Title: It's Just A Crush
Mark pulls me over to the couch. I can barely see anything since it's so dark in the living room. " Were you enjoying yourself in the Jacuzzi?" The urge to smack my forehead is very strong. " Yes Mark I did enjoy myself, I was only playing a game with my friends." I can feel Mark lean closer to me. " I meant did you enjoy having Hunter's tongue down your throat?" God give me strength to deal with this man. " As a matter of face I did enjoy myself and you know why? Well besides the obvious Hunter is a very good kisser but also for the fact he doesn't have a problem telling me he has the hots for me. He doesn't play mind games with me and I know if I were to walk back out there and tell him to take me to bed he would."
Mark gives me a gentle shove and before I know it I'm on my back. I feel Mark settle over me. " You would ask him to take you to bed when you're in love with me?" Oh so now he is going to hold this over my head. I start to shove at him to let me up. " This isn't fair Mark. I told you how I felt but I didn't expect you to always keep throwing it back in my face." Mark leans down and brushes the hair out of my face. " I'm not throwing it back in your face, I am just trying to understand how you could say you love me then go make out with someone else." I take a deep sigh. " Mark it was part of the game. Making out and sleeping with someone are two different things. I could never sleep with someone if my feelings weren't involved. I don't know if I could be with someone that couldn't tell me they share the same feelings I do." Before Mark can say anything else I hear Stephanie calling my name. Mark lets me up and I rush out of the living room.
"Hey Steph, I'm right here." She twirls around and sees me. " I was wondering where you disappeared to. It's getting pretty late so everyone is starting to leave. I wanted to come say good-bye." We both walk outside and sure enough everyone is getting ready to leave. I say my good-byes to everyone and help Shawn clean up. " Hey I thought you said you wouldn't help?" I smile at Shawn and say I'm taking pity on him, but just this one time. Kevin, Shawn, Hunter, and my uncle say they are heading to bed. I tell them I will be going up after I finish putting some stuff away. An hour later I look around the kitchen and decide it's as clean as it's going to get. I go up to bed and change into a shorts set. I lay in bed for about an hour and realize I still can't sleep. I look at the clock and see it says that it's three in the morning. I climb out of bed and head back downstairs. I sit on the edge of the pool and let my feet dangle in the water.
" Is this seat taken?" I jump and look up to see Hunter hovering over me. " Nope feel free to stay awhile." He sits down next to me and puts his feet in the water too. " Can't sleep?" I look over at him and nod. "Should I even try to guess what's keeping you up?" I blush and stare out over the water. " Listen Chloe I want to talk to you about us." I turn to stare at Hunter. " I mean I know there isn't an us but hell, I have been doing a lot of thinking lately and I realize in the beginning I thought I had feelings for you but as more time has gone on I realize I look at you like a best friend, a best friend that I think is fine as hell but still just as a friend. I don't want you to start to think I like you as more then that. But that doesn't mean we still can't flirt right?"
I laugh and bump shoulders with Hunter. " No we can still flirt because I have to admit I enjoy it. But I guess the plans for our big love affair are going to have to be put on hold huh?" Hunter leans over and puts his hand in the water and splashes some water on my legs. " Has anyone ever told you that you have a smart mouth?" I splash Hunter back and tell him I hear it on an every day basis. We sit there in a comfortable silence for a few minutes.
" So how long have you been in love with Mark?" I try not to let my surprise show. " The more I think about it I think I've been in love with him ever since I first met him. But of course I was just a kid then and it was puppy love. Now I'm older and I realize that it's real. Its just a shame he doesn't feel the same way." Hunter makes a scoffing sound. " You're kidding me right? Mark is ass backwards in love with you. The thing is the big idiot doesn't realize it yet. He never loved Rebecca and I can honestly say I don't think Mark has ever truly been in love. Chloe you weren't around when things with Rebecca went bad. I don't think Mark felt too bad about losing her but he did feel bad about failing at marriage and love. Mark realizes he is getting older and wants to retire in a few years. He wants to have a family to spend his time with and he thought he could maybe find it with Rebecca. When it didn't work out I think Mark decided to just settle on being alone. He doesn't want to take the chance of failing again."
"When you stopped visiting he missed you a lot. Every time Glenn would tell us he tried to get you to come on the road during the summer and you turned him down Mark took it the hardest. You were always able to make him smile and when he got divorced he needed you more then ever. Of course he would never admit he needed you or anyone else for that matter. Have you ever heard that saying kill them with kindness? Make him realize he needs you and when he comes to you don't give in till he admits it. Give it some thought ok sweetie? Oh and if you just so happen decide to take a drive you can take my car, keys will be on the table." Hunter gets up and puts his hand on my shoulder and gives it a gentle squeeze then walks into the house.
I sit outside thinking for a while and I come to a decision. I sneak into the house and grab Hunter's keys off of the table. As I drive down the road I laugh. Hunter knew what decision I would come to all along. When I get to the gate I ring the buzzer. A few short minutes later I hear Mark's groggy voice asking who it is. " It's me Chloe, I need to tell you something. Let me in please." I sit there for a minute thinking maybe he won't let me in but the gate buzzes and opens up. I pull the car to a stop when I get up to the house and I see Mark standing in the doorway watching me. I run up the steps to the porch. " Chloe what do you have to tell me that is so damn important at almost four in the morning?" Instead of answering him I pull him down and kiss him. I pull back and look at his face. I muster up all of the courage I can. " I want you to take me to bed." I watch Mark's eyes turn a darker shade of green. " Chloe do you realize what you are saying?" I nod at him and lick my lips. Mark picks me up and takes me upstairs to his bedroom.
He lays me on the bed and crawls on top of me. As Mark stares down into my eyes I can see the uncertainty in his eyes. I put my hand on his cheek. " I love you Mark and I am sure I want this, I want you." Mark closes his eyes for a second. When he opens them I can see the emotions swirling around in them. " Baby I want you so bad but I don't know if I can say the words to you that you want to hear. I don't know if I have it in me." I admit it stings but my love for him won' let it hurt for too long. I know I told him I couldn't do this if the person couldn't say they loved me back but I go with my gut that he does have feelings for me." I don't care, for one night can't you just let me pretend?" As an answer Mark leans down and kisses me.
Later on I slide out of the bed I gather my clothes and quietly start to slip them on. It takes me a little while to get dressed because I am a little sore. When I am dressed I look back at the bed and watch Mark sleep. It was everything I had hoped for and still so much more. There was no way Mark could have been so gentle with me if he didn't love me. I walk over to Mark and give him a gentle kiss on the lips. I walk out of the room, never looking back.
When I get back to Shawn's I go upstairs and pack my things. I reread the note I wrote and leave it on the table where I am sure someone will find it. I go outside to wait for the cab to come pick me up. Once I get to the airport and my flights takes off I sit back in the seat and stare out the window. I've given everything I have to Mark, now its up to him to think about if he can live without me. The question is if he decides he can, how will I ever survive without him?
Review as always.
Mark pulls me over to the couch. I can barely see anything since it's so dark in the living room. " Were you enjoying yourself in the Jacuzzi?" The urge to smack my forehead is very strong. " Yes Mark I did enjoy myself, I was only playing a game with my friends." I can feel Mark lean closer to me. " I meant did you enjoy having Hunter's tongue down your throat?" God give me strength to deal with this man. " As a matter of face I did enjoy myself and you know why? Well besides the obvious Hunter is a very good kisser but also for the fact he doesn't have a problem telling me he has the hots for me. He doesn't play mind games with me and I know if I were to walk back out there and tell him to take me to bed he would."
Mark gives me a gentle shove and before I know it I'm on my back. I feel Mark settle over me. " You would ask him to take you to bed when you're in love with me?" Oh so now he is going to hold this over my head. I start to shove at him to let me up. " This isn't fair Mark. I told you how I felt but I didn't expect you to always keep throwing it back in my face." Mark leans down and brushes the hair out of my face. " I'm not throwing it back in your face, I am just trying to understand how you could say you love me then go make out with someone else." I take a deep sigh. " Mark it was part of the game. Making out and sleeping with someone are two different things. I could never sleep with someone if my feelings weren't involved. I don't know if I could be with someone that couldn't tell me they share the same feelings I do." Before Mark can say anything else I hear Stephanie calling my name. Mark lets me up and I rush out of the living room.
"Hey Steph, I'm right here." She twirls around and sees me. " I was wondering where you disappeared to. It's getting pretty late so everyone is starting to leave. I wanted to come say good-bye." We both walk outside and sure enough everyone is getting ready to leave. I say my good-byes to everyone and help Shawn clean up. " Hey I thought you said you wouldn't help?" I smile at Shawn and say I'm taking pity on him, but just this one time. Kevin, Shawn, Hunter, and my uncle say they are heading to bed. I tell them I will be going up after I finish putting some stuff away. An hour later I look around the kitchen and decide it's as clean as it's going to get. I go up to bed and change into a shorts set. I lay in bed for about an hour and realize I still can't sleep. I look at the clock and see it says that it's three in the morning. I climb out of bed and head back downstairs. I sit on the edge of the pool and let my feet dangle in the water.
" Is this seat taken?" I jump and look up to see Hunter hovering over me. " Nope feel free to stay awhile." He sits down next to me and puts his feet in the water too. " Can't sleep?" I look over at him and nod. "Should I even try to guess what's keeping you up?" I blush and stare out over the water. " Listen Chloe I want to talk to you about us." I turn to stare at Hunter. " I mean I know there isn't an us but hell, I have been doing a lot of thinking lately and I realize in the beginning I thought I had feelings for you but as more time has gone on I realize I look at you like a best friend, a best friend that I think is fine as hell but still just as a friend. I don't want you to start to think I like you as more then that. But that doesn't mean we still can't flirt right?"
I laugh and bump shoulders with Hunter. " No we can still flirt because I have to admit I enjoy it. But I guess the plans for our big love affair are going to have to be put on hold huh?" Hunter leans over and puts his hand in the water and splashes some water on my legs. " Has anyone ever told you that you have a smart mouth?" I splash Hunter back and tell him I hear it on an every day basis. We sit there in a comfortable silence for a few minutes.
" So how long have you been in love with Mark?" I try not to let my surprise show. " The more I think about it I think I've been in love with him ever since I first met him. But of course I was just a kid then and it was puppy love. Now I'm older and I realize that it's real. Its just a shame he doesn't feel the same way." Hunter makes a scoffing sound. " You're kidding me right? Mark is ass backwards in love with you. The thing is the big idiot doesn't realize it yet. He never loved Rebecca and I can honestly say I don't think Mark has ever truly been in love. Chloe you weren't around when things with Rebecca went bad. I don't think Mark felt too bad about losing her but he did feel bad about failing at marriage and love. Mark realizes he is getting older and wants to retire in a few years. He wants to have a family to spend his time with and he thought he could maybe find it with Rebecca. When it didn't work out I think Mark decided to just settle on being alone. He doesn't want to take the chance of failing again."
"When you stopped visiting he missed you a lot. Every time Glenn would tell us he tried to get you to come on the road during the summer and you turned him down Mark took it the hardest. You were always able to make him smile and when he got divorced he needed you more then ever. Of course he would never admit he needed you or anyone else for that matter. Have you ever heard that saying kill them with kindness? Make him realize he needs you and when he comes to you don't give in till he admits it. Give it some thought ok sweetie? Oh and if you just so happen decide to take a drive you can take my car, keys will be on the table." Hunter gets up and puts his hand on my shoulder and gives it a gentle squeeze then walks into the house.
I sit outside thinking for a while and I come to a decision. I sneak into the house and grab Hunter's keys off of the table. As I drive down the road I laugh. Hunter knew what decision I would come to all along. When I get to the gate I ring the buzzer. A few short minutes later I hear Mark's groggy voice asking who it is. " It's me Chloe, I need to tell you something. Let me in please." I sit there for a minute thinking maybe he won't let me in but the gate buzzes and opens up. I pull the car to a stop when I get up to the house and I see Mark standing in the doorway watching me. I run up the steps to the porch. " Chloe what do you have to tell me that is so damn important at almost four in the morning?" Instead of answering him I pull him down and kiss him. I pull back and look at his face. I muster up all of the courage I can. " I want you to take me to bed." I watch Mark's eyes turn a darker shade of green. " Chloe do you realize what you are saying?" I nod at him and lick my lips. Mark picks me up and takes me upstairs to his bedroom.
He lays me on the bed and crawls on top of me. As Mark stares down into my eyes I can see the uncertainty in his eyes. I put my hand on his cheek. " I love you Mark and I am sure I want this, I want you." Mark closes his eyes for a second. When he opens them I can see the emotions swirling around in them. " Baby I want you so bad but I don't know if I can say the words to you that you want to hear. I don't know if I have it in me." I admit it stings but my love for him won' let it hurt for too long. I know I told him I couldn't do this if the person couldn't say they loved me back but I go with my gut that he does have feelings for me." I don't care, for one night can't you just let me pretend?" As an answer Mark leans down and kisses me.
Later on I slide out of the bed I gather my clothes and quietly start to slip them on. It takes me a little while to get dressed because I am a little sore. When I am dressed I look back at the bed and watch Mark sleep. It was everything I had hoped for and still so much more. There was no way Mark could have been so gentle with me if he didn't love me. I walk over to Mark and give him a gentle kiss on the lips. I walk out of the room, never looking back.
When I get back to Shawn's I go upstairs and pack my things. I reread the note I wrote and leave it on the table where I am sure someone will find it. I go outside to wait for the cab to come pick me up. Once I get to the airport and my flights takes off I sit back in the seat and stare out the window. I've given everything I have to Mark, now its up to him to think about if he can live without me. The question is if he decides he can, how will I ever survive without him?
Review as always.