I am colorblind

“You telling me you really like what’s underneath these clothes?” The fingers of her free hand played with the buttons, distractedly falling away as she kissed him back. “I promise, next time I’ll give you something you can rip. You can show me what a big strong man you are.” Her hand slid under his shirt, feeling the lines of his muscles and the heat of his skin.

“I think the fact that you can recognize what you want or don’t want in life is growth. You’re the strongest person I know. You might also be the most selfless,” she told him. “You have sacrificed so much for your family, but you don’t have to give them everything.” His family dynamic was a complicated subject. Many times Kennedy tried to relate and understand to his struggles, only to realize she could never do what he’s done. “You could take a month or two off, go somewhere to shake away the restlessness. I’m sure the place would survive without you.” She paused for a moment. “You don’t have to stay away from me. You know I don’t want that.”

Kennedy swore she could feel some of the weight falling away from him as he spoke. “Oh sweetness,” she exhaled, barely controlling her urge to reach out and touch him. No one knew how closed off he could be like she did. Her chest filled with pride and relief at the fact that he still felt comfortable to open up to her. He was still hers. “You had to be steady to survive what was going on in your life. It doesn’t have to be a part of your story forever. You can change Rhett. Just think of how much you’ve grown since we met,” she said giving him a gentle smile. 

Kennedy watched him like a hawk. Suddenly his large presence made her apartment feel so small. She was so drawn to him, like he was the only source of oxygen in the room. “I do understand that feeling,” she replied, clearing her throat. “It’s not like you to feel restless, though. You were always the steady one. You always kept me in place. ”

“Maybe we just balanced each other out that way,” he commented quietly at first but he continued on and maybe that was why he had come here because he needed someone to talk to. He didn’t have anyone to really do that with and in the past Kennedy had been the only one that he was comfortable doing it with. She still was. “Or I don’t know, maybe I was just forced to be steady, I became that. I had plans to go. Get out of here. Take a risk and it didn’t happen so I settled then you came along and you... You were my great adventure,” he shrugged.

Kennedy kept the smile on her face. She was happy he had decided to turn up at her door. It was definitely unexpected, the two hadn’t spoken in some time, but she was never truly unhappy to see him. “You know you’re always welcome here. What prompted the night drive?”

It had sounded like he had ended up there by some accident when Rhett had been aware of every turn he made to get there. To get to her. “I was just feeling restless, I guess. Kind of have felt that a lot lately,” he admitted, giving the dog’s ears a final rub before turning to her. “You always understood that feeling.”

“I don’t think anything we’ve done as divorced couple has been very normal,” she smiled, opening the door up for him. “Come on in.”

“I guess you are right about that,” he gave a soft laugh. And he couldn’t help but wonder how she felt about it. “I just was going for a drive and ended up here,” he explained as he walked into her place thankful for the dog that he could focus on.

“Well when the dress didn’t do it for you, I figured maybe you were into more masculine energy,” she teased and helped him shrug the jacket off. “Can’t argue with that,” her hand moved to hold the back of his neck and pull him into a kiss in response, not caring if this was his thing or not, rather just enjoying the moment. “I like you spontaneous.”

Her eyes stayed on him as she felt the cool glass of the mirror up against her back. “I think it’s a wonder you managed to get to the suit portion of this to do anything,” her lips tilted up into a small smile. Her tongue purposefully darted out to wet her lips. “I’ll admit though. I didn’t know you were a dressing room kind of guy.”

“It was a valiant effort,” she laughed along with him, her eyes falling to his lips for a moment before she nodded and let him guide her back. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were just looking for an excuse to let the gentleman act drop,” she pulled him into the changing room with her.

Once in, he locked the door behind them. His hands very lightly moved to her side, backing her up against the mirror. “I think you were looking for the same excuse, no?” He asked eyes moving between her eyes and lips.

“If I’ve confused you, I’ve done my job.” Her brows lifted in surprise. “Now that you mention, there are quite a lot of buttons on this shirt,” she nodded. “They might be difficult on my own.”

“Wish I could have made it a little harder for you,” he laughed. “There really are,” he concurred. “I mean, I came with to help so...” He took another quick look to make sure no sale associate had eyes on them as he ushered her into the changing room.

“If we’re not giving you the benefit of the doubt, that may be the answer,” she nodded with a laugh. “I’m just saying, I think we had some fun the last time you abstained from your gentlemanly ways.”

“I am not really sure what you are giving me right now,” he admitted with an amused look. “We did,” he nodded. Rhett looked around the store before back at her. “Do you, uh. Do you need some help taking that off?”

“I take it ex-husbands showing up in the middle of the night probably isn’t following the unspoken divorce rules correctly.”

“Ah, but that’s what someone would say if he was trying to avoid sounding like a dumb man, so what is the truth here?” she teased and nudged him. “You should know by now that we’re past the point where you have to be a gentleman with me.”

“If I am following you I think it’s just that I dumb either way?” He concluded with a laugh. “Is that you telling me that you don’t want me to be a gentleman?”

“You can’t even tell me you enjoyed that,” he walked out of the bar with her.

“But see, now you’ve got me worried you’re only saying it because you don’t want to look like a dumb man,” she teased. “I’ll take any compliments you’re willing to give. I’m not too worried about specifics.”

“I have already accepted my place in that role so there was nothing to lose here,” he argued. “Well then definitely beautiful. Maybe a little bit sexy if I wasn’t such a gentleman.”

“I come in peace,” he held up the six pack he had picked up on the way.

“I wasn’t going to say it out loud, but since you’ve already done it…” she chuckled and nudged him. “So does that mean this is the one?”

“Please don’t pretend on my part. It would only make me look like a bigger fool.” He looked her over. “I would definitely say so. Is saying you look beautiful still the proper word when in that?”