-1Chapter Fifteen
It was early evening by the time they pulled up in front of Lauren's house, the setting sun casting a glow over the property that made the home seem much larger than it actually was. But to the two boys who had spent years living in a tiny three bedroom apartment, it looked positively massive.
"Wow," Kevin exclaimed in awe, his face pressed up against the limousine's window as they came to a stop. "This is your house? It looks like a hotel!"
"It's not that big," Lauren chuckled dismissively, reaching across Michael's lap to unlock the door. Their eyes met briefly, her hair lightly brushing against his face as she leaned over him and pushed open the car door. "Come on," she declared, flustered. "I'll show you guys around."
Xxxxxxxxxxxxx
"See? Rich people do have pools!" Kevin informed his brother triumphantly, glancing out the bedroom window at the lavish backyard. "Can we go swimming, Laur?"
"Maybe tomorrow, buddy." she promised, running a hand through her hair in exhaustion "It's getting late, and I need to study."
"What exams do you have tomorrow?" Michael asked, his voice casual as he paced the room that his little brother would be sleeping in during their visit.
"American Lit and Chemistry," she groaned, knowing that she'd have no choice but to pull an all nighter if wanted to have any hope at all of passing her classes. "I'm so screwed."
"I'm sure you'll do fine." Michael said confidently, shifting his weight from foot to foot as he stood in the middle of the room glancing around nervously.
"Is something wrong?" she asked, sensing his discomfort. They needed to talk. But Lauren had to focus on passing her exams and she knew first hand how distracting he could be.
"I'm hungry." Kevin announced, breaking the tension that had settled between them. He moved away from the window and leapt onto the bed, jumping up and down excitedly. "Can we order a pizza?"
"Kevin, stop it!" Michael hissed, ordering his rambunctious little brother to quit jumping on the bed.
"It's okay, Michael." Lauren assured him, smiling warmly up at the little boy as he continued bouncing. It was good to see him acting so happy and carefree again. "Sure, we can order a pizza." she declared, reaching for the phone on the bedside table. "What do you want on it?"
"I'll take care that," Michael stopped her, placing his hand over her's to prevent her from dialing. She looked up at him questioningly, her skin tingling where he touched her. "You go study."
"Okay," she replied, nodding slowly, her eyes never leaving his. "I'll be in the library if you need anything." And with that, she walked out of the bedroom to leave Michael and Kevin to fend for themselves.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
2:38am
Lauren blinked tiredly, her eyes blurring as she re-read the same paragraph for what seemed like the millionth time. She wasn't used to studying. Usually she'd just wing it and hope for the best. None of her teachers would ever dare to give Neil Fenmore's daughter a failing grade. But she was tired of using her father's wealth and stature to get her through life. She was more than capable of passing her exams on her own merit. She wasn't stupid…just unmotivated. And more than a little distracted. Michael would be sound asleep by now. Upstairs. In bed. All alone. Lauren wondered what he would do if she crept upstairs, snuck into his room, crawled into bed beside him and…
"Hey." A familiar voice interrupted her wayward thoughts, she jumped at the sound and glanced up from her textbook.
"Michael." she choked out in surprise. "What are you still doing up?"
"I couldn't sleep." He explained dismissively, crossing his arms in front of his chest as he stood leaning against the doorframe. He had changed into his pajamas, black boxer shorts and a white cotton t-shirt that clung to his biceps like a second skin. Lauren cursed the butterflies in her stomach, turning her attention back to the textbook in front of her.
"Did you have a nightmare?" She questioned casually, remembering how troubled his sleep had been that first night in New Orleans when she had woken up in his arms. God, that felt like a lifetime ago.
"No." He replied softly, not offering up any further explanation. He eased himself away from the doorframe and walked over to the desk, plopping himself down beside her on the leather couch. "How's the studying going?"
"Don't ask." Lauren groaned, reaching across the cluttered desk to grab a pile of notes she still needed to review. Michael picked up the textbook she had been reading, flipping through the pages nonchalantly.
"Nathaniel Hawthorne," He muttered quietly, still scanning through the book. "I wrote a paper on him in grade twelve. Got an A."
"Why am I not surprised?" Lauren said teasingly, throwing him a quick glance before turning her attention back to her notes. "Too bad you can't write my exams for me."
"You'll do great on your own." Michael said confidently. "But I could stay up and help you study if you want?" Lauren looked up from her notes at his offer and her stomach did a little flip flop when she saw the sheepish grin on his face.
"Yeah," She said softly, returning his smile. "I'd like that."
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The distant sound of birds chirping woke Lauren from her sleep. Her eyes fluttered open reluctantly and she winced when the sunlight filtering in through the library windows hit her face. Sighing in contentment, she moved to stretch her stiff joints and a strong pair of arms tightened around her waist possessively. She looked up slowly and her eyes met Michael's sleepy gaze.
"Good morning." He offered her a warm smile, his voice rough from sleep.
"Mmm, good morning." She cooed, burying her face in his neck as she snuggled closer to him. "How long have I been asleep."
"Just a couple of hours," He responded, stroking the hair away from her face. "I was going to wake you, but you looked so peaceful."
"I haven't slept that good in a long time." She admitted truthfully.
"Yeah, memorizing the periodic table will do that to ya." Michael teased, referencing their late night study session that had somehow ended with Lauren falling fast asleep with her head in his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck, sitting up until their faces were mere inches apart.
"I slept good because I was with you." She declared, smiling at him flirtatiously when she saw a blush creep across his face. She leaned forward and nuzzled her nose against his playfully. "Thanks for all your help last night."
"Don't mention it." Michael said softly, his gaze falling to her lips. She parted them slightly, leaning forward to kiss him for the first time in weeks.
"I didn't realize you were studying anatomy." A familiar voice boomed from the doorway, causing the two teens to leap apart.
"Daddy!" Lauren choked out, abruptly standing up from the couch and running a hand through her hair in embarrassment. "We were just…"
"MmmHmm." Neil glared at her disapprovingly, but there was a hint of a smile on his thin lips. "Did you manage to get any work done last night?"
"Yeah, I covered all of the material that's going to be on the exam and I actually understood it for a change." she exclaimed, laughing nervously before glancing down at Michael in gratitude. "Michael helped me study." Neil's gaze shifted to the boy seated on his couch, watching in amusement as the teen shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
"Hurry up and go get ready." Her father instructed her, smiling warmly at them both before turning to leave the room. "I'll give you a ride to school on my way to the office." And with that, he was gone. Lauren plopped back down on the couch, sighing in relief.
"Your father hates me." Michael moaned, burying his face in his hands. Lauren chuckled.
"Trust me, you wouldn't be here if he hated you." She declared, smiling at him reassuringly before gathering up her textbooks and notes. "I'd better go get changed."
"When will you be back?" Michael asked her curiously, watching as she got up from the couch and headed towards the door.
"I should be home around 3:00pm." Lauren declared, throwing a worried glance at him over her shoulder. "Are you and Kevin gonna be okay here on your own?
"I think we can manage." Michael replied teasingly, gesturing to their surroundings. "Good luck on your exams."
"Thanks," she smiled at him warmly. "See ya later!"
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Lauren heard excited squeals and splashing sounds coming from the backyard as she walked into her bedroom. She smiled to herself, throwing her knapsack down onto the bed before opening the patio doors and walking out onto her balcony. Kevin was in the pool doing the doggy paddle in the shallow end, a bright pair of water wings helped to keep him afloat. Lauren grinned at the sight, glancing around in search of his brother. She found Michael sitting on the ledge of the pool, jeans rolled up to his knees as his feet dangled in the water. He wasn't wearing a shirt, the afternoon sunlight kissing his already tanned skin. Lauren shivered.
"Hey boys!" she shouted down to them, smiling mischievously when they looked up at her in surprise. "Did ya miss me?"
"Yay, Lauren's home!" Kevin exclaimed, slapping the surface of the water in excitement. "Come swimming with us!"
"Okay, buddy." Lauren agreed, her gaze landing on Michael. He was grinning up at her, shielding his eyes from the sun with the palm of his hand. She smiled at him coyly. "I'll be right down."
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Twenty minutes later, Lauren walked outside carrying a towel in one hand and a bottle of tanning oil in the other. She had changed into her bathing suit, a cream colored bikini that left little to the imagination. She saw Michael's eyes widened as she sauntered over to him and Lauren grinned mischievously, pleased that her appearance was having the desired affect on him.
"Hey." she greeted him casually, laying her towel down beside him before taking a seat. She dipped her feet into the pool, shivering when the cold water touched her heated skin.
"Hey," he replied, throwing a glance in her direction before turning his attention back to Kevin, keeping an eye on his younger brother as he splashed around in the pool. "How did your exams go?"
"Good," she said softly, watching in amusement as Kevin tried unsuccessfully to do a handstand with his with his water wings on. "Really good actually. Maybe I should hire you to be my tutor?" she teased, her right foot tickling his beneath the waters surface.
"Lauren, come swimming with me!" Kevin shouted, doggy paddling over to where they sat. "Michael's a chicken."
"I am not," Michael argued defensively. "I just don't like to swim."
"That's cuz you don't know how!" Kevin giggled, grabbing hold of his big brother's leg as he tried to pull him into the water.
"Kevin, stop!" Michael shouted nervously, gripping the ledge of the pool to keep from falling in.
"You don't know how to swim?" Lauren asked in astonishment, smiling warmly at him when he shook his head in embarassment. "Well then," she said cheerfully, hopping into the pool beside Kevin and turning around to face him. "I'm gonna teach you."
Xxxxxxxxxx
Fifteen minutes later, she finally persuaded Michael to get in the pool. He insisted on using the latter, turning around and climbing back out again repeatedly before finally working up enough courage to stand in the shallow end and stay there. The water level barely made it passed his waist, but the terrified expression on his face made it look like he was stranded in the middle of the Atlantic.
"You okay?" Lauren asked, wading through the water beside him.
"Oh yeah," he gritted through clenched teeth, not moving a muscle. "Just peachy."
"Scaredy cat!" Kevin teased, swimming up beside his older brother and splashing water in his face.
"That's it, I'm done." Michael declared in frustration, wiping the chlorine out of his eyes as he started walking back towards the latter.
"Michael, no! Stay in." Lauren pleaded, wrapping her arms around his waist from behind to stop him from leaving. "Kevin won't splash anymore, will you Kevin?" she looked at him sternly and he shook his head affirmation, swimming over to the opposite end of the pool to practice his handstands.
"I don't think this is a good idea." Michael said nervously, she could feel him trembling against her. Something was wrong. Lauren could sense that his fear of being in the water wasn't only caused by his inability to swim.
"Okay," Lauren said softly, moving to stand in front of him as she took him by the hand and began leading him back towards the latter. "How about you come lather me with tanning oil instead?" she said teasingly, relieved when she saw the terror in his eyes subside.
"Now that I can handle." he leered, smiling at her in gratitude as she helped him out of the pool.
xxxxxxxxxxxx
Lauren sighed in relief as the cool aloe vera lotion seeped into her sunburnt skin. Having Michael coat her in tanning oil probably hadn't been the wisest decision, but getting to feel his hands all over her body again was worth it. They had spent the entire afternoon by the pool, sunbathing on lounge chairs and keeping an eye on Kevin as he dove under the waters surface only to reemerge seconds later demanding that they watch him do another trick. It had been a wonderful day and Lauren felt confident that things were finally getting back to normal. But just like it had been back in New Orleans, she knew they couldn't go on living together like this indefinitely.
"You look like a lobster." Kevin giggled as he ran into the room and sat himself down on the edge of her bed. Lauren glared at him over her shoulder.
"Gee, thanks." she muttered indignantly, studying her reflection in the mirror as she applied more lotion to her sunburn. "What are you doing in here anyway? I thought you were taking a nap."
"Nope. Too excited to sleep." he explained, restlessly kicking his feet against the side of her queen sized mattress. "Your daddy sent me to tell you that dinner's ready."
"Where's your brother?" Lauren asked curiously.
"He's in the library. I got bored when they started talking about law stuff."
"They?" she asked in confusion, getting up from her seat in front of the mirror to finish getting ready.
"Michael and your dad." he explained casually, watching her intently as she rooted through her jewelry box.
"They're in the library together?" Lauren questioned, a feeling of dread forming in the pit of her stomach.
"MmmHmm." Kevin nodded, grinning up at her knowingly.
"Oh boy."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"You're a very bright young man." Neil declared, impressed with Michael's extensive knowledge of the legal system.
"Thank you, sir." he replied humbly to the older man's unexpected compliment. Their conversation had somehow shifted from small talk about the weather to a discussion on the cost benefits of employing an in-house legal team versus hiring out to private firms. Michael was just grateful that in the twenty minutes since their awkward conversation had begun, they had somehow managed to avoid talking about Lauren.
"Enough with the formalities, son." the older man's authoritative voice interrupted his thoughts. "Call me Neil."
"Okay, Neil." Michael agreed, the word tasting foreign and wrong on his lips. An awkward silence settled over the room then. Michael shifted uncomfortably in his seat, throwing nervous glances in Neil's direction as he stood in the middle of the room flipping through the pages of an old book on corporate law. After a few excruciating moments, he finally spoke.
"So," Neil began, casually placing the book back on the shelf. "Exactly what are your intentions towards my daughter?" Shit, Michael silently cursed as he diverted his gaze to the floor and tried to work up enough courage to answer.
"I um…Well, she and I we…" he stuttered, trying desperately to find the words that would explain to this man that he was madly in love with his daughter.
"It's alright," Neil chuckled, sitting down beside Michael on the leather couch. "I know you love her."
"Is it that obvious?" he asked nervously.
"Afraid so," Neil sighed, placing his hand on Michael's shoulder and patting it reassuringly. "Don't worry, she's crazy about you too. I've never seen her like this before."
"I didn't think you would be so understanding." Michael admitted truthfully. "Especially after what happened in New Orleans. Not to mention everything that went down between Isabella and me…"
"It's in the past," Neil interrupted, offering him a warm smile. "All I care about is making sure that my daughter is safe and happy. And I've never seen her happier than when she's with you. Just don't hurt her."
"I won't." Michael promised him sincerely.
"Good." Neil grunted, satisfied with his answer. "Oh, and no more hanky panky in the house please. I realize that Lauren isn't a little girl anymore, but there are certain things that a father just doesn't need to see."
"Yes, sir." Michael chuckled, the anxiety he felt towards the older man quickly beginning to subside. Just then, the sound of someone clearing their throat caused both men to turn their attention towards the doorway.
"Is everything okay in here?" Lauren asked curiously, crossing her arms in front of her chest as she glared at them expectantly.
"Everything is just fine." Neil assured her, smiling at Michael conspiratorially before standing up from the couch and moving to greet his daughter at the door. "Michael and I were just having a little chat."
"About what?" Lauren asked suspiciously.
"Guy stuff." he replied vaguely, bending to place a kiss on her forehead. "Now, Lucretia has prepared a fabulous meal for you kids. Save me some, I'm sure I'll be famished by the time I get home."
"You're not eating dinner with us?" Lauren questioned, trying to mask her disappointment.
"I have to head back into the office for a bit," Neil explained, already turning to leave. "Don't wait up." And with that, he was gone. Michael gingerly eased himself up off and couch and walked over to her.
"You okay?" he asked gently, placing his hand on the small of her back.
"Of course I'm okay, why wouldn't I be?" Lauren smiled at him reassuringly, but Michael could tell she was hurting. "Come on, your brother's waiting for us in the dining room."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Lauren was absentmindedly flipping through the channels when Michael walked back into the den. After dinner she had changed into her pajamas while Michael put Kevin to bed, instructing him to meet her downstairs when he was finished. They needed to talk.
"He's out like a light." Michael declared, sitting down beside her on the overstuffed couch. He had changed into his pajamas as well. Grey t-shirt. Navy blue boxer shorts. No socks.
"I'm not surprised, he had a busy day." Lauren said distractedly, trying not to notice the way his five o'clock shadow made him look decidedly dangerous in the dim light of the room.
"Big tv." Michael said casually, motioning towards the 62" television situated in front of them. Lauren nodded.
"It was a sweet sixteen present from my father." she explained nonchalantly, channel surfing until she finally settled on an old episode of The Munsters.
"He works a lot, huh?" Michael asked after a few moments of comfortable silence.
"My dad? Yeah well, he runs a multi-million dollar company. He can't be home all the time." Lauren explained, her voice raising defensively.
"Still. It must get lonely here in this big house all by yourself." Michael argued.
"Not really," Lauren shrugged, her eyes focused on the screen in front of her. "I'm used to it."
"You shouldn't have to be used to it." he muttered, gazing at her sympathetically.
"Michael," she whispered pleadingly, wiping away the tears that were threatening to spill down her cheeks. "I've had an amazing life. My father spoils me rotten." She reached across the couch and clasped his hand in her's. "Please don't feel sorry for me. Not after everything you and your brother have been through."
"I just wish…"
"I know," Lauren offered him a sad smile, squeezing his hand reassuringly. "But we're together for now at least. Let's just focus on that."
"Alright." he agreed, entwining their fingers together as he sighed in resignation.
"You've got so much to look forward to." Lauren reasoned, lightly stroking his palm with the pad of her thumb. "You and Kevin are moving to New Orleans and you're finally gonna get the chance to build a relationship with your father."
"My father." he repeated the word awkwardly. "I still can't believe he's back. And he never even asked me if I wanted to live with him ya know. He just assumed."
"But you do wantto live with him though, don't you?" Lauren questioned.
"I guess." he shrugged. "Anything's better than living with Tom and Gloria, right?"
"Did Tom hurt you? I mean, I know he hurt you, but did he…" she sighed in frustration, trying to find the right way to phrase her question. "Earlier today, when we were in the pool. I just got the feeling that something had happened in the past to make you hate being in the water so much."
"Am I that transparent?" Michael asked teasingly, but Lauren could hear the slight tremor in his voice.
"Only to me." she grinned, bringing his hand up to her lips and placing gentle kisses along each of his knuckles. He sighed heavily and Lauren could tell this was going to be tough for her to hear and even tougher for him to tell.
"I was about Kevin's age," Michael began reluctantly. She watched him take a deep breath to try and steady his nerves before continuing. "It was a few months before my father left. He had the day off and instead of spending it with his buddies at the bar, he decided to take me swimming at the local rec center. It was my first time going. I didn't know how to swim, but he promised to teach me." Michael chuckled, shaking his head in amusement although Lauren suspected that what he was about to say was anything but funny.
"It was nice, at first. He took me into the shallow end and taught me how to float." Michael explained smiling fondly at the memory. But then his smile faded. "I was lying on my back, staring up at the ceiling and he said he'd be right back. He was just going to the washroom, but he'd be right back."
"Oh, Michael." she sighed, holding his hand up against her face and placing a gentle kiss in the center of his palm.
"About five minutes later, one of the other kids in the pool accidentally bumped into me and I stopped floating. I didn't know what to do, I couldn't keep myself from sinking." he stopped for a moment, trying to collect his thoughts before continuing. "I guess the lifeguard must have heard my screams because the next thing I remember I was being laid out on the floor as he gave me mouth to mouth. They looked everywhere trying to find my father, but he was long gone. I walked home by myself and found him passed out on the couch." Michael explained, his voice eerily void of emotion. "I guess he must have forgot about me."
"I could never…" Lauren whispered fiercely after a few moments of silence, his story having brought her to tears.
"You could never what?" he asked in confusion, reaching out to wipe them away.
"Forget about you." she declared. Michael smiled sadly at her soft spoken confession, moving closer to her on the comfy couch as she curled up beside him.
"I thought about you everyday, ya know." Lauren admitted, smiling ruefully as she laid her head down against his shoulder. "Even though I didn't want to."
"I thought about you too," Michael said softly, pressing his lips against her forehead as she snuggled further into his embrace. "I was afraid you would hate me after what happened."
"I tried to hate you, but I just couldn't. I guess in my heart, I knew it wasn't true. The guy described in that police report wasn't the same guy that I fell in…" she stopped herself, still not comfortable saying the words. "He wasn't you."
"You're amazing, you know that?" he sighed, gazing at her in admiration as she raised her eyes to meet his. "No one has ever believed in me the way you do. I owe you so much."
"No," she argued, placing her finger against his lips to silence him. "You don't owe me a damn thing. If anything, I should be thanking you. I was such a bitch before we met."
"I dunno, you still have your moments." Michael said teasingly, ducking when she moved to hit him over the head with a pillow. "Hey, cut it out!" he chuckled, grabbing hold of her wrists to ward off any further attacks. "I love bitchy Lauren."
"You do?" she asked, grinning sheepishly.
"Oh yeah." he groaned, reaching out to tuck an errant strand of hair behind her ear. "When I was all alone in my cell at night, I would think about that time in New Orleans when you got in a fight with those two sorority girls…" he grinned at her lasciviously. "So hot."
"You're such a guy," Lauren rolled her eyes in exasperation, moving to straddle his lap and smiling in satisfaction when she saw his eyes widen slightly. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers lightly combing through the short hairs at the base of his neck. "So," she cooed, leaning forward slightly so that her lips grazed his ear when she spoke. "Was that the only thing you thought about late at night? All alone…"
"Lauren," he choked out, his breath having grown shallow. She shifted purposefully in his lap, feeling his arousal grow beneath her. "We can't do this."
"Why not?" she purred, leaning forward to nip at his jaw line.
"I promised your father we wouldn't…" he groaned softly as she drew his earlobe into her mouth and suckled. "in the house."
"Well then, I guess it's a good thing my father's not here." she whispered mischievously, her warm breath tickling his skin and she felt him shiver slightly before pulling away.
"Still," he began to protest, grabbing hold of her wrists to stop her from touching him. "I don't want to disrespect your dad like that."
"You're a good man, Michael Baldwin." Lauren declared, crossing her arms in front of her chest as she sighed in frustration. "Too good."
"The man was kind enough to open up his home to me, the least I can do is respect his wishes." Michael reasoned, running his hands up and down her back soothingly.
"Fine." she conceded, her bottom lip protruding in a pout. She gazed at him innocently, fluttering her eyelashes for affect. "Can I at least get a goodnight kiss?"
"I guess that would be okay." he agreed, offering her a lopsided grin as she leaned forward to capture his lips with her own. The kiss started off chaste, a simple meeting of the mouths. But as their lips were busy getting reacquainted, Lauren took the opportunity to reach down between them and cup his hardness in her hand. Michael gasped and as his lips parted, Lauren plunged her tongue into his mouth. They both moaned in pleasure at the sensation.
"Oh God." he groaned as she latched onto his plump lower lip, nipping at it playfully.
"I know." she whispered, grinding against him in earnest. He bucked his hips up to thrust against her and she whimpered before leaning forward to taste lips once again. Her tongue tangled with his own, both of them battling for dominance. Then without warning, she tore her mouth away from his and stood up abruptly.
"Wha…what are you doing?" he stuttered, staring up at her through dilated pupils as she grinned back at him mischievously. Her eyes never leaving his, she pulled her tank top up over her head and tossed it at him flirtatiously. Then without saying a word, she turned on her heel and walked out of the room clad in nothing but her pajama pants and bra. It took Michael less than five seconds before he made up his mind to follow her.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Michael shook his head in amusement when he found Lauren's flannel pj pants on the floor the near the patio doors. Stepping outside into the humid night air, he spotted her black bra and matching panties on the walkway leading towards the pool area. Following the trail of discarded undergarments, Michael rounded the corner just in time to see Lauren dive head first into the deep end of the pool. The lavish backyard was shrouded in darkness, moonlight reflecting off the water's surface as he waited for Lauren to come up for air.
"What are you doing?" Michael asked her curiously when she finally popped her head out of the water and turned to face him.
"Waiting for you to join me." she replied, wading through the water in the center of the pool. The underwater lights cast an inviting glow around her naked body, highlighting her curves and causing Michael's mouth to water.
"I know things got a little heated back there on the couch, but I meant what I said." he declared resolutely, desperately trying to keep his eyes from traveling the length of her body. "No sex in your father's house."
"In case you haven't noticed, we're outside." she declared stubbornly, gesturing to their surroundings.
"Lauren." he pleaded, his resolve fading quickly.
"Do you want me, Michael?" she asked coyly, leaning back against the side of the pool as she gazed up at him expectantly. Droplets of water clung to her chest and Michael forced himself to swallow around the lump that formed in his throat when he saw her hardened nipples peeking out from beneath the water's surface.
"God yes." he groaned, unconsciously taking a step towards her..
"Then come get me." she purred.
"Lauren, I…" he wanted nothing more than to jump in the pool and make love to her, but the thought of
"I know being in the pool brings back bad memories for you," "So let's make some good memories
"Maybe you should forgo fashion school and major in psychology instead." Michael said teasingly.
"Quit stalling and lose the pants, Baldwin." she ordered, motioning to his tented boxer shorts.
"Yes, ma'am." he agreed, stripping out of his clothes and shaking his ass flirtatiously as he pulled his boxers down past his waist. She giggled at his antics and swam into the shallow end to greet him near the latter. His smile faded as he placed his hands on the railing and nervously glanced down into the murky depths. Lauren must have sensed his apprehension because she swam into his field of vision so that he didn't see the water anymore. He only saw her.
"I need you, Michael." she whispered pleadingly, holding her arms open to him as she waited patiently for him to step into the pool. Taking a deep breath, he threw caution to the wind and slowly entered the water. When he was fully submerged from the waist down, Lauren moved towards him cautiously and examined his face for any signs of distress. She sighed in relief when he offered her a reassuring smile.
"I think I'm cured." he said teasingly, reaching out to pull her closer. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her breasts lightly brushing against his chest causing both of them to shiver.
"Good." Lauren replied distractedly, nuzzling her nose against his. "Now make love to me, Michael." He ran his fingers through her damp hair, cupping her face in hands as he leaned forward and crushed his mouth to her's in a fierce kiss.
"God, I've missed you." he growled against her lips, easily lifting her up in his arms and pulling her close. She whimpered, wrapping her legs around his waist as he entered her. All thoughts of neglectful fathers and impending separation disappeared as they made love for hours beneath the light of the moon.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"G'morning sleepyhead!" Kevin exclaimed as Lauren walked into the busy kitchen.
"Good afternoon is more like it." Neil muttered jokingly as he stood in front of the stove with a spatula in one hand and a recipe book in the other. "Okay buddy, I need another cup of flour."
"Comin' right up!" Kevin replied, grabbing a measuring cup off the counter and pouring the white powder into it, getting more on the floor than in the cup.
"What are you doing?" Lauren asked in confusion, wiping the sleep out of her tired eyes as she gingerly sat down at the kitchen table.
"Making pancakes." Neil informed her distractedly as he poured a glob of batter onto the frying pan.
"Since when do you make pancakes? Or any type of food for that matter." she questioned, surprised that her father was even home for breakfast, let alone making it himself.
"Kevin wanted pancakes, so I'm making pancakes." Neil explained casually and Lauren couldn't help but smile. She knew it wouldn't be long before the little boy managed to wrap her father around his little finger.
"Is Michael still asleep?" Lauren asked, trying to sound nonchalant. He had snuck out of her bedroom at 6am that morning after they'd made love for the third time. She hated not waking up in his arms, but Michael didn't want her father to catch them in bed together. Again.
"No, actually. He's uh…he's out." her father stammered, avoiding her gaze as he continued flipping pancakes.
"Out?" she asked curiously, trying to ignore the feeling of dread that washed over her. "Out where?"
"He didn't say," Neil explained casually, still not looking at her. "But he should be back any minute now."
"Daddy," she sighed in frustration. He was keeping something from her. And judging by the smirk on Kevin's face, the little boy was in on it too. "What aren't you telling me?" As if on cue, the sound of a car horn blared from the driveway. Lauren glanced towards the front door before turning back around to glare at her father suspiciously.
"Why don't you go and see who it is?" he grinned, motioning towards the door. She saw him and Kevin smile at each other conspiratorially as she slowly got up from her seat and made her way into the foyer. She quickly unlocked the door and stepped outside, wincing when the early afternoon sunlight hit her face. Shielding her eyes from the sun, Lauren cautiously made her way down the front steps that lead to the circular driveway.
"Oh my God…" she gasped, staring in astonishment at the white stretch limousine parked in front of her house. Her jaw dropped when the back door of the car opened slowly and Michael stepped out onto the driveway. He was wearing a black tuxedo, his hair gelled back and his face clean shaven. He smiled at her mischievously, walking up the pavement until he was standing directly in front of her.
"Michael," she managed to choke out, trying to look over his shoulder to see what he was hiding behind his back. "What is all this?" He didn't answer her. He didn't say a word as he crouched down before her on bended knee.
"Oh my God," Lauren gasped again, her eyes searching his for an explanation. "Michael, I…what are you…"
"Lauren Fenmore," he began softly, taking a deep breath to settle his nerves. "Would you do me the honor of allowing me to accompany you to your senior prom?"
"Prom?" she squeaked out, relief and disappointment washing over her when he pulled his hand out from behind his back and presented her with a corsage. "You want to be my prom date?"
"Why? Is there someone else you'd rather go with?" he asked teasingly, but Lauren saw the lingering insecurity in his eyes.
"No, of course not. I just…" she sighed in frustration, not used to feeling so out of sorts. "How did you pull all this off?"
"Your dad helped." he explained sheepishly, nodding towards the front door. Lauren turned to see Kevin and her father standing behind her, both of them eagerly awaiting her answer.
"So," Michael said, easing himself up off the ground and holding the corsage out to her once again. "How about it? Will you go to prom with me?"
"Michael," she sighed, reaching out to stroke his face. "I already told you, I'm not going to prom. It's not important."
"Yes, it is." He argued, taking her hand in his and squeezing it gently. "This is one of the most important nights of your life."
"You of all people should know how unimportant prom is." Lauren declared, referencing the night he was wrongfully accused of rape.
"Okay, so my senior prom sucked. But that doesn't mean that yours will." he reasoned.
"Michael…"
"Please, Lauren." he said pleadingly. "If you won't do this for yourself, then do it for me. I'd love to make some new prom memories to replace the old ones with." Her eyebrow raised at his choice of words, remembering how much fun they'd had making new memories in the pool last night. Sighing in resignation, she gave him her answer.
"Yes." she finally replied, smiling up at him excitedly. "My answer is yes. I'll go to prom with you."
"She said yes!" Michael exclaimed loudly, grinning from ear to ear as he swung his arm around her waist and hoisted her up in the air. She shrieked, wrapping her arms around his neck to keep from falling. She could hear Kevin and her father cheering in the background as she leaned forward and kissed Michael senseless.
It was going to be an interesting night.