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Comfort Zones
Edge and I had been a couple for nearly a year at this point. Candice was still seeing AJ, Trish was still engaged to Randy, and Lisa Marie was... Well, Lisa Marie was Lisa Marie.
As I sat at my laptop, ekeing out a new edition of Sex and Love for Cosmo, I began to wonder... Are we ever secure enough to move out of our comfort zones?
I picked up a pen sitting beside me, wanting not only to type but to first write this stuff down. Chewing on the cap, I really wondered. I thought of my friends and of how this question applied to them. Trish's comfort zone was clearly the way she held onto her hopes and beliefs of the perfect marriage and family life... Candice's was her career - there was no doubt in my mind about that. Lisa Marie's comfort zone was being free and emotionally unavailable for the many men with whom she had encounters.
And then, of course, there was Edge. In our relationship, his comfort zones were clearly present. Like every man, he had his preferences as well as his quirks. For instance, he had to sleep on the left side of the bed. That one didn't bother me. However, he had another thing that did... He never spent the night at my apartment - not even when we made love there. It was something I'd immediately accepted despite the oddness of it. We were an official couple, not friends with benefits. And it kind of hurt at times.
"If it bothers you that much, you really should sit down and talk to him about it," Trish said as we went to lunch one afternoon. It was about a week before her wedding, and we, as bride and maid of honor, were doing some last-minute preparations.
"I don't know," I said, my gaze lowering to the fettuccine alfredo on the plate in front of me. "Edge is so... I don't know, set in his ways. I'm not so sure he would appreciate me telling him it makes me feel like a whore when he doesn't stay the night," I said in a whisper.
"Amy... you're his girlfriend," my friend said, pointing out the obvious. "He loves you, and he'll be glad for your honesty. He cares about you."
"I know." I bit my lip, my nerves beginning to feel frazzled. Would it really be that simple to just tell him the truth? Would Edge be willing to drop or at least modify one of his comfort zones for me? I guessed there was only one way to find out... and that meant having a talk with my boyfriend.
I decided to change the subject. Clearing my throat, I faced Trish.
"So... How are things going between you and Randy lately?"
"Great!" the blonde enthusiastically replied. "I can hardly believe our wedding is only one week away!"
I smirked and said, "I bet you two are both getting a little antsy, huh?"
Trish gasped.
"I can't believe you just said that!"
"I know," I replied with a laugh, "it's something Lisa Marie would say."
"Exactly!" The blonde laughed along with me.
*
That night, I decided to do what Trish had suggested. And so, as we were on our way back to my apartment after our date of an off-Broadway show and dinner, I brought it up.
"Hey, I was wondering..."
Edge faced me as we walked hand-in-hand. We were only two blocks from my place, so I knew it was now or never.
"Yes?" he asked, smiling brightly at me.
"Well," I said, biting my lip. God, this had me all in knots! And why should it? After all, I was only having a conversation with my boyfriend. "Why don't you ever spend the entire night at my place?" There, I'd spit it out.
He arched an eyebrow and turned to face forward as we continued our stroll. As I studied his profile, he seemed to be considering an answer to my blurted question.
"Well, I've got my own place... and I feel more comfortable sleeping there."
I slowly nodded and looked away. He didn't exactly give me an unexpected response. Of course... it was all about comfort zones.
"Well... couldn't you sleep over at my humble little abode once in awhile?" I asked. I gazed up at him as we were approaching my block. Again, it was now or never.
"Does it matter?" Edge asked, facing me fully. "I mean, you stay all night at my place."
"I know... and yes, it does matter... It matters to me."
We stared at each other as we reached my apartment. We stood at the bottom of the stairs, not paying any heed to the sounds of the busy New York City night.
"Can't you try to spend a night over?" I asked. "For me?"
He eyed me in silence for about half a minute. Then, that gorgeous smile that got me all weak in the knees came to his face. He nodded.
"All right, babe. For you, I'll give it a try."
"Yay!" I could barely contain my joy as I practically jumped over to him to wrap my arms around him in a hug. I felt his arms encircle me, and when I raised my head to gaze up into his sparkling green eyes, we kissed. It was affectionate to start off but became quite passionate.
After it was over, I tugged his hand as I started up the steps to my door. I was bursting with excitement. Lisa Marie had always said men were like puppies - you had to train them. And mine had agreed to me doing just that.
"What? Tonight?" the tall blond man asked, amusement shining in his eyes. "You want to start with me staying all night tonight?"
I gave him a wink and kept tugging.
"That's right, buster!"