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"Catherine, you don't have to do this." If I were to be with her tonight, I don't want it to out of pity.
She looks at me, " Greg, I want you to stay. Please." She hold my hand and starts walking towards the stairs.
I'm trying to read her but at the moment my feelings for her is clouding it up. My jugdement is being affected by the possiblity of where the night might take us. So I slowly follow her upstairs. Neither of us saying anything.
She opens her door and leads me in.
"Catherine," I say once more, "we don't..."
"Shhhh." She quiets me with her finger over my lips, "I want this, Greg." She cups her hand again on my face and starts kissing me. She starts unbuttoning my shirt.
I close my eyes and I respond to her kisses. My thoughts inside my head start swirling fast. Images of Catherine and me. I feel my heart beating fast again. Is there a future? Or is this just for the present, being caught up in the moment.
I need to know.
"Catherine, " I break away from her kisses. She looks at me and attempts again to kiss me.
I hold her hands, "Catherine. Stop." She pulls away from me.
She starts to breath deeply and I see the anger set in."What do you want from me, Greg? What? You respond then back away. What are you trying to do? Is this all a game for you? See the great Willows fall! Playing..."
I take a step foreward and kiss her furiously. Surprised, she resisted at first. But I would'nt let go. I continue to hold her.
"Let go of me, Greg!" She tries to push me away.
"No!" Even I was surprised that I raised my voice.
She stopped stuggling against me. By the look in her eyes and the rate of her breathing, I know shes angry.
"What are you gonna do, Greg? Hurt me?"
I let go of her and this time I took a step back, "I'd never hurt you, Catherine. You know that."
"Then what do you want from me? Are you having second thoughts? Is it because of who I am? My history with men?" She takes a step foreward and pushes me, "What the hell do you want from me?"
I can feel the anger in me rising. I look at her and hold her by her shoulders, almost in a whisper, "I want you, Catherine. I want... you. But," I take her hand and lead her to her bed, motioning her to sit down. Still holding her hand, I kneel beside her, "but not like this."
The color in her face changes, her looks softens. "Greg, I..."
"Catherine," I interupt, "I was us have something to last. I don't care about your past. Hell, both of us have crashed and burned," I smile ,"but I want us to have a chance of something better. I want us have a chance, me and you."
She looks at my hand holding hers. She then smiles at me. "I might just fall in love with you tonight, Greg."
I don't know, but I think I had the biggest smile on my face. I sat next to her, "I'm hoping that you'll fall in love with me tomorrow also."
She laughs lightly, "I think I will tonight and tomorrow."
"And the day after?" I push back the hair that fell lightly on her face.
"And the day after." She leans her head on my shoulder.
"And the day after that?" I kiss her forehead.
Sh looks at me and kisses my hand, "keep on pushing it, Greg. I might just love you for a long time."
"Ahh," I put my arm around her, "just the answer I'm looking for."
Damn, I'm so in love with this woman now.
I lay her gently on the bed and kiss her. "Then I'll stay with you forever."
---oOo---
I wake up with the sun glaring in my face. It all feels like a dream. I look at the person still asleep by my side, her arms wraped around me. I smile andI kiss her forehead and whisper in her ear, "I love you, Catherine Willows, forever."
She stirs a little and with closed eyes,"hello, stranger. "She snuggles up closer.
"Good morning, my lady." What a night. We fell asleep holding each other. Mind you, still fully clothed.
"Shhhh..." she whispers, "your lady love is still asleep."
I nudge her, "We gotta get up. Lindsey will be coming home soon."
"Well, it's about time someone acknowledges me." Lindsey says as she comes in the room.
Like a lightning bolt, we sat straight up.
Catherine looks at her daughter, "Lindsey? When did you get home?"
---oOo---
"About thirty minutes ago. You two were asleep so I didn't bother." She sits at the foot of the bed munching on a granola.
"Lindsey? Are you okay?" Catherine moves closer to her. I just sat there, didn't know what to say.
"Sure, Mom." She smiles at her then looks at me, "Morning, Greg."
"Ummm, morning, Linds." God, what an awkward moment.
"I got an extra granola bar. Anybody want?" She fishes out a wrapped bar from her back pocket.
"Lindsey, are you alright?" Catherine takes her daughter's hand in hers. I get up from the bed and sit next to the little girl.
"Linds," I simply say, "Is it okay if I love your Mom?"
"It's okay, Greg, you're cool. You're good for her. Finally!" She hold her hands up in the air and smiles at me the turns to Catherine, "Mom, I'm hungry."
Catherine sits there, looks at me and then back to her daughter, surprised at her response.
Here she is, Lindsey. Catherine's nine year old daughter. The same little girl I gave a piggy back ride last summer during a barbeque party. The same little girl whom I spent most of the that night playing and entertaining. The same little girl who asked me if I thought if her mom was pretty. Which of course I said 'yes, your mom is not only pretty, but a very beautiful person.' To this answer she smiled and said, 'good. You two look cool together!' At that time I took it as a compliment. But looking back she saw more. In the eyes of a nine year old, she saw our future.
I get up and take a smiling Lindsey's hand and we both go out of the room, "well, little lady. did you know that I'm an excellent cook?"
I look back at Catherine, still sitting down, speechless of the sudden acceptance of Lindsey,"come on, Cath. We can't starve a growing girl."
Lindsey turns around, "Mom, come on. Greg's going to make us breakfast!"
Still holding her hand, I look at her, "lunch and dinner if you want me too."
She grins at me, "excellent!" She looks back at Catherine, "Mom, duh. Get over it. Come on!"
Catherine stands up, closes her eyes and lets out a deep breath, opens her eyes and smiles at me,"that wasn't bad."
No, it wasn't at all. In a span of twenty four hours, I opened my heart to Catherine. In less than twelve hours, she is learning to love me back. In less than an hour, the little Willows woman has accepted me. Not bad at all.
I am her knight in shining armour. Rescuing her from her past. She is my heart, rescuing me from myself. Making me see there is a better tomorrow, a better future up ahead of us. Catherine, Lindsey and me. My life is complete.
"Come on, my lady, "I smile at Catherine, "we'll beat you to the kitchen."
---oOo---
comments, reviews, suggestions so welcomed. i finished this at work last night. any typo errors are mine.