I swing openthe front door to tell whoever the hell is ringing the doorbell to knock it off but I’m shocked at the presence in front of me. Fuck, he’s still gorgeous. I will admit I might’ve expected him to show up the day after I dropped him and his buddy home, but when he didn’t come I laughed at my own silliness.
“Can I come in?” He squints at me, the afternoon sun shining right in his eyes no doubt.
I step back and let the door fall further open. Michael steps over the threshold and closes the door behind him. I silently lead him into the kitchen where I’ve been preparing dinner. I resume my station at the chopping board and continue slicing up the vegetables while he stands idly by and watches.
The minutes tick by and so far, I’ve completely ignored him, but when the silence starts to get boring I look up to see that he’s still standing there. I’m curious. “Did you need something?”
It’s been a very long day, I can’t be bothered with idle chitter chatter. If he’s come around here, it’s for a reason. I want to know that reason so then I can go about my night like I had planned. A nice hot bubble bath sounds so good, I could melt in a puddle just thinking about it.
“I came to tell you that I’m sorry.” His voice is extra gruff which only adds to his sex appeal, but that’s not what compels me to turn my head.
He’s only been in town about a week and all we’ve done since then is do this ridiculous dance of hot and cold, on and off. That’s not what I wanted. Hell, the only thing I wanted when we first bumped into each other was to be as far away from him as possible.
“You’re sorry…?” I don’t understand. He has nothing to be sorry for, and everything to be sorry for. I don’t know what to do anymore. Does he want me to want him? Does he want me to forgive him and kick him out?
Why does he not look like he’s expecting an apology in return? His expression is earnest, almost sad looking.
“My mind has been all over the place this week,” he admits openly.
“I did notice,” I say nodding my head. I can’t help how my lips tip up slightly. Here he is trying to be sincere and I’m just making comments. Well, at least I haven’t told him my true feelings about this apology yet, because honestly, it’s a bit lacking.
“I don’t know what to do whenever I’m around you,” he says, his voice barely a whisper. I watch with weary eyes as he steps around the breakfast bar, his steps are cautious - like there’s a tightrope between us and he’s testing it.
I turn around to slide the carrots off the chopping board and into the slow cooker. “Well, I don’t know what to do with you either. Like what the fuck do you really want from me here, Michael?”
“I’m scared,” he says.Really?I turn around to find that he’s closer, standing exactly where I stood at the bench only moments ago.
“Of what?” I slam the chopping board and knife into the sink before shrugging purposefully at him. “Do you want me to promise that I have no intentions of breaking your heart for a second time within this lifetime? Trust me, I don’t want that either.”
I release a massive breath. I don’t mean to take my anger out on him but I’m frustrated as hell. I don’t like feeling like I’m a rag doll, and that’s exactly how I’ve been feeling this past week. And it’s not just him, my own mind has been on the brink too, I’ve also been feeling very wishy-washy about this whole thing.
This time I’m the one to move closer, I rest my hand firmly on his chest needing the connection. My throat goes a little dry as I bring up the unspoken issue. “I had my reasons for breaking us up,” I say getting ready to admit the truth.
“I know.” He nods.
“No, you don’t,” I tell him dreading what’s to come.
“My mom told me it was for the best. That you were letting me go because you loved me,” he answers pitifully.
“She was right. I wasn’t trying to hurt you, that was the last thing I wanted. Walking away from you that day was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make. I hated it,” I say. I hated not being about to talk to him, to tell him about the baby. But it only would’ve held him back from his dreams, it would’ve tied him down - to me. I didn’t want to stay knowing he’d rather be elsewhere. All because we got an unlucky condom.
One simple glitch in the systems can change lives. Hell, I’ve never been able to have sex since. I wouldn’t chance it. Accidentally getting knocked up to someone you loved was a completely different ballgame to getting knocked up by a one night stand.
“I loved you so much. Breaking up with you, broke me,” he says with a slight hiccup in his voice.
“‘Loved’? As in past tense,” I ask, dreading the reply.
I smile at his cheekiness. “I will always love you, you know that. So, for the last time, I’m asking you, what you want from me?” I state frustratingly, hating this game of cat and mouse.
“I want all of you,” his hand loops around my back and tugs me in closer. I tilt my head back, angling it towards his.
His lips softly brush against mine in an innocent kiss. The longer our lips are connected the hotter I get, there’s an inch that gets worse by each passing second. I hear the breathy whisper on my lips as he drags his lips down my jaw to my neck. “Bedroom.”
The thought of my brother walking in on us would not stop me right not but I have a feeling it might put an awkward strain on their relationship.
I walk briskly to my bedroom, bashing the door against the wall as Michael continues to assault my neck. I flip on the light and start to kick off my shoes. He moves his tongue back and forth over my sweet spot and the stickiness between my legs grows damper. My need for him to be down there, between my legs, is making me grow whiny.
Closing the door, Michael throws me onto the bed. “You want it sweet or hard?” He questions as he starts stripping off his clothes.
