Chapter 7
Alex smiled. That's all she could do. She was finally where she belonged, wrapped up in his arms. He smiled back. "So, how about that ride?"
"What?" He looked very confused. An expression she wasn't used to seeing on his face, but she found it to be very endearing.
"The Mustang! How about we take that drive now?"
"We've already missed our reservation in the city"
"Let me guess. Italian. You were gonna' butter me up with wine and cheese, weren't you?"
Bobby chuckled. "Am I really that easy to read?"
"I'm gonna' go with 'no' on that one." She couldn't stop the snark, not even now.
"So where do you want to go?" he asked.
"I don't really care. I just want to go"
"You want to drive don't you?" He removed his arm from around her back and pulled the keys out of his pocket. He held them at eye level with Alex.
Alex chewed at her lower lip. She really, really wanted to drive. In one rapid and smooth move, she grabbed the keys and started walking backwards toward the Mustang. "You coming?" she teased. When Bobby made a quick move toward her she squealed, yes squealed (Alex doesn't squeal) and took off for the car. She was in the driver's seat and revving the engine before Bobby even made it to the passenger door. He slid in next to her. "Please be careful Alex, I love her."
"I'm not gonna' hurt her" she said as she caressed the dashboard. I'm just gonna' let her run for a while." With that, she squealed the tires and left a cloud of smoke in their wake.
At 2 a.m., they pulled back in front of Alex's house. She was positively giddy. "Oh Bobby, I can't remember the last time I felt this free and relaxed." She turned to face him. "Thank you" she said with clear sincerity.
Bobby turned his body toward her, anxious to get a better look at this side of Alex. A side he never knew existed. He traced the outline of her jaw. So this is what Alex looked like in love. How could it be that he was the source of this happiness, her happiness? He silently thanked God for the blessing, and he vowed to do his best not to blow it.
Alex broke the silence. "It's late. Do you want to come inside?" The giddiness was gone, replaced by the low growl of a proposition.
"Yes, I do. But I really better not"
"You've slept in my bed before and remained a perfectly frustrating gentleman."
"Things are different now. I know what it's like to kiss you." He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "And to hold you." He slid his lips down to her cheek. "Not because you need to be held after a nightmare." He kissed her chin. "But because you want to be held." He kissed her nose. "And because I want you." He moved back down to lightly brush her lips with his.
For a long moment, she was unable to move, content to simply be. She sat with her eyes closed, her head tilted back against the seat, and her lips ever so slightly parted. Her eyes fluttered open. She looked at Bobby and then down to his hands. She took one in her own and started to play with his fingers, lacing hers in and out of his. "I have something to confess." Her expression was serious and Bobby started to tense. "When you stayed with me… after Jo Gage... I started to look forward to waking up with you. The few times I woke before you, I would watch you sleep, and I would pretend that the circumstances were different. I would pretend that you were there, not out of guilt or worry, but because you wanted to be there… because you belonged there. Some of the times that I called you to my room, I hadn't really had a nightmare. I just wanted to feel you next to me. I slept better with you there… beside me."
His lips curled into a genuine smile full of shyness from the compliment and confidence from her confession. He leaned over and kissed her again, a soft yet passionate kiss that left Alex wanting more. "I sleep better with you in my arms too."
"Then you'll stay." It wasn't a question, and he had no choice but to agree.
TBC
Thanks for reading. This chapter was short and rather "fluffy", but don't you think these two deserve a little fluff?