UN-RELATED (UN-RELATED SERIES) (22 page)

“And, you slept with her.”

“Okay, yes. I slept with her…a few times. But, I swear I haven’t slept with her since the last time I was here. I haven’t slept with anyone! I told her about you…us. I told her how I felt about you. I swear to you, we’re just friends now, okay?”

“What did you tell her?”

“I just told you, I told her about us, and that I couldn’t sleep with her…”

“I get that part, what did you tell her about me, or how you feel about me?”

“I told her the truth.”

“What’s the truth, Kellan? Because I don’t know what the truth is. I have no idea how you feel about me. You say we’re dating, but you won’t touch me. You spend every waking minute with me and you tell me how much you want to be with me…but that you need more time. I’ve been patient because I know you still picture the little girl I used to be. You told me that you wouldn’t kiss me until I got on birth control. I’ve been on birth control for weeks now. Why the hell am I taking it if you’re not going to even…?”

He put his fingers to my lips and said, “You’re right! You’re absolutely right. I’m an idiot.” He took a deep breath and said, “And, for the record…I love you, I’m madly in love with you.” He kissed me…finally, and as wonderful as I knew it would be, I was in no way prepared for the intense feelings he would provoke in me. I clung to him, refusing to let go, completely lost in his kiss. I was totally unaware that he had picked me up and carried me to the couch. I don’t know exactly how long that first kiss lasted, or what it was that had finally provoked it, but I know I’ll never forget it.

When he finally pulled back, and I had regained my composure…
for the most part
, I said, “I think you were right…about the birth control.” I pulled him back to me and kissed him hard. It was heaven and as he once again pulled away from me I was wishing he had carried me to his bed instead of the couch.

He was breathing as hard as I was, but he sat up and said, “I don’t know what I was waiting for all this time.”

“Well, don’t stop now…we have a lot of catching up to do,” I grinned and pulled him back to me. 

He pulled back, obviously better able to control the rush of hormones coursing through him at that particular moment than I was. “I think we should watch the movie now. We’ve moved forward, taken the next step. There’s no need to rush.”

I sat up and sighed, “Speak for yourself, I’ve never paid the rent before,” I grinned.

He turned toward me and said, “I pray to God you’ll never have to.”

“Kellan, I was just kidding. I didn’t mean anything by that. I’m sorry.”

He leaned down and gently brushed my lips with his and said, “I love you, Abby. I’m sorry I didn’t say it before. This is still really hard for me, sometimes. As much as I want you, I know I don’t deserve you.”’
             

“Why do you keep saying that? It’s not true. You’re wonderful, and kind and smart and the most decent person I’ve ever known. Why are you fighting this? What is it that’s bothering you, really?” I asked, knowing there was more to his resistance of me than just our being raised together.

He stood up and paced the living room. “I told you, I don’t deserve you. You should be with someone so much better than me.”

“There is no one better than you! Stop saying that. You’re perfect.”

“If I was perfect, then I would have forced you to stay with Tyler. He’s a great guy, and he loves you. He still loves you. That’s easy to see. His girlfriend certainly didn’t fail to notice it either, when you two were off talking.”

“How many times do I have to say that it’s you?! It’s always been you, and it always will be. Stop over-thinking everything and come here and kiss me again. Please?” I smiled.

“If I kiss you again, I’m going to end up carrying you to bed…”

“Then by all means, kiss me again!” I said, standing up and walking toward him.

“No, not tonight.”

“Why not? Kellan, you’re leaving in seven weeks.”

“I know, we still have a lot of time.”

“No, seven weeks isn’t
enough
time. A lifetime isn’t enough time with you.”

“We’re waiting.”

“For what? What are you so afraid of?”

He turned away from me.

I reached out and grabbed his arm, turning him back to face me. “What? What is it?”

“I’ve never…”

“You’ve never what?” I asked, confused.

“I’ve never…I don’t want to hurt you, Abby. It’s your first…time. It should be special. And, as much as I love you, it really shouldn’t be…with me.”

“It has to be you. There is no one else for me. Why are you so against this?”

“Because…Oh, God, Abby, I just shouldn’t be your first.”

I walked over to him and touched his cheek, “Kellan, you were there for my first stitches,” I smiled and added, “and I was there for yours. You bought me my first bra. You were there for my first period. You missed my first kiss, even though, in my mind, you were there. You were always there for all of those important firsts…please, don’t stop now.”

He leaned down and kissed me softly. “You’re right, okay.”

“Please don’t just say that because you promised me. Say it because you want to.”

“You have
no idea
how much I want to.”

“I’m right here, Kellan. What are you waiting for?”

“Not tonight, Abby.”

“Kellan…”

“Not tonight. Soon, I promise.”

“Yeah, well you promised me
seven
weeks
, and it’s been a lot longer than that.”

“Abby, please. Besides, I promised you this summer, I never said we’d sleep together the second I came back.”

“You know that’s what
I
meant, and you know that’s what I want. If it’s what you want too, then why are we waiting?”

“I can’t…tonight. I just need…I’ve never…” he swallowed hard but couldn’t finish his sentence.

“You’ve never what?”

“I’ve never been with…someone who wasn’t experienced. I’ve never been with a virgin,” he admitted and then turned away from me.

“What about Brianna?” I asked.

“Um, she was definitely not a virgin. She taught me…a lot,” he admitted.

“I don’t want to hear this.”

“Sorry. It doesn’t matter, Abby. I love you. I don’t care about her…or any of the others. You’re the only one that matters to me. Please, I just need time to work up to it, okay? It has to be perfect for you.”

I shook my head and said, “Okay, but for the record, as long as I’m with you, it can be nothing less than perfect. Now, kiss me again and take me home. I promised I wasn’t going to attack you, but if I stay too much longer, I may not be able to keep that promise.”

I was seventeen, finally. Only one year left with the Filbert’s. I was singing to myself in the shower, thrilled that not only did I have only one year left of my prison sentence; but that I had Kellan…he was mine! I was re-living the previous nights’ goodnight kiss in my mind, knowing that I couldn’t love Kellan more. I had stopped pushing him for more as long as he continued to kiss me…a lot. I still wanted more, but I knew he was still uncomfortable with the idea of sleeping with me, but, I knew eventually I’d win.

We had spent the day at the beach and he added another snow globe to my collection. It was a wonderful day. He dropped me off to shower and change and he was taking me to a really nice restaurant for my birthday dinner. I would have preferred pizza at his apartment…in bed, but I was trying to give him the time he seemed to need, so I readily agreed to a night on the town, instead.

“Where are you going?” Nancy asked.

“I’m going out. Why?”

“Where did you get that dress?” she asked, snidely.

“It was a gift…” I said, but didn’t want to tell her Kellan gave it to me.

“From Tyler?”

“Um, yeah,
Tyler.” They had no clue that I had broken up with Tyler months before. And, I just let them think we were still together. I assumed Kellan would want it that way.

I ran into Joe on my way out the front door. “Where are you off to, Abigail?” he asked, looking me up and down.

“Out.”

I walked passed him without a word and he said, “
Tyler’s a lucky guy. I hope you two aren’t getting…
too
close.  You’re still a minor, Abigail.”

“Only for one more year…and then I’m free.”

“Is it really that bad here…with us, with me?” he asked as if he actually cared.

“It’s okay, I guess. I’m just looking forward to being with…being on my own.”

“Yeah, I’ll bet. You won’t forget me, will you?” he asked, stepping closer.

I moved toward the door and said, “I should go…um, Ke…
Tyler’s waiting for me,” I lied and headed out the door.

I walked to the next street over, waiting to run into Kellan. He stopped and said, “What are you doing? I was coming to get you.”

“I know. I just needed to get out of the house. Joe’s been…” I stopped. I didn’t want to talk about Joe tonight. I had planned on talking to Kellan about Joe’s behavior of late, but whenever I looked into his beautiful eyes, all I wanted to do was kiss him.

“Joe’s been what?” he asked suspiciously.

“What? Oh, Joe’s been fighting with Nancy all the time, lately. I had to get out of there.”             

“I don’t know what he sees in her. She’s…”

“She’s what?”

“Nothing. Let’s not talk about them.”

“You don’t have to ask me twice. So, where are we going?” I asked.

“You’ll see. Oh, and by the way, you’re beautiful.”

“Thank you, I love the dress.”

“I wasn’t talking about the dress.” He glanced over at me and smiled. “You’re breathtaking, Abby. I can’t believe you’re mine.”

I grabbed his free hand and kissed it. “I’ll always be yours. And, in just one year from today, you’re going to have a very hard time getting rid of me.”

“I’m counting on it.”

Dinner was wonderful. I was stuffed full of seafood and he had a chocolate cake brought to the table and of course the entire staff sang Happy Birthday to me, making me turn three shades of red. Once dinner was done, Kellan took my hand and we strolled along the pier. He wrapped his jacket over my shoulders when he noticed me shivering and he won a stuffed dolphin for me from one of the game booths. It was a wonderful birthday…the best. 

“Thank you, Kellan. That was the best night and the most wonderful birthday.”

“It’s not over, yet,” he smiled and took my hand.

He led me through the lobby of an elegant hotel. I assumed we were just cutting through to the parking lot across the way from where he parked, but I was confused as he led me into the elevator. “Where are we going?”

He leaned down and kissed me the second the elevator doors closed. My question was forgotten the second his lips touched mine.

He kissed me the entire length of the elevator ride and only stopped when the door finally opened. He put his arm around my waist and led me down the hall to one of the suites.

“Are we visiting someone?” I asked.

He didn’t say anything; he just pulled a key out of his pocket and opened the door. He ushered me in to the most beautiful room I had ever seen. It was elegant, but not over-done. The lights were soft, there was soft music playing in the background, and as I looked around, I noticed the king size bed in the adjoining room. It was folded down and the room flickered softly with candlelight, and there were roses and rose petals scattered throughout.

I looked up at him, “I don’t understand. What are we doing here?”

“I’m keeping my promise, Abby…”

I hope you enjoyed part one. The conclusion to Un-Related; ‘Separated’ will be released shortly.