The Story of Us

by AuthorStephanieHenry

  “Sure,” he agrees. If he notices my nervousness, he doesn’t say.

  He follows me as I walk from the kitchen to the living room and straight over to our extensive DVD collection that spans the bottom length of the entertainment center, which actually looks less like an entertainment center and more like an architectural masterpiece built into the wall. Again, I’m used to this. But seeing the look on Craig’s face, I can tell he thinks this is anything but normal. We sit on the living room floor, searching through the DVDs and I start to feel even more anxious, wondering what he thinks of all this. Does he think I invited him in for a booty call? Is that what he’s expecting? Because honestly, I could see how he’d take it that way. It’s late at night and I told him my parents weren’t home. He’s used to girls throwing themselves at him. He’s probably expecting more than I had even thought of up until now. The more I replay everything in my head, the more I start to panic. I’ve never had sex before, never mind a one-night-stand. We’re not in a relationship and I know Craig’s not a relationship kind of guy, so that’s what it would be, right? A one-night-stand. I start to feel sick, thinking that I led him on. From the kiss to the ‘let’s watch a movie,’ which, let’s face it, could be code for something else. I led him on and now I don’t know how to get out of it. I stand up suddenly.

  “Princess?”

  “We shared a moment, a kiss, but that’s all that it was, okay? I didn’t invite you in for more and I’m sorry if that’s what you’re thinking. I get that it seemed that way and I probably should have been clearer, but a movie means a movie. This isn’t going to be a hook-up and I know it sucks that you left the party where you probably had a hook-up to come here with me and just… watch a movie. But, that’s all that this is.”

  His eyes widen in surprise, but then go dark with anger. “Whoa. Where is this coming from? Did I do something to make you think that I expect more here?”

  “Well, no. But…”

  “But nothing. I left the party because I realized what a jerk I was being. And yes, we shared a moment… a kiss… and… that’s enough for me. I’d trade all the hook-ups I’ve ever had for that. It was amazing and you can’t tell me otherwise. It wasn’t just a kiss. I know you felt what I felt in that moment. It’s not always about sex. I mean, yeah, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want you right now. I’d be lying if I said I haven’t wanted you since the first time I laid eyes on you. But you already know that. You’re beautiful, and sexy as hell. What kind of a guy would I be if I didn’t want someone as gorgeous as you? I’d be out of my mind. But it’s more than that. It’s more than just a physical attraction. I crave you in the most innocent ways. I want to hold you, kiss you, run my fingers through your hair. I just really, more than anything, crave being near you. I don’t care how ridiculous that sounds. Hearing your voice, seeing you laugh, it’s the best part of my day, every day. I didn’t walk into this house expecting a short-lived hook-up. I want so much more than that with you. But even if you never want me in the same way that I want you, I’ll take this… Just being here with you, like this… any day.”

  His words hit me in a way that I don’t expect. I feel tears running down my face, but I don’t even try to turn away or stop them. “It’s not about whether I want you or not,” I manage to choke out, through the lump growing in my throat.

  He takes a step closer to me and brushes his thumbs under my eyes to wipe the tears. His features are soft now, gentle and sincere. “What is it about then?” His eyes search my face for the answers I try to sort out in my mind.

  I turn my head to look away from him as I answer, “I know you want me, but you also want a different girl every week. Sometimes every day. I won’t be enough for you and it’ll end badly.” It sounds silly when I say it out loud. It sounds like I’m insecure and jealous, childish even. But with his track record, how could I ever really trust him?

  “Is that what you really think? You really think I could do that to you? Or is this just your excuse to push me away?”

  “You’ve never taken one of those girls seriously. Why would I be any different?”

  “Because you are different. Don’t you get that? Those girls knew I was never serious about them. I was always honest about that from the start. They knew what they were getting into.” He pauses, running his fingers through his hair before continuing. “I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. If you don’t feel the same, then fine. I’ll be man enough to admit that I couldn’t win you over and I’ll walk away. But don’t you dare push me away if you feel it too. And you do feel it, I know you do. That kiss proved it.” He searches my face for a moment before continuing again. “Tell me you don’t and I’ll walk away. I’ll leave and I’ll stop bothering you altogether. Just tell me,” he demands, almost daring me to.

  Like magnets, we’ve somehow gotten closer without noticing or meaning to. I know what I’m risking and I know I’ll probably regret it when it all comes crashing down. But right now, in this moment, I have to admit what’s staring me right in the face. I love Craig Morgan. I love him and I want to be with him, everything else be damned. I still have an aching feeling in the pit of my stomach that he might someday break my heart. But doesn’t everyone risk that whenever they allow themselves to be with someone they love? Isn’t that what love is all about? Handing your whole heart over to someone and hoping they don’t destroy it? I watch him as he searches my eyes, waiting for an answer. Just as I’m about to say something, he speaks up.

  “I’m pretty sure I’m falling in love with you.” He says it in a whisper and I can see the vulnerability on his face. “Hell, I know it,” he adds.

  There’s a moment of anticipation before our second kiss that wasn’t there before our first. It’s a moment where the world around us just stops; a moment so intense it hangs in the air; a moment so perfect that I realize with absolute certainty that this is only the beginning. I look into his eyes that are so sincere and honest. “I love you too,” I whisper back.

  “I’m with you. I will be with you until you kick me to the curb. Please, don’t worry. Not about that. You can trust me,” he assures me, brushing the hair out of my face.

  I nod my head in return and then feel his lips on mine, softly, slowly, sensually. His tongue travels out across my lower lip and then he deepens the kiss. He slides his tongue along mine and I reciprocate. We find a rhythm easily. It’s so different from our first kiss. It’s not demanding and hungry. Instead, it’s a kiss that says we have all the time in the world. It’s possessive, yet gentle. It’s a kiss I never want to end.

  Chapter 13

  I wake up in my bed, in the same clothes I wore last night, including Craig’s sweatshirt. I lay there for a minute, relishing in the steady heartbeat under my cheek and the sturdy arms embracing me. I don’t dare move and ruin this moment, so I just lay there in pure bliss. After a few minutes, I turn just enough to look up at Craig, careful not to wake him. I study his face, so serene and peaceful. He looks more content than I’ve ever seen him. So boyish and innocent. So beautiful in his vulnerability. When he starts to stir, he tightens his hold on me and it melts my heart to know that he wants me closer to him even when he’s not completely conscious of it. I lean down and kiss his lips softly and I hear him groan quietly. When I pull back, he grabs me quickly and rolls me over, pressing his body on top of me, carefully supporting his own weight. I squeal from the surprise of it and he laughs just before kissing me deeper.

  He pulls back to look at me, cupping my face in his hands. “You are so beautiful,” he whispers in a husky, rough voice, full of sleep.

  “You’re not so bad yourself,” I respond, smirking.

  “I know you said you’ve never… you know… but I just want you to know that although last night wasn’t a first for you, it was actually a first for me.”

  “What do you mean?” We didn’t do anything other than make-out. He didn’t try to take it further because he knew I wasn’t ready.

  “I’ve never
actually slept with a girl before.”

  “Is that a joke? I know you have…”

  “No. I mean, literally. I’ve never stayed the night. And I’ve never let a girl stay the night.”

  I ponder that for a moment and then something dawns on me. “Camping? You were in a tent with two girls.”

  “If you recall, I was wide awake when you came back from the showers. I was walking around the campground in complete boredom when you must have gone up to take a shower. That’s what I did most of the night, just walked around. I slept in a chair for a bit, but I didn’t sleep in the tent. I don’t feel comfortable sleeping with girls. Sex, sure. Sleeping, never.”

  I scrunch my brows in confusion. “You must have been exhausted that next day,” I ponder more to myself than to him. “Why bring a girl then, if you knew you couldn’t sleep with her? And how can you possibly do everything else but not feel comfortable sleeping next to them?”

  “Well I brought them because I wanted the sex. I know that makes me sound like a jerk, but you asked and that’s the truth. And also, the thought of you in the same tent as Tyler, doing God knows what… I thought the girls would be a nice distraction. And why can’t I sleep with them after? I don’t know. I guess because… actually sleeping next to someone feels more intimate. I’ve never been able to do it.”

  I know I should be upset about the first part of his admission, about just wanting sex. But somehow, it doesn’t really phase me. It’s who he is. Or was… hopefully. I ignore the statement about me and Tyler altogether. It’s a non-issue. Instead, I choose to focus on the latter. The fact that he’s never been able to actually sleep next to someone before. “Until now,” I state, trying to hide the smirk slowly forming on my face.

  “Until now,” he agrees, pondering the statement himself. He seems shocked about it, like he’s genuinely surprised that he could sleep next to me.

  “Do you think it’s because we didn’t have sex? Do you think when we have sex you won’t be able to fall asleep with me?”

  Instead of answering, he just smiles.

  “What?” I ask him.

  “I just like that you said ‘when’… not ‘if’.”

  I just roll my eyes at him.

  “Princess,” he whispers, taking on a more serious tone, “I think it’s because I love you.”

  My breath catches. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that admission, the fact that he loves me. I don’t say anything in response. I just reach up and take his face gently in my hands and bring him down to mine. I kiss him passionately and I get lost in the sensation, the electricity that passes through my body when his lips are on mine. It leaves both of us breathless. I have to pull away before I lose control and am no longer able to. When I relax back into the bed, his hand gently grazes my cheek and then he repositions himself off of me, rolling onto his back. We lay there for a moment. Then he takes my hand, squeezes it slightly and quickly, and then moves up off the bed.

  “What time will your parents be home?” he questions.

  “Umm, I’m not sure,” is all I say in return. I still haven’t told him that they went on a vacation during my winter break home. “Oh, no!” I gasp, the realization just now hitting me. “Your parents must be so worried! You never went home last night!”

  “Nah,” he says nonchalantly. “Trust me, they probably haven’t even noticed I’ve been gone all night. They don’t wait up for me anymore. They haven’t in a long time. But, I should get going anyway.”

  I relax slightly, knowing he’s not worried about his parents’ reaction to his all-nighter. “I don’t want you to go,” I admit in a whimper.

  “Then I won’t.”

  I smile softly up at him. It’s nice to know he’d stay just because I want him to. But, I know he can’t. Surely his parents will be wondering where he is eventually. “No. You have to go. Go spend some time with your family. We can get together later.”

  “Okay. I’ll see you in a bit?” he asks. The look on his face tells me that he’s worried about me changing my mind.

  Instead of answering, I bridge the gap between us and kiss him softly, but quickly. If I let my lips linger, I might change my mind about letting him leave. I might keep him here all day, held hostage in my bed, forcing him to endure an endless make-out session. Although, something tells me he wouldn’t mind it too much.

  When I pull back and look into his eyes, I see the intensity and softness that he reserves only for me.

  After I walk him out, I jump in the shower and get ready for the day. I take my time, since I don’t have anything planned. I put on a white sweater that has a wide-open neckline, scooping down enough to leave my shoulders bare. I put make-up on and even paint my nails. Then I sit around, thinking. I know Hailey is probably using this time to say goodbye to Drew. I don’t want to intrude on that, so I don’t text her like I really want to. My phone buzzes and I think for a moment that Hailey read my mind and texted me instead, but then my heart flutters when I see that it’s Craig.

  “I miss you, princess. I can still taste your kiss on my lips and it’s driving me crazy.”

  “Then come back,” I text back, smiling. He’s had a couple hours with his family so I don’t feel guilty asking him to.

  “You sure?”

  “Yeah. I miss you.”

  He doesn’t text back after that, but he shows up fifteen minutes later. When I open the door, I start to say something but before I can get a sound out, his lips are on mine. He kisses me so passionately, it takes my breath away. When he pulls back, he slides his hands over my hair and cups my face in his palms.

  “So you missed me, huh?” he asks with a playful smirk.

  “A little.” I shrug. “I think it was more boredom and the empty house. I need someone to entertain me. You’ll do,” I state with a straight face, but I can’t hide the smile that starts to creep up.

  He laughs out loud and scoops me up into his arms, causing me to shriek in surprise. He carries me right up to my bedroom and tosses me gently on my bed. Instead of joining me on the bed, like I think he’s going to do, he walks around my room instead, taking everything in. I watch him as he picks up a picture in a frame from my high school cheerleading days. Jenny and Mel are holding me in a high stunt, their arms extended all the way up, holding my sneakers in their hands. Hailey’s spotting me from behind, standing in between them, with her head tilted way back, looking up at me. She’s literally always had my back, I think. I stand, smiling, with my arms in a high-V, wearing my old cheerleading uniform from Regan Prep.

  “Your parents are still gone?” he asks, not taking his eyes off the picture in his hands.

  “Yeah,” is all I say in response. I can tell he wants more of an explanation, but I don’t give him one.

  “If I tell you that you look damn sexy in this picture, you won’t slap me again will you?”

  I smile at the memory and to my surprise, Craig smiles too. My mind travels to another time, when Hailey and Drew had just started dating. It feels like a lifetime ago. Drew met up with us at our annual Regan Prep 4th of July parade. Hailey and I were marching with the cheerleading squad, in full uniform attire. No one knew Craig was going to be there. I’m still not entirely sure why he showed up. But when he made an inappropriate comment about my cheerleading uniform, I hauled off and slapped him across the face. I thought he was a player and I thought slapping him across the face would be enough to turn him off and have him try for another girl. I thought he’d be pissed and give up. Instead, he just made another comment about liking it rough. Typical Craig.

  “Why didn’t I scare you off?” I ask him seriously. “Why did you stick around for so long when I was such a bitch to you?”

  He thinks for a moment before answering, as if searching for the right words. “I guess I just knew that you’d give in eventually, or at least I hoped. And that it would be more than worth it,” he replies. Then with a smirk, he adds, “You were never a bitch to me… a pain in the ass sometimes, but never a
bitch.”

  I laugh out loud but then turn serious again. “Seems crazy that you’d spend so much time on one girl when you could clearly have any other girl of your choosing. And I say ‘clearly’ because you pretty much have had them all.”

  “I could,” he admits, “to sleep with, sure. But to have a serious relationship with? That’s different, princess.”

  It gives me butterflies to hear him say that. I’m still not sure if he can actually endure a serious relationship and that uncertainty scares me to death. But the fact that he’s honestly willing to try is more than I had even hoped for.

  “What about you?” he asks, “Why did you give into me? Just couldn’t resist my charms anymore?” he teases.

  I think about it for a moment and then answer earnestly. “Some people are born and die and never really live in between, you know? That’s where I was at. Always falling perfectly into place. Always doing what’s expected of me. I thought going to WSC would change that. And it has, in a way. My dad nearly had a heart attack when he found out I was committed to going to WSC and not an Ivy League school. That move was definitely not expected of me. And it felt... freeing… to do something out of the ordinary. It’s changed me. But if I’m being honest with myself, I think maybe it was you that’s changed me, more than it was the college. You’re the only thing in my life that makes me feel truly alive. Even the times when I thought I hated you, you still made me feel so deeply. You push me out of my comfort zone, but you do it with the best of intentions. When I’m with you, I actually feel every moment deep down into my soul. I tried to fight it, but I can’t deny passion like that forever. I think I always knew that eventually it would win out.”

  He doesn’t say anything in return, but I can tell by the way his face softens that he likes my answer.

  My phone buzzes and I ignore it at first but then I think it could be my parents and with them being so far away, I decide to check just in case. But, it’s not my parents. It’s Jenny, one of my old friends from high school.