Chapter 10

It was a slow, gentle kiss. Tender and full of promise. Steff's hands cradled Andie's face as he lovingly met her lips. Andie's hands slowly traveled from where they were trapped between their bodies, to snake around to Steff's back, where she rubbed slow circles and pressed into his shoulder blades, seeking in vain to draw him closer.

Steff's heart was full to bursting with four years of pent-up longing. The moment their lips met, he felt the connection all the way to his core, as though all his internal circuits were being brought online and lit up at once. There was an overpowering welling up of an intense force, and he was moments away from being incapable of holding it back any longer. He poured every ounce of the love he felt for her into the kiss. The more he kissed her, the more he had to kiss her. Instead of sating his appetite for her, it only stoked the flames and fueled his growing hunger.

Andie had never had a kiss like this before in her life. A torrent of sensations was washing over her, sweeping her away. Treasured. Cherished. Adored. Loved. Up til now, it never occurred to Andie that those sentiments could even be conveyed in a kiss; this was so much more than anything she had ever imagined.

Steff sank into the kiss, his hands roaming over Andie's face, through her hair, down her neck, her shoulders. Stop! Stop! Stop! You're going to blow this! the tiny, still rational part of Steff's brain screamed at him. Marshaling a restraint he didn't know he possessed, miraculously, he heeded the tiny voice, and slowly, deftly, disappointedly ended the kiss and lifted slightly to look into Andie's dazed, passion-filled eyes.

Steff's breathing was labored and ragged, and he exhaled deeply. "Kitten…" he swallowed hard and shook his head regretfully, "I didn't mean for that to happen." At the flash of astonishment and upset in Andie's eyes he quickly added "I have been so crazy about you for so long…. I have never felt about anyone the way I feel about you… but I want it to be the real deal between us." He paused, taking a deep breath, searching her eyes and caressing her cheek with the back of his fingers. "I meant what I said about us getting to know each other. I don't want to rush you. I want us to take our time." He kissed her again, "I want what you feel for me to be real." His voice broke, "Because what I feel for you is everything to me."

At his words, Andie felt a wave of emotion wash over her, electrifying and energizing her, and filling her heart with a warmth and fullness that was staggering in its intensity. Andie smiled, relief and understanding reflected in her gaze. She nodded in agreement. "I feel a brilliant idea coming on" she softly smiled. "Every day we agree to tell the other at least one thing that no one else knows about us. That should satisfy your criteria about us getting to know each other." She paused, a mischievous gleam in her eyes, "But in the meantime, we still get to keep kissing."

Love shone in Steff's eyes. "Deal."

Andie pulled his head down to seal their bargain with another kiss. As powerful and sweet as the first.

Oh, Kitten.

When at last their lips parted, sometime later, Steff gazed lovingly into Andie's eyes and smoothed her hair back from her brow. Planting small kisses on her cheeks, her jawline, her brows, her nose, he said, "I'm ready to tell you something about me that you didn't know."

He moved for her to be able to sit up, and moved to sit next to her on the couch. He said, "But first, I have two conditions to our arrangement."

Andie said nothing, looking at him expectantly, her right eyebrow raised.

Steff got up and went over to the kitchen table where he scribbled something on a 3x5 notecard. He returned, sitting close enough that their shoulders were touching.

"First," he began, "I want us both to always keep what's on this card in mind whenever we ask the other a question. The answer may not always be what we wanted to hear, but from my side, at least, I always want you to tell me the truth. Please always be honest with me. We can't be real if we don't tell each other the truth." Steff exhaled and added softly "And I want more than anything for this to be real."

He handed her the card. On it were the words: Clean Slate.

Andie smiled, love shining from her eyes, and nodded in agreement.

"Second, and this relates to the first condition: whenever we are asking questions of each other, I want us to hold hands." Andie looked at him, puzzled, and waited for him to continue. He searched her eyes, "I read a research study that said that it's practically impossible to have a fight with someone while you're holding hands – and I don't want to ever fight with you Andie. So I want us to hold hands." He paused and grinned, "Plus, it'll make it more difficult for you to take a swing at me if the impulse arises."

Andie laughed. "For your safety, I will agree to your terms." She reached over and placed her hand in his. "So what's the first thing I'm going to find out about Steff McKee that no one else knows?"

Steff pursed his lips and stared into the distance, considering. At last he looked at her, a small, embarrassed grin on his face. "All summer long, I sat in this apartment thinking about you, and listening to Barry Manilow's Greatest Hits." He winced slightly at the memory. Barry's voice rang in his ears even now, We'll just go on burning bright, somewhere in the night.

Andie clapped a hand over her mouth in an effort to keep the burst of laughter from escaping, but was too late. As she gave in to the hilarity, she kissed him through her merriment. "You're adorable!" she exclaimed, as peals of her laughter rang out. "Hey, what can I say," Steff shrugged, "the guy knows how to write a love song."

As Andie's giggles tapered off, Steff basked in the glow that her laughter had produced. This honesty stuff wasn't half bad. Even if his admission about Barry Manilow had been embarrassing as hell.

"Your turn" Steff said.

Andie thought a moment. "You remember back in 10th grade when Benny's hair started falling out in big chunks?" she asked.

Steff nodded. "Yeah, her mom was dragging her to all these different specialists. Benny was convinced she got radiation poisoning from standing in front of an open microwave oven." Steff rolled his eyes.

Andie shook her head. "That was me. I broke into her gym locker and mixed a little bit of Nair into her conditioner; just enough so she wouldn't be able to smell it, but using it every day made her hair fall out bit by bit."

Steff's jaw dropped and he gaped at Andie in open mouthed shock. Then he threw his head back and roared laughter. "Oh man, you are so evil!" he laughed. "Remind me to never piss you off!"

Andie had the good grace to look a little ashamed by her actions. "You have nothing to worry about" Andie smiled as she ruffled her fingers through his hair, "Doing anything so heinous to this gorgeous mane would be a crime against nature."

"Oh, Kitten" Steff said, as he gathered her in his arms. "We are going to have such a good time, you and I." He kissed her temple and sighed happily as Andie snuggled into his side, fitting there as though God made her just for him. If there were a more perfect moment, Steff couldn't imagine what it could be.

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Author's Note: Thanks for reading! Please let me know what you think! All feedback is greatly appreciated!