Page 26
Story: Starlight Wishes
She laughed. “That sounds like her, always worried about those she loves.”
I winked at her. “Don’t worry. I’m sure Alex has multiple ways to distract her from worrying.” A thought struck me. “Wait. Didn’t you grow up across the street from Kayla? Why don’t you come with us to the beach? You could visit your parents.”
I felt her stiffen beside me. “I don’t think so. I just saw my parents at the wedding. They won’t expect to see me again so soon.”
Not quite the reaction I expected. “It’s fine. It was just a thought.”
“I appreciate the offer, Tyler. I just don’t like to go home very often.” She stood up suddenly. “So, I should probably go. I’m glad you’re feeling better.”
“Wait, Jen.”
She looked nervous but stood still.
I moved in front of her and shoved my hands in my pockets to keep from touching her. “I appreciate that you took the time to come over and check on me and watch Aiden. I know I said I’d give you space, but I don’t like how we left things the other day. I need to know that we’re okay.”
“We’re okay, Tyler. Look, I owe you a huge apology. I’m so sorry for the way I behaved. I was bitchy, and I certainly didn’t explain myself well. I just . . . I wasn’t myself that day, I suppose.”
“I get it, Jen. We were both tired, and we were both obviously dealing with a lot of emotions. But I won’t apologize for what I said about wanting you, because it was the truth, even now.”
“I’m beyond flattered, Tyler, but I’m a mess. You deserve more than what I’m capable of giving you.”
“Why would you say that, Jen? What happened to make you feel that way?”
My heart about caved in on itself at how sad her eyes grew. “Shattered dreams happened,” she whispered and turned away as if to leave.
She was scaring me with her words. She seemed so broken, and I saw what she was trying to tell me. I’d seen that look before in patients that had come into the ER, their bodies broken, but even worse, their spirit. I’d never seen this crack in Jen, and I knew she’d worked hard to be strong until I had pushed her. I’d caused this. Once again, my selfish desires had ended up hurting someone.
“You’re wrong,” I said, making her stop her retreat. “I understand broken dreams, sweetheart. I know you’re trying to keep me at a distance, and I’m sure you’ve convinced yourself of the soundness of your reason. And who knows? Maybe you’re right to do that. But I can’t stop seeing before me a woman I want, each and every part, even the broken ones. The truth is, some of the best art is made up of disconnected fragments put together, and I suspect you’re just as priceless as one of them once you let someone see all of your pieces. In fact, I think you’re all the more beautiful for it.”
Her mouth opened and closed, and I knew I finally had her full attention.
“You know about art, huh?”
“I know what I like, and I like you.” She came willingly as I pulled her into my arms. “Look, I know we’ve done things out of order. But the night we spent together? That wasn’t just good sex, kitten. I’m not ashamed to admit I’ve had good sex before. Good sex is just mechanics. But I’ve never had what happened between the two of us that night. That was passion. Pure, unadulterated, raw passion that only comes when the couple has a real connection to each other. And if you would just be honest with yourself, you know it, too. I tried to walk away, Jen, but I’ll be damned if you shut me down without a better reason than the bullshit you’ve been spewing at me.”
Her startled eyes stared into mine. “Maybe you just need a reminder,” I growled. I crushed my lips against hers. I only felt a moment’s hesitation before her arms slid up mine, and then I felt her nails scratch through my hair. I relished her roughness even as I gentled my kiss to lick and nip at her lower lip until she parted them and met my tongue with hers. I felt her rise on her toes and press even closer to me. I stretched one hand down to her lower back to support her while the other wrapped itself in the thick strands of her silky hair and lost myself in our kiss.
The opening click of a door and the clack of nails on tile floor slowly made its way from my ears to my brain. In my effort to break through to Jen, I had totally forgotten that Aiden was just yards away in the backyard. I reluctantly pulled away but kept one arm around her waist. Her bemused expression told me she hadn’t heard our intrusion.
“Oh, boy. I knew it. Here we go again.” Aiden’s voice was a mixture of dismay and disgust as he stared at us with his arms folded across his chest.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked him.
“Well, first there was Uncle Alex always kissing Kayla. Now there’s you two. Give a kid a break, will ya? It’s gross watching all this lovey-dovey stuff.” He rolled his eyes in disgust, whistled for Holly, and stomped out of the room.
Jen and I stared after him, stunned into silence for several seconds. Finally, my amusement got the better of me, and I burst into laughter. I looked at Jen, who was still looking confused by the turn of events. “Not only was I cock blocked by the little rascal, I feel like I was just scolded by him, too.”
“Oh, crap.” She looked up at me in horror. “He’s going to say something to his parents.”
“So?”
“So? That’s all you have to say? I don’t want them to know until we figure things out for ourselves. We don’t need the added pressure of our friends watching us. I can’t deny there’s an abundance of physical attraction between us, but that’s not enough. I’m not sure I have more to give you, and I’m not sure I trust you have more to give me, Tyler.” Tears whelmed up in her eyes. I took a step closer to her, but she moved several steps back. “No, Tyler. If you touch me, I’ll cave. I’ll lose all control in this relationship, and I can’t do that. I won’t. I’m sorry. I need to go.” She brushed past me, grabbing her purse and an overnight bag. By the time I recovered from her rambling, I heard the front door shut.
I clutched my head and shouted in frustration. But she was wrong. In the end, she was in control of our relationship, and she just officially ended it before it ever really began.
I winked at her. “Don’t worry. I’m sure Alex has multiple ways to distract her from worrying.” A thought struck me. “Wait. Didn’t you grow up across the street from Kayla? Why don’t you come with us to the beach? You could visit your parents.”
I felt her stiffen beside me. “I don’t think so. I just saw my parents at the wedding. They won’t expect to see me again so soon.”
Not quite the reaction I expected. “It’s fine. It was just a thought.”
“I appreciate the offer, Tyler. I just don’t like to go home very often.” She stood up suddenly. “So, I should probably go. I’m glad you’re feeling better.”
“Wait, Jen.”
She looked nervous but stood still.
I moved in front of her and shoved my hands in my pockets to keep from touching her. “I appreciate that you took the time to come over and check on me and watch Aiden. I know I said I’d give you space, but I don’t like how we left things the other day. I need to know that we’re okay.”
“We’re okay, Tyler. Look, I owe you a huge apology. I’m so sorry for the way I behaved. I was bitchy, and I certainly didn’t explain myself well. I just . . . I wasn’t myself that day, I suppose.”
“I get it, Jen. We were both tired, and we were both obviously dealing with a lot of emotions. But I won’t apologize for what I said about wanting you, because it was the truth, even now.”
“I’m beyond flattered, Tyler, but I’m a mess. You deserve more than what I’m capable of giving you.”
“Why would you say that, Jen? What happened to make you feel that way?”
My heart about caved in on itself at how sad her eyes grew. “Shattered dreams happened,” she whispered and turned away as if to leave.
She was scaring me with her words. She seemed so broken, and I saw what she was trying to tell me. I’d seen that look before in patients that had come into the ER, their bodies broken, but even worse, their spirit. I’d never seen this crack in Jen, and I knew she’d worked hard to be strong until I had pushed her. I’d caused this. Once again, my selfish desires had ended up hurting someone.
“You’re wrong,” I said, making her stop her retreat. “I understand broken dreams, sweetheart. I know you’re trying to keep me at a distance, and I’m sure you’ve convinced yourself of the soundness of your reason. And who knows? Maybe you’re right to do that. But I can’t stop seeing before me a woman I want, each and every part, even the broken ones. The truth is, some of the best art is made up of disconnected fragments put together, and I suspect you’re just as priceless as one of them once you let someone see all of your pieces. In fact, I think you’re all the more beautiful for it.”
Her mouth opened and closed, and I knew I finally had her full attention.
“You know about art, huh?”
“I know what I like, and I like you.” She came willingly as I pulled her into my arms. “Look, I know we’ve done things out of order. But the night we spent together? That wasn’t just good sex, kitten. I’m not ashamed to admit I’ve had good sex before. Good sex is just mechanics. But I’ve never had what happened between the two of us that night. That was passion. Pure, unadulterated, raw passion that only comes when the couple has a real connection to each other. And if you would just be honest with yourself, you know it, too. I tried to walk away, Jen, but I’ll be damned if you shut me down without a better reason than the bullshit you’ve been spewing at me.”
Her startled eyes stared into mine. “Maybe you just need a reminder,” I growled. I crushed my lips against hers. I only felt a moment’s hesitation before her arms slid up mine, and then I felt her nails scratch through my hair. I relished her roughness even as I gentled my kiss to lick and nip at her lower lip until she parted them and met my tongue with hers. I felt her rise on her toes and press even closer to me. I stretched one hand down to her lower back to support her while the other wrapped itself in the thick strands of her silky hair and lost myself in our kiss.
The opening click of a door and the clack of nails on tile floor slowly made its way from my ears to my brain. In my effort to break through to Jen, I had totally forgotten that Aiden was just yards away in the backyard. I reluctantly pulled away but kept one arm around her waist. Her bemused expression told me she hadn’t heard our intrusion.
“Oh, boy. I knew it. Here we go again.” Aiden’s voice was a mixture of dismay and disgust as he stared at us with his arms folded across his chest.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked him.
“Well, first there was Uncle Alex always kissing Kayla. Now there’s you two. Give a kid a break, will ya? It’s gross watching all this lovey-dovey stuff.” He rolled his eyes in disgust, whistled for Holly, and stomped out of the room.
Jen and I stared after him, stunned into silence for several seconds. Finally, my amusement got the better of me, and I burst into laughter. I looked at Jen, who was still looking confused by the turn of events. “Not only was I cock blocked by the little rascal, I feel like I was just scolded by him, too.”
“Oh, crap.” She looked up at me in horror. “He’s going to say something to his parents.”
“So?”
“So? That’s all you have to say? I don’t want them to know until we figure things out for ourselves. We don’t need the added pressure of our friends watching us. I can’t deny there’s an abundance of physical attraction between us, but that’s not enough. I’m not sure I have more to give you, and I’m not sure I trust you have more to give me, Tyler.” Tears whelmed up in her eyes. I took a step closer to her, but she moved several steps back. “No, Tyler. If you touch me, I’ll cave. I’ll lose all control in this relationship, and I can’t do that. I won’t. I’m sorry. I need to go.” She brushed past me, grabbing her purse and an overnight bag. By the time I recovered from her rambling, I heard the front door shut.
I clutched my head and shouted in frustration. But she was wrong. In the end, she was in control of our relationship, and she just officially ended it before it ever really began.
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