Chapter 16: Part 1 - Considering an even more legally binding contract with Sarah

= Chris POV =

I sat down on the edge of the bed and stared at the closed door. It took everything in me to keep myself from taking things further with Sarah as, despite how much I ated like I didn't care, it took almost all of me to hide how much I wanted to hold her and caress her in a way that we both felt good and not just as a form of payment because she was staying with me.

In the end, I was playing along with this rhetoric because I was afraid, I'd lose her. If I didn't pander to her, would she run off into the arms of some other guy, and this time, could I really stand by and watch without loosing my mind?

The longer she danced around in my life, her smiles, her opinions, and her mannerisms were imprinted in my soul. If she left this apartment…would I even be able to continue to stay here? Everything would remind me of her, from the couch where we shared meals together to this very bed where we slept side by side for several nights.

Even without the sex, Sarah's mere presence in my life was kind of…satisfying. Where she struggled with the physical side of relationships and I was the apparent "sex guru" to her, I struggled with commitment, and tried hard not to let my possessive streak show for fear of driving Sarah away by being overly controlling.

If I was given a pen and paper that said 'sign here and Sarah will be yours forever, no one will ever be able to take her away again, not even Sarah' – would I sign that paper? Yes.

The phone rang, cutting through my train of thought. I picked it up and saw Ruby's number flashing across the screen.

I sighed and accepted the call.

"Yes?" I replied.

"Still open to working the midnight shift? I mean, since you're up already, you might as well put in a few extra hours of work unless you got something better to do." Ruby said. I could feel the smirk on the other end of the line.

"Yeah, I'm considering how to create a contract that binds someone to me for the rest of their known life," I replied irritably, rubbing the sleep dirt from my eyes.

"You mean marriage? I never took you for the marrying type. Congratulations, looks like someone is finally growing up! Who's the unlucky girl who will have to put up with your sorry ass?" Ruby laughed.

I froze. M-Marriage? "Hahaha, no I…I was just joking…" kicking myself for saying that out and over the phone to Ruby of all people. "So err, yeah, I'll be right down. This is for the audition, right?"

"No, I have to admit, the other day, you outdid yourself. You have every right to a position on the team; no further test is required. It would be great to have the extra help, you up to it?" Ruby explained.

"Yeah, absolutely. I'll be right over. I can only work two days a week, if that's ok" I explained.

"Well, then we'll extend your internship for a month to make up the hours. You can get the application forms from Heather or Sarah, and I'll sign off and you can submit it to the hotel. And Chris," Ruby said pensively.

"Yeah, Ruby?" I asked sitting up a little straighter.

"I know we haven't been the greatest of friends, but your talent is undeniable. I hope that we can be good colleagues; I really wouldn't mind your take on some of the recent cakes I've been working on; perhaps I might finally be able to make one that really responds to the customers," Ruby said, sounding kind of nervous.

I smiled and crossed my legs. " Of course, cooking is our life's work; there is nothing I take more seriously. You just need to make sure that you stop shoving it into people's faces and actually have a proper tasting session."

"Let all of us chefs try it before you get the staff involved" I continued " Small quantities of alcohol-laced cake isn't a problem Ruby, it's those large slices you expect people to finish and still go about their work that are the problem," I laughed, shaking my head as I recalled one of our university practical's where the teacher himself left the room half drunk and got scolded by his superior.

"Alright, I hear you loud and clear. I'm looking forward to working with you," Ruby said, and we ended the call.

I lay back on the bed and looked up and the ceiling.

Marriage.

Marriage to Sarah.

A real contract, where she would be here, every day. Her lovely voice echoed through the rooms.

Her slender limbs tangled up in these sheets. Her beautiful eyes, all mine… for all time….

I hummed to myself as I closed my eyes and drew an arm across my face.

Marriage could be nice. If it was with Sarah, marriage would be nice.