CHAPTER 13

Emily's POV

Before Ali could continue to tell me anything I realized that she just said she loved me and I knew I'd be lying to myself if that wasn't the best thing I've heard in my life, especially since I never, not even for a second, stopped loving her. Those three words were the only things I registered as my body gravitated towards her, and for the first time in months, I didn't resist. I have always been drawn to her, the pull she had on me was palpable, especially now. I did something that I had wanted to do since that night at the Grove, since she came back home, since then very first moment I laid my eyes on her all those years ago; I walked up, cradled her face with my hands, ignored the brief shock in her eyes, and I kissed her.

I wanted to kiss her slow and passionate, kiss her with patience, like I always imagined, but I needed rough right now, I needed to feel her against me and kiss her hard, letting her feel all the emotions I had been hiding for weeks. I felt deprived of a part of me when I wasn't with her, yet no matter how close I drew her body to mine, it was never enough, so I kissed her forcefully, slipping my tongue inside her mouth to wrestle with hers…I'd show her later how slow I could go too, but not now. I could tell she was still surprised by the way her lips were stiff against mine, and then she kissed me back, kissed me slow and soft. God, Ali was the best kisser; she was the only person I knew that could make me shiver yet set my whole body on fire wherever we made contact. She could tell that our pacing was off so she let me take the lead. I' m sure it was the first time she had ever let anyone dictate what she was going to do, and knowing that set my body into a wild frenzy. I knew if I kept at this pace, we'd end up doing something that I wasn't sure if she wanted. She may have said she loved me, but there's still a lot she has to prove before I go there with her, no matter how badly I wanted it right now, so before I could dare myself any further, I pulled away and told her that I loved her too, and I never stopped loving her. And the smile the spread across her face, to the twinkle that gleamed in her eyes told me she hoped as much.

Alison's POV

After Emily told me she loved me, I pecked her quickly on the lips "Hold on," I gasped, "I'll be right back," and ran up to my room, with a stupid grin on my face, ignoring the protests from Emily down below. I grabbed my duffel bag, shoved one of Emily's 'surprises' in it and ran quickly down the stairs before she had time follow me, she couldn't see what I was doing.

I came back to the kitchen, dropped the bag on the floor and met Emily's eyes. She had her arms crossed over her chest and her hip was out on one side. She had the most quizzical look on her face and I couldn't help but let out a small laugh because she looked absolutely adorable.

A hurt look crossed her face briefly before it evolved into an accusation, I hope she didn't think I was laughing at her like I did those many years ago, as I thought this, I pang of guilt washed over me, but she stopped my dwelling.

"Care to tell what was that about and why are you laughing?" The smile that formed told me she wasn't thinking what I was, but that didn't stop the way the regret was starting to eat at me again. I didn't want her to see all my million thoughts running through my mind at 100 miles per hour so half lied, "nothing, I just had to get my bag, I have a surprise for you."

Her eyes shock towards the bag and before I knew it she was lunging her body at it, long arms outstretched before I could snatch it and put it behind my back.

"Uh uh Em," I said while shaking my head vigorously, "Nope, you have to wait."

She scrunched her eyebrows, narrowed her eyes at me before changing her whole expression to open her eyes wide like a hurt puppy and pouted her lips. God, she was so irresistible, my hands itched to touch her again, and I licked my lips to get a small taste of the chap stick she always wore. It was cherry, just like in Katy Perry's song. I smirked as the song played in my head.

I wanted to tell her my plans, but I was afraid she wouldn't go along with them, so it's best that I only give her enough to keep guessing.

Emily's POV

Ali pecked me on the lips then turned around and ran up to her room, telling me to hold on because she'd be back. Her absence from my body made me feel cold and empty. The emptiness reminded me of when she had left, but I shook my head of those thoughts, she had kissed me and laughed in a light, playful and loving manner, it wasn't the laugh she used to turn away my feelings, but that didn't stop the small prickle in my heart.

She returned with a duffel bag that I lounged for after she didn't give me the answer I wanted, but she was faster than me and snatched it before I could get my hands on it. What could she have had in there? What 'surprise' was she hiding from me?

"Ali? What's in the bag, tell me."

"No Em, just wait, you'll see okay?"

I would? When? So I asked, "When exactly will I see my 'surprise'?"

She smiled at my impatience and my heartbeat involuntarily quickened. Her smile lit up the room and I couldn't help but smile sheepishly back, as I looked at my feet.

She let the bag fall with a soft thud behind her before closing the distance between us and kissed me and said with her lips brushing against mine, "this is the Emily I missed," I almost didn't know what she was referring to until I felt her fingers brush lightly over my cheeks and their crimson color that showed through my tan skin. But she didn't stop there; her hands closed around my face near my jaw and tilted my head to the side, allowing full access to my neck. She worked her way up to my earlobe, dragging her tongue just behind it and whispered seductively, "God, you don't know how much I've missed you Em." She stayed there and ran her hands up and down my arms, leaving trails of fire in their wake, "I've missed your body, I missed touching it, to see your reaction," Jesus, this girl was making me crazy. She moved her lips down my jaw to my neck, sucking passionately at my skin, then biting down. To anyone else, it would've been painful but from Ali, all I felt was pure pleasure, so much so I let a moan slip. She continued to suck and bite, licking the tender spots afterwards to soothe the temporary pain.

I was helpless as I stood there, back pressed against the counter…but when had she pushed me there? It didn't matter, because I never wanted her to stop. My breathing turned heavy and irregular and just as I was about to ignore any logical thoughts in my head and take her right there in her kitchen, she pulled away.

Alison's POV

The moan Emily released while I kissed her sent heat rushing down to my core, if she did that again, I would never let her leave this house. And as tempting as it was to let Emily take us there, I wanted it to be perfect, not against my kitchen counter, so I took all the willpower my body still had and pulled away from her.

The look of frustration and confusion on Em's face told me she was as into that as I was.

"Come on," I said, grabbing my bag in one hand and hers in another, "let's go."

"Go? Go where? Ali…"

"Shh, just come on Em, do you want to see your surprise or not?"

She sighed in defeat…and curiosity, "Okay."

I smiled as I coaxed her out of my house and towards my car.