Chapter 41: The Morning After

Sorry for the delay with the update. The computer situation is now under control so expect more frequent updates. I hope everyone is still interested in reading this. I know it has taken forever. As always PLEASE Read and Review!

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Anthony opened his eyes and squinted. Even the little strand of light that poured from the curtains burned his eyes.

Wait, he thought. This isn't my room.

He suddenly became aware of the warmth he held to his chest and he looked down. Andie. He closed his eyes and inhaled the scent of her hair. She seemed like nothing more than a child in his arms.

Small and delicate, easily broken.

His mind wondered back to the events of the previous night. The smooth sensation of skin against skin. The steamy glances and taunting kisses. And then...he had been completely wrapped up in the moment. It was the first time in forever he had been truly happy. It had been bliss...


Bliss that now ended and with it a new sense of paranoia set in. He had forgotten something important he was supposed to do before the act occurred. He knew he was supposed to but he couldn't quite grasp what he had forgotten. He closed his eyes again and dug through his muddled mind. Then it hit him...


No protection.


Anthony felt his heart sink down to the bottom of his stomach.

I always did have a problem with that.


You shouldn't have done this, you know what happened before with Caroline...You ended up with Grace and since then your entire life has been devoted to a baby, his mind whispered to him. He could feel the quickening of his pulse, just like Andie's had quickened the night before. He looked down at the sleeping child. Her head leaned against his chest and he could feel her warm breath gently brush against his abs.

All right, Anthony, stay calm. Just because you didn't use protection does not mean she is pregnant. I mean...you and Caroline did it in the rain, the garage, the car, the tent...It was only once with Andie, it's all right....

Who am I kidding? Some guys shoot blanks, I shoot a toxin.


Maybe if I slip out of the bed she'll forget I was ever here.


Give me a break. It was her first time...you always remember your first.

But what if it wasn't her first time. Maybe she's a smoldering temptress in disguise...but wait she said I was her first kiss.


I am so screwed...Why did I do this? How could I be so stupid...again.

Maybe because you like her...a lot.


But why do I like her? What does she have that other girls don't?


She challenges you. Makes you want to be better. She makes you feel like more than a stupid kid from St. Louis with a baby...


The first time his eyes had landed on Andie he knew that she was beautiful. He felt instantly attracted. And then when she spoke and came back with her witty remark, he knew they could get along. He remembered thinking of her, 'A girl like that could make you feel things...tempt you to get involved.'


He had told himself he wouldn't get involved, not again. He hadn't loved Caroline, maybe at the time he thought he had, but looking back on it now it was nothing more than teenage lust. But Andie...made him feel different.


Great, I've deflowered an innocent child.


In her sleep Andie drew closer to him and sighed. It was then that he noticed her arm draped over his side underneath his own arm. She held him with that arm, but not the way Caroline had. Andie held him softly. She held him as if to say 'I love you'. Not in a jealous rough way, but a giving way. He felt the rush again and pulled her closer, his hand on the back of her head.


At his touch her eyes fluttered open. The two pools of blue rose up to meet his eyes. A brilliant smile he had never seen before breathed onto her lips. "Hi," she said shyly.


"You're pregnant," Anthony stated before he could stop himself.


"What?" She asked.


"Um, never mind," Anthony, replied recovering. "Hi."


A question lingered in Andie's mind but she did not know if she would be stupid to ask it. She kept her mouth shut but it tickled the back of her mind, taunting her. Anthony saw it in her face.


"You okay?" He asked.


Andie's face turned red and she hid it from him.


"What's wrong?" He stroked her head.


Finally, she got the guts and asked almost inaudibly; "Was I...bad?"


"You were better at this than you were at kissing the first time," Anthony said.


Andie scowled at him. "I'm going to kick you."


Anthony laughed. "In your current condition I'd love to see you try."


"I'm far too tired and in too much pain to do it," Andie sighed. She closed her eyes. "You are mean."


"What? Me? How am I mean?" Anthony asked.


"You think I'm bad in bed," she whined.


"Yes Andie, you're right, you totally sucked last night," Anthony said rolling his eyes with a grin.


Andie hit him with the back of her hand. She would have hit him harder but her eyelids were growing heavy, and it took too much effort to even look up at him anymore. Everything felt so warm in his arms. In his arms. She remembered her wish from last night, from every night. How she had longed so much for someone to hold her and just let her cry.


And now two powerful arms were wrapped around her, protecting her from
the world. Here she felt safe. She felt her head roll down to his chest as sleep slowly carried her away. But the last thought before she surrendered completely haunted the rest of her dreams; Would he stay?