A moth to a flame: Juice and Dita

Dita searched his face before nodding, "Yes."

He pulled her to him and smiled, "Are you hungry? I made Spaghetti and meatballs."

Dita smiled, "My favorite. Yes, definitely. Um...can I use your shower and borrow a shirt and boxers?"

He showed her to the bathroom and gave her his favorite, most fluffy towel. While she showered he found a pair f his mesh football shorts and a football tshirt for her.

Dita came out a few minutes later: fresh without make-up, her hair in a messy bun, and his clothes baggy on her. She felt shy and naked around him; not any embellishments. She went into the kitchen and smiled at him, "Thanks..."

He looked at her fresh face, loving how beautiful she was, even when she was bashful.

"My clothes look better on you," he smiled and put a plate on the table for her.

Dita blushed, "I don't agree. You look very cute in your football stuff." She kissed his lips gently, "I don't know what to tell my parents."

"Tell them I needed a roomate and it cut back on tuition cost,: he smiled.

When the meal was done and everything was celaned up and put away, he lifted Dita onto the counter and pulled out some stuff to make tea.

Dita watched him work with grace as he warmed the kettle and got the cups. Gently, she combed his hair with her fingers.

Remembering how she made her tea from fixing her laptop, he set the finished product in front of her and smiled.

"So, tell me about your family."

Dita smiled at the peppermint stick, "You remembered." She took a sip, smiling, "Mmm....well, my father is named Alex, but people around the station call him Tig. He is acting chief of the police department in Chicago. My mom, Gemma, is a homemaker that does catering on the side. Then there's Thomas. He is rookie in the same station as daddy. Lastly, my sister Corrie. She's finishing up high school right now. Sounds like she is going to go into law enforcement too. What about you?"

He smiled, glad he remembered the peppermint stick.

"Well, my mom raised me and my two sisters on her own. I never really new my dad. Ever since I was really young I wanted to be a firefighter. It's all I've ever wanted to be. My sister, Faye, teaches in Chicago. She moved there three years ago from our home in Brooklyn. My other sister, Fran, is still in high school."

Dita smiled, "Nice." She shivered, feeling a little cold.

He rose and grabbed a heavy quilt his mom had made him and handed it to her.

"Cold?"

He turned up the thermostat for her. He looked around his undercoated apartment and grew excited for her to move in. He couldn't wait to look around and see her everywhere.

Dita thanked him and covered up, "so you think they'll like me?"

He nodded and laughed, "Oh, they will love you. when Ma finds out I love you she will be over the moon for you."

He thought about her dad, the police chief.

"Think your dad will shoot me?"

Dita giggled, "No...just ring you through the ringer."

He leaned in and kissed her deeply, passionately, :For you, I can handle that."


He took her hand and sat down with her on the couch. Storking her hair, he enjoyed the warmth of her body on his.

"When do you want to get your stuff?"

Dita purred, loving the attention, "Tomorrow?"

"When we pick up your stuff, can I thank your roommate for raping your laptop?"

Dita blushed, "You are bad, Mr. Ortiz"

"Oh, Miss DeSantis, you have no idea," he pushed her hair aside and nipped the nape of her neck.

***Two Months Later***
October 10th

Dita wrestled the door handle, keys, grocery bags, and homecoming dress through the doorway of their apartment. It had been two months since she moved in with Juice and they had gotten along perfectly: like an old married couple she often joked.

She hung her dress on a hook by the entryway and dropped her regular shopping bags in the armchair before hurrying along to put their groceries away. She felt exhausted from class and working her shift at the daycare on campus that she opted for ordering pizza. She knew Juice would be at football practive for another hour. While she waited for the pizza, she sat in the living room and watched The Boondock Saints and did her homework for Early Childhood.

Between training at the firehouse and football practice, Juice was beyond sore. He was sore in places he didn't even know existed. Slowly, he cam in the door, put his keys on the hook and found Dita, books sprawled everywhere, doing homework.

"Hey, babe," he checked out her dress, "How was your day?"

Dita looked up from her books, her signature cat eye glasses on the tip of her nose. She smiled softly, "Hey, Mom ordered the dress for me for the dance. I picked it up after work." She stood up, going over to him to give him a light kiss, "I hope you don't mind eating out. I ordered your favorite from Lombardi's."