“Delilah! Where are my keys?”
Delilah shot up from bed, hair askew and tangled. Looking around she couldn’t stop blinking as she tried to swipe the sleep from her eyes. “Keys? Your keys? Did I have them last?”
His voice came echoing through their one story house from the direction of the front door. “Delilah, sweetheart. I have to go to work. I can’t be late today. I’m meeting with the boss about a promotion.”
Quickly scrambling out of bed she started searching through the stuff on her dresser, moving and re-moving things around. “Stupid keys, where are you?” She shoved several books aside. With a yawn she yelled back. “Gideon, did you check the key bowl?”
“Of course I did. That’s why I got the key bowl. You just can’t seem to remember to use it.”
She laughed. “Of course I use it.” She shrugged with a sigh and said more to herself, “Just not consistently.” Heading out of the room she almost ran into him and gasped.
He pulled her into a short hug before heading past her and into the bedroom where he began searching the top of his dresser. “Any sign of the keys?”
“Maybe you should just stay home. I’m sure the keys will show up.” She followed him in and wrapped her arms around him from behind, letting him continue his search.
Pulling her around to face him he chucked her on the chin. “You know I have to work, love. I wish I could stay home.”
“I promise I really am looking.” Heading down the hall she jumped and spun back around to lean into the room. “Oh I remember. Yesterday I went grocery shopping and loaded up with as many bags as I could and still had the keys so when I got inside. I couldn’t set them down while I was bringing in bags, so I carried them with me into the kitchen and…set them on the counter. Ha! I bet they’re still there.” She dashed straight into the kitchen and squealed. “I found them.”
Gideon re-emerged from the bedroom with a smile. “Thanks, D. You’ve saved my job. Though I wasn’t worried for one second. I knew you’d find them.”
“Ha. Liar. You’ve been freaking out inside since the second you saw the keys weren’t in the bowl. And for that I’m sorry.” Delilah kissed him quick. “Now, off to work you go. I’ll be here. Well, I should be here when you get home.”
“I knew I married you for a good reason.” Gideon pulled her in for another, much longer kiss.
“So you can never find your keys?” Delilah batted her eyes and smiled. “That’s an odd reason to marry someone.”
Pulling her with him, Gideon headed down the hall. “Oh you’re funny. Will you come walk me to my car? And possibly kiss me more.”
“Done and done, mister.”
The walk to the car was short and silent, but in a comfortable sort of ‘not talking’ way as they snuggled closer together. They both slowed down, each step smaller and slower than the last. Reaching the car, Delilah took Gideon’s jacket with both hands and tugged. “Now for the kissing.” Delilah leaned back against the car and tugged him closer.
“All right Love, you’ve convinced me. We’ll kiss. But I have to be leaving soon.”
She groaned. “Yeah, yeah. Work. I know. Now kiss me.”
With a sigh between them he leaned in close and smiled. The seconds lengthened and he drifted closer, teasing. Another few seconds and she grabbed him by the lapels and pulled him the rest of the way. Minutes passed and they lost each other in the heat of their kiss. They only pulled away long enough to breathe.
“Delilah. Just because you start later than me and work from home…” He whispered in her ear as he kissed her neck. “I can’t be late.”
Laughing, she pulled away slightly and opened his car door. When she tried to push him into the driver’s seat he softly drew her back.
She halfheartedly pushed on his chest. “Go, go. I won’t be the one that makes you late.”
“Delilah, between the keys and the kisses you are absolutely going to be the reason I am late. Especially if I don’t leave right now. The problem is, I want more of your kisses to hold me over until I get back home.”
“Too bad. You have to go to work.” Her voice was all sing-song as she tried again to get him into the car but he resisted with an easy laugh. “Have you been sneaking in extra workouts? I can’t budge you.”
“You never could, babe. I just let you win sometimes because I love you. But I get the hint. You’re kicking me out.”
She smacked a kiss on his forehead. “Yes, I am. And you better come back before I miss you too much.”
“No promises, Love. Because I know that I’m going to miss you as soon as I drive away, when I can no longer see you in my rear view window.” He slid into the car and closed the door, rolling down the window and reaching out to squeeze her hand one more time. “I’ll be home as soon as I can though, I promise.”
Delilah blew him a kiss and waved him on his way. “I’m holding you to that Gideon Meyers. I miss you already and you haven’t even left yet.”
