Selections for the Shower

He always calls me sexy. Sometimes it’s “You’re so sexy,” sometimes it’s “You sexy bitch” spoken in a deep, slow voice through a seductive smile. “You’re such a sexy woman,” “Damn, woman, you are sexy.” The variations are endless. But he never lets me forget that he thinks I’m sexy.

Yesterday, he had the day off. I went to his house after work to find him in bed, lights off and TV on. He was completely dressed, covered in blankets, his curly hair flared out on the white pillow beneath his head. His smile when he saw me was broad and white. “Hey, sexy,” he said. I put down the overnight bag that I’m always carrying these days, rested my purse beside it, and crawled onto the bed with him. He pried his arms out from beneath the comforter and wrapped me in them.

“How was your day off?” I said into his neck, kissing the smooth skin between his ear and his collarbone.

“Wonderful,” he replied. “I feel like I did nothing, which is perfect.”

“Have you been here all day?” I pointed to the mattress.

“No. I cleaned the shower, I made some calls, I made a new CD to listen to in the shower…”

I wrinkled my nose and interrupted: “It’s not Engelbert Humperdinck and Perry Como is it?” Every morning, our shower is accompanied by a soundtrack. Sometimes it’s Jason Mraz, sometimes it’s John Mayer, sometimes it’s a mix of songs I don’t know at all, sometimes it’s a CD of songs I’ve made. But we’re always listening to something as we lather up and take turns under the spray of hot water.

His face looked almost guilty. “You know me too well.” He lifted his head and sang a little Engelbert for me, Tell me when will you be mine/teeeeellll me, quando, quando, quaaaannnn-dooooo, his rich voice boomed in the dark room.

I laughed. I knew he was serious. “I just hope it’s not all slow stuff. That shit’ll put me to right back to sleep if I listen to it first thing in the morning.”

“You’ll like it. Just wait.”

This morning, he got in the shower before me. I was exhausted, gave in to his insistence that I sleep in until at least the next snooze alarm. After being roused from sleep for probably the sixth time that morning by the alarm, I gave in and got up.

By the time I peeled myself from the sheets, made the coffee and opened the door to the bathroom, Billy was already out of the shower and drying himself off. I started to brush my teeth, noticing the CD was already on track number 4 - Christina Aguilera and Alicia Keys singing “Impossible.” My eyes went wide. “I love this song,” I gushed, the toothbrush sticking out of my frothy mouth.

“I know you do.” He leaned in for a kiss on my Colgate encased lips.

He left the bathroom to get ready for work, leaving me with the music. I hopped into the shower, Tom Jones crooning “It’s Not Unusual” from the speaker next to the sink. I giggled while I shampooed my hair.

And just as I finished my shower, the song started.

Dada-dadada-dadada-dadada
I’m too sexy for my shirt, too sexy for my shirt, so sexy it huuu-rrrts

I laughed out loud. I laughed all the way through the song. Too sexy for your body, the way I’m disco dancing.

I dried off while Right Said Fred talked about being a model and doing his little turn on the catwalk, laughing the whole time.

The next song started as I opened the door. Engelbert started to sing “You’re just too good to be true, Can’t take my eyes off of you.” His voice followed me to the bedroom, where I found Billy adjusting his tie, almost ready to leave for work.

“I can’t believe you put 'Too Sexy' on that CD,” I said, still giggling as I pulled my makeup from my overnight bag.

“I put it on there for you,” he looked up at me from his tie.

“And I bet you put this song on there for me, too, huh?” My tone was sarcastic. He cocked his head to the side to listen for the song. Engelbert crooned I need you baaa-byyy, if it’s quite alright from down the hall.

“I did.” His genuine tone made me smile.

I listened to the rest of the CD while I put on my makeup and drank my coffee. D’angelo sang “Lady,” and I couldn’t help but assume that he’d put that on there for me, too. He may not have, but it felt good to think it.

I’m in such a good mood today.