[After finishing his sandwich, Todd continues looking through the cookbook in front of him.]
Todd: Okay, I found what I want for dinner.
Tea: What's that?
[Todd pushes the cookbook in Tea's direction, showing her the picture of what he wants.]
Tea: You're joking, right?
Todd: Nope.
Tea: Yes, you are. I am not cooking that.
Todd: It's what I want.
Tea: Fine. You cook it.
Todd: You're the girl.
[Todd grabs the cookbook back from Tea.]
Todd: Now I need to find what you're making for dessert.
Tea: You also need to go back to finding a main dish.
Todd: I already told you what I want.
Tea: I am not making that, Todd.
Todd: Why not? What's the big deal, Delgado?
Tea: The big deal is that I am not barbecuing an entire pig for dinner.
Todd: Do you have something against pigs?
Tea: Todd that's meant for many people, not two people.
Todd: The book says it serves fifteen people.
Tea: We're not fifteen people, are we?
Todd: We both have hearty appetites. We can handle it.
Tea: I'm not doing it.
Todd: You're being difficult, Delgado. I'm trying to learn about your culture. You should be happy about that.
Tea: You may not believe this but my family didn't commonly roast an entire pig for dinner.
Todd: It says in the book that it's a traditional thing.
Tea: How often did your family have elaborate traditional meals?
Todd: Don't talk about my family.
Tea: I'm sorry, Todd. I was just trying to point out that most people don't make something this elaborate very often.
Todd: You don't think I'm worth cooking up Porky for.
Tea: If you really want this, I could make a smaller portion.
Todd: I want what the picture shows.
Tea: That's too much, Todd.
Todd: What will Granny Delgado say when I call her tonight and tell her that her granddaughter refused to share her culture with me?
Tea: You won't be talking to my grandmother at all.
Todd: You think she's still ticked at me about last night.
Tea: Last night?
Todd: You called her, right?
Tea: How did you know?
Todd: I know you.
[Todd pauses for a moment before speaking again.]
Todd: Also, it was on the bill when I checked us out of that stupid resort.
Tea: I see. I just needed to talk to her for a little while.
Todd: A little while? It was hundreds of minutes.
Tea: We had a lot to catch up on.
Todd: I hope she gave you some tips on roasting Porky the Pig.
Tea: I could make something else. Something that has pork in it.
Todd: I want a whole pig. I want to see a snout.
Tea: Well, what I was thinking of isn't exactly the snout.
Todd: Which pig part?
Tea: Does that really matter?
Todd: Something I won't want to eat, huh?
Tea: The recipe I'm thinking of includes pig's feet.
Todd: I thought you liked me, Delgado.
Tea: Actually, it was one of my father's favorites.
Todd: Why?
Tea: I don't know.
Todd: What was your favorite?
Tea: After my mother left, anything I didn't have to cook myself.
Todd: You did the cooking?
Tea: You think I should cook because I'm the girl, my brothers and father felt the same way.
Todd: If I don't get a snout I don't want any feet, either. I'll find something else.
Tea: Let me surprise you, Todd.
Todd: Nothing disgusting?
Tea: You'll be with me when I buy the ingredients.
Todd: No, I won't.
Tea: You'll see everything that will go into our meal...in our shopping cart.
Todd: I said...
Tea: I'm saying...you will be with me when I buy the ingredients.
Todd: So, if I don't do the shopping thing with you, you won't cook?
Tea: Basically. Think of it as being there to do the guy part.
Todd: There are no guy parts to shopping for groceries.
Tea: You'll be there to carry the heavy bags. I'm just a girl. I can't be expected to lift anything heavier than my purse.
Todd: I've lifted your purse, Tea. It's like lifting a barbell, you have so much junk in there.
Tea: Come on, Todd. This could be fun. We'll shop...we'll cook...
Todd: Wait. We? You're not getting me in the kitchen, Delgado.
Tea: We'll have fun tonight, I promise.
Todd: I'm going to hate tonight.
[Todd slams the cookbook shut, gets up from the table and walks away to find their waitress and pay their bill. Tea picks up the cookbook before leaving the table.
Minutes later, they're back in the car, back on the road.]
Tea: Todd?
Todd: What?
Tea: What was your favorite food when you were a little boy?
Todd: Why?
Tea: I'm curious.
Todd: Macaroni and cheese.
Tea: Did your mother make it for you?
Todd: Yeah. All the time. You think that's why she ditched me? She was bored of making me macaroni and cheese every day?
Tea: We could have that tonight.
Todd: Is that Puerto Rican?
Tea: I just thought that we could each have something that we remember our mothers making.
Todd: I'm not really in the mood for that tonight.
Tea: Okay. What about dessert?
Todd: Do you know Carlotta's flan recipe?
Tea: I know my grandmother's. Never tell my grandmother this, but Carlotta's is better.
Todd: I'll be telling her when I call her tonight.
Tea: You will not.
[Todd smiles slightly, enjoying sharing a lighter moment with Tea.]
Tea: Seriously, Todd, what would you like for dessert?
Todd: You want to make chocolate chip cookies?
Tea: We could.
Todd: It's got to be the kind that comes in a tube and you slice it and you put the slices on a baking sheet and toss it in the oven.
Tea: Did your mother make that kind for you?
Todd: Yeah.
Tea: I remember you making them for Starr. I was surprised that you made them yourself instead of just buying them. Now, I know why.
Todd: I didn't make them that much.
Tea: No, but I do remember you making them.
Todd: Starr liked them.
Tea: Of course, she did. She was making them with her daddy.
Todd: Whatever.
[They return to silence, but not the strained silence of earlier. This time their silence is comfortable, and even comforting, for both of them, as they continue on their journey together.]
Todd: How did you ever get any work done having to sleep this much during the day?
Tea: I think my body is just trying to catch up on all the sleep I lost while we were apart and I missed you too much to sleep.
Todd: Are you trying to butter me up for something?
Tea (smiling): Maybe.
Todd: What?
Tea: I haven't decided yet.
[Todd grumbles. Tea looks at the digital clock on the dashboard.]
Tea: It's getting late. We should stop for the night soon.
Todd: We still have at least another six hours of driving time today.
Tea: No, we don't. We need to find a place to stay that has a kitchen. We need to do some shopping. We need to cook dinner.
Todd: You need to call your grandmother and tell her you're no longer afraid of me...assuming that you're not.
Tea: Is that what you think I told my grandmother last night?
Todd: Probably a bunch of other times, too.
Tea: I'm not afraid of you. I wasn't afraid last night.
Todd: You took off when we were at that bar.
Tea: I was angry...frustrated...disappointed...
[Todd doesn't feel comfortable with the turn the conversation is taking so he decides to return to a subject more easily handled.]
Todd: We need to keep driving.
Tea: Why?
Todd: You think we're going to find a place with a kitchen, not to mention a Puerto Rican grocery store, out here in the middle of nowhere?
Tea: According to that sign we just passed, we're almost to Boise.
Todd: So?
Tea: So, I think in a city that size, we'll find what we're looking for.
Todd: And, if we don't?
Tea: We'll have to find some other way to occupy ourselves tonight instead all that time spent cooking.
Todd: Don't worry, Tea. I know the deal.
Tea: What deal?
Todd: We can even go back to separate beds, like you've wanted all along.
Tea: I haven't wanted separate beds for years.
Todd: I figured that out when you started jumping into other guys' beds.
Tea: Todd, can we have one day where you don't call me a tramp?
Todd: I didn't call you that.
Tea: You just did.
Todd: No, I didn't.
Tea: Todd, let's just try to have a pleasant evening, okay?
Todd: So, now you don't want to force me to go shopping or to eat your cooking?
Tea: Go ahead and make fun of my cooking. I much prefer that than the hurtful comments about my sex life.
Todd: What hurtful comments?
Tea: Shut up, Todd.
Todd: You're really cranky when you wake up from a nap.
Tea: I'm really cranky when you try to make me feel like dirt.
[An uneasy silence passes between them for several moments.]
Tea: I'm sorry, Todd.
Todd: Why the hell are you apologizing to me?
Tea: I don't want to hurt you right now.
Todd: Why not, if I'm hurting you?
Tea: I don't want either of us to hurt the other. I was hoping we could have a pleasant evening together. We'll share some food, some laughter, some conversation...
Todd: I thought you wanted to have a pleasant evening.
Tea: I enjoy talking to you, when you're not insulting me.
Todd: No more Tea insults for the rest of the night, huh?
Tea: Do you think you can manage that?
Todd: Will you cook a whole pig for me?
Tea: No.
Todd: So, I get no reward for good behavior?
Tea: You get to know that you gave me a pleasant evening.
Todd: It would be easier for me to give you jewelry.
Tea: I'd rather have the evening...a quiet, pleasant evening with you.
Todd: Quiet? That means no talking, right?
Tea: I would like some conversation but we can also have some silence. Sometimes I enjoy being silent with you.
Todd: Because I'm not insulting you?
Tea: I was thinking more of the comfortable silences. You know, when neither of us is speaking but there's no awkwardness, no feeling like we need to fill that quiet with meaningless words.
Todd: All words are meaningless.
Tea: I don't know. I think some words have a great deal of meaning. Some words are necessary.
Todd: Give me one stupid word that is actually necessary.
Tea: Love.
Todd: That word has screwed more things up for more people than any other word.
Tea: I love you, Todd, despite everything.
Todd: Everything, huh? So, there are a lot of reasons you shouldn't?
Tea: When you hold me in your arms I find it hard to recall any of those reasons.
Todd: Is that some sort of hint?
Tea: And, if it is?
Todd: Darn, we don't have time for any more chatting. We're here.
Tea: I have a feeling that Boise may just be my favorite town on this trip.
Todd: Really?
Tea: Yes...until tomorrow night.
[Todd grumbles causing Tea to laugh slightly. Despite his normal instinct to hate this, Todd can't stop himself from feeling good as he listens to her laughter, knowing that she isn't allowing him to blow this opportunity for more time together. He knew he could count of her.]
[Minutes later, after much complaining from Todd, Tea has him right where she wants him, for the moment anyway...at a shopping center.
Todd convinces Tea to do the necessary shopping while he makes some phone calls, searching for lodging for the night that fills their requirements.
After quickly succeeding at his task, Todd rushes off to do some shopping of his own. Soon, he's back at the car, hiding his purchases in the trunk. Minutes later he returns to the shopping center.
When Tea finally arrives at the location they agreed to meet at, Todd is lying down on a bench in the middle of a busy corridor.]
Tea: Todd?
Todd: Took you long enough, Delgado. I've been waiting here for over an hour.
Tea: You have not.
Todd: It feels like it.
[Todd picks up the beverage cup he had been balancing on his stomach and sits up before taking a big gulp of the chilled liquid. Tea sits next to him and takes the cup from him as he removes it from his lips. She drinks most of the remaining liquid.]
Todd: Hey!
Tea: I was thirsty.
Todd: Get your own, Delgado.
Tea: I don't mind sharing yours.
Todd: Maybe I mind.
Tea: You don't want to share with me?
Todd: I'll be sharing with you tonight.
Tea: What exactly?
Todd: Don't you want me to surprise you?
Tea: You can surprise me anytime you want to, Todd.
Todd: Really?
Tea: Really.
Todd: Right here? Right now?
Tea: That depends what you have in mind.
Todd: I have a lot of things in mind, Delgado.
[Tea is surprised when Todd places his hand on the side of her face and lightly slides his fingers down her cheek, toward her lips.
She's disappointed when instead of the kiss she was hoping for, Todd instead stands up and grabs her packages from her.]
Todd: Let's get out of here.
[Todd quickly turns and walks away. Tea follows after him, wondering if he had wanted to kiss her in that moment, or if she had only imagined that to be his intention.
At the car, Todd places Tea's packages in the trunk as Tea gets into the car, on the passenger side. As Todd slides into his own seat, he pulls two pieces of paper out of his shirt pocket and hands them to Tea. He quickly starts the car and drives out of the parking lot.]
Tea: What are these?
Todd: What did you think I was doing all that time? Shopping?
Tea: Of course not. You don't shop.
Todd: Damn right!
[Tea unfolds the pieces of paper in her hands.]
Tea: Todd, you ripped these out of a phone book?
Todd: Yeah, so? No one else was using it.
Tea: The rules according to Todd Manning.
Todd: The only rules worth following.
Tea: So, you did find a place for us to spend the night that has a kitchen?
Todd: Of course. Haven't I always done whatever you wanted?
Tea: If that were true...
Todd: Careful, you don't want to start another fight, do you?
Tea: Not until I've gotten you into a supermarket. I see you ripped out a list of those, too.
Todd: They don't seem to have any Puerto Rican ones.
Tea: Mexican is fine. Unless, you'd rather have more standard fare.
Todd: All that booze last night killed my taste buds for a while, anyway. Make whatever you want.
Tea: If you don't want me to cook...
Todd: So, you agree, we should order pizza tonight?
Tea: You can have whatever you want, Todd. I'll cook for myself.
Todd: I thought you hated cooking because you had to do that when you were a kid?
Tea: That was because I wasn't given a choice about that. This, I want to do. I want to cook for you.
Todd: You just did that a few days ago. I've barely had time to recover.
Tea: You're planning to spend the whole night insulting my cooking, is that it?
Todd: You said you wanted me to do that instead of...you know...insulting other things.
Tea: Right. Go ahead. Insult my cooking all you want. I guarantee you will be asking for more before the night is over.
[Todd pulls into the parking lot of their motel.]
Todd: Probably...
[As he exits the car, he mumbles the rest of his response.]
Todd: ...but not until after dinner.
[Tea isn't certain if she heard him correctly, but she thinks he may have said...
She shakes her head and determines that she must have misunderstood.
Minutes later, Tea is standing at the back of the car with the trunk open, when Todd returns from checking them in.]
Todd: What are you doing?
Tea: I'm waiting for you.
Todd: Have you been nosing around in here?
Tea: Why are you acting paranoid?
Todd: I'm not.
Tea: Since when do you not want me to look in the trunk?
Todd: I don't care where you look. Let's just get this over with.
[Todd hands Tea their room key and grabs their travel bags, along with the bags from Tea's purchases, while secretly grabbing his own shopping purchases, before slamming the trunk shut.
Todd directs her toward their motel room, at the far end of the small motel.
Moments later they enter their new room. Todd stops near the doorway while Tea walks further into the room.]
Todd: It's a dump.
Tea: It's fine.
Todd: It's a dump.
Tea: We don't need much, right?
Todd: It's a dump.
Tea: Todd, relax. This is fine.
Todd: After that resort, this place is...
Tea: This place is perfect.
Todd: Are you nuts?
Tea: Come here.
Todd: Let's just get out of here. We'll go somewhere else. It's bad enough that you expect me to eat your cooking.
Tea: If we leave we may not be able to find another place that has a kitchenette unit available.
Todd: I'm okay with that.
Tea: Seriously, Todd, I'm okay with this.
Todd: Seriously, Tea, it's a dump.
Tea: They have a full kitchen.
Todd: It's too small. You don't want to cook here, do you?
Tea: The kitchen I grew up in wasn't much bigger than this. They have pots and utensils. This is fine.
Todd: You know, this is the kind of place that would have bugs...big, scary, hairy...
Tea (quickly interrupting): The only thing you'll accomplish if you continue is that I'll be in your arms in about two seconds.
Todd: With tons of legs.
[Tea slowly approaches Todd with a smile on her face.]
Todd: So, you're ready to leave, too? Good. Let's go.
[Tea dispenses with her thought to follow through on her threat and really jump into his arms. Instead, she places her hand on the side of his arm as she brings her body closer to him.]
Tea: This is fine, Todd. It's not as luxurious as the last place we stayed, but think of it this way, the walls don't have mirrors on them.
Todd: No...but the ceiling does.
[Tea quickly looks behind her to where the bed is and looks above it. There's no mirror there. Tea turns back toward him and playfully swats his arm while Todd laughs.]
Tea: I want to stay here tonight.
Todd: You're sure?
Tea: It's not perfect but we'll make this work, Todd.
[The emotional look on Todd's face takes Tea by surprise. She realizes that he took her words to have a different meaning. She keeps her hand on his arm as her other hand reaches up and caresses his scarred cheek.]
Tea: We'll make it work, Todd.
[They share a look for a few more seconds before they both move closer to the other and bring their lips together in a gentle kiss.]
Todd and Tea are driving through town in silence. Todd has been driving around in circles, not knowing if Tea wants to return to their motel now or not.
Todd finally gets tired of Tea refusing to speak to him and determines to put an end to the silence, even though he knows they are about to have a fight.]
Todd: It wasn't my fault.
[Tea doesn't respond.]
Todd: Did you hear me, Delgado? It wasn't my fault.
Tea: Whose fault was it?
Todd: Yours?
Tea (raising her voice): Mine?
[Tea begins loudly yelling at Todd in Spanish, her frustration at him finally coming out.]
Todd: Whoa. Hold on. What did you just call me?
Tea: I called you a donkey, you jackass.
Todd: Why are you so angry at me?
Tea: Because of you, they threw us out of that store.
Todd: Because of me? No. It was your fault.
Tea: My fault?
[Tea returns to angrily yelling at him in Spanish.]
Todd: Exactly! You were yelling at that guy, calling him names in Spanish. That's why he threw us out.
Tea: He threw us out because you were acting like a jerk, because you were opening products, tasting them and then putting them back on the shelf.
Todd: Well, they tasted disgusting.
Tea: That's not how you conduct yourself in a grocery store.
Todd: That's always how I've conducted myself in grocery stores...the two times I've been stupid enough to go into that kind of place.
Tea: Well, they generally don't appreciate that kind of behavior.
Todd: Well, now I know. Besides, they didn't throw us out until you started yelling in Spanish.
Tea: I was not yelling. I was trying to explain to the owner that we would pay for anything you had stuck your finger into, licked, or...any other gross things you may have done.
Todd: Are you sure you didn't call him a donkey?
Tea: He seemed understanding, and more than willing to take our money, until you opened that bag of whatever that was and started eating it and then spit it out on his shoe.
Todd: I was aiming at the floor. I didn't know he had such big feet.
Tea: I've never been so humiliated.
Todd: I've humiliated you way worse than that, lots of times.
Tea: Right. What was I thinking? It's a game to you. You want to see just how much of a fool you can make me look like.
Todd: Just choosing to be with me makes you a fool. You can't blame that on me.
Tea: Let's just go back to the motel and put an end to this night. We only have four more days and then...
Todd: And then you can be rid of this fool forever.
Tea: I don't want it to be forever, Todd.
Todd: Yeah, you do. Being with me is humiliating.
Tea: I know that you know how to behave in a store. So, why did you do that? If you didn't want me to cook, you should have just said so.
Todd: I've been saying that all day.
Tea: Fine. I won't cook. You're safe for the rest of this trip.
Todd: That's not the only store in this town, you know.
Tea: You want to spend the evening getting thrown out of more stores?
Todd: That could be fun, actually.
Tea: That wasn't the kind of fun I was hoping to have with you tonight.
Todd: You really want to cook tonight?
Tea: I don't care anymore. I just feel worn out now and I want to go to bed.
Todd: No way. You promised me home cooking, Delgado style.
[Todd turns into the parking lot of a supermarket and pulls into a parking space near the door.]
Todd: Go on. Do your shopping. I'll wait out here.
Tea: Todd, we can order pizza, like you wanted. I'm not really in the mood to cook anymore.
Todd: I'm willing to risk my stomach by eating your cooking. If you don't cook, my noble sacrifice is meaningless.
Tea: I don't know.
Todd: Think of it this way, if you really are ticked off at me, this is your chance to put something into my food that will have me in agony later tonight. You're tempted, aren't you?
Tea: I would never do that to you...on purpose.
Todd: Well, you don't have to. Without you even having to try, your cooking will be enough to have me on my knees begging for mercy.
Tea: Todd...
Todd: And, don't forget dessert.
Tea: Chocolate chip cookies, I remember.
Todd: The kind in the tube thing.
Tea: Don't worry, I remember. I'm glad that you want to share that with me.
Todd: Who said I'm sharing? I'm eating all the cookies. I'll eat so many cookies I won't be able to eat any of your cooking.
Tea: You will eat my cooking, mister. And, you will enjoy it.
[Tea leans over and kisses Todd on the cheek. He surprises her by bringing his hand to her cheek and kissing her on the lips. They both surprise each other as their initial brief kiss is quickly followed by another, much longer, much deeper, kiss.
For several minutes, they kiss and explore with their tongues. Tea is moaning. Todd is grunting. They both are enjoying themselves...too much. As they finally take a break to catch their breaths, they're both brought back to the reality that they are in a public parking lot.]
Tea: We should probably stop before...
Todd: Before you invite me into the back seat again?
Tea: I'm tempted. This is a public place, though. We don't want to be arrested for...
Todd: Indecent exposing of the tongue? Is that against the law?
Tea: We could go back to the motel right now.
Todd: What about dinner?
Tea: I'd rather continue what we're currently doing.
Todd: We're currently talking. I'd rather eat than talk.
Tea: You still want me to cook dinner?
Todd: No, but you have your heart set on it, so go ahead. Don't forget to get some antacids.
Tea: Very funny.
Todd: I wasn't joking.
Tea: Are you sure you don't want to come in with me?
Todd: It's safer if I stay out here. If I came in with you, you'd probably get too fresh with me in the produce aisle and you'd get us tossed out of this store, too.
Tea: I'll try to shop quickly.
[Tea again leans toward him to give him a brief kiss. Todd leans out of her way.]
Todd: We shouldn't start that again. You have a hard time controlling yourself.
Tea: Okay, but the second we enter our motel room, I will be kissing you again.
Todd: Maybe if I distract you long enough, I can save my stomach from your cooking.
Tea: Tonight is going to be a great night, Todd.
[Tea exits the car and rushes into the grocery store. Todd tries to distract himself from thoughts of Tea as his body enjoys those thoughts too much.]
Todd (looking down and speaking to the appendage making its presence known inside his pants.): If you're already reacting this way to just kissing, how are you going to handle the rest of the night?
[Todd becomes very serious, even though he is talking to his penis.]
Todd: We can't screw this up. I'm going to give her a great night, just like she wants. That means that you have to back down. I don't want to scare her. I want her to be happy. I know, it's nuts. Look who I'm talking to about nuts. I want her to have the best night of her life tonight. I'll give her what she wants. I'll hold her and all that junk that she likes so much. It won't be easy, but it will be worth it when she smiles that Delgado smile. I'm gonna make her happy, even if it's just for four more days. They'll be the best four days of her life.
[When Tea finally exits the grocery store, numerous minutes later, Todd is relieved that his boredom of waiting is finally over...until he notices that a young, male supermarket employee who is following behind Tea, pushing a cart with their groceries, is checking out her butt as she walks toward the car.
Todd opens his window to better hear anything that's said and uses all of the mirrors to try to see what's happening at the back of the car while the young man places the groceries into the trunk.
A few moments later, the trunk is closed. The young employee returns to the store while Tea gets into the car. Todd drives out of the parking lot before speaking to Tea.]
Todd: He was checking out your butt.
Tea: Who was?
Todd: That kid.
Tea: Todd, don't lose your cool.
Todd: I'm not. I didn't get out and slam his head into the pavement, did I?
Tea: Well, I'm certainly glad you didn't do that.
Todd: Do you have to look so hot? Couldn't you, you know, downplay things more?
Tea: How? I'm not wearing any makeup. I'm wearing your shirt, that is too big on me.
Todd: But, it's tucked in and your pants are tight.
Tea: Not really.
Todd: Well, they look tight to me.
Tea: Do you like the way my butt looks in these pants?
Todd: So, what kind of stuff did you get?
Tea: Don't change the subject. I want an answer.
Todd: Did you get the cookie stuff?
Tea: Yes. They had more than one kind. I hope I picked the right one. So, do you like the way my butt looks?
Todd: Should we really be talking about this kind of stuff?
Tea: Todd, I really don't care what anyone else thinks. You're the only person whose eye I want to catch.
Todd: You're sure?
Tea: I'm positive.
Todd: Well, you'll be back on the open market in four days.
Tea: Today's not over yet so it's still five days.
Todd: Barely.
Tea: I'm counting every second.
Todd: With dread?
Tea: Of course not. I won't give up, though, until the last possible moment. So, you're stuck with me until then.
Todd: Whatever.
Tea: What does that mean?
Todd: It means, let's just drop this and get back to where things were before.
Tea: You want to drop it? You don't want to obsess over this and ruin the rest of our evening because of it?
Todd: Not tonight.
Tea: Good. I'm glad.
[Minutes later, they return to their motel. After carrying the groceries in and placing the bags on the small counter in the kitchen area, Tea turns in Todd's direction and places her arms around him.]
Todd: I thought you wanted to cook?
Tea: I will.
Todd: Doesn't some of this stuff have to go into the refrigerator?
Tea: It can wait for this.
Todd: For what?
Tea: We agreed to a kiss, remember?
Todd: That's all? Just one kiss?
Tea: Maybe two.
Todd: You think you can control yourself that much?
Tea: Maybe three.
Todd: Three kisses and then you start cooking?
Tea: Yes.
Todd: Okay.
[Todd leans in and kisses her quickly on the lips.]
Todd: That's one.
[Todd again gives her a peck on the lips.]
Todd: That's two.
[They pause for a moment and exchange an intense look. They both feel certain that the third kiss will be different, but where it will lead, neither knows.
Todd again brings his lips to hers. Their lips caress briefly, neither of them kissing the other as they allow the tension to mount. They continue to nuzzle with their lips lightly caressing again...but still no kiss.
After an excruciating amount of time of this, Tea pulls away from him and takes his hand in hers, leading him toward the bed.]
Todd: Delgado...
Tea: We haven't tried out the bed yet. We want to make sure it's comfortable, don't we?
Todd: So, it's an experiment?
[At the edge of the bed she turns and looks into his eyes. Todd's breath stops for a moment. The lust in her eyes, mixed in with the love and concern, makes his chest ache.]
Todd: Don't look at me like that.
Tea: How? Like I love you? I do love you, Todd. I trust you. I want to share with you tonight.
Todd: What?
Tea: Me.
Todd: We can't, right?
Tea: We may not have sex tonight but we could share each other.
Todd: How?
Tea: I could tell you that fantasy I have that you didn't let me tell you about this morning.
Todd: Fantasies never play out the way you want them to.
Tea: I think this one could. I think that you could give me this fantasy and it would be better than my imagination could ever dream of.
Todd: What is it?
Tea: Maybe we should wait until after dinner.
Todd: It's that bad, huh?
Tea: You don't have to do it if you don't want to.
Todd: Well, tell me what it is already.
Tea: I want to sit close to you...very close to you...and...
Todd: What?
Tea: You'll probably think it's stupid.
Todd: I think most of the stuff you say is stupid.
Tea: Thanks a lot!
Todd: You're welcome.
[Tea smiles at Todd, causing Todd's own lips to threaten a smile of their own. Although he tries to prevent it, Tea does notice a slight grin forming on his lips.]
Todd: Hurry up and tell me so I can set up your surprise.
Tea: What is it?
Todd: You're gonna have to wait. The longer you drag this out, the longer you'll have to wait.
Tea: Okay. One of my fantasies...
Todd: This is something we can do, right? You're not going to torture me with something we can't do, are you?
Tea: I don't want to torture either of us with fantasies we can't fulfill, right here, right now. This fantasy isn't about sex.
Todd: Well, then it's not a fantasy.
Tea: Fantasies don't require sexual involvement.
Todd: They don't?
Tea: Do you want to hear this or not?
Todd: Fine. Tell me your non-fantasy.
Tea: Let's just forget it. It was a stupid idea.
[Tea tries to step away from Todd but he doesn't let go of her hand.]
Todd: Tell me.
Tea: I don't feel like giving you a reason to make fun of me.
Todd: I won't.
Tea: Do you promise?
Todd: You're starting to tick me off.
Tea: Okay. This fantasy isn't sexual but it is physical. It's emotional, too.
[Todd looks away.]
Tea: You can do this, Todd. I know it's hard for you. It is for me, too. I want to share myself with you in every way that we can. If sex isn't an option, let's be intimate other ways.
Todd: How?
Tea: I want to... Maybe I shouldn't tell you. Maybe I should wait until later and just do it and if you're not okay with it, we'll stop.
Todd: You don't want to do it now?
Tea: No. I want to take our time. I want to go slow.
Todd: You're sure this isn't sex?
Tea: With anyone else it would be, but with you...
Todd: I'm like every other guy, Tea. Just because I haven't screwed you yet doesn't mean that I don't think about it all the time.
Tea: You do?
Todd: Let's just forget this whole stupid thing.
[This time it's Tea who won't let go of Todd's hand and allow him to walk away.]
Tea: Wait. I know that sex is technically an option. I didn't mean what I think you may be thinking I meant.
Todd: Well, what the hell did you mean?
Tea: I meant that if it were someone else, sex is all that I would want...and, frankly, it's all that I would expect. I want emotional, and physical, intimacy with you beyond sex.
