Carrie needed to get away from Austin, so she quietly walked into the back
of the hall. Austin followed her, and when she unexpectedly stopped, he
collided with her a little bit. He pulled back and apologized, "Carrie,
I'm sorry."
She wasn't in the mood to talk to him. She told herself to get far away from him, even though her pulse started racing because he followed her. A few years ago she would have given anything to be with him instead of Mike, but she was different now. She was more mature and understood that love wasn't always enough to keep a relationship. But her newfound knowledge wasn't stopping her heart from wildly racing at the novelty that Austin followed her. She covered her reaction with pent up hostility when she asked, "Sorry for what, running into me or always sniffing around my sister when I was your wife?"
She turned around expecting him to rail at her that she was the sinner, not him. But he put his arm out to touch her elbow and shocked her when he said, "Both. I ruined us because I had to prove that I was a better man than my father, that I wouldn't ruin children's lives. But instead I messed with a child's bonds to his parents in my need to be a dad, and I ruined us. You were the only woman that I ever loved completely Carrie Brady."
She turned around to look at him. She felt like he just shot a bullet straight through her armor and all she could do was stare at him. Part of her wanted to yell at him for dragging up the past. Another part of her wanted to protect herself at all costs and run away. But another smaller part wanted to kiss him and that was the most shocking of all. She started to say, "Don't. The past is." But they were cut off from all the shouting.
Sami was still in her dramatic role of decoy for Eric. She continued to yell that Lucas never wanted to be a father and that their new baby was going to make him leave her. Secretly she was having a bit too much fun with this pretense since she had a safety net. Lucas understood that she really hadn't meant a word. She told him and their entire audience, "I don't need you to touch me again. God only knows why I melt because you are an arrogant bastard who doesn't care about me or my children. Our children are going to be screwed up and it's all your fault!"
He almost smirked that she 'melted.' But he was thinking about the consequences to her announcement. How was she going to tell their entire family that she wasn't pregnant? His grandmother smiled sweetly at him, giving him both congratulations and encouragement. He slowly argued back, "It takes two sweetheart. So stop your ranting and eat something."
She was going to laugh. He told her to eat? She yelled back, "I'm going to get fat if that is your answer to my problems, food! When I'm fat and unattractive you will leave me for sure then!"
He told her point blank, "You were prettier when you had more meat on your bones!"
Carrie told Austin that she couldn't stand by anymore. She walked over to her sister as Sami continued to yell.
Now Sami was a little angry. Did he not think that she was pretty? She yelled at him, "So I'm already an ugly cow when I'm not even showing yet? You go to hell!"
He shook his head absolutely no and told her, "Sami Roberts you are the only woman that remained in my heart. I don't care if you are 100 pounds or 300 pounds, now can you stop this." He was going to stop but he couldn't stop himself from adding to the end, "Besides if I'm destined for hell, you'll be right there beside me sweetheart."
Sami was going to yell some more, but Carrie and her mother pulled her away. Lucas smirked at her as she was dragged across the room. His smirk made her want to kiss him and smack him at the same time. However, now she had to deal with her mother and Carrie for a moment. She was in for it. However out of the corner of her eye, she saw Austin and the bridegroom Nathan walking towards Lucas. He had the tougher part now since Nathan was going to mention his missing bride to Lucas; whereas, she only had to blame her emotional outburst on nonexistent hormones.
He caught her sly smile back at him right before Austin patted him on the back. He couldn't figure out the smile until Nathan also walked up to him. She knew.
Austin told him, "Little brother I swear that I will stay out of your family this time."
Lucas mouthed off, "OK old man, I won't tell Carrie to leave your side for Mike, again."
Austin started to defend himself, "I don't care about .."
Nathan interrupted the brother's bickering and asked Lucas, "So that is the woman that tied you down?"
Lucas answered his old classmate with a very definite, "Yes."
Nathan smiled and said, "Well you would need a spitfire like that. Should I go over there and tell her how you were banned from St. Margaret's."
Austin asked his brother, "You were kicked out of one of your schools richy rich?"
Lucas shook his head no as Nathan explained, "Banned from a female boarding school after the first formal dance between the schools. The nuns thought he was a bad influence on their girls. They didn't realize that I was too young to be there anyhow."
Austin asked in a dry humor, "I always thought you were the bad influence on Sami."
Lucas looked over at his wife and smiled at her before telling Austin, "You never were that observant. And Nathan if you tell Sami anything that will set her off, I will kill you."
Nathan and Austin noticed the silent communication going on. Nathan then commented, "We're back to lovey dovey I see. If you think the fireworks are over, I'd like to signal for the wedding to begin. If not then I might go over and talk to your little wife about Carol."
Austin was never a liar. He had no earthly idea what to say. Lucas stood in front of Austin and smoothly answered, "We'll retake our seats. Sorry about the interruption. And Sami already knows my past, so try again with a different threat later."
Marlena and Carrie stressed how she shouldn't continue to make a public scene like that right before they started asking her questions about her pregnancy. How long along was she? Was she seeing a doctor? Which vitamins was she taking? Have they told Kate? Sami muddled her way through her answers, but she started to worry about her performance earlier. When Lucas signaled that he was returning to his seat, she told her mother and sister, "I won't yell at him until we get home, but he's all alone right now."
Sami ran back to take her seat to watch the fireworks. Lucas whispered into her ear, "We have to talk about what you just said."
She nodded her head and said, "If my choices are having you bitch at me or watch the fireworks from my brother's scheme, I want to stay."
He whispered into her ear, "Sweetheart I have other plans for us before I remind you of not thinking before speaking. First thing I want to do is slowly watch you undress for me as I count just how many kittens you are wearing under this dress. After getting a firm number, we might make it to the bed this time unless you are partial to the floor as I kiss the skin under each swollen pink kitten..."
She started blushing, and hoping that no one else could see how much she wanted him. She stopped him from finishing and said, "You win. Were' going babe."
The wedding music started to play as Lucas and Sami stood up. The orchestra ceased playing, expecting another blow up. But Lucas waved goodbye to the bridegroom and left with Sami.
Carrie walked back to speak to Austin. Her body seemed to want to spend time near him for a moment even if her mind rebelled against the idea. Since she couldn't explain her presence, she asked him, "What's going on with Eric and Greta? Do you think she left with him?"
Austin answered her, "I don't think Greta had a choice in the matter. And after spending one minute in the man's presence, I think Eric was right. Greta deserves better than Nathan."
Carrie turned and answered, "Greta's a grown woman, capable of making her own decision on who she wants to marry."
Austin told Carrie, "I might be blind to a lot of what goes on around me, but when Nathan tried to blackmail Lucas into quieting down, all sympathy for the guy vanished. I just hope Eric took Greta far enough away so he doesn't get caught."
The wedding music started again. Austin leaned down and told Carrie, "Eric kidnapped Greta. We're about to see Nathan find out that the bride's not here."
The back door of the hall, where the bride would enter from opened. Heads all turned expecting to see Greta walk down the aisle. Austin pulled Carrie into a hug to stifle her shocked gasp which would give the game away.
As the door opened Harold, Greta's friend and fashion coordinator for the wedding, walked in to explain, "She's gone. All I can find are her slippers to match the dress."
Nathan stormed down the hallway angry that his bride was gone. He was going to find her. At the door he told the guests, "She was angry at me for asking her to push up the wedding because of a business meeting. Apparently she wins the argument. Everyone please stay in town until the original wedding date in a few days, but for now please feel free to celebrate the upcoming nuptials in a feast that my chefs designed for all of you."
When the guests all started talking amongst themselves, Austin forced himself to let Carrie go. For one brief moment, Austin forgot the world around him and remembered dancing on the roof of his old apartment building with Carrie in his arms. He was never much of a dancer, but dancing with Carrie was one of his most cherished memories. And he went back in time to those moments when he held Carrie. Time moved to quickly because he had to let her go.
She scampered backwards out of his embrace. He smelled so good, just as he always did. She couldn't excuse herself because she couldn't speak. She just nodded her head and walked away from him as fast as she could. Once she walked out the door, she felt safe enough to stop and imagine what her life might have been like if she was still married to Austin. An overwhelming sense of remorse filled her and she couldn't speak back inside. Once she gathered her resolve, she fled down the stairs and back to her room. ~*~
Eric drove to the apartment following Lucas' directions. Greta refused to speak to him the rest of the way there. When he stopped the car, she hopped out on her own, but she followed him into the apartment. Eric held the door for her to walk regally inside. She marched in head held high but stopped walking when she saw the candlelight and the glass room with a private view of the river Seine. The candles surrounded the room, making the place radiant an atmosphere of elegance, thoughtfulness. and when she noticed the rose petals on the floor she grudgingly added romance. She turned around and looked at him, expecting an explanation.
Eric walked next to her when she started glaring at him. He asked, "What? Can I get comfortable before we argue or do you just want to get into conversation now?"
She asked him pointedly, "This little seduction scene is for 'conversation?' Was the plan make love to me until I forgot my wedding plans to another man?"
Eric had no idea where that idea came from until he noticed the setting. She started to walk away until Eric said, "This is why Lucas didn't want to lend me his apartment tonight."
She stopped walking and measurably replied, "Sami is a lucky girl, married to a man that she loved for years."
Eric slowly replied, "They hated each other for years because Sami betrayed his trust and he set her up to rot in jail for it. I hardly call their relationship something to emulate."
Greta asked, "What relationship should I consider lucky then? You betrayed me with Nicole. Carrie ran off with Mike. Mike left Carrie for a one night stand. Whose happy Eric?"
Eric answered her, "My mom and John are happy."
Greta agreed with a nod but added, "Course your mom had to leave your dad and cause you and your sisters' problems before she found her happiness, but then she thought John was her husband for years before that. Every couple worth their weight overcame impossible scenarios before finding happiness with each other. Your sister is now married to the man who has been through everything with her, so I consider that lucky. Most of us will spend our lives alone."
Eric asked her, "I thought you were marrying Nathan so you wouldn't be alone?"
She turned away from looking at him. She couldn't explain why she was about to marry him or why she wasn't rushing out the door to head back. She was angry because Eric was forcing her to think about her decision, not because she left the wedding albeit unwillingly. But she knew that Eric wasn't one to give up easily on a subject, so she told a partial truth, "Marrying Nathan would likely mean having children of my own, and then I'd have my own children who would never leave me unless I totally screwed them up. Besides I'm a royal, we don't marry for love."
Eric was all of the sudden behind her, holding her arm. He told her, "Bull. Your mother tried to marry my uncle Bo because she wanted to feel loved like Bo loves Hope. And you desperately wanted to marry a man after falling in love without regard to status and money. You dreamed for years about true love and romance, or is Snow White not your favorite movie anymore."
Greta closed her eyes and pleaded, "Leave me alone, Eric. Just leave me alone."
Instead he put his other arm around her and hugged her as he said, "I can't do that. I'd do anything for you that you want, but I can't leave you. I want you to be happy and Nathan is not the man for you."
She hesitated because she knew that her tears were returning. She's cried all day and she assumed that she cried her heart out. But she felt fresh tears surfacing again. When she couldn't hold herself together anymore she hugged him back to cry on his shoulder before she blubbered, "No man is for me. I have to take what I can get and deal. You shouldn't be here. You love Nicole not me. Go."
He brushed her hair and remembered when he told Greta that he was in love with Nicole. It was a memory that he hated, but remembered almost on a daily basis. He betrayed her and he honestly never meant to. The look of disgust in her eyes almost caused him to commit suicide that day on the tracks. He betrayed Greta because he lusted after Nicole and Nicole played him for a prized fool. If that was love, then he was the one that deserved a loveless existence, not Greta. ~*~
Lucas and Sami sped back to their room, finally getting their chance to be alone. Once inside Lucas locked the door behind them. She asked him, "What's that for?"
He told her, "No more interruptions. We have to make an honest woman out of you."
She asked confused, "Honest? Babe, we're already married, remember. Can't marry me twice."
He walked towards her with a wicked smile on his face. She backed up automatically until he told her, "I seem to recall my wife lying earlier about having a baby. So I guess it's my job to fulfill your request dear."
She stopped walking away when she started laughing. He knew that she was going to laugh, that's why he was grinning. She surprised him when she answered, "Good. I wasn't sure how I was going to make you forget safety again."
He caught her in his arms, and leaned her backwards a little while still holding her before he whispered, "I never think beyond the moment when I'm holding you." She was going to reply, but she stopped. His mouth hovered hers for just a moment where he added, "You won't be thinking of any schemes tonight."
She had enough of his torture. She waited forever for this second chance to be with him, and he hadn't even kissed her yet! She was about to kiss him and push him backwards onto the bed herself when he slowly came down to kiss her. He was being slow and taking his time on purpose! If she could get her balance, she'd take over this kiss. But he loved torturing her, and, honestly, she loved his brand of torture right now. His kiss was leaving her breathless, excited and she was demanding more. No one else made her feel like this. No one else could because for the first time she realized that she was kissing not just Lucas, but the man she was destined to kiss. And the irritating man would get her excited for just a moment and then pull backwards in his kiss. She wanted to rip off his clothes, but he seemed determined to leave her in this perpetual state of breathlessness.
She wasn't in the mood to talk to him. She told herself to get far away from him, even though her pulse started racing because he followed her. A few years ago she would have given anything to be with him instead of Mike, but she was different now. She was more mature and understood that love wasn't always enough to keep a relationship. But her newfound knowledge wasn't stopping her heart from wildly racing at the novelty that Austin followed her. She covered her reaction with pent up hostility when she asked, "Sorry for what, running into me or always sniffing around my sister when I was your wife?"
She turned around expecting him to rail at her that she was the sinner, not him. But he put his arm out to touch her elbow and shocked her when he said, "Both. I ruined us because I had to prove that I was a better man than my father, that I wouldn't ruin children's lives. But instead I messed with a child's bonds to his parents in my need to be a dad, and I ruined us. You were the only woman that I ever loved completely Carrie Brady."
She turned around to look at him. She felt like he just shot a bullet straight through her armor and all she could do was stare at him. Part of her wanted to yell at him for dragging up the past. Another part of her wanted to protect herself at all costs and run away. But another smaller part wanted to kiss him and that was the most shocking of all. She started to say, "Don't. The past is." But they were cut off from all the shouting.
Sami was still in her dramatic role of decoy for Eric. She continued to yell that Lucas never wanted to be a father and that their new baby was going to make him leave her. Secretly she was having a bit too much fun with this pretense since she had a safety net. Lucas understood that she really hadn't meant a word. She told him and their entire audience, "I don't need you to touch me again. God only knows why I melt because you are an arrogant bastard who doesn't care about me or my children. Our children are going to be screwed up and it's all your fault!"
He almost smirked that she 'melted.' But he was thinking about the consequences to her announcement. How was she going to tell their entire family that she wasn't pregnant? His grandmother smiled sweetly at him, giving him both congratulations and encouragement. He slowly argued back, "It takes two sweetheart. So stop your ranting and eat something."
She was going to laugh. He told her to eat? She yelled back, "I'm going to get fat if that is your answer to my problems, food! When I'm fat and unattractive you will leave me for sure then!"
He told her point blank, "You were prettier when you had more meat on your bones!"
Carrie told Austin that she couldn't stand by anymore. She walked over to her sister as Sami continued to yell.
Now Sami was a little angry. Did he not think that she was pretty? She yelled at him, "So I'm already an ugly cow when I'm not even showing yet? You go to hell!"
He shook his head absolutely no and told her, "Sami Roberts you are the only woman that remained in my heart. I don't care if you are 100 pounds or 300 pounds, now can you stop this." He was going to stop but he couldn't stop himself from adding to the end, "Besides if I'm destined for hell, you'll be right there beside me sweetheart."
Sami was going to yell some more, but Carrie and her mother pulled her away. Lucas smirked at her as she was dragged across the room. His smirk made her want to kiss him and smack him at the same time. However, now she had to deal with her mother and Carrie for a moment. She was in for it. However out of the corner of her eye, she saw Austin and the bridegroom Nathan walking towards Lucas. He had the tougher part now since Nathan was going to mention his missing bride to Lucas; whereas, she only had to blame her emotional outburst on nonexistent hormones.
He caught her sly smile back at him right before Austin patted him on the back. He couldn't figure out the smile until Nathan also walked up to him. She knew.
Austin told him, "Little brother I swear that I will stay out of your family this time."
Lucas mouthed off, "OK old man, I won't tell Carrie to leave your side for Mike, again."
Austin started to defend himself, "I don't care about .."
Nathan interrupted the brother's bickering and asked Lucas, "So that is the woman that tied you down?"
Lucas answered his old classmate with a very definite, "Yes."
Nathan smiled and said, "Well you would need a spitfire like that. Should I go over there and tell her how you were banned from St. Margaret's."
Austin asked his brother, "You were kicked out of one of your schools richy rich?"
Lucas shook his head no as Nathan explained, "Banned from a female boarding school after the first formal dance between the schools. The nuns thought he was a bad influence on their girls. They didn't realize that I was too young to be there anyhow."
Austin asked in a dry humor, "I always thought you were the bad influence on Sami."
Lucas looked over at his wife and smiled at her before telling Austin, "You never were that observant. And Nathan if you tell Sami anything that will set her off, I will kill you."
Nathan and Austin noticed the silent communication going on. Nathan then commented, "We're back to lovey dovey I see. If you think the fireworks are over, I'd like to signal for the wedding to begin. If not then I might go over and talk to your little wife about Carol."
Austin was never a liar. He had no earthly idea what to say. Lucas stood in front of Austin and smoothly answered, "We'll retake our seats. Sorry about the interruption. And Sami already knows my past, so try again with a different threat later."
Marlena and Carrie stressed how she shouldn't continue to make a public scene like that right before they started asking her questions about her pregnancy. How long along was she? Was she seeing a doctor? Which vitamins was she taking? Have they told Kate? Sami muddled her way through her answers, but she started to worry about her performance earlier. When Lucas signaled that he was returning to his seat, she told her mother and sister, "I won't yell at him until we get home, but he's all alone right now."
Sami ran back to take her seat to watch the fireworks. Lucas whispered into her ear, "We have to talk about what you just said."
She nodded her head and said, "If my choices are having you bitch at me or watch the fireworks from my brother's scheme, I want to stay."
He whispered into her ear, "Sweetheart I have other plans for us before I remind you of not thinking before speaking. First thing I want to do is slowly watch you undress for me as I count just how many kittens you are wearing under this dress. After getting a firm number, we might make it to the bed this time unless you are partial to the floor as I kiss the skin under each swollen pink kitten..."
She started blushing, and hoping that no one else could see how much she wanted him. She stopped him from finishing and said, "You win. Were' going babe."
The wedding music started to play as Lucas and Sami stood up. The orchestra ceased playing, expecting another blow up. But Lucas waved goodbye to the bridegroom and left with Sami.
Carrie walked back to speak to Austin. Her body seemed to want to spend time near him for a moment even if her mind rebelled against the idea. Since she couldn't explain her presence, she asked him, "What's going on with Eric and Greta? Do you think she left with him?"
Austin answered her, "I don't think Greta had a choice in the matter. And after spending one minute in the man's presence, I think Eric was right. Greta deserves better than Nathan."
Carrie turned and answered, "Greta's a grown woman, capable of making her own decision on who she wants to marry."
Austin told Carrie, "I might be blind to a lot of what goes on around me, but when Nathan tried to blackmail Lucas into quieting down, all sympathy for the guy vanished. I just hope Eric took Greta far enough away so he doesn't get caught."
The wedding music started again. Austin leaned down and told Carrie, "Eric kidnapped Greta. We're about to see Nathan find out that the bride's not here."
The back door of the hall, where the bride would enter from opened. Heads all turned expecting to see Greta walk down the aisle. Austin pulled Carrie into a hug to stifle her shocked gasp which would give the game away.
As the door opened Harold, Greta's friend and fashion coordinator for the wedding, walked in to explain, "She's gone. All I can find are her slippers to match the dress."
Nathan stormed down the hallway angry that his bride was gone. He was going to find her. At the door he told the guests, "She was angry at me for asking her to push up the wedding because of a business meeting. Apparently she wins the argument. Everyone please stay in town until the original wedding date in a few days, but for now please feel free to celebrate the upcoming nuptials in a feast that my chefs designed for all of you."
When the guests all started talking amongst themselves, Austin forced himself to let Carrie go. For one brief moment, Austin forgot the world around him and remembered dancing on the roof of his old apartment building with Carrie in his arms. He was never much of a dancer, but dancing with Carrie was one of his most cherished memories. And he went back in time to those moments when he held Carrie. Time moved to quickly because he had to let her go.
She scampered backwards out of his embrace. He smelled so good, just as he always did. She couldn't excuse herself because she couldn't speak. She just nodded her head and walked away from him as fast as she could. Once she walked out the door, she felt safe enough to stop and imagine what her life might have been like if she was still married to Austin. An overwhelming sense of remorse filled her and she couldn't speak back inside. Once she gathered her resolve, she fled down the stairs and back to her room. ~*~
Eric drove to the apartment following Lucas' directions. Greta refused to speak to him the rest of the way there. When he stopped the car, she hopped out on her own, but she followed him into the apartment. Eric held the door for her to walk regally inside. She marched in head held high but stopped walking when she saw the candlelight and the glass room with a private view of the river Seine. The candles surrounded the room, making the place radiant an atmosphere of elegance, thoughtfulness. and when she noticed the rose petals on the floor she grudgingly added romance. She turned around and looked at him, expecting an explanation.
Eric walked next to her when she started glaring at him. He asked, "What? Can I get comfortable before we argue or do you just want to get into conversation now?"
She asked him pointedly, "This little seduction scene is for 'conversation?' Was the plan make love to me until I forgot my wedding plans to another man?"
Eric had no idea where that idea came from until he noticed the setting. She started to walk away until Eric said, "This is why Lucas didn't want to lend me his apartment tonight."
She stopped walking and measurably replied, "Sami is a lucky girl, married to a man that she loved for years."
Eric slowly replied, "They hated each other for years because Sami betrayed his trust and he set her up to rot in jail for it. I hardly call their relationship something to emulate."
Greta asked, "What relationship should I consider lucky then? You betrayed me with Nicole. Carrie ran off with Mike. Mike left Carrie for a one night stand. Whose happy Eric?"
Eric answered her, "My mom and John are happy."
Greta agreed with a nod but added, "Course your mom had to leave your dad and cause you and your sisters' problems before she found her happiness, but then she thought John was her husband for years before that. Every couple worth their weight overcame impossible scenarios before finding happiness with each other. Your sister is now married to the man who has been through everything with her, so I consider that lucky. Most of us will spend our lives alone."
Eric asked her, "I thought you were marrying Nathan so you wouldn't be alone?"
She turned away from looking at him. She couldn't explain why she was about to marry him or why she wasn't rushing out the door to head back. She was angry because Eric was forcing her to think about her decision, not because she left the wedding albeit unwillingly. But she knew that Eric wasn't one to give up easily on a subject, so she told a partial truth, "Marrying Nathan would likely mean having children of my own, and then I'd have my own children who would never leave me unless I totally screwed them up. Besides I'm a royal, we don't marry for love."
Eric was all of the sudden behind her, holding her arm. He told her, "Bull. Your mother tried to marry my uncle Bo because she wanted to feel loved like Bo loves Hope. And you desperately wanted to marry a man after falling in love without regard to status and money. You dreamed for years about true love and romance, or is Snow White not your favorite movie anymore."
Greta closed her eyes and pleaded, "Leave me alone, Eric. Just leave me alone."
Instead he put his other arm around her and hugged her as he said, "I can't do that. I'd do anything for you that you want, but I can't leave you. I want you to be happy and Nathan is not the man for you."
She hesitated because she knew that her tears were returning. She's cried all day and she assumed that she cried her heart out. But she felt fresh tears surfacing again. When she couldn't hold herself together anymore she hugged him back to cry on his shoulder before she blubbered, "No man is for me. I have to take what I can get and deal. You shouldn't be here. You love Nicole not me. Go."
He brushed her hair and remembered when he told Greta that he was in love with Nicole. It was a memory that he hated, but remembered almost on a daily basis. He betrayed her and he honestly never meant to. The look of disgust in her eyes almost caused him to commit suicide that day on the tracks. He betrayed Greta because he lusted after Nicole and Nicole played him for a prized fool. If that was love, then he was the one that deserved a loveless existence, not Greta. ~*~
Lucas and Sami sped back to their room, finally getting their chance to be alone. Once inside Lucas locked the door behind them. She asked him, "What's that for?"
He told her, "No more interruptions. We have to make an honest woman out of you."
She asked confused, "Honest? Babe, we're already married, remember. Can't marry me twice."
He walked towards her with a wicked smile on his face. She backed up automatically until he told her, "I seem to recall my wife lying earlier about having a baby. So I guess it's my job to fulfill your request dear."
She stopped walking away when she started laughing. He knew that she was going to laugh, that's why he was grinning. She surprised him when she answered, "Good. I wasn't sure how I was going to make you forget safety again."
He caught her in his arms, and leaned her backwards a little while still holding her before he whispered, "I never think beyond the moment when I'm holding you." She was going to reply, but she stopped. His mouth hovered hers for just a moment where he added, "You won't be thinking of any schemes tonight."
She had enough of his torture. She waited forever for this second chance to be with him, and he hadn't even kissed her yet! She was about to kiss him and push him backwards onto the bed herself when he slowly came down to kiss her. He was being slow and taking his time on purpose! If she could get her balance, she'd take over this kiss. But he loved torturing her, and, honestly, she loved his brand of torture right now. His kiss was leaving her breathless, excited and she was demanding more. No one else made her feel like this. No one else could because for the first time she realized that she was kissing not just Lucas, but the man she was destined to kiss. And the irritating man would get her excited for just a moment and then pull backwards in his kiss. She wanted to rip off his clothes, but he seemed determined to leave her in this perpetual state of breathlessness.