Beautiful Disaster

by My Writing Is This

The dead were walking and surviving was imperative. Caroline had hit the ground running. She tried to never look back. She was alone for too long. Learning to live and love again wasn't easy. People still mattered. Many would come in and out of her life and not all was as it seemed. She had to learn to be a person again and to find her place. And the one she was meant to be with.

3. The Good People

Chapter Three: The Good People

Sitting in the corner of the porch, the sun was only partially up, leaving me to enjoy as the colors shifted as it continued it ascension. Smiling, I pulled the sleeping bag up as Mozzie finally shifted. He yawned and sat next to me, his focus moving to the sun as well. Grinning, I wrapped my arm around him, loving the mornings with him. Only then the door opened and Ben stepped out, the hair on the back of his head all askew. He sighed and handed me a cup of coffee.

"Thank you." I smiled as I took it. Gripping it between my knees, I gathered my hair up, putting it into a messy bun at the back of my head. Sipping the coffee, it had taken one day for him to remember how I took it.

He sat in the chair closest to me, drinking his own, "Are you ready to come inside yet?"

Smiling up at him, I shook my head, "Nope."

He sighed, taking a long drink of his coffee. "Are you gonna tell me why yet?"

"Nope." I replied and took a long drink of mine.

"Linny." He said with annoyance.

The first time Hannah had called me that my blood had run cold, memories flooding back with such force I almost left the second after. Only one other person had called me that and they were dead. But I had made a promise and despite me fighting against it, I had an opportunity to fulfill it. I never thought I'd see that day, but…here we were.

"Using Hannah's nickname will get you nowhere." I told him, getting a glare from him.

Smiling, I took my hair out again, braiding it over my shoulder. Standing, I rolled up my sleeping bag and put it in the corner, setting my pillow on top of it. Having slept in my clothes as usual, I pulled on my boots before moving toward the steps, putting my hand on his shoulder, handing him my empty cup, as I passed him by.

"Be careful." He told me. Smiling, I waved at him. "Be back before dinner."

Grinning, I walked backward a few steps, "I'll be back with dinner."

Turning, Mozzie trotted ahead of me, a prance in his step. He'd had one ever since we got here. That was almost three weeks ago now. He loved the peace that this place had given us. We had only killed walkers, and even then it was only when they came too close. No other person had appeared and I couldn't deny that I was starting to give in to what Ben had to offer. Security. A sense of normalcy. Happiness. I never thought I'd feel that again. Not after everything I'd gone through.

Having set up a string of snares, I walked the line, happy to find a few rabbits and even happier when I found a good sized boar in the last one. Spending the time needed to clean them, I was only an hour or so from the cabin, taking my time until I returned. Ben had been the perfect host. He'd been amazing and yet I couldn't be myself with him. I didn't know how anymore. I hadn't set one foot inside the cabin. I didn't sleep the first few nights; constantly feeling like something horrible was going to happen. I still felt like that, but it was slowly starting to fade. Though I was still planning on making rabbit stew over the fire pit and nowhere near the kitchen. Too many amenities would make it seem too possible to keep. It would only make it harder when it all came crashing down.

"Maybe it won't." I told Mozzie. "Maybe we can go on like this for a long time."

He panted and brushed against me. Smiling, I stroked his head, pulling on his ear as the small farm came into sight. Standing on the outskirts, I took in Ben and Hannah, both picking vegetables in the garden. Beyond the cabin I could hear the horses playing with each other, followed by the goats egging them on. Underneath them there was the clucking of chickens. The low moo of the cow, old enough to be annoyed by the younger animals' antics. Ben had done well here. Life was sustainable here. It was like a dream come true. A dream that I never wanted to wake up from, but, as with all good things, they must come to an end.

Mozzie took off, slipping under the fence, rushing toward the little girl who was playing more than she was helping. In the next moment, they were rushing off, playing tag in the yard in front of the cabin. Ben looked up at me, smiling. I hated when he smiled at me like that. I didn't want to care more for them than was absolutely necessary. We wouldn't be together forever and I didn't want to form a stronger bond with them only to have it ripped away from me. At the same time, I couldn't help but smile back, sighing and nodding as I made my way around the fence. Putting the carcasses near the drying stand I had made, gathering the bowl of salt, herbs, and spices that I had premade. Then I set to cutting the meat into thin slices. Treating them and hanging them, it would be a few days before they were ready to eat, but once they were ready they would be delicious and would be able to sustain us if we had to move on.

With blood smeared up my arms and against my face, I tediously worked, noticing when Ben walked up, heaving a heavy sigh. Looking up at him, I smirked, "I saved a rabbit for stew."

"Don't you think you've dried enough meat?" He asked.

"No." I stated on the verge of anger. "You're too comfortable here, Ben. You have no idea what the world is like now. You say you do, but you don't." I shot at him as I forcefully cut the meat.

"Tell me how you really feel." He smirked.

"Stop it." I frowned at him. Sighing, I looked around the yard, "Hannah and Mozzie took off. You might want to find them."

"If Moz is with her then I have nothing to fear." He told me as if he really wasn't the slightest bit concerned.

Sighing again, I shook my head, slicing the meat into the final slices. As soon as I was done, I collected the unused parts, putting them in a plastic lined tote. Telling Ben that I'd be back, I threw the tote over my shoulder, taking them to the pit I'd dug a few miles into the woods. It had taken days to dig it since I didn't allow Ben to leave the farm, staying there until the task was done. Surprisingly, he never fought me on that. He knew that it wouldn't help and would just end with a fight. Since then, the smell of meat had lured the dead toward it, ending up falling in with no way of getting out. Dumping what remained of the carcasses into it, the dead growled and tore at them, getting every last piece of meat they could off of them. It was disgusting. Hearing another coming closer, I ignored it, running off before it could get too close.

When I got back to the farm, dinner was already being made. I could smell it from outside. Walking to the unused horse trough, filled with water, I cleaned myself, gripping the bar of soap that was sitting on a small table. When I was finally done, I moved toward the porch, stopping at the base of the stairs, rubbing the palm of my hand with my thumb.

"Deciding if you're coming up here or not?" Ben asked as he stepped through the doorway.

Smiling, I looking up at him. His white button up was open, showing off his toned chest. Something that was growing common. I preferred him in his dirty white long-sleeved shirt and blue jeans. His clean button up and khaki pants were too crisp and…normal. Though I'd been finding it harder and harder to ignore his antics, but he was a man after all. And apparently the end of the world didn't do much to quench his cravings.

"Are you trying to seduce me again?" I smirked up at him.

"Never." He smirked back.

"Men." I said shaking my head.

"Women." He replied as his smile grew. He slowly stepped forward, and slowly moved down the stairs. "Come inside, Linny."

"No." I replied softly.

"Why do you have to be so stubborn?" He frowned, picking up my braid, rubbing the end of it between his fingers.

"Because I can." I replied with a frown. "I don't want to go in there."

"Where there's a bed and a bathroom?"

"Your bed." I stated with annoyance. "Your bathroom. Your home. Your family. Yours, Ben." Then I shook my head, "None of that is mine."

He looked at me sadly, "It could be though."

"Stop, Ben." I told him as I took my hair form his hand.

In the next second he had me against his chest. It was the first time we'd touched since I arrived. He helped treat my wounds and that was it. I tensed at the sudden closeness, not reciprocating it.

"I don't know what's happened to you, Caroline. But I'm promising you that you no longer have to do anything alone."

Trying to move away from him, he held me firmly in place. "You're only saying that because I'm the first decent person to cross your path."

"Others have showed up. I just haven't offered anyone else to stay."

"Were they all men?" I asked with annoyance.

He laughed and let me go. "No."

"Then they were all ugly women or what?" I frowned at him.

"Because you're so attractive?" He frowned back.

It was my turn to laugh. "No."

He sighed, gently tucking my hair behind my ear. "You are."

"Is that why you want me to stay?"

"Care, stop."

Scoffing, I smirked up at him, "Honestly, I can't remember the last time I looked at my reflection."

"That's probably a good thing." He smirked.

Laughing, I nodded at him. As soon as I stopped, I just stared up at him. Sighing, I put my hand against his chest before wrapping my arms around his neck. It must have surprised him since he tensed before his arms moved around me. One snaked around my waist while the other slid up my back to my neck.

"Does this mean you'll come inside?" He asked.

Laughing again, I let him go, taking a step back, "Don't push it."

He let it go, watching me as I checked the meat. Deciding that we'd keep this batch, I glanced in the direction of all the hidden treasures that were in these woods. Ben called me paranoid, I called me smart. In various locations, with various distances between them and the cabin, I had hidden weapons, dried meat, and a few unperishable items. All of it was in backpacks and in plastic trash bags to hide any scent that might be coming from them. I was so tedious in burying them that if I didn't know where there were, I would never have the slightest idea of where they might be. I had outdone myself, that's for sure. And I wasn't sorry for it. I needed us to have something in case we needed to make a quick exit. If we were compromised and needed to leave in a hurry, at least we had something to help us survive out there. We would need it. Living out there, starting at the bottom was one of the hardest things to do in this life. Few could survive. But I would make damn well sure that we did.

"I really want you to come inside." He told me.

Apparently he hadn't let it go.

"So you can ravage me?" I smirked at him.

"Care." He frowned.

"Ben." I frowned back.

"Why do you have to be so stubborn around this?" He asked, now angry.

"How many times are we going to go over this?" I shot back at him. "I've already told you that it's not happening. So let it go."

"No."

"No?" I asked with raised brows. "I can leave any time I want. You can't keep me here."

"Obviously." He stated shortly.

Now I was feeling a little hurt, frowning at him, speaking kinder, "Ben."

"Maybe you should just go." He told me, turning his back on me.

Anger was swelling up inside of me, "Fine." I shot at him. "Moz!" I yelled.

My dog appeared at the top of the stairs, smiling down at me. Going to the gate, I let myself out, heading into the woods with my dog. I disappeared, keeping the cabin barely in sight as I slowly made my way around to the other side of the farm. He didn't mean it. I didn't mean it. But I still felt the need to storm off.

Making it about three-quarters the way around, I stopped and faced the cabin. Crossing my arms, I waited for him to make a move. And he did. He came storming out of the cabin, looking in every direction.

"Stay." I shot at Mozzie when he attempted to move forward. "We're not going back just yet."

Ben looked pissed. I wasn't sure if it was at me or himself, either way, he looked like he was going to yell but he never did. I watched him storm back into the cabin, imagining the pacing he was more than likely doing. I was sure he didn't know I knew, but every time we got annoyed with each other, I'd be sitting on the porch in my corner, listening to him pace back and forth across the cabin floor. He was actually quite predictable.

When he didn't come back out, I finished my circle, slowly moving from the woods, and back toward the cabin. Stepping up to the gate, I put my arms on top of it, whispering for Mozzie to stay as we waited a few more minutes. Smiling, I listened to his pacing, knowing that when he stopped he would come barging out the door. As if by clockwork, the pacing stopped, silence following for maybe thirty seconds, and then he was out of the door. He was holding his rifle, his chest puffed out with determination.

"Can we not fight anymore?" I asked him.

He froze and slowly turned his head to look at me. He smirked, relaxing as he moved toward me. Watching every move he made, when he reached me, he put his arms on top of mine.

"Yeah." He replied sweetly. "I don't want to push you away."

"Then stop pushing me." I stated. He brought his fingers up, gently brushing my hair form my face. "Ben." I said with furrowed brows.

"Caroline." He said as he raised one, his thumb brushing my cheek.

Sighing, I put my hand over his, "You need to stop doing that."

"Why?" He asked.

"Because for as nice as the past few weeks have been, we don't know each other very well. And in this new world, trust should take a lot longer than that."

He put his other hand against my face, "Too bad."

"Too bad what?" I asked him.

"I trust you." He replied.

Taking his hands from me, I frowned at him, "Don't."

"Caroline, you need to let me in. You know you can trust me. I trust you. You want to be here just as much as we want you here."

As if on que, Hannah came rushing out of the cabin, "Mozzie!"

The dog rushed off after the little girl. For a few minutes we both just watched as the two frolicked in front of the cabin. They loved each other. It was obvious. Looking at Ben, he was smiling at his daughter and my dog. His smile was beautiful and I found myself reaching out for him, resting my hand against his bicep. He met my eyes, smiling at me.

"I do." I told him. He moved to embrace me but I pressed my hand against his chest. "I'm not there yet."

He sighed and nodded at me, "One day I'm not going to care."

Smiling, I put my hand against his cheek, rubbing it gently with my thumb. "One day I won't mind."

"Linny!" Hannah cried out to me. "Come play with us!"

"Coming, sweetie!" I called out to her. "Gotta keep the kids busy." I smirked at Ben.

"I'll finish dinner." He smirked back.

Joining Hannah and Mozzie, she was throwing the ball for him. Together we played keep away with him, which was always exciting. He was so full of energy that it was exhausting to try and keep the ball from him, tossing it away from us for just a moment's reprieve. It didn't help that Hannah liked to be swung into the air while holding the ball, making Mozzie jump that much higher.

"You look like hell." Ben smirked at me when we finally made our way to the steps.

Breathing hard, I waved off the comment, putting my hands on my hips. "I'm…totally…fine." I panted. "And for the record," I told him as I slowly moved up the steps, "she is way heavier than she looks." He laughed, snaking his arm around my waist. "Not cool." I smirked at him, attempting to remove it.

"Nope." He replied, tightening his hold on me. "Just give in to me." He whispered.

Bending my arms against my chest, I pressed myself against his, shutting my eyes as I listened to the beating of his heart. "This is all you get." I whispered back.

"Put your hands on me, Jack." He replied.

"What?" I said and leaned away from him. "Seriously? Of all the possible movie quotes out there you pick that one?"

He laughed and nodded, "Can I touch your boob now?"

I simply couldn't help myself. We both burst with laughter and I shoved him away from me. We kept laughing as he took my hand, and we both moved toward the door. But before I walked through I stopped, smiling at him before pulling my hand from his.

He simply sighed and nodded, "I'll bring you a plate."

"You're the best."

"No I'm not." He replied as he disappeared inside. "Hannah! Bring Mozzie in for dinner!"

Hannah rushed up the stairs, throwing her arms around me before rushing inside with my dog. Mozzie had no problem going inside. He wasn't nearly as mentally scarred as I was. Eating alone outside, I listened to Ben and Hannah talk. Hannah made Mozzie do a bunch of tricks, and then both of them were outside again, playing in the yard. I listened while Ben hummed to himself as he washed the dishes. I loved listening to him. He was modest about it, but he had a very nice voice. I was finding there was little that I hadn't grown to love and was finding it harder and harder to make excuses for I truly did love it here.

When it was starting to get dark, Hannah and I sat at the table and worked on her grammar and math for a little while. I wasn't a good teacher, but it was important that she got whatever schooling we could offer her. It couldn't all just be about survival. I wanted her to be a good person. Even if she wasn't mine. Then we ended the night with a dots tournament and a few chapters of World War Z. I couldn't deny that it wasn't the best book for a young girl, but there wasn't a lot of variety here; and it was kind of like an autobiography of the world we lived in. As least it was something.

"We need to find her Harry Potter or something. The Inheritance Cycle would be fun too. Something more kid friendly." I told Ben as he sat with me after putting Hannah to bed.

"We'll look on our next run."

"Our next run?" I frowned at him.

He sighed, "Your next run."

"Thank you."

"I'm not an idiot. I made plenty of runs before you got here."

"I know. But now that I am here, you need to stay here and look after Hannah. Nothing can happen to you, Ben." I told him matter-of-factly.

"Yeah, well, nothing can happen to you either, Caroline." He replied already sounding annoyed with me.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make myself sound dispensable. But I would never forgive myself if something happened to you. And I'd never forgive you for leaving me to watch over Hannah. I'm not exactly mom materiel."

"You're amazing with her." He stated.

"Thank you." I told him again. "But I still don't want to have full custody of her. Half works just fine with me."

"You say that like you're gonna stay."

"I am staying." I frowned at him.

"I mean, like forever."

"I am staying forever." I stated. "I'm not going anywhere, Ben."

"And yet you don't want me to trust you."

I just smiled at him, "Exactly."

"You're so weird."

Laughing, we lingered in silence until he started to fall asleep in the chair. He looked amazing just sitting there, his eyes shut, starting to swing back and forth as he fell asleep. He really was an amazing guy. I didn't know how I was lucky enough to come across him. I wanted to be here more than I could ever say. We could sustain this. We could live like this for the rest of our lives. And I intended to.

Getting up, I stepped up to him, pressing a kiss against his forehead. He didn't seem to notice. Shaking him slightly, he jumped and looked up at me. "Sorry. You should go to bed."

He nodded, "You should come with me."

Following him to the door, I looked in, just able to see Mozzie curled up with Hannah in her bedroom. He loved it here more than I did. Looking up at Ben, I simply smiled and shook my head. "No." Putting my hand against his chest, I leaned up and pressed a kiss against his cheek, "I'll see you in the morning." Going to my corner, I unrolled my sleeping bag, conscious that he was still watching me. "What?"

"You've taken a lot of baby steps today." He replied.

I nodded, "I have."

"Okay." He stated, making me look at him. "As long as you know."

"Goodnight, Ben." I smiled.

"Night, Linny." He replied and shut the door.

Sleeping soundly, I was only mildly aware that something was gripping me. We had become so used to this way of life. Where few walkers came by, most lured away by the various traps I had laid for them. We had our warning signals in place, none of which had been touched in days. So I wasn't alarmed. Not at first. Only then the sound of them reached me and my eyes shot open. I had been hunkered down in my sleeping bag, the only thing that was saving me. There was a walker on my feet, another at my side, a third at my head. I wanted to yell out, but I didn't. I remained calm, trying to figure out how I was going to get out of this.

Taking slow deep breaths, I slid my hand under my pillow, feeling the knife that was there. Waiting only a moment, I gripped it, shoving the walker at my head away from me. Sitting up, I stabbed the one at my side through the top of its head. Then I stabbed the one at my feet through the temple. By the time that was done, another was already coming for me. Putting my hand against its chest, it started to sink into its ribcage, bringing its snapping teeth closer and closer to me. Staring into the face of what used to be a man, there was little skin left, his teeth visible and snapping, no lips left to cover them up. Stabbing him underneath his chin, he slumped against my arm, whatever was left inside of him was pouring out onto me. Letting him fall to the side, I started to breath heavily. Then my hair was gripped and I struggled to free myself. Scrambling to my feet, I noticed that nearly a dozen walkers were making their way toward me.

Rushing to the door, I reached for the nob only to have my feet pulled out from underneath me. "Ben!"

Turning back to the walker that had gripped me, it was crawling up my body. Stringy hair was partially covering the face of the woman who's eyes were locked on me, wanting my flesh. Hungry for it. Only then there was a shot and an arm was around me. In the next second I'd been spun inside the cabin. There were a few more shots before the door slammed. Hannah was screaming and Mozzie was barking before he was in my face, his nose brushing against me before he lapped at my chin.

"I'm okay." I told him as I sat hunched against the wall.

"Care." Ben said frantically as he knelt in front of me. "Hannah, it's okay!" He yelled to his daughter.

The room was blurry as my adrenaline coursed through me.

"Caroline." Ben said again, calmly.

Then there were small hands against me as well, crying in my ear.

"It's okay." I told Hannah as I took her in my arms. "It's okay, sweetie. Nothing is going to happen to you." Then I met Ben's eyes. He looked worried. Putting my hand against his face, I pulled him down to me, pressing my forehead against his. "I'm not bit. I'm okay. Thank you."

I felt a shudder move through him, then he moved his daughter from my arms and pulled me into his. Wrapping my arms around him, I put my hand against the back of his head, burying my face in his neck. He seemed to relax, sitting, taking me with him as he cradled me in his arms. Holding tight to him, I finally felt myself start to relax as well. Feeling Hannah's hands against my back, she wrapped her arms around me as well, feeling Mozzie's nose as he pushed his head underneath my arm.

"I'm okay." I told them, letting Ben go. Looking at my dog, I smiled, running my hand along his head. "Hannah." I said and pulled her into me again. "Let's get you cleaned up." I told her before getting to my feet.

Looking around the cabin, no lights were on, but I could see well enough. It was more spacious than I had thought it was. There was a nice living room, two bedrooms on the right, the open kitchen to the left with a small breakfast bar. The kitchen table with four chairs. Between the kitchen and the living room was another door. Assuming it was the bathroom, I moved her toward it, assuming right, and sat her on the toilet. Without question or prompting, Ben brought another set of pajamas for her. Striping her, I cleaned any walker blood from her before getting her dressed again.

Taking her to her bedroom, I tucked her in, talking softly to her until she started to drift off. Rushing from the room, I went back to the bathroom, looking at myself for the first time in a long time. My brown hair was longer than I had thought it was, falling loosely over my shoulder and passed my bust. My blue-grey eyes were wide and terrified. My skin pale in contrast to the blood that covered it. Starting to frantically clean the blood and gore from my skin, I yanked off my shirt, throwing it in the trash next to the vanity. Then I kicked off my shoes, pulling down my jeans, frantically trying to get them off of my legs. In the process I fell backward, hitting my back against the edge of the tub. Ben had been quiet up until then.

"Caroline." He said as he rushed to me, taking my head in his hands. "Linny, calm down."

"Get it off of me." I told him as tears filled my eyes. "Please just get it off of me."

He nodded, gripping me under my arms and effortlessly pulled me onto my feet. Scooping my legs out from under me, he set me in the tub. Getting in, clothes and all, he turned on the water, waiting till it was warm before he turned on the shower. I flinched as the water hit me, shutting my eyes, gripping fistfuls of Ben's shirt in both my hands. Then his hands were moving across my skin. They were rough and yet gentle as he washed the blood and gore from my skin, tipping my head back to make sure it was all out of my hair. When he was done, he wrapped a towel around me, once again picking me up, holding me tight against his chest as he moved from the bathroom. He took me to his room, setting me on the edge of the bed. He dried me off before gently pushing me back against the pillow pulling the covers up to my chin.

As soon as he'd done it, I was already up and out of the bed, pacing at the foot of it. I was still wearing my bra and underwear, that was soaked and chafing against my skin. Ben didn't say anything as he handed me a pair of sweats and a shirt, leaving the room and closing the door behind him. Standing there, I looked around the room. I never intended on coming into this home. I didn't want to see it. I didn't want to smell it. Feel it. I didn't want to leave the world that was outside. If I did than I would have to believe that there was still good left and that we didn't have to live with fear. I had already begun to feel that way. Only then I'd grown careless and look what happened. They'd come and I would have died if it weren't for Ben. He saved me. He brought me into his home. But…I still wanted to be outside these walls.

Sighing, I took in the log bed. The two dressers. The closet. The small loveseat that had what looked like a journal sitting on top of it. As well as a few books, all looking like they were Stephen King or Dean Koontz. Frowning, it was kind of ironic that he had horror or thriller books when the real world was starting to mirror them. Deciding that since I was already here, already inside, I undressed the rest of the way, draping my undergarments over a chair that was in the corner. Pulling on his sweats, I tightened them as far as they would go, tying them off. They draped loosely over my hips but they would stay on. Bringing his shirt to my face, I took a deep breath of it. It smelled amazing. It smelled like him. Putting it on, I instantly felt better. Remembering what it was like to have someone.

Opening the door, I took in Ben, pacing and looking out the window with such anger I didn't know if I wanted to say anything or not. I couldn't tell if he was angry that I'd unknowingly lured them to the porch, or because I was being ungrateful, or for some other reason I didn't know about.

"Ben?" I said softly. He stopped and turned to me. "I'm sorry. I got careless and I didn't hear the alarms go off. I didn't mean to lure them here."

In the next moment I was in his arms. "I don't care about any of that." He told me, taking my head in his hands as he leaned away from me. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." I nodded. "Just a little shook up."

He nodded and then he was kissing me. For a moment I tensed, surprised, only then I relaxed, kissing him back. Wrapping my arms around him, my hand found the back of his neck, running up and gripping his hair. His kisses were urgent before they finally started to relax. His muscles loosened though he kept me firmly against his chest. His hand found my face as he deepened the kiss.

"Sorry." He told me when he'd finally leaned away from me.

Smiling, I brought his face to mine again, my lips against his, "I'm not complaining."

"Something that is odd for you." He frowned.

Grinning at him, I ran my fingers through his hair, "I know."

"What's happening right now?" He frowned harder.

"You saved me, Ben." I replied. "And I've been stubborn and you've been nothing short of amazing. You're the one who wanted me to give in to you."

"Yeah, but it was too easy."

"You call surviving against the walkers easy?" I countered.

"No."

"Then don't question this, because right now all my walls are down and when I build them back up, I want you on the inside with me." I told him, pressing my forehead against his. "Thank you, Ben."

Then he was kissing me again, "I'm pretty sure I'd do just about anything for you."

"Good. Because I know I'd do anything for you."

He gently led me back to the bedroom, our lips never ceasing. Only as soon as the door was closed behind us, he let me go. Smiling, we both crawled into bed. He opened his arm to me and I didn't hesitate to move against him. I had forgotten what it was like to be close to someone like this. It had been such a long time since I'd had anyone. I liked it. I wanted to feel this way for the rest of my life. Who knew how long or short that would be? All I knew was that I'd be with him till that day came.