Chapter 32 *
Amy had decided she needed to start heading back for town. She wanted enough time to get ready for her date. Matt and Kirsten obliged her by quickly packing up all the gear. Matt had agreed to give Kirsten and Nicole a ride home so that Amy could just go straight to her house and shower. After switching out Nicole's car seat from Amy's car to Matt's they all waved their goodbye's and Amy was off.
"Well," interjected Matt "what do we do now?"
"I suppose we ought to take Nicole home to Moni, we've been gone all day and she's probably wondering what's taking us so long."
"Do you want to call her and tell her we are on our way so she doesn't have to worry?"
"Yeah that would be a good idea." Kirsten took the phone from Matt and dialed their number. It rang with no answer until the machine picked up. "Shoot, no answer before the machine, I wonder where she is."
"When I was at the house she said something about going out back to lay out."
"Lord I hope she didn't fall asleep out there-her skin burns easier than it tans!"
"Why don't we stop at the house, see if she left a note or something, if she's not there we'll go get some ice cream."
That definitely sat well with Nicole, she cheered for ice cream from the backseat. "Ok, that's the game plan then."
Arriving at the house within the hour, Matt noticed that the garage door was open and Monique's car was missing. Kirsten was silently wondering what was up as she unlocked the front door and went in, Matt and Nic on her heels. "Moni, are you here? Hello!"
"We'll check out back, you check the bedroom and her office."
Out back Matt and Nic found Monique's car, looking as if she had just washed it. The hose was not rolled back into place and the grass was wet. But no sign of her. Kirsten strolled into Moni's room to find her sleeping like a baby. She looked fine other than the red, puffy area around her eyes. Kirsten was at a loss. She had no idea what had happened here and wasn't sure how long her sister had been asleep. Matt caught up to her as she was making her decision.
"I'm going to wake her up Matt. I don't want to take Nic again without her knowing that we had been here and left again."
"Ok, you know best."
Kirsten gently rocked her sister back and forth calling her name until Moni moaned that she was coming to. "Moni, it's me, wake up, we're home."
"Huh? What? Oh hey K. Where's Nic?"
"She's in her room." Matt answered, "She's ok."
Moni started to sit up and just in time realized she was not wearing anything. A faint blush crept up her cheeks with a memory and she consciously pulled the covers up with her. "Thanks for taking her today K."
"No problem. Listen Matt wanted to go get some ice cream and we were going to take Nic with us, is that ok?"
"No, you guys go have some time alone. We have ice cream here, I promise I'll make her a bowl."
"Alright. Moni are you ok?"
"Yeah I'm fine, just worn out, the sun got to me today. I'll be ok. You guys just go, sneak out so Nic doesn't see you."
"Ok, if you say so. We'll be back in a bit."
"See you later."
Arriving at the house within the hour, Matt noticed that the garage door was open and Monique's car was missing. Kirsten was silently wondering what was up as she unlocked the front door and went in, Matt and Nic on her heels. "Moni, are you here? Hello!"
"We'll check out back, you check the bedroom and her office."
Out back Matt and Nic found Monique's car, looking as if she had just washed it. The hose was not rolled back into place and the grass was wet. But no sign of her. Kirsten strolled into Moni's room to find her sleeping like a baby. She looked fine other than the red, puffy area around her eyes. Kirsten was at a loss. She had no idea what had happened here and wasn't sure how long her sister had been asleep. Matt caught up to her as she was making her decision.
"I'm going to wake her up Matt. I don't want to take Nic again without her knowing that we had been here and left again."
"Ok, you know best."
Kirsten gently rocked her sister back and forth calling her name until Moni moaned that she was coming to. "Moni, it's me, wake up, we're home."
"Huh? What? Oh hey K. Where's Nic?"
"She's in her room." Matt answered, "She's ok."
Moni started to sit up and just in time realized she was not wearing anything. A faint blush crept up her cheeks with a memory and she consciously pulled the covers up with her. "Thanks for taking her today K."
"No problem. Listen Matt wanted to go get some ice cream and we were going to take Nic with us, is that ok?"
"No, you guys go have some time alone. We have ice cream here, I promise I'll make her a bowl."
"Alright. Moni are you ok?"
"Yeah I'm fine, just worn out, the sun got to me today. I'll be ok. You guys just go, sneak out so Nic doesn't see you."
"Ok, if you say so. We'll be back in a bit."
"See you later."
Matt grabbed Kirsten's hand as they walked down the porch steps. Kirsten was surprised but she wasn't going to object. His skin felt good next to hers. He opened up the door for her and waited until she was situated to shut it. As he walked around the car, Kirsten made sure the door was unlocked for him. On the way, they made small talk about Amy and her date tonight, and even wondered if Jeff had been by to see Monique.
"I'm sorry I am not more appropriately dressed for our first official date." Kirsten was thinking aloud.
"This isn't our first date, and believe me, I'll make it up to you."
"When are you expecting to leave again?"
"We have to be on the road tomorrow. I'd ask you to come with me, but you start work soon don't you?"
"Yeah, Monday as a matter of fact. It's sad to see my last weekend of vacation go by." "Well, we'll just have to make it a memorable one then."
Matt pulled into the parking lot of the small ice cream stand. "Wait right there." He hurriedly got out and ran around to her side of the car. Like the perfect gentleman he opened the door and gave her a hand getting out. He was really laying it on. Kirsten thought she had made him feel that guilty. Was it guilt or was it the real Matt? She didn't know for sure, but it would unravel sooner or later. He gave her a few minutes to look over the menu and when she was ready he ordered for her. They took their ice cream and filled an empty spot at one of the picnic tables. In between spoonfuls, the two threw ideas back and forth over what to do the remainder of the weekend. Matt told her he wanted to spend it with her seeing as how he had wasted so much time being difficult over nothing. That reminded Kirsten that they hadn't really talked about that. "You know, you never really told me why you flew the coop when Shane and Shannon showed up that night."
"I know-it's hard. I am sorry I made you feel like it was something you had done or said. I never meant for that to be the case."
"I am just confused."
"I thought that maybe you had an interest in Shannon. I didn't want to feel like I was being put in a competition with him. My friends around my dates or my girlfriends make me uneasy sometimes. I had a very bad experience several years ago."
"Why didn't you just ask me if I was interested in Shannon, instead of making the decision for me?"
"You're right, I should have. This is no excuse, but the last time I did ask, the girl lied to me, told me she loved me and there was no one else."
"Matt we are not going to have an easy time at this, if you can't look at me as a separate individual, not your old flames."
"I'm sorry. I don't want to go through that again."
"I don't much feel like getting hurt either. You have to talk to me Matt, don't assume you know what I want"
"I know." Matt was taken aback when Kirsten suddenly smiled. "What?"
"Hold still a second." Kirsten instructed. Before he realized what was happening, Kirsten slid closer to him and gracefully planted a kiss on the corner of his mouth. He was curious until he felt her tongue brush his lip, then he had to laugh at himself.
"Let me guess, ice cream?" He asked when she moved away.
"Yeah, but you know it was cute. I couldn't help myself. It was either that or do what Monique does to Nicole when she gets something on her." Matt tried to envision that so Kirsten helped him out. "You know, the wetting a napkin or a finger and trying to rub your face raw until it comes off, mommy move."
Matt chuckled "I prefer your tactic, to that anyday. But I think, you missed a spot."
With that he reached up with his spoon and stuck a large drop of the melted sweetness right on the center of his lips. "We can't let that go now can we?" Kirsten asked and this time Matt was ready for her. He met her halfway and cupped her chin in his hand. He licked his lip as if he were anticipating the sugary substance on her mouth instead of his own. Their mouths met and he let her finish what his own tongue had left behind before taking over. He traced her lips with his tongue and when her mouth opened and her tongue joined with his, he poured his all into that kiss. Kirsten was caught off guard, her body temperature rising from the movement she was instigating. He blew her away and she didn't want it to end. Common sense took over and she broke first.
"Ummm shouldn't we take this somewhere else?"
"Yeah I think so. Would you want to go watch a movie with me?"
"I'm not feeling much like going to the theater tonight."
"No, I mean at my house."
"Are you sure we won't bother your Dad?"
"Don't worry, we're fine." Matt rose and took her by the hand again. Kirsten still reeling from his kiss allowed herself to be led to the car.
Amy had decided she needed to start heading back for town. She wanted enough time to get ready for her date. Matt and Kirsten obliged her by quickly packing up all the gear. Matt had agreed to give Kirsten and Nicole a ride home so that Amy could just go straight to her house and shower. After switching out Nicole's car seat from Amy's car to Matt's they all waved their goodbye's and Amy was off.
"Well," interjected Matt "what do we do now?"
"I suppose we ought to take Nicole home to Moni, we've been gone all day and she's probably wondering what's taking us so long."
"Do you want to call her and tell her we are on our way so she doesn't have to worry?"
"Yeah that would be a good idea." Kirsten took the phone from Matt and dialed their number. It rang with no answer until the machine picked up. "Shoot, no answer before the machine, I wonder where she is."
"When I was at the house she said something about going out back to lay out."
"Lord I hope she didn't fall asleep out there-her skin burns easier than it tans!"
"Why don't we stop at the house, see if she left a note or something, if she's not there we'll go get some ice cream."
That definitely sat well with Nicole, she cheered for ice cream from the backseat. "Ok, that's the game plan then."
Arriving at the house within the hour, Matt noticed that the garage door was open and Monique's car was missing. Kirsten was silently wondering what was up as she unlocked the front door and went in, Matt and Nic on her heels. "Moni, are you here? Hello!"
"We'll check out back, you check the bedroom and her office."
Out back Matt and Nic found Monique's car, looking as if she had just washed it. The hose was not rolled back into place and the grass was wet. But no sign of her. Kirsten strolled into Moni's room to find her sleeping like a baby. She looked fine other than the red, puffy area around her eyes. Kirsten was at a loss. She had no idea what had happened here and wasn't sure how long her sister had been asleep. Matt caught up to her as she was making her decision.
"I'm going to wake her up Matt. I don't want to take Nic again without her knowing that we had been here and left again."
"Ok, you know best."
Kirsten gently rocked her sister back and forth calling her name until Moni moaned that she was coming to. "Moni, it's me, wake up, we're home."
"Huh? What? Oh hey K. Where's Nic?"
"She's in her room." Matt answered, "She's ok."
Moni started to sit up and just in time realized she was not wearing anything. A faint blush crept up her cheeks with a memory and she consciously pulled the covers up with her. "Thanks for taking her today K."
"No problem. Listen Matt wanted to go get some ice cream and we were going to take Nic with us, is that ok?"
"No, you guys go have some time alone. We have ice cream here, I promise I'll make her a bowl."
"Alright. Moni are you ok?"
"Yeah I'm fine, just worn out, the sun got to me today. I'll be ok. You guys just go, sneak out so Nic doesn't see you."
"Ok, if you say so. We'll be back in a bit."
"See you later."
Arriving at the house within the hour, Matt noticed that the garage door was open and Monique's car was missing. Kirsten was silently wondering what was up as she unlocked the front door and went in, Matt and Nic on her heels. "Moni, are you here? Hello!"
"We'll check out back, you check the bedroom and her office."
Out back Matt and Nic found Monique's car, looking as if she had just washed it. The hose was not rolled back into place and the grass was wet. But no sign of her. Kirsten strolled into Moni's room to find her sleeping like a baby. She looked fine other than the red, puffy area around her eyes. Kirsten was at a loss. She had no idea what had happened here and wasn't sure how long her sister had been asleep. Matt caught up to her as she was making her decision.
"I'm going to wake her up Matt. I don't want to take Nic again without her knowing that we had been here and left again."
"Ok, you know best."
Kirsten gently rocked her sister back and forth calling her name until Moni moaned that she was coming to. "Moni, it's me, wake up, we're home."
"Huh? What? Oh hey K. Where's Nic?"
"She's in her room." Matt answered, "She's ok."
Moni started to sit up and just in time realized she was not wearing anything. A faint blush crept up her cheeks with a memory and she consciously pulled the covers up with her. "Thanks for taking her today K."
"No problem. Listen Matt wanted to go get some ice cream and we were going to take Nic with us, is that ok?"
"No, you guys go have some time alone. We have ice cream here, I promise I'll make her a bowl."
"Alright. Moni are you ok?"
"Yeah I'm fine, just worn out, the sun got to me today. I'll be ok. You guys just go, sneak out so Nic doesn't see you."
"Ok, if you say so. We'll be back in a bit."
"See you later."
Matt grabbed Kirsten's hand as they walked down the porch steps. Kirsten was surprised but she wasn't going to object. His skin felt good next to hers. He opened up the door for her and waited until she was situated to shut it. As he walked around the car, Kirsten made sure the door was unlocked for him. On the way, they made small talk about Amy and her date tonight, and even wondered if Jeff had been by to see Monique.
"I'm sorry I am not more appropriately dressed for our first official date." Kirsten was thinking aloud.
"This isn't our first date, and believe me, I'll make it up to you."
"When are you expecting to leave again?"
"We have to be on the road tomorrow. I'd ask you to come with me, but you start work soon don't you?"
"Yeah, Monday as a matter of fact. It's sad to see my last weekend of vacation go by." "Well, we'll just have to make it a memorable one then."
Matt pulled into the parking lot of the small ice cream stand. "Wait right there." He hurriedly got out and ran around to her side of the car. Like the perfect gentleman he opened the door and gave her a hand getting out. He was really laying it on. Kirsten thought she had made him feel that guilty. Was it guilt or was it the real Matt? She didn't know for sure, but it would unravel sooner or later. He gave her a few minutes to look over the menu and when she was ready he ordered for her. They took their ice cream and filled an empty spot at one of the picnic tables. In between spoonfuls, the two threw ideas back and forth over what to do the remainder of the weekend. Matt told her he wanted to spend it with her seeing as how he had wasted so much time being difficult over nothing. That reminded Kirsten that they hadn't really talked about that. "You know, you never really told me why you flew the coop when Shane and Shannon showed up that night."
"I know-it's hard. I am sorry I made you feel like it was something you had done or said. I never meant for that to be the case."
"I am just confused."
"I thought that maybe you had an interest in Shannon. I didn't want to feel like I was being put in a competition with him. My friends around my dates or my girlfriends make me uneasy sometimes. I had a very bad experience several years ago."
"Why didn't you just ask me if I was interested in Shannon, instead of making the decision for me?"
"You're right, I should have. This is no excuse, but the last time I did ask, the girl lied to me, told me she loved me and there was no one else."
"Matt we are not going to have an easy time at this, if you can't look at me as a separate individual, not your old flames."
"I'm sorry. I don't want to go through that again."
"I don't much feel like getting hurt either. You have to talk to me Matt, don't assume you know what I want"
"I know." Matt was taken aback when Kirsten suddenly smiled. "What?"
"Hold still a second." Kirsten instructed. Before he realized what was happening, Kirsten slid closer to him and gracefully planted a kiss on the corner of his mouth. He was curious until he felt her tongue brush his lip, then he had to laugh at himself.
"Let me guess, ice cream?" He asked when she moved away.
"Yeah, but you know it was cute. I couldn't help myself. It was either that or do what Monique does to Nicole when she gets something on her." Matt tried to envision that so Kirsten helped him out. "You know, the wetting a napkin or a finger and trying to rub your face raw until it comes off, mommy move."
Matt chuckled "I prefer your tactic, to that anyday. But I think, you missed a spot."
With that he reached up with his spoon and stuck a large drop of the melted sweetness right on the center of his lips. "We can't let that go now can we?" Kirsten asked and this time Matt was ready for her. He met her halfway and cupped her chin in his hand. He licked his lip as if he were anticipating the sugary substance on her mouth instead of his own. Their mouths met and he let her finish what his own tongue had left behind before taking over. He traced her lips with his tongue and when her mouth opened and her tongue joined with his, he poured his all into that kiss. Kirsten was caught off guard, her body temperature rising from the movement she was instigating. He blew her away and she didn't want it to end. Common sense took over and she broke first.
"Ummm shouldn't we take this somewhere else?"
"Yeah I think so. Would you want to go watch a movie with me?"
"I'm not feeling much like going to the theater tonight."
"No, I mean at my house."
"Are you sure we won't bother your Dad?"
"Don't worry, we're fine." Matt rose and took her by the hand again. Kirsten still reeling from his kiss allowed herself to be led to the car.