CHAPTER SEVEN: "Will you be there?"


Ryan woke to the soft snore of a naked Marissa lying on his chest, still exhausted from the long night of love making before he lay awake watching her sleep. He felt warm inside and realized how lucky he was to be lying there with the girl of his dreams. He stroked her cheek and pushed back a piece of hair that covered her face and smiled.

"Mmhm…" Marissa moaned

"Hello you, sorry did I wake you?" Ryan whispered softly feeling bad for waking her.
Not moving her body she rested her chin on his chest and smiled.

"No, its fine... Last night was"

"Breath taking?" Ryan answered.

"That's one way to put it"

Marissa giggled resting the side of her head back onto Ryan's chest.

Ryan ran his fingers through her silky blonde hair and enjoyed the feeling of lying there with Marissa on top of him, both totally naked.

"What's the time?" Marissa jumped as she lifted her head from his warm body.

"Why? Do you need to be somewhere?" Ryan questioned

"Well I have to get ready..."

"Ready for what?"

"Well, I have a fashion parade on tonight..."

"Aww, I thought you had time off?"

"Well not exactly it's more like a transfer"

Ryan felt a little unsettled and wondered where this conversation was leading them, he pondered that what happened the previous night was a one night stand. Was she going to go back to "Hollywood life" leave him again? But then the word transfer repeated in his head... did this mean she was staying here from now on?
"Right and by transfer you mean for four months or forever?"

Marissa was put on the spot, to tell the truth she didn't even know what this 'transfer' meant, she hadn't planned to stay 'forever' but she hadn't planned not to.

"I, I'm not to sure yet… but I mean I want to see how things turn out you know?"

"Yeah, I understand."

Ryan really did understand, she wasn't making any promises but it seemed like she was going to try, it seemed as they had almost forgotten they were still naked lying on top of each other, Ryan laughed at the situation.

"Oh my gosh,"
Marissa blushed as the sheet she had rapped around herself had fallen; she rapped it around her self for the second time and felt her cheeks heat up as she blushed.

"No, really I don't mind." Ryan said snickering

"Of course you wouldn't Ry"
Marissa said screwing up her nose and pulling the 'gosh Ryan' face.

"Aww yeah miss cooper, what are you trying to suggest?

"What am I trying to suggest, excuse me you were the one who was looking…"

"Well it was a bit hard not to"

"Oh!"
" You can't blame me for looking I mean… your beautiful."

The sarcastic tone had left Ryan's voice when he said 'beautiful' he meant it, she was beautiful, she was better than beautiful, she was absolutely perfect.

Marissa's cheeks became even more red as she smiled at the fact Ryan called her beautiful. I mean to tell the honest truth she knew she had been called beautiful before, in magazines, by critics even by fans but it felt real when Ryan said it, like he really really meant it.

"You're not to bad yourself"
"Thank you"
As Marissa heard thoughs words she realized that that was Ryan's answer to everything.

"Marissa Cooper, are you… blushing?"
he said as he tried to remove the sheet from her body.

"Ryan stop it! Good way to lighten the mood hey!"

She laughed still grabbing the blanket around her tight.
"Sorry, Sorry I'll let you go."
Ryan said wishing she would just let him take the sheet away.
"So Ry, I was wondering, I know it might be too soon and I don't know if you'll think this is wrong or im crazy for asking."

"Woow... What? Slow down, I can't get a word your saying"

Ryan reached for Marissa's hand reassuring her that everything was okay. Marissa took a deep breath and relaxed.

"You know how I was saying I have that Fashion Parade tonight?"

"Yeah…"
Ryan said as he was trying to move her along and get to the point.

"Well, I was wondering if you wanted to be my date."

Even before Ryan could answer Marissa quickly added

"But we can go as friends if you want?"

"If its okay with you, I'd rather be your…"

Marissa dreaded that his next word would be "friend" or "I'd rather be your friend and not come" but to her surprised he said neither.

"I'd rather be your date."
"Really?"
"Yeah, I'd love to."

"So what does this mean… like was last night a… or are we?"

"Taking it slow? Yeah, I mean if you want to?"

"Umm, yeah I would… Its just are you sure because what I did to you, im surprised were even talking"

Marissa felt as if she shouldn't have brought that up, maybe he would change his mind now; she would hate herself if he did.

"I know me too, I was hurt Marissa, really hurt but last night was really genuine I mean I felt like you missed me as much as I missed you, I felt like you needed me as I need you, correct me if I'm wrong but that passion is enough to try to sort things out."

That was not a Ryan Atwood statement, she was gob smacked that thoughs words came out of his mouth. This was the Ryan Atwood that couldn't tell her that he loved her and wasn't good with words. This was Ryan five years later, a mature, still as gorgeous, young man that was ready to give her his full heart, ready to go all out, the man she had loved, the man she could now give her heart too, she was willing to give it a shot if he was.

"I mean if you put it that way, I would be an idiot to say no!"
Ryan pulled her down on him and kissed her forehead.

"Ryan you amaze me"
"What do you mean?"

"How much you've changed, how much you've matured."

"Well thanks, I guess?"

Ryan said as he was unsure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
"No, I mean it in a good way, your words just blew me away, that's certainly not the Ryan I remember."

"A lot has changed."

"Talk about it."
Marissa said pulling away from Ryan's grip.

"But a lot hasn't"
Ryan said pulling her into his grip again.
"This house is still the same, this room is still the same, I look the same and my feelings for you have stayed the same… but I'll tell you what, you, you have changed… you were once the most beautiful person in the world, but now your beauty is indescribable, you were once the girl that I loved to listen too, but know you're the girl that wait for the moment I can hear you speak, you were once the girl I wanted to be with, but now you're the girl I need to be with. Yeah, I know I haven't been with me but I still feel the same, watching you on TV or reading about you in the magazines that I am with you and just so I can clear this up this has nothing to do with you being who you are now, being in the magazines, being on the TV this is about me and you.. Well that's what I wanted to get off my chest."

Ryan said as he smiled, realizing that he had changed, a whole lot.

"Ryan, I don't, I cant, I don't know what to say?"

Marissa felt her heart beat 100 times a minute all her old feelings were coming back.
Ryan raised his finger to her mouth.

"Then don't."

Marissa knew what she could say. She lent down over his body fully exposing herself and started to kiss his neck, she followed his neck line until she reached his mouth. Kissed his lips so hard, she felt more than lust she was starting to feel love, she thought It was way to early for this but she couldn't help herself. She really loved him and she hated that she ever left, but she was back now, she was going to make it up, to him and everyone else.
Ryan rapped his arms around her body and kissed her back, he let her tongue enter his mouth and they had another making out session. To Marissa's surprise Ryan pulled away.

"So what time do you have to get ready for this party?"

"Is that seriously what you are thinking about right now?"
"No, I mean, I was just,"

Marissa forced herself on top of him again and made out with him.
"No, your right I probably should go,"

"No wait don't leave, were only just started."

"I though we were taking this slow?"

"And I thought you were the one saying 'are you seriously thinking about that now'."
"Well it is 12, and I need to go shopping… so by the time I get home It will be 3 and the party starts at 7, I think that means its time to leave."

Marissa went to get up but Ryan grabbed her arm pulling her down.
"Don't go!"

He begged her.

"I'll pick you up at 6:30."

She laughed as she kissed his forehead, she didn't want to leave either.

Marissa slipped out of bed with no clothes on and looked through her wardrobe, Ryan really enjoyed this site, as Marissa opened the cupboard shutting out her body from Ryan's view he leaned across the bed trying to get a better look. Marissa turned around and saw what he was doing.

"Ryan!" Marissa squealed

"What are you doing?"

"Shit!" Ryan said embarrassed.

Marissa walked into Ryan's view totally naked standing there with her hands on her hips with a confused face.

"What are you looking at?"

"Aww, im just admiring the beautiful cupboard, the wood is amazing; I wonder is it red gum?"

Marissa laughed at Ryan's comment, she defiantly wasn't expecting that.

"Oh yes! I agree its beautiful, I better get changed then."

"No, No don't don't!"
"I thought so, but I really have to go, and besides, I am the one staying here Ryan! It's my pool house for now anyway!"

"Sorry, madam I didn't realize I was intruding."

"Well you better leave before Kirsten walks in."

Ryan grabbed his clothes that were scattered around the room got dressed and kissed Marissa on the check.

"6:30 it is."

"Its black tie!"

"I guessed that!"