Chapter 21:
The cab pulled up at the same house he had passed just weeks ago. He paid the driver and carried his luggage to her front door. Moments after he pressed the doorbell, her heard a thumping sound and the door opened.
Peyton looked genuinely thrilled. "Hey! You're here! Come on in" She tried to taking his suitcase and briefcase, but he waved her off.
"Nice house," he said. And it really was. It looked lived in, yet it was clean and tidy. Unlike his, which was clean and tidy, but didn't have that warm feeling that Peyton's did.
"Thanks, let me show you to your room and you can settle in." she led him upstairs and into a lovely bedroom.
"I'll be downstairs," Peyton flashed him a smile before disappearing into the hallway.
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Lucas was still in disbelief. He was in California, in Peyton's house. He have called someone crazy just weeks ago if they said he'd be here now. After putting away his stuff and cleaning up a bit, he went downstairs. It was fairly open-planned, so he had no problem finding Peyton. She was in the kitchen pulling a tray out of the oven.
He walked up behind her and kissed her neck. "Hey,"
"Hey" she turned around, holding a tray of cookies.
"Don't tell me you learned how to bake?"
"I did" she laughed, "I didn't have much choice, little miss loves them," she nodded her head towards the sound of giggling and a television playing.
"May I?"
"Certainly,"
Lucas took one off the tray and bit into it. The hot melted chocolate dripped onto his lip and burnt it. "Ouch,"
"Hot eh? I was going to warn you, but then I wouldn't be able to do this,"
She leaned in and kissed him. She licked the chocolate off his lip before her tongue slipped under his and she felt years of pain rushing from her body.
After they pulled away, he teased her, " I thought we weren't supposed to do that."
She dropped the tray on the counter. "Shut up and kiss me" she said huskily.
He did. This time even more passionately than before. He welcomed the feeling of her lips and tongue against his. Kissing her properly was something he had wanted to do since she left.
After they had ran out of breath and had to stop, Peyton suggested they went into the rec room.
"Sure,"
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Bearing a plate of cookies, Peyton and Lucas went in. Addie was sitting on the floor watching the Wiggles.
Lucas sat beside her, "Hey Addie,"
"You remember Lucas, don't you baby?" Peyton sat on her other side.
Addie nodded uncertainly, "He's your friend, right mama?"
"He sure is"
"What're you watching?" Lucas beamed down at the little girl.
Looking at him in mock horror, "Haven't you ever seen the Wiggles?" Peyton asked.
"Well, no. I think James watched them at one point, but..."
"I'm joking. Addie baby, tell Lucas about the Wiggles would you?"
Addie clapped her hands excitedly and launched into a full lesson on who they were, and what they were.
Lucas looked at Peyton over Addie's head and mouthed "Wow"
She just smiled back.
"So what else do you like to do?" Lucas asked her.
"Read, and play with Barbies."
"And eat cookies," Peyton tweaked her daughter's pigtails and handed her one.
Lucas looked at the girl intently as she gnawed at it. She had her eyes fixed on the TV luckily, so she didn't notice. But Peyton did.
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Later that night, Peyton and Lucas were across from each other at the kitchen table. Two glasses of chardonnay sat between them. A lone candle flickered in the dim light, spreading a faint scent of sweet roses through the room.
"She's beautiful" Lucas said, referring to Addie, who Peyton had already tucked in for the night.
"Thanks,"
"So have you been alone all this time, out here?"
She sighed heavily, "I guess this is as good a time as any to tell you."
"Tell me what?"
"Why I left," Peyton closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
A/N- Hope you enjoyed that chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it! I think I've gotten over that writers block! lol. Anyway anyone who reads this chapter, please review!!! Review, review, review!
xo- Sasha