The Heights Love Takes Us to
A/N: Just a short two chapter story I wrote with Valentine's Day in mind. It is a continuation from my other story "His First Tree" and it continues the blossoming Steve/Melanie relationship from that story. I would like to dedicate it to my husband of almost twenty years who I have been blessed to have by my side through thick and thin and love with all my heart and want to wish a Happy Valentine's Day to all the readers and writers on this wonderful fandom and their loved ones.
Chapter 1:
A gentle knocking sound woke Melanie from the light sleep she had fallen into about twenty minutes before. She had worked the long shift at work and her feet and legs were tired and sore. The customers had been particularly difficult today and it had taken all her patience to paste a smile on her face while serving the more difficult ones. Then she had gone to her evening class and struggled to stay awake throughout the lecture before coming home wearily and treating herself to a warm bath before bed to try and lift her flagging spirits. Now opening her eyes drowsily and lifting her head from the pillow she listened as a low whispering voice accompanied the gentle tapping.
"Psst ... Melanie? ... Melanie, are you awake? "
Now slightly startled, Melanie lifted herself up on to one elbow, thinking for a brief moment that she was hearing things until the vaguely familiar low voice came again and Melanie judged that the tapping sound was actually coming from her bedroom window.
"What on earth ... ?" she thought as she turned on the bedside lamp and quickly scrambled from her bed. Hurrying to the window, she threw back the heavy curtains only to see Steve Keller's cheeky grin greet her on the other side of the glass pane.
"Hey Mel ... Open up and let me in for a few minutes, will ya? I have something for you."
"STEVE! What on earth are you doing ... and what in God's name are you standing on?" she inquired as she quickly released the latch and lifted the heavy window upwards.
Peering out she saw that he was balanced on the wooden trellis that led up towards her window, precariously holding a tree branch from the large Californian Oak tree that stood majestically beside the corner wall of their house.
"Steve, what are you doing? You're going to kill yourself ..."
"Hurry Mel, let me in, will ya? I'm not sure how long this thing is going to hold me up ... I just need a few minutes, that's all ..." Steve pleaded breathlessly as he hung on tightly to the trellis and rounded his plea up with a nervous chuckle.
Totally taken aback by Steve's unannounced visit and unexpected appearance at her bedroom window and now consumed with concern for the young man's safety, she lifted the window up fully and stood back as she watched the agile young detective carefully haul himself up towards the sill and swing himself in through the now open window. Landing on her carpeted floor as silently as he could, she heard him breathe heavily after the exertion and watched as he closed the window again, brushed himself off and then watched as his appreciative gaze then rose and took in the sight of his relatively new girlfriend in a low cut pink nightdress standing before him in the lamp lit room.
"Whoa ... You look beautiful Mel. That colour ah ... really suits you ... " he stuttered equally breathlessly as Melanie suddenly realized in her haste to run to the window, she had neglected to don her robe.
"STEVE! ..." she chastised, as she physically turned him around with his back to her and heard him chuckling heartily as she did.
"Stay like that until I get my robe and NO peeking ..." she flustered as he heard her run off behind him.
He now stood facing the heavy, rose pink colored curtains, his heart beating a little faster after the provocative sight of the girl who had managed to completely steal his heart over the last two months and nervously chuckling, he continued apologetically.
"Listen, I'm sorry for the surprise visit but I had to see you ... " he ventured in a low voice, attempting to glance behind him at the same time as he felt that she was taking longer than expected.
"I said NO peeking ..." she chastised again as she watched him turn his head back towards the window obediently and mutter another apology.
Finally locating her robe, she wrapped it around herself self-consciously, tying the robe tightly in the middle and pulling the collars together to cover her neck before heading back to where he was standing.
"Can I look yet?" he whispered hopefully just as he felt two gentle hands wrap around his waist and turn him around.
"Yes ..."
Now standing in close proximity to him, wrapped in a pink, silk robe in the glow from the bedside lamp, her hair cascading down her shoulders, Steve almost forgot the reason he had come to see her in the first place. His gaze swept down and back up appreciatively as she heard him inhale sharply. His hands automatically reached up and wrapped around her waist as he smiled happily down at her, suddenly wishing that time would stand still and that he could stay in her embrace just like this forever. It had been a long and stressful day at work but in Melanie's arms he always felt peaceful and happy and as though when he was there, nothing could ever be wrong again. They had been dating now for just under two months and she was so unlike all the other women he had ever dated. She was always a sight for sore eyes and her company always cheered him up and made every other problem he had almost pale into insignificance. He hated the days he couldn't see her and found himself counting the minutes until they were together again. Steve stood and reveled in her mere presence beside him just as Melanie broke the moment.
"Hey! ... You're doing that staring thing again Keller ..."
Steve blushed and stammered.
"Sorry ..."
Now facing her, the light from her lamp showed up something strange just under his hairline and she reached up and pushed his hair back to reveal a two inch cut held together by five black stitches and some steri-strips on the side of his forehead. Horrified she pulled back and questioned him in as low a voice as her fast beating heart and new found panic would allow.
"Oh my God ... Steve, what happened to your head?"
Steve flustered and tried to calm her down, sorry that she had seen it in the first place.
"Hey, you don't have to worry about that Mel ... it's just a scratch. I've had worse shaving cuts, believe me."
"Just a scratch. It's got stitches ... How did that happen? ... I mean when ... and where? Are you sure you're ok?" Melanie continued to speak fast and anguished before Steve tried to reassure her again.
"It happened today on the job but I'm fine, honestly. "
"How?"
"Melanie, you don't need to know that ..."
"Yes, yes I do ... What happened? Please Steve ... Don't keep things from me. Remember? You promised. Full disclosure no matter how ugly the details may be ..."
Steve sighed and hung his head briefly. He HAD made her that promise but began to regret it now that it came into force. So reluctantly he relayed the bare minimum of details about the incident.
"It was just a guy that wasn't too keen on being arrested that's all ... He ah ... well I guess you could say he ah ... resisted ..."
"He ... hit you?"
"No, no not exactly ... He ah ... broke a bottle and ... went to hit Mike ..."
Steve regretted relating those details as he saw Melanie's jaw drop in horror.
"But it's ok. I ah ... managed to pull Mike out of the way and ... I guess somewhere along the way I forgot to duck ..." Steve said humorously, trying to take the horror out of the story with comedic effect but failing miserably as he saw Melanie recoil at the details.
"A broken bottle? Oh Steve ..." she practically sobbed as she reached up to tenderly caress the glaring cut. "Does it hurt?"
"No, no not really. To be honest I'd even forgotten about it until you reminded me it was there. Besides I didn't get to tell you the best part. After I went down, Mike took the legs out from under the guy and subdued him like a pro. You should have seen him. It was quite something, very impressive. You know he never fails to amaze me that guy."
"Did you get checked out at the Hospital?"
"Are you kidding? Mike was there, remember? He practically dragged me to the ER. It's just a superficial cut, that's all ... I'M FINE!"
Steve watched Melanie trace her finger lightly along the cut and knew she hated when he got hurt in the line of duty. It always reminded her of how dangerous a career he was in and so he reached up and grabbed her finger and brought it back down to hold her hand in his.
"Melanie, we talked about this, right?"
"I know ... I just hate seeing you get hurt ..."
Steve smiled and replied humorously.
"I'm not too keen on it myself but if you're really concerned you could always ah ... kiss it better for me ..." he said cheekily.
Melanie's smile returned and she shook her head incredulously.
"You really think that would work, huh?"
"Absolutely ... It's a known medical fact ..."
Deciding to play along , Melanie reached up on her tippy-toes and placed a sensuous kiss lightly over the cut and watched as Steve closed his eyes and inhaled sharply as she did before his famous smile returned and he spoke again in a breathless whisper.
"You know ... now that I think back on it, I think I might have hit my lips when I fell on the floor after I took the blow. They kind of hurt too ... Just a little bit ..."
A faint chuckle erupted from Melanie and Steve felt relief flood his body as his humorous efforts finally broke through the worry he knew she was feeling. His ploy had worked and he watched her beautiful smile return as she spoke playfully.
"And I suppose you'd like me to kiss those better too, huh?"
Steve's smile widened.
"Only if you want to ..."
Steve took a extra deep breath as he watched her reach her hands up to curl around his neck as she pulled him gently into a sensuous kiss, their lips touching gently at first but moving with increased passion as the kiss lingered for several minutes before they finally broke apart almost reluctantly.
"Does that feel better now?" Melanie asked breathlessly as the effect of the sensual kiss succeeded in stealing her outward composure completely.
"Oh yeah ... " Steve replied equally breathlessly as he pulled away slightly to help him regain control of his senses. "Feels much better ... Thanks ... Man, you always have a very strange effect on me, Melanie Bennett."
"I can see that ... Is that why you climbed up to my bedroom window at twenty five minutes to midnight? Just to see me? You know we do have a doorbell."
Steve laughed quietly.
"Yeah ... Yeah I know but the house was in darkness and I didn't want to wake your parents and ah ... like I said I have something for you."
"Shush, you better keep your voice low. Can you imagine how this would look if my Dad were to find you in here? ..."
"Hey wait a minute ... My intentions here are purely honorable, I can assure you. Besides ... does he usually find strange men in your bedroom?" he answered in a tongue in cheek way, grinning from ear to ear.
Hugging him tighter, she smiled back and answered him in the same playful manner.
"Well now that would be telling Keller but I'll tell you what. I'll answer that question if you tell me how many trellises you've climbed up to get to a woman's bedroom before."
Steve laughed.
"Ooh ... you drive a hard bargain, Melanie Bennett. Ok ... I accept that challenge ... My answer is none ... before tonight."
With Steve still grinning broadly, she pulled slightly back and studied his expression before replying tentatively.
"Hmmm ... I'm not too sure that's the truth Steve Keller. You sure looked fairly agile out there as if you've done it before ..."
"Well as a Police Officer sometimes we have to enter premises in an unorthodox fashion but outside of the job ... you're the first woman I ever climbed up to ... Honest. "
"Is that really the truth, Keller?"
"Absolutely ... If you really wanna know ... no other woman made me feel like I wanted to ... until now ..."
Melanie's heart melted at his words. Steve was so unlike any other guy she had ever dated. He was so unpredictable and never boring ... that's for sure. Charming and thoughtful and that smile always managed to melt her to jelly. Dropping her hands from his neck to his shoulders, she looked up at him lovingly.
"How come you always know the right things to say Keller?"
"Oh I don't know ... Just lucky I guess ... So? What about your half of the bargain? How many strange men have been lucky enough to find themselves in this room with you?"
"You really wanna know that answer?"
Steve's smile faded a little as he tried to figure out if she was being serious or not but finally deciding that he liked to live dangerously and wasn't about to change the habits of a lifetime, he spoke again bravely.
"Yeah ... Yeah I wanna know ..."
Steve's eyes met hers and seemed to wait for her answer with bated breath. Deciding to string him along for a few minutes but then finding she didn't have the heart to , she answered in a whisper.
"None ... until now ..."
Steve's smile widened and it was his turn to pull away slightly before asking skeptically.
"Really?"
She pulled him back close as she nodded her head.
"Uh huh ... I guess, no man ever made me want to let them into my room ... until now ..."
Steve chuckled and hugged her tighter.
"Ooh good answer ... Now who's saying the right things, huh?"
"So? Are you gonna tell me what brought you to my room tonight Steve or what? I'm intrigued ..."
Remembering the reason for his visit, he quickly glanced at his watch to Melanie's surprise before answering with a definite purpose
"I ah ... I brought you a gift."Steve whispered, his Keller smile at its brightest.
"What? And it couldn't wait until tomorrow?"
"No, absolutely not. It's ... well it's Valentine's Day for another fifteen minutes and I wanted to give it to you before midnight. "
Melanie's heart melted at his words. He had come here after an extra long shift at work and climbed up to her bedroom window, risking life and limb just to make sure she got his gift on Valentine's day. Melanie was stunned by the romantic gesture.
"Steve I ... I don't know what to say ... except that ... that's really sweet ... but you do know the trellis part was kind of crazy, right?"
Steve chuckled as his arms tightened around her waist.
"Yeah ... Maybe it wasn't my best idea but hey ... It's been a long day and it's our first Valentines Day as a couple and ... I'm really sorry I didn't get to see you today. This case we're working on is pretty tough and it's taking up a lot of time and ..."
Melanie silenced him with a finger on his lips.
"Hey ... I told you I understood. We both had to work today ... It really was ok, you know? I truly didn't mind ..."
"I know you didn't but ... I did ... "
Pulling away slightly, Steve reached into his inside jacket pocket and produced a card and a medium sized jewellery box adorned with a fancy red ribbon. "Here ... This is for you Mel. Happy Valentine's Day."
Melanie removed her hands from his shoulders and taking the items from him, she looked up into his two mesmerizing green eyes and saw the love for her that burned in them and felt her own heart filling with gratitude that she had been lucky enough to meet this very special man.
"Steve, I ... I'm speechless ... Thank you ..."
"Well come on ... Open it will ya? I've waited all day to give you this ..." he replied humorously but with a distinct nervousness to his voice as he inwardly hoped she would like what he had chosen for her.
Taking his hand, Melanie led Steve across the room and pulled him down to sit beside her on the edge of her bed as she spoke softly.
"Ok ..."
Placing the unopened card down on the bed, she gently opened the red ribbon around the gift and casting one more surreptitious glance back up at an anxious looking Steve, she opened the box and inhaled sharply as she saw the most beautiful heart shaped necklace she had ever seen lying in the velvet box in her hand. Almost overcome with emotion at Steve's thoughtful gift, she spoke with difficulty as faint tears of happiness sprung to her eyes.
"Oh Steve ... It's ... it's beautiful ... Thank you ..."
"You really like it? Because ah ... I can change it if you don't ..."
"No, no I LOVE IT... But it must have cost you a lot ... Steve, I ... "
Steve silenced her before she could protest further.
"Hey, don't worry about the cost ... You deserve something that beautiful. Here, let me put it on you." he offered, taking the box and removing the dainty necklace with the sparkling red heart as Mel obediently turned her back and lifted her hair up for Steve to put the necklace on her.
Brushing against the warm, soft skin of her neck as he positioned the necklace, Steve found his fingers trembling as he fiddled awkwardly with the dainty fastening for several seconds before finally getting it closed.
"There ... All done." he said proudly as he managed the task that had proved so difficult between the tiny catch not made for men's fingers and the added sweet scent of Melanie's perfume and the feel of her warm, sensual skin against his fingers that had succeeded in throwing his emotions off balance as they always managed to do.
Melanie let her hair fall back down around her shoulders and turned around as Steve caught sight of the necklace around her neck that hung now provocatively within the v-shaped collar of her robe. She looked down at it and beamed gratefully.
"How does it look?"
"It looks great ... It really suits you ..."
"Thanks Steve. I really love it. "
"You're welcome ... Ah ... I had better get going ... Let you get some sleep ..." Steve flustered suddenly feeling awkward now sitting on Melanie's bed and hearing Mike's words in his head about taking things slower than he usually did.
So far Steve had kept his cool and they had been taking their relationship very slowly but here in this intimate setting with Melanie dressed so alluringly and with Melanie's recent kiss still tingling on his lips, Steve decided he had better go now while he still had some control over his senses. But before he could rise from the bed, Melanie grabbed his hand and prevented him from standing.
"Ah, ah Keller. Not yet. I was going to keep my gift for you until tomorrow but seeing as you came and gave me yours I think it's only fair I give you mine now too. Wait there." she instructed as he watched her stand up and go towards a chest of drawers in the corner of the room.
He watched her open a drawer and retrieve something and then saw her place two items behind her back as she smiled and headed back towards him before sitting down again beside him.
"I sort of got you two things ... "
"Hey! Now you're just showing me up ..." he chastised playfully, wagging his finger in her direction as he spoke.
"Don't worry, one of the things is just a token gift. Here open that one first" she said smiling as she passed him a sizable, wrapped present.
Steve took the gift and smiled back, passing the present through his hands as he tried to get an idea of what could possibly be inside. It felt like a box of some sort but Melanie grew impatient with his slow unwrapping and nudged him impatiently.
"Just open it already, will ya?" she chided, beaming from ear to ear. "Are you always this cautious opening presents?"
"Well you can't be too careful in my line of work, you know?" Steve teased back as he chuckled at her infectious enthusiasm and to appease her, ripped the wrapping paper unceremoniously to reveal ... a small portable first aid kit.
Steve laughed when he saw it and spoke amidst the laughter.
"Oh ... that's cute ... And definitely ... something that will come in handy where I'M concerned ... Thanks."
Melanie was chuckling too at first, glad he saw the amusement in her token gift but her laughter ended quickly as she turned serious and reached up once more to gently caress the cut on his forehead as she spoke.
"I know it's a tad unconventional for a Valentine's gift but ... I hate when you get hurt doing your job but at least with this in your car, I'll know you'll always have first aid supplies to help you when you do ..."
Steve's laughter faded at her words and he shook his head and spoke tenderly as his hand touched the side of her face, his thumb caressing her cheek bone gently and his green eyes never leaving hers.
"You know, that's one of the things I love about you. You can even make a gift of a first aid kit sound really sweet ... I'm sorry that my job worries you so much but ... it's what I do Mel ... At this stage it's practically who I am ... "
"I know that ... And I'd never ask you to change Steve. Just keep the box handy, ok? And maybe next time ... remember to duck, alright?"
Steve's smile returned as he dropped his hand and chuckled a little more.
"Ok ... I will ..."
"Ok, now here's your card and your main present. " she said placing a red envelope into his hand, with his name lovingly penned across the front.
Steve placed the small first aid kit down on the bed and studied the envelope for several seconds until his curiosity got the better of him and he carefully opened the envelope and pulled out a Valentine's card with what appeared to be another red metallic envelope inside. Opening the card first, he read the verse and romantic inscription inside.
Dear Steve, I feel so lucky to have you for my Valentine. You brighten up even the darkest of days. My love always, Mel. X"
Steve's smile widened as he read the tender words and he felt his throat constrict with emotion.
"I love you too Babe ..." he said as he reached across and planted a loving kiss on her lips before she continued excitedly.
"Open the other envelope ... "
"Ok ... I am ..."Steve said chuckling, amused by her sudden impatience.
Carefully opening the second envelope, he pulled out what appeared to be two tickets from inside. He lifted them and read the first line and Melanie saw his eyes widen and heard the sharp muffled gasp that left his lips as he muttered incredulously.
"No way ... NO WAY! ..."
Looking back up at her in utter disbelief, he stuttered in an excited fashion.
"You ... you got me tickets for Carmen. I ah ... I've really wanted to see this ... How did you know?"
"Mike told me ..."
"Oh he did huh? But ... the tickets for this have been like gold dust ... I've been trying to get tickets for it all week ... I tried everywhere ... How did you ...? Where did you get them?"
"Well that's the good part about having a Father in the Finance circle. He's made a lot of useful contacts over the years. I asked him to make some phone calls for me and he got those. Do you ... really like them?"
"Are you kidding? I LOVE them ... This is fantastic ... I ... Wait a minute ... " Steve said just noticing more important details on the tickets ... "You got ... box tickets?"
Melanie nodded, visibly thrilled that Steve loved her gift as much as she had hoped he would.
"Yes, a whole box ... all to ourselves ..."
"Melanie ... They must have cost a fortune ... I ... I don't know what to say .."
"No, they weren't so bad, don't worry. Besides ... you deserve a bit of spoiling ..."
"I do huh?" Steve asked, accompanied by his famous cheeky grin.
"Yes ..."
Melanie leaned forward and placed a soft, sensual kiss on his lips and whispered.
"Happy Valentine's Day Steve "
Melanie pulled back then in time to see Steve's eyes still closed from the kiss and could hear his breathing quicken.
"You got them for Sunday afternoon. That's my day off ... Did Mike tell you that too?"
"Yeah ... He was very helpful ..."
Steve got a mischievous glint in his eye and spoke playfully, anticipating Melanie's shocked reaction.
"You know seeing as he was so helpful and my partner and all ... I may have to bring Mike with me instead of you ..."
Melanie's jaw dropped opened in surprise but then she spotted the playful glint in Steve's eye that she had begun to recognize and knowing he was messing with her she edged forward slowly towards him as she spoke.
"Oh ... you might huh?"
Trying to keep a straight face but failing miserably as he watched her slowly advance he spoke in as straight as voice as he could muster.
"Yeah ... Well I think that's only fair, don't you?"
"Oh you think so, huh? ... Oh ... You are gonna get it now Keller ..." she finished quickly as she pounced on him and started to tickle him. Squirming and trying his best not to laugh out loud and perhaps wake her parents, Steve pleaded with her through his giggles as she continued to tickle him without mercy.
"MEL ... Stop! ... No tickling ... Mel, you're going to wake your Dad ... Mel, cut it out ..."
More giggles escaped as he tried in vain to keep them as quiet as possible but his sides were beginning to hurt from laughing so he grabbed one of her pillows and defended himself with it as he lashed out and clipped Melanie with it across the side of her head. She stopped tickling and looked down at him in shock.
"Oh ... now you've declared war Keller."
Steve watched in slow motion as she reached out and grabbed her second pillow and started hitting him with it as he swung his back around in retaliation. Unfortunately for Steve, Mel was an expert pillow fighter having won many a battle with her brother when they were younger and Steve was tiring rapidly after his extra long work shift and earlier altercation. Laughing at this stage, Steve collapsed back on the bed and pleaded for mercy, breathing heavily.
"Ok, ok I surrender ... You win Mel ... Please stop ... I give up ... I GIVE UP! ...'"
Mel knelt now on the bed beside him, holding the pillow above her head ready to swing it down if necessary.
"So who did you say you were going to bring to Carmen again?"
Steve chuckled and spoke appeasingly.
"YOU ... Of course ..." He said giggling again. "I was ... just kidding around ..."
Melanie now out of breath too, laughed as she collapsed down on the bed beside him, noticing that his breathing was very erratic.
"I know you were ... You ok?"
"Yeah ..."
Steve looked sideways at her smiling and then rolled over onto his side and propped himself up on his elbow, now looking down at her as her hair framed her face as she lay on the bed while his left hand reached up to rub gingerly at his stitched cut.
"Remind me never to challenge YOU to another pillow fight ... You fight dirty" he added playfully.
Fearing that she may have actually hurt him, her face turned serious and she inquired anxiously.
"Oh my God ... Did I hurt you?"
"No, no you didn't ... However I might just request a rematch when I'm a little less tired ..."
Melanie pushed up to face him, leaning her head on her hand as she lay staring straight at him now. It was the first time since he had arrived that she really noticed how tired he looked.
"You look tired Steve ... Long day, huh?"
"Long couple of days ... Tough case but I ah ..."
"I know, I know. You can't talk about it ... Are you any nearer to wrapping it up?"
"Yeah, yeah I think so. We're making progress but it's slow and involves a lot of long, tiring stakeouts.
Reaching out Melanie placed a gentle hand on the side of his face
"When's the last time you slept?"
Steve seemed to hesitate briefly before flustering an answer.
"Oh ... I ah ... I got a few hours last night ... I think ..."
Melanie scowled and shook her head sympathetically, knowing deep down a few hours probably meant one or two.
"Steve you need to rest. You should have gone straight home to bed."
"I told you ... I wanted to see you while it was still Valentine's Day ... Besides ... Seeing you is as refreshing as any few hours sleep could ever be." he added, grinning broadly.
From her new position, Melanie's robe dropped slightly open and Steve inhaled sharply as he took in the tempting sight. She looked so beautiful and in that moment Steve suddenly found himself wishing that he could wake up to that beautiful smile every morning. He had always joked with Mike on many occasions about how lonely a life it was being a cop but the reality was that he was tired of always going home to an empty apartment and not having someone to share his life with. Someone once told him that solitude was a welcome friend but Steve had soon tired of solitude's company. He really hoped that finally he had found "the one" who would change all that and turn his life around for the better. So engrossed in his thoughts, Steve hadn't realized that he had gone very quiet and was staring at Melanie enticingly.
"You are forever the charmer Keller, you know that? So ah ... what gives?... When are you going to stop staring at my lips and kiss them instead, huh?"
Those words brought him back to the present and he swallowed hard. Not wanting to disappoint her but trying to keep himself in check at the same time, Steve leaned forward and landed an extra quick kiss on Melanie's lips before pulling away again just as quick, cursing the fact inwardly about how hard that was to do.
"Hey! You can do better than that Keller. What's wrong?"
Steve blushed and flustered some more,trying to find the right words he needed but the tiredness in his brain was not allowing him that luxury.
"I just don't think that's a good idea Mel ... I ... I really need to go ..."
He went to sit up but Melanie reached out and stopped him.
"Hey, not so fast ... You had better come up with a better explanation than that about why you don't want to kiss me."
Steve sighed heavily.
"It's not that I don't WANT to kiss you ... It's just that ... Mel? ... We're lying on your bed and ... you look ... really hot dressed like that and ... I'm trying really hard not to rush things between us like you asked me to on our first date ... Don't you remember?" Steve asked hoping she would understand and let him go, as the tempting and alluring sight of her now in front of him began to wear away slowly at his resolve.
Melanie smiled warmly.
"Steve, that's really sweet ... But we're just kissing ..."
"Well that's ... usually how it starts ... " Steve said breathlessly as she moved ever closer, her sweet perfume filling the air around him almost intoxicatingly, adding to the havoc she was currently playing on his every last nerve.
Now leaning so close to him that her lips were mere centimeters away from his, she asked plainly, hearing his labored breathing and in a strange way enjoying the effect she knew she was having on him.
"What's the matter? Don't you have any self control Keller?"
Steve dry swallowed as his saliva seemed to desert him for several seconds before answering in a heart pounding fashion.
"Usually yes ... But with you ... no. I think maybe ... I love you a little too much Melanie Bennett."
"Then I guess I'll have to have enough self control for the both of us because you're not leaving here until you kiss me like you mean it Keller." she added as she closed in and pushed him gently backwards onto the bed as her lips came down to meet his.