My pillows smell like you.

You are wearing one of my T-Shirts.

And something very sweet is being prepared by you, looks like pancakes.

Erica felt arms around her body and kisses down her neck as she prepared the food, she involuntairily smiled and giggled to the soft and tickling contact of his lips against her skin.

-Good mornin'- He muttered at her ear in that low voice.

-Mornin' handsome.-She turned her head a bit to kiss him, their lips dancing with each other as she wrapped her arms around his neck, soft to feel him.

-Erica...-He whispered as she kissed him passionately, as if she hasn't seem him in ages. -Erica I think...

-Yeah?

-...Something's burning.

She aparted and just then looked at the dark pancakes and the smell that filled the apartment, quickly turned off the oven and groaned frustated, he laughed.

-No, no, no.-She ran her hands through her face.

-It's okay. Hey, these were just pancakes.-He said softly trying to calm her.

-No, it's wrong. I was supposed to wake up earlier, look pretty and prepare you breakfest just like in those movies.-She said disapppointed.- My plan was just wasted.

When I think you can't get any cuter...

-I don't think so.-He set the pancakes aside. -If you wanted to enchant me...-He turned her around and cupped her cheeks. -You already did.

-You're just saying that to make me feel better.

No, Erica, I'm saying that because I love you.

-No, if I wanted to make you feel better...-He came closer to her ear.-I'd have other ways to.

She gave a malicious sweet smile as his hands ran down her body beneath the shirt.

-Hey Joe...-She whispered.-I have other option for breakfest.

Oh, I like where this is going...

-Such as?

-You'll have to bend me over the counter to find out.

...

Your cheeks were still heavily flushed when you left, Erica, and I was pretty tired too. It's incredible how much exercise you make me do, I've never bern a friends of sports but you...you're better than any coach.

I don't know what exactly made you change your mind or what stopped you from madly loving me like this at first. And I don't feel like you're comfortable to tell me about it yet.

For now I'm your entertainment, I'm the place you look for when you want to have fun.

You might not love me yet, but you will.

-Joe?- Ethan snapped his fingers. -Earth to Joe, wake up!

Goldberg startled with the sound of reality and suddenly woke up from his thoughts, staring at the coworker who called him.

-What?

-I need you to organize the poetry session, please. There'a a lot of people here, I need to take care of the reception. I'm busy.

By reception you mean watching anime in your phone the whole morning, then yes, you're very busy, Ethan.

-Sure. I'll organize it.

Joe left to the last shelves at the back, blowing the flying visible dust from the books as he organized them in the correct pattern.

Of course his mind was always elsewhere, he could be watching the old book covers buy behind his eyes, deep inside, his sight was still covered by Erica's imagine last night.

His body just shivered whenever he thought about it, there was something steamy, exciting and thrilling about it. Joe wasn't one to like surprises, but Erica was surely a welcomed one.

- But there is genius in their hatred, there is enough genius in their hatred to kill you,
to kill anybody. -A voice came beside him. - Not wanting solitude, not understanding solitude. -He turned around to observe a mysterious brunette speaking. -They will attempt to destroy anything that differs from their own, not being able to create art, they will not understand art. -She standed just by his side, as Joe smiled at her amusing intelligence. -They will consider their failure as creators, only as a failure of the world not being able to love fully. -She stopped and looked into his eyes awakening a hidden emotion inside his chest.- They will believe your love incomplete and then they will hate you, and their hatred will be perfect...

Joe sighed over Erica, admiring each beautiful trace of her soul:

-...like a shining diamond -He completed.- Like a knife, like a mountain, like a tiger,
like hemlock...

...their finest art- They ended at once.

Erica chuckled and leaned close, touching his lips against hers softly, sweetly, as he looked at her completely breathless.

-Charles Bukowski.- She pointed to the book he was holding. -One of my favorites.

-Well, I must agree in your choice this time.-He smirked.

-What can I say? I have good taste in books...-She trailed her fingers through his chest teasing. -...and men.

-Oh yeah?-He giggled.

-Yeah...-Her eyes sparkled against his.

There were just him and her, the silence of the last shelves from that bookstore and the beat of their hearts.

-Sorry for showing up without notice I just...-Erica sighed embarrassed. -...wanted to see you...

I feel like I'm going to faint.

-I know it's super clingy and-

-I wanted to see you too.-He interrupted her. Erica widened his eyes as he attempted not to show how nervous he was.

She smiled brightly.

-I'm glad then.

I'm even more Glad, Erica.

Look at you, wearing this flowery dress that makes you even more beautiful, reciting poems to me, and kissing me in secret in a book store.

I'm afraid you got me wrapped around your finger. And I like it.

-So...when's your break?- She asked, wondering through the aisles as he followed her quietly.

-Soon, why?-He questioned intrigued.

Erica turned to him with a wicked smiled on her red lips, that just caused him butterflies.

-We could have lunch together...if you want to, of course.

Something seems like you don't want just to have lunch together.

-I'd love to.

-Great.-She smiled.-We can go someplace after it then.

-Could you give me a hint?-He leaned towards her, curious.

Or I could just simply take the hint off your mouth with a kiss.

She placed a finger above his lips, setting his heart on fire as Erica giggled, she loved to tease him.

-It's a surprise.-She whispered while gazing at his lips. -I'll meet you in an hour then.

-Sure...

-See you.-She walked away still staring at him playfully.

-See you...

...

The more I spend time with you, Erica, the more I can see it. We just fit perfectly to each other.

By that I mean with our personalities...and bodies too, if you know what I mean.

Of course, having lunch with you was just a casual excuse so we could discuss your newest reading and then smash backwards a diner, but that's fine for me.

You don't want anything deep, you don't want to get attached. And due to your parents history, I can see why.

You refuse to talk about them, or simply about home in general. You just keep it shallow and lusty.

And I'm not complaining about it, I mean I love to be whatever you want me to be, I loved that you can just shove me to my bed whenever we can, or when you just pull me into the sweetest of the kisss after work.

But I can help but feel...incomplete.

I mean, I am 24/7 thinking about all your qualities and tiniest details, such as how adorably you snore when asleep, or how you raise your eyebrows when excited about something.

While I'm the guy you just call to bang with.

Again, it's not bad, but I just wish we had that...deeper, connection.

She was by his side on the bed in his apartment, the dark hair scattered around the pillow, as her eyes faced oblivion, into a distant, sad thought.

-Erica?- He called her suddenly, as she turned her gaze to him, trying to disguise her emotions. -Are you okay?

-Yeah...-She muttered.

No, you aren't.

You see, Erica, you are very predictable when sad. Yet, you don't want to say it.

-You sure?-He snuggled closer, with those chocolate eyes staring into her soul.

There was something about him that she just couldn't describe, it was discrete but comfortable, like a way to make her open up about what she felt without realizing it.

-Just something about college, it doesn't matter.-She shaked her head.

-Wanna talk about it?

She looked at him quite schocked.

Shit, I screwed up.

-I-I mean only if you-

-That isn't exactly the aftersex talk I expected.-She chuckled. He could breath again more relieved. -It's just this...annoying professor who's really bugging me lately.

-Should I talk to him?-He joked, Erica laughed. -What? I can be very intimidating if I try to.

-Yeah, sure, like a marshmallow.-She squeezed his cheek as he scruched his nose with the contact. -Just let it be, it's not a big deal.

Whatever that manages to make you upset is clearly a big deal Erica.

-Hey.-He held her hald softly, the warm contact send chills across her body. -You can tell me.

Erica analyzed that man for a second, as if she read him like some sort of book that helped her providing comfort through hard times.

-He's kind of...weird.-She revealed woth some embarrassment. -He makes these...jokes with dirty meanings to me...-Joe widened his eyes.- And he tries to touch me it's...very, very annoying.

Joe seemed somewhere as she finished that sentence. Like his thoughts drove far away to another horizont where he could plan some sort of hidden vengeance just for her. Erica realized he was distracted, snapping her fingers to awake him again.

-Joe? You okay?-She asked.

-Um? Yes, yes I am.-He took her worries away. -I am very sorry about this, Erica, you shouldm't go through this...maybe if you spoke woth board-

-The members protect each other, it's useless.-She complained. -Guess I'll jist have to endure him for now.

-Whatever happens...-He cupped her cheek as she looked at him helpless. -I'm here whenever you need.

-I...

-I kmow it's a bit soon but...you can count on me, Erica. Really.

She paralyzed while staring into his eyes for a moment, like something sparkled in them.

-Thanks Joe...-She whispered a bit surprised. -That...that actually means a lot...

He gavw a half smile as she leaned foward, letting him embrace her tigt veneath the sheets.

He stared at the wall as Erica fell into a deep sleep, his mind raced with solutions to his lover's problems.

You can count on me, Erica.

...

-Who are you?! -The old man yelled while stuck in the cage, he ran into circles desperate. - I did nothing wrong! Get me out of here right now!

-Should've thought about that before what you've done to Erica.-Joe muttered as he analyzed a knife he prepared for the act.

-Erica? Who's that?-He looked at him confused.

-Erica Souza. Don't act as if you don't know.

-Erica Souza...-The man desperately tried to remember -The law student abroad? Her? I've done nothing to that girl!

It's common sense, Erica. A liar will always persist on their lie.

And now, watching your professor here, helpless, he still doesn't give ip on lying. Well, he won't have any more time left to lie or harass you any longer.

Joe stepped closer, the knife well tight on his hand, as the man trembled with fear.

-I DID NOTHING WRONG!-He yelled, as the capturer told him to keep quiet. -I treated her as a student as any other! -He pleaded -Please let me go! Does she want good grades? Is that it? I can provide them! Let me go!

As if you ecer needed good grades, Erica. You're the smartest woman I've ever seen. This man is only saying bad things about work because you can't command to his wishes.

But don't worry, that won't be a problem anymore.

Not for me.

-Plea- The voice was interrupted by a stab in the guts, blood splashing around on the floor, his mouth dripped red.

Not for you.

The man groaned and syumbled into the ground, mercilessly dying as the determined admired watched him agonize in that library's basement.

Not for us.