Turn on... the TV

"Whatcha up to?" Charissa asked, emerging from the basement while I clicked away at my laptop on the living room couch.

"Just catching up on some emails," I said. I often had to wait until the kids went to bed to get my work done, and this summer evening was no different.

"You still have work over the summer?" she asked, sitting down on the couch next to me.

"Well, not as much, now that students are off. But I still have meetings, faculty reviews, course planning, and stuff like that to take care of over the summer." I enjoyed the opening to talk with someone about my work. In the past, Charissa always just left when babysitting was done; but now we had plenty of time to chat.

"I guess I never really thought about what my professors were doing when we're not in class!" she said.

"Well, I hate to break it to you, but we don't usually think about our students outside of class either." I mean, that's not entirely true, of course. There are always a few students each semester who kind of get stuck in your mind.

"You teach English, right?"

"Basically," I replied. "My subfield is History of Literature, but mostly these days I'm teaching survey English classes and some writing workshops."

"We had those at my school, too," Charissa said. "I think I had to take those classes when I was a Freshman."

"Yeah, that's pretty common," I said. "A lot of my students are just a few months out of high school, but now they're living in a whole new world. In a way, my job is to teach them how to be an adult."

Charissa seemed to be thinking about that. We got quiet, and after a few seconds she pulled out her phone, and I looked back at my computer. Just as it was about to get awkward, I had an idea.

"I'm pretty much done here. Want to watch some TV?"

I was shocked to hear her reply, "Yeah, sounds good!"

"What are you watching right now?" I asked.

"Well, you cannot tell my parents..."

"Pinky swear," I laughed.

She laughed too and continued, "I'm watching Game of Thrones."

"Oh, that's a great show!" I said. I knew that Charissa's dad was a pastor, and of course she went to a Christian college. I guess they didn't approve of the .... well, it could be any number of things! "Your parents wouldn't let you watch it, I take it?"

"No way!" she said. "The magic is bad enough without all the blood and sex and stuff," she said. I did notice that she kind of whispered the word "sex" in a totally cute, innocent sort of way.

"Well, I think all that stuff is great," I smiled. "I'd love to rewatch some if you don't mind my joining you."

"No, that'd be great!" she said.

***

The large-screen TV is kept in the basement, in the living room area outside the guest room. Charissa by now was wearing a loose-fitting t-shirt and short shorts; I was wearing jogging pants and a sweatshirt. Comfortable clothes for a relaxing night at home. I had offered Charissa a beer and she seemed very embarrassed and declined. I made her tea instead and enjoyed a beer for myself as we sat down on the comfortable couch to watch one of my favorite shows of all time. I usually watch TV in the dark, but that felt too intimate. So, with the lights on, we fired up Max.

It just so happened that Charissa was about to watch the episode in Season Three that every Jon Snow and Ygritte fan loves - the one where they have sex in the cave.

About ten minutes into the episode, the red-haired wildling was caught breathless by her lover going down on her, and I couldn't help but throw some glances at Charissa. She seemed rapt and, if I wasn't mistaken, a little red in the face.

Twenty minutes later, Jaime Lannister and Brienne of Tarth took a nice hot bath together. And once again, Charissa was visibly affected.

But perhaps the most interesting of all was catching a glimpse of the babysitter toward the end of the episode when the famously gay Loras Tyrell fucks the prostitute Olyvar. These unmistakably handsome specimens most certainly made Charissa's heart beat faster than usual.

During most of the episode, we'd chat a little here or there. I'd ask for a reminder of who was doing what and she'd reply with startling detail. Or I'd comment on the scenery or some veiled, spoiler-free comment about what was to come. But during those sex scenes.... Silence. They were, obviously, my favorite part, and not because of what was occurring on screen.

When the episode finished, we chatted for a few more minutes about the beach, the weather, the kids. Inane stuff. Eventually, I said, "Well, I guess I'll head up. Of course, keep making yourself at home. Help yourself to any food or anything you want. Do you need anything?"

"No, I'm good. Thank you, Seth! This is working out really nicely."

"I think so, too," I said. "The kids are thrilled that you're here, and I'm glad, too."

She smiled warmly and genuinely at me and said, "Thanks!"