Chapter 17

The date was over before it had even begun. Addison could barely concentrate much less carry on a conversation. Jared noticed her distraction and figured it had something to do with Pete so he offered to take her home. He really wasn't a bad guy. In fact, he found the whole thing quite amusing and called Pete a lucky guy. He even offered to keep Molly overnight so she and Pete could have privacy. She just laughed and thanked him for being so understanding.

They pulled into the driveway and Jared shook his head, "The chemistry that I witnessed between the two of you is extremely rare. Stop running away from it." He smiled and drove off, leaving Addison standing in her driveway feeling exceptionally nervous. Pete was waiting there for her knowing that the "something more" they had was deeper than just friendship. It was something they were both tired of fighting.

She opened the front door and walked in. She could hear the sound of soft music floating from the back of the house. As she padded down the hall, she glanced into Molly's room and paused for a moment. She was tucked in and sleeping soundly with her arm draped over her doll. Addison closed her door quietly and continued on to her room. As she opened the door, she was greeted by the dimly glowing flames of candles dancing softly on the walls of the darkened room. There were tulips sitting in a vase next to her bed and the sound of music floated through the air to the left of her. The bathroom door opened and Pete walked out, drying his hair with a towel.

Addison felt her breath catch in her chest, "Hey." She didn't even try to hide the fact that she was staring at his bare chest.

He grinned and walked closer, pointing to the rest of the room. "You like?"

She licked her lips nervously, "It's beautiful."

He was standing directly in front of her now with nothing on but a mischievous grin, "Are you interested in finishing that conversation we started earlier?"

She laughed and reached behind her neck, releasing the clasp on her dress and letting it fall to the floor. "I thought you'd never ask."

She ran her hands along his smooth muscular chest on up to his shoulders, and then running her nails down his back. She reached up and kissed him tenderly, allowing herself to communicate her feelings with actions. She felt his hands at her waist and suddenly she was on the bed, staring up into his loving face. "You have no idea how long I have wanted this." His mouth trailed on her neck down to her breast and then down to her belly. She felt his hands move between her legs and then she felt his warm tongue danced seductively around her . Tiny bolts of erotic pleasure took over and her body start to tremble in ecstasy as he worked his magic, applying just enough pressure at just the right rhythm to drive her mad with desire. "Ooh…," she moaned and pulled him up to meet her just as he shoved his inside of her. She gasped as she started to thrust slow and steady at first. His mouth alternated between sucking and nibbling at her breast and her neck as he continued to plunge deeper and faster inside of her. Her breath came in short gasp now and she felt her cheeks start to grow warm as he desperately pushed himself into her. Their bodies tightened in response to the rush of pleasure radiating through them and just when they thought it couldn't get any better the orgasmic release took them both plunging over the edge into a whole new realm of ecstasy.

Pete's strong arms pulled her close. She could hear his heart pounding as she laid her head on his chest. Her cheeks burned with the afterglow of their lovemaking and her heart felt like it was ready to burst. It wasn't going to burst in a physical sense, it was all emotional. This overwhelming feeling was all new to her but gave way to mental relief now that it had been acknowledged. She was hopelessly and madly in love with this man who she once thought was completely wrong for her. Now that she was finally in his arms she felt a sense of familiarity; like she had been there all along.

He turned his head and kissed her tenderly. "You're glowing."

She beamed up at him, "I can't imagine why."

He kissed her again and pulled back, "Because you're in loooove."

She giggled and ran her fingers through his hair, "What about you Dr. Finch? Are you in loooove?"

He propped himself up on one elbow and looked at her seriously, "Yes I am. I love you and I'm not afraid to say it so that's how I know I love you. After my wife died, I kept trying to convince myself that I was in love with the women I dated but just afraid to commit. The truth is, I just hadn't found the right one."

She touched his face, "I love you too Pete. Thank you for not letting me run anymore."

Their lips met once again and the night became their eternity……