I am glad the last chapter was so well received. I shared with the "real" Lauren and Matty that I was writing a story and using them for inspiration. They were thrilled, especially Lauren, she actually reviewed. Not that she was able to read the story, but when she found out that other people were and they could leave messages....well, she isn't one to be left out. You should check it out...it's priceless...
Kelsi pulled back from Ryan slowly, her blue eyes still closed, disbelief coursing through her veins. Had she actually just kissed him? Was that what that was? Because she had been kissed before, and what she had just felt, was way beyond any mere kiss she had experienced.
Ryan opened his eyes, and had to actually work to stifle the laugh that threatened to erupt. Kelsi was sitting there, eyes closed, with the most bemused expression on her face. She looked as if he could push her right over with a gentle tap of his finger.
"Kels...are you alright?" Ryan asked softly.
Kelsi opened her eyes, blinking them rapidly as she worked to assess the situation.
"You kissed me."
The words tumbled from her mouth in a blunt rush, before she even really took the time to think about what she was saying. God, why did she always do that...couldn't she just once think before she spoke. Of course he kissed her...obviously...what an asinine thing to say. Kelsi couldn't help but wish she could come up with some witty remark, instead of painfully stating the obvious. Her inner rambling abuse was cut short by Ryan's answer.
Ryan thought Kelsi was adorable. He loved how her thoughts automatically verbalized themselves. That was one of his most favorite things about her...her innocent and honest responses. Ryan quickly brought himself back to the present, wasting no time in responding to Kelsi's previous statement.
"I am going to be kissing you quite often Kels."
"You are?" Kelsi's eyes widened, taking up a huge portion of her face. The question came out in a whisper, as her skin tone deepened to a becoming pink.
"Oh yes." Ryan said, as he buried his hands in her curls, drawing her mouth closer to his own. "Right now in fact."
"But we just did...I mean...um, before...we...you know...k-kissed...before...Oh God." Kelsi forgot all about appearances as she started to take in deep calming breaths.
"Kelsi?" Ryan said, his face so close she could see the varying shades of blue and gray in his eyes.
"Yes Ryan." She managed to gasp out.
"Shhhhh." He whispered.
And then he kissed her...again...and again....still kissing. Kelsi felt like she had reached heaven. Seriously, she couldn't imagine a moment feeling more like what she imagined heaven must feel like. Ryan's lips on hers, moving in perfect accord was unlike anything she had ever experienced...had ever thought of experiencing. There was such a feeling of harmony and rightness. They just...fit.
Ryan was the one that pulled back this time, gasping for breath. He had never felt this way before. It was as if thousands of little electric currents were all charged and running through each and every vein. His body and mind were so in touch with hers, as if they were the same unit. Ryan had heard the term "chemistry" uttered more times than he could count. But until this moment, he didn't know what it meant.
Kelsi could only assume she and Ryan were feeling pretty close, if not identical responses. All of these feelings and emotions...they were actually quite scary. Not in a "I need to run away" sense. Lord knows, she had already done enough of that. More in a "you are the missing piece" sense. And in all honesty, that scared the hell out of Kelsi.
"This is scary." Kelsi said softly, her arms still around Ryan, her head nestled against his strong chest.
"I know." Ryan agreed.
"I'm not running though." Kelsi reassured.
Ryan gently lifted Kelsi's head off his chest, bringing her gaze to his.
"Neither am I." He said meaningfully.
Kelsi's lips trembled slightly, as a wave of comfort flowed through her at Ryan's words.
"Then I guess we'll just have to get used to it...all of these feelings." She said with a light smile.
"I guess we will." Ryan said, placing a soft kiss upon her forehead and letting his lips rest there while he look in the vanilla scent of her shampoo.
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That's how Martha found them, wrapped around one another in a desperate embrace. She couldn't hear what they were saying. And she really didn't want to, whatever it was, it was private, between the two of them alone. Martha could feel the wetness trailing down her cheeks, she let it go unheeded. She had waited for such a long time for this. Ryan and Kelsi were two of her best friends. It had been so hard to watch them suffering, and knowing the only remedy was one another. She had also known this wasn't something she could fix for them. They had to do it on their own. Martha couldn't stop the smirk that contested that last thought. Okay, so maybe she may have made some necessary pushes. Like making sure "Mary Poppins" was moving to Chicago and was sure to be played in the theater where Kelsi worked. Martha liked to think she just set up the situation though, all of the work was accomplished by the couple presently lost in their own little world.
She really hated to interrupt them. But she knew if she didn't do it, strangers would be the ones to break up the private party. Knowing Kelsi, she would much rather be embarrassed in front of Martha as opposed to co-workers. With this thought firmly in mind, she gave the door frame a light knock. Martha didn't even attempt to hide her smile, when Ryan and Kelsi quickly turned their heads in her direction, both of them wearing equally guilty expressions.
"It's okay, it's just me." Martha stated softly. "No one will ever know you two weren't actually working on the musical down here."
"Thanks Mar." Kelsi said, wishing she wasn't feeling the reliable heat rushing towards her face. It was only Martha, her best friend. One would think she could at least refrain from blushing while in the company of her close friend....no such luck.
"Just wanted to let you know that rehearsal is getting ready to start. I figured it was better for me to find you than some random person." Martha explained.
"Thanks Martha, we both really appreciate that." Ryan mentioned.
"Sooooo?" Martha started.
Ryan and Kelsi both looked at their friend expectantly, knowing she was dying to know what was going on and all specifics involved.
"So?" Ryan questioned back.
Kelsi was a lot more lenient on her friend. After gathering her music together, she walked towards her friend, a pretty blush still very evident on her cheeks.
"I'll tell you everything later tonight." Kelsi whispered, hoping only Martha heard her quiet admission.
"I can still hear you." Ryan said simply.
Kelsi gave her friend a slightly panicked expression, before instantly being put at ease by Ryan's strong arm around her waist.
"Come on Kels, let's head upstairs." Ryan said, placing a lingering kiss to the small girl's temple.
"You certainly will be telling me everything tonight." Martha interjected, loving the affectionate play she was witnessing between her two friends.
Her comment was met instantly by Ryan's laughter and Kelsi's heightened blush.
Martha couldn't help but feel like things were exactly how they were supposed to be.
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Later that evening Kelsi found herself sitting around a dinner table with Jason, Martha and Ryan. As she looked around the confines of the table, her steady gaze taking in her friends and the animated conversation they were currently absorbed in, Kelsi could not seem to shake the feeling of unusual. And not pertaining to Jason and Martha, it wasn't a differing occurrence for her to find herself sitting down to dinner at their house. Whenever she was in New York, she stayed with them. Not that she found herself in New York often, she tended to steer clear due to the fact that Ryan happened to also reside there.
Which brought her present situation full circle. She was having a cozy dinner with not just Jason and Martha, but Ryan too. Kelsi couldn't stop herself from stealing glancing at her blond companion. This was the sort of setting she had always pictured and dreamed about with Ryan, an intimate dinner with friends. And she had given up on it, deemed it an impossibility...until now. Because now...at this very moment, it was happening. Kelsi shook her head slightly as she blinked her blue bespectacled eyes somewhat rapidly, not that she was currently letting herself live it. She was too wrapped up in the actuality of it all. A huge sparkling smile fell across her features as she watched Ryan, Martha and Jason debate about....well, actually, she wasn't even sure what they were presently debating. And frankly, she didn't even care. The only thing Kelsi could coherently wrap her mind around was that she was here...with Ryan, and that his hand was currently under the table wrapped around her own. Right now, at that exact moment, Kelsi's life was perfect.
Taking a break from his current debate over the importance of theater verses motion pictures, Ryan let his gaze rest upon Kelsi. He attempted to stifle a grin when he recognized the bemused expression on the petite woman's face. Kelsi had seemed to be wearing that same exact expression for most of the day. And Ryan couldn't fault her that, because it matched his mood perfectly. Never in his wildest imaginings, had Ryan ever pictured his life feeling this right. Hell, he didn't even know this feeling existed. It was as if euphoria had been gift wrapped and delivered right to his door. His hand naturally tightened around Kelsi's as this thought entered his mind, bringing her bewildered gaze up to his. God, she was beautiful. Her eyes were like endless pools of sapphire, her curls a wild riot of texture and her skin...oh, those blushes. His eyes smiled into hers as he witnessed the bloom of one of those said blushes. It was almost inconceivable to Ryan that he had not noticed all of these little eccentricities regarding Kelsi before. They were so apparent, right before his eyes really. Why hadn't he seen them? A gentle breath escaped Ryan as he realized maybe he wasn't supposed to. Maybe, just maybe now was their time.
Martha and Jason shared a knowing look as they watched the wordless conversation going on between their two friends. Maybe it wasn't as much a conversation per see, as it was a reveling in one another. Because that seemed to explain precisely what was occurring. Kelsi and Ryan were so wrapped up in each other, they were pretty much oblivious to everything else going on around them.
"We could probably just keep talking right now and they wouldn't even notice." Jason softly observed to his wife, verbally sharing her internal thoughts.
"They are so wrapped up in one another, it's almost as if they are in their own personal little bubble." Martha whispered under her breath.
Jason took in what Martha said, letting his brown eyes travel over her familiar features.
"I can definitely relate to that." He said gently, love completely evident in his expression.
Martha surprisingly turned towards her husband. They had been together for a while now, sometimes it was easy to get caught up in the repetition of it all. And then...then her husband would say something like that, and she would fall in love with him to an even deeper capacity.
"I love you Jase." Martha said softly, letting her hand travel up his stubbly cheek.
"I know you do." He whispered playfully, earning a soft pat on his shoulder from his wife. "Oh, did I mention that I love you too? Because I do, more than anything."
"Would you two like us to leave you alone?" Ryan interjected, interrupting the two just as they were leaning in for a kiss.
Now it was Martha's turn to blush, as she realized she and Jason were practically making a sequel to the little story Ryan and Kelsi had been previously putting on. She took a calming breath, as she shared in the laughter currently circling around the table.
"No, you can stay." Martha stated simply. "As long as you don't mind passing the egg rolls this way?" She countered.
And just like that, the two couples easily fell right back into the dinner date routine, as they passed second helpings of delivered Chinese food around the table.
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Kelsi couldn't seem to stop looking at her hand, it was currently being held by Ryan's, their fingers intertwined to such a degree it was impossible to tell where the limbs began and ended. It had been a magical night, almost dreamlike. To think, just that morning she had woken up to just an ordinary day. And now, it was ending in the most extraordinary way. She was with Ryan. Kelsi paused for a moment, as she let that thought fester a bit. Well, she thought she was with Ryan, they had kissed and admitted they had feelings for one another...and they had kissed. Kelsi tried to remember what she was previously thinking about, as thoughts of their kisses filled her mind. As far as Kelsi was concerned, they were together, as in a couple. She wasn't the type to just randomly kiss people and then have nothing come of it. It wasn't like she was some sort of kissing bandit. But was Ryan? All of the sudden Kelsi felt a panic enter her body as she quietly contemplated how Ryan was viewing their newfound relationship...or if he was viewing it as anything at all. Kelsi stole a glance at the man in question, and her eyes met his. His simple look seemed to peer right into her soul, She was grateful for the welcoming dusk as she felt yet another blush grace her cheeks.
Ryan stared at Kelsi, in all honesty, he felt like he could just keep staring. For the first time since stepping foot in Chicago, Ryan didn't feel the cold. He felt excitement, rejuvenation and joyful...pretty much the antitheses of cold. Despite the wonderful mood, Ryan could tell Kelsi was bothered by something. She still seemed happy, but there was something there, lying under the surface. Knowing Kelsi, she would probably just ignore whatever was bothering her. Worried that it may concern him, Ryan broached the subject.
"Kels, is everything okay?" Ryan asked, as he continued the steady pace towards the train.
Staggered by Ryan's intuition, Kelsi came to a complete stop, jolting Ryan in the process.
"Wh-what makes you think that?" Kelsi asked, literally wincing at her response. Here Ryan had just opened the perfect window of opportunity for Kelsi to share her questions regarding their status and she had completely chickened out. If you could even call it that. Generally a person had to give themselves enough time to actually think about the question before chickening out. Kelsi had not even considered, she just answered before thinking. Kelsi was briefly aware that Ryan was talking to her, she just couldn't seem to turn the volume down on her mind enough to hear him. Damn her blasted inner rambling...sometimes it was so inconvenient.
"Kels?" Ryan started, pausing again to question the small composer. "Kels?" Ryan tried, waving his gloved hand in front of her face, attempting to get her attention.
That finally offered Kelsi the necessary distraction.
"Were you saying something?" She asked, flustered.
Ryan could not even attempt to hide the great belly laugh that encompassed his body.
"God, I missed you. Every single thing about you. From the way your eyes grow two times their normal size when you are surprised to the way you can have complete conversations in your mind." Ryan said sweetly, placing a chaste kiss upon Kelsi's nose.
A tell-tale blush continued to ride Kelsi's features as she smiled shyly at Ryan.
"I missed you too Ry." Kelsi began, quickly bringing herself back to topic. "Now, what were you saying before?"
"I was just wondering if you were alright? You seemed...worried or confused for a moment there." Ryan said, repeating what he was trying to convey before.
Kelsi looked down at the ice covered sidewalk, suddenly becoming very interested in the cracks visible through the transparent sheen of frozen moisture. It was true, she was worrying. Kelsi just wasn't certain she wanted to share her worries with Ryan. The day had been lovely, she didn't want to do or say anything that could chance ruining it.
"You aren't going to ruin the day Kels...you can speak your mind with me. I know we haven't been close for a while, but I would hope you would know you can still share your thoughts freely with me." Ryan said softly, watching Kelsi as she continued to stare at the ground.
Kelsi's head came up rapidly at Ryan's comment. How did he do that? How could he manage to know exactly what she was thinking without her even uttering a word. Kelsi's glove covered hands came to rest on her narrow hips as she studied him. She couldn't mask the giggle that erupted from her lungs as she shook her head at Ryan, staring in wonder.
"So, that hasn't changed." Kelsi stated simply, letting the comment hang in the wind, waiting to be caught.
"What hasn't changed?" Ryan asked, curious. Kelsi's mood had changed so quickly, as if someone had flipped a switch. She went from shy and guarded to laughing and open.
"Your ability to read my mind." Kelsi said in a half-joking manner.
"Ah-ha...so I was right. You are worried over something and you were scared to share for fear of disrupting the mood we have created?" Ryan surmised, taking Kelsi's arm to place in the crook of his, as he continued to walk them towards the train platform.
"True." Kelsi supplied.
Ryan patiently waited, knowing Kelsi was sure to fill him in at any moment. He continued to wait for another block, guessing she was attempting to gather her thoughts together. As they neared the train platform and she still held her silence, Ryan decided to steal a glance at the woman by his side. And she looked....fine, like she hadn't a care in the world. Ryan shook his head slightly, as he attempted to understand exactly what was going on here. Honestly, women, sometimes he felt there were more differences between them aside from basic gender specifics.
"Well?" Ryan asked Kelsi expectantly, as they headed up the platform stairs. "Are you going to tell me what's on your mind?"
Kelsi knew she was getting to him a little, and truth be told, she kind of liked teasing him. Served him right for being able to read her mind. How was she expected to save any thoughts for herself, when he was so keen on working his sixth sense?
"I plan on telling you, as soon as we are sitting on the train...be patient." Kelsi supplied easily.
"Fair enough." Ryan agreed. "You do know, I am walking you to your apartment?"
Kelsi turned to look at Ryan in exasperation, silenced from offering any returning comment by the rushing train. She waited until they were firmly secure in their seats before turning to Ryan.
"That's ridiculous. Your stop is two before mine. What are you going to do, drop me off and then take the train back in the direction we just came from?" She asked, her lips parted slightly as she awaited his answer.
"That is exactly what I plan on doing." Ryan stated.
Kelsi started to say something and was firmly silenced with a kiss. She felt the immediate heat, not from the pumping warming system in the train, but from Ryan's ready lips. She let her lips linger on Ryan's a moment, before remembering the point she was trying to make. She started to speak again, and was promptly kissed...again. This time Ryan let his lips wander to her cheek and temple. Kelsi's breath started to come out in sporadic bursts, as Ryan bestowed light kisses comparable to butterfly wings all over her face.
"I know what you're doing." Kelsi said weakly.
"And what's that?" Ryan asked, his own breath faltering.
"You are trying to distract me." Kelsi responded.
"Is it working?" Ryan questioned, his lips coming to rest softly against her lips.
"Oh....yes." She said breathlessly, before letting her lips get taken in a mind-blowing kiss.
Ryan pulled away slowly, a bit surprised he had lost himself so thoroughly in the kiss. He had started it as a means of distracting Kelsi from her adamant need to walk herself home, he should have known it would have worked as well on him as it did on her. He lightly kissed Kelsi's silky brunette curls, as he tucked the small girl's head into his shoulder, letting her rest there for a moment while they awaited their stop.
Kelsi had never wished for her train ride to last longer...until now. While the night...and day for that matter, had been fabulous, she was sorry to see the wonderful time come to an end. As the train skidded to a halting stop, Kelsi and Ryan followed the other waiting passengers off the train. They walked in silence for a while, simply enjoying the way their hands fit together. That is, until Ryan thought it was time to broach an earlier subject.
"Will you please tell me what brought the worry into your eyes before?" He asked honestly.
Kelsi thought of just letting it go for the moment, but she knew the thought would sit there, in the back of her mind, probably keeping her from sleep later that same night. And so because of this, she answered him.
"What are we?" Kelsi asked, wishing she could have worded the question in a more sophisticated manner, yet not knowing how exactly to go about doing so.
Ryan was confused, he didn't really know what Kelsi was referring to.
"What do you mean?" He asked, still walking, though his head was turned to study her expression.
Kelsi bit her lip lightly as she thought about how to explain herself. She really thought she had been pretty blunt about it.
"You know?" She started, sparing a glance at Ryan and being met with open confusion. "Okay, obviously you don't know." She mumbled to herself, clearing her voice before trying again. "Are we...together...as in...a couple....wh-who are m-more than...friends?" Whew, it was out. Kelsi hoped that had come out a little more smoothly than she thought it sounded. Knowing her luck, probably not.
Ryan burst into immediate laughter, as he finally understood Kelsi's worry and bashfulness. God, she was utterly adorable and delectable.
"That's what all of your nerves were about love? You wanted to know whether or not we were a couple?" Ryan asked, stopping in front of Kelsi's door to stare down into her wide blue eyes.
He had referred to her as "love". Please say she had not just imagined that, because God would not be that cruel. Unless her ears were deceiving her, Ryan Evans had just called her "love". Dear Lord, life was heavenly, sweet and all things good.
Ryan kept waiting for Kelsi to answer, all he was getting was her staring at him, her mouth hanging open and her eyes bright with...awe?
"You called me "love"?" Kelsi said without thinking. Instantly recognizing what she had just said, her small hand swung up and covered her parted lips.
Ryan smiled gently at Kelsi, as he took in her expression. She was...priceless.
"I did call you that. I do believe that is the sort of thing most gentlemen do." Ryan stated calmly, as he proceeded to take Kelsi's glasses off.
"They do?" Kelsi responded, before making a grab for her glasses. "What are you doing?" She asked in a confused manner.
Ryan was able to win the little tug-of-war and free Kelsi's glasses from her face.
"I am getting ready to kiss my girlfriend." Ryan said softly, as his mouth came closer and closer by the second.
"Oh." Kelsi began, dazedly, before registering just what Ryan had said. "Oh."
"Oh." Ryan teased back.
And then Ryan proceeded to kiss her goodnight, the first of many goodnight kisses he would be giving his girlfriend.
Aw, aw , aw...mushy gushy goodness. It's funny, because as I was writing this I realized I am so not used to writing happy Ryan and Kelsi this early on in a story...with pretty much no obstacles in sight. Quite interesting, and...I liked it. Unfortunately, a big obstacle is coming...not for another chapter or so though. Ah, the love of foreshadowing.
Thanks for reading :-) Love,
Jen