Chapter 33- Sweetness

"How'd we get stuck with this?" Andrew complained, rolling his paint roller in the bin of paint, and covering the wall with another swipe of navy blue.

Two weeks had passed since Matt and Chris' visit. During those two weeks, many things had happened. Casie and Leila found the perfect two story townhouse, not far from Cara and Patrick. It was only a two bedroom, but it had everything they needed: a living room, a dining room, two and a half baths, and a nice little porch. Everyone had helped out in furnishing it. Casie's mother sent up her old white sectional sofa; it was almost spotless thanks to her mother's obsession of anything happening to it. Along with the sofa, she sent up her old dining room table, with mixed matched chairs. Leila's parents' had sent up matching rustless, green patio furniture, along with a full sized sleigh bed for Leila's new room. Cara had an old bedroom suit that was full sized that she had lent to Casie. Some where along the lines, they acquired an entertainment center with a decent sized TV. On the other side of the group, was chaotic wedding planning. Leila and Casie were spreading their time thin with the house planning and being apart of Cara's wedding. Cara's cousin, Tyler, had come up to help plan the wedding, seeing as she was her Maid of Honor. Patrick was trying to be apart of the wedding as mush as he could, but Cara found it easier to do it without him. They had decided that since the wedding was going to be on January first, then they should have a New Year's wedding. It was going to be simple the elegant. So the boys, including Andy, Joe and Patrick, found themselves painting the rooms of Leila and Casie's new house.

"Because we are complete suckers for doing whatever our ladies ask," Pete said, wiping sweat from his brow and stretching his back out.

"No, I mean, why aren't they helping us?" Andrew grumbled on.

"Well," Patrick said, "do you really want to be stuck with wedding plans all day?"

"Good point man," Joe added.

"And," Pete said, thoughtfully, "Leila said that this was latex paint, and that she was allergic to it."

All four boys stopped and looked at Pete incredulously. Pete just went back to painting, without noticing anything.

"Man, think about it. If Leila was allergic to latex, wouldn't she have told you sooner?" Andy asked.

Pete froze as the wheels in head clicked into place.

Joe laughed. "Yeah, you would have found out even if she hadn't told you by now."

"That little…" Pete murmured, eyes bugged. "She lied to me."

The guys all burst out in laughter. Pete couldn't seem to make his feet move.

"Don't worry about that part… Concentrate on revenge!" Andrew said through his laughter.

Pete's head snapped to his brother. "Revenge?" A smile forming on his lips.

oo

"Oh my gosh!" Cara exclaimed. "We are never going to get this done!"

"Now, Cara," Leila soothed, placating her. "We have been through this many times, and we will get this done."

Casie nodded. "Let us handle the Bride's Maids outfits and you and Tyler just concentrate on the bride. And then, we'll meet in the middle… with the decorations."

The wedding was only two weeks away, and the bride was freaking out. In actuality, there really was nothing to worry about. The decorations for the ceremony and reception were pretty much covered; just needed to tie a few loose ends. Leila and Casie had taken charge of the Maid's dresses and the Groom's men's outfits, after being given instructions from Cara. Cara and Tyler's job seemed the hardest; the bride and groom.

Their friends were wearing all black as apart of the wedding party. Off the shoulder black dresses, flowing down to their knees, and black stilettos. The man wearing going to wear a complete black ensemble; from a black jacket to black pants, socks, shirts, vests, and shoes. The girls were each carrying just one white rose, and the men would have a white rose pinned to their jackets.

Cara had an idea about her and Patrick. They were going to be dressed in complete white. Patrick was going to be the opposite of his brother's. All white. The only thing that was going to differ was that Patrick was wearing on of his signature hats, in white. Not many people knew about Cara's dress. She was keeping a military secret. Not even Leila and Casie knew much about it.

A few hours later, the girls were heading home. Cara took Tyler back to her house, while Leila and Casie went to their own house. Cara bid them farewell, thanking them profusely for their help. As Leila drove down the roads that were becoming more familiar to her, Casie thought of something.

"Do you think that the boys will be done?"

"I don't know, but I hope Pete won't be too mad at me when he finds out," Leila said, trying to suppress a smile.

"Why on earth would he be mad at you?" Casie asked, trying to imagine Pete getting mad at her.

"I kind of lied to him," Leila said, letting a small giggle but not saying anything else.

Leila pulled into their driveway, and Pete's car was parked out front. They walked up the walk with their new dresses, and opened the door. The girls gasped. The whole house was finished. The only thing that was out of place was the plastic covers in the furniture to avoid the wet paint.

"Do you think upstairs is done too?" Casie asked, in awe.

They slowed climbed the stairs and saw the completed walls. Casie went left as Leila went right.

"Hey," a deep voice said. Leila jumped and looked at Pete lounged across her bed. Her eyes roamed over the soft pink walls, a small smile on her face.

"You finished everything?" she whispered.

"Yeah."

"Why didn't Andrew stay?"

"He said he had work to do, and that he was sorry he didn't get to see Casie before he left."

"Yeah," Pete said, as if there was any other plausible answer. Leila hung up her dress and climbed on the bed with Pete, curling up next to him. She immediately noticed when he became unresponsive as stone.

"Are you tired?" she asked, running her hand down his chest, slipping under his shirt. "I was sort of hoping you were staying the night."

"Not tonight. I'm really tired." Pete stretched, yawning. Leila moved back to look up at him. He never turned her down.

"Tired? I didn't know you were ever that tired."

"Well, I am tonight. And I don't want you to get hurt."

She raised her eyebrows. "Hurt?"

"Yeah, I don't want you to have an allergic reaction. Latex you know?"

"Oh." She sighed.

Pete arched a brow. "Yeah, oh."

"Pete," Leila began, jutting her bottom lip out, making quiver, "I'm sorry I said that. I'm not allergic to latex. I'm not allergic to anything, actually." She buried her face in his neck when he said nothing. "I'm sorry."

"I know." Pete said softly.

Leila smiled, placing her lips on the base of his neck. She was shocked when he pulled away from her, and hopped off the bed. She sat up slowly, watching Pete.

"Where are you going? I said I was sorry."

"You did, but that doesn't mean I'm forgiving you that easily." Pete said with a smirk. He walked to her side of the bed, and pulled her off.

With a turn, he pressed her back up against her dresser. His lips found her jaw, as her hands found his back. Leila was trying to push Pete back to the bed, when he loosened her grip on him.

"I'll call you tomorrow," he whispered, kissing her lips with passion.

"What?" Leila all but gasped.

"This is your punishment," he said softly, while his lips explored her throat.

Leila clamped her arms around his back, but Pete easily slipped out of her grip. Before she knew what was going on, Pete was out the door with a soft "I love you", and out of the house. Leila was breathless against her dresser. Casie came in shortly after, wondering why Pete had left.

"He said he was tired."

Casie did a double take. "Tired?"

"He knew I had lied to him earlier and he said that this was my punishment. He kissed me like he normally does, and got my heart racing and left. The little shit," Leila giggled roughly.

Casie laughed with her for while. "Did he say anything about Andrew?" Leila told her what Pete had said, and Casie just sighed.

"I'm sorry Casie. But Pete said that this was his busiest time in the season," Leila said, trying to comfort her friend.

"I know, I know. All of this I know. But it doesn't make dealing with it any easier." Casie left the room, snapping the door shut behind her.

oo

"Are you guys ready?" Leila called from the bottom steps of Pete's house.

It was week before Christmas and things were starting to wind down in the wedding department. Casie and Leila had brought all the guys tuxedos over for the final fit. Cara had Patrick out getting his fit, and making final adjustments to things. Now, Leila, Casie and Danielle stood in the living room of Pete's mother's house, waiting on them to come down from their rooms, in their tuxes.

Joe was the first to descend from the stairs. He walked straight to Danielle, spinning in place.

"What do you think?" he asked Danielle, waggling his eyebrows.

She giggled. "Handsome, but not like our wedding day."

"I'll give you that."

Andy came down next, and small gasp came from Heather.

"You like then? But I think the pants are a little too long," Andy commented, bending back to try and see the cuff of the pants.

"Here, let me pin them for you."

Leila stood impatient by the mouth of the stairwell. She had been on edge since the night Pete left her room. He had not stepped foot in her room, or let her near his since. And she found herself more agitated than normal.

"Peter Lewis Kingston Wentz III! If you don't come down here right now, then I am coming up to get you!" she hollered from the living room.

"Same for you Andrew!" Casie added.

"Alright! Alright! We're coming!" Pete yelled back. A string of giggles came from behind them.

Once all the boys were fitted and measured, they all gathered in the living room. Pete still kept his no-contact with Leila, and sat in between Danielle and Joe; Joe didn't like this very much.

"So, what are everyone's Christmas plans?" Pete said conversationally.

Joe and Danielle claimed that they were flying home to Danielle's home in Missouri. Andy and Heather were staying in Chicago, with Andy's family.

"Andrew and I are going to fly home to Alabama to be with my parent's," Casie answered for Andrew.

"Well, that's if I can get away," Andrew added behind Casie.

"What?" Casie replied, shocked.

"I'm going to try and get away, but I can't promise anything."

"But it's Christmas! You can't possibly work on Christmas!" Casie exclaimed.

"I'm going to try," was all Andrew said.

"Then Leila and I can fly back with you two. We're spending the Christmas with her family. My idea though. Leila has put off me meeting her entire family for too long. I have yet to meet all of them."

Leila grimaced and Casie laughed. Pete noticed the look on her face and grinned. "Surely, they aren't that bad."

Leila just grimaced again, and Casie laughed harder. When Casie left with Andrew, and the rest left to do their own thing, Leila hung back with Pete.

"Leila, you came with Casie. How are you getting home?" Pete asked curiously.

Leila raised both eyebrows. "I was hoping I was staying for a while; the paint fumes are getting to me."

"Lei, baby, it's been a week. There shouldn't be any paint fumes left."

She kept her brows up. "Would you really have me walk all the way home… In Chicago?"

Pete knew he was caught. Sighing, he led the way upstairs. Following quietly behind him, she smiled softly to herself. Pete held the door open for her. She was a little shocked to see the beds were still pushed together. Pete noticed what had her attention.

"It's much roomier with them pushed together," he shrugged.

He stood with a five foot space between them. He looked into her eyes, and melted. He closed the space in two strides, wrapping his arms around her. Leila sighed as soon as his arms were around her.

"But a lot more lonely with you gone." His voice was barely above a whisper, and it was rough and husky.

-note from the author-

Sooo sorry its been forever since I posted! The next chapter will be called "I'll be home for Christmas"!