’re stationary, but we aren’t, so they move kind of fast. The space station especially. It’s only in view for a few minutes at a time.”
“Will we be able to see it tonight?”
“I’m not sure. I don’t know enough about its orbit to know when to look for it. I can just tell when I see it.”
“How?”
“It’s the biggest, brightest light in the sky, and just like the satellites, it moves across the sky without blinking.”
