So sorry it took so long to post. I wrote this chapter and then didn't like it and re-wrote it...
Steve came out of his room freshly showered and shaven. He walked down the hall and glanced in Carly's room as he passed. She stood looking out the window, recently showered as well and wearing a white sundress. Her hair laid straight down her back and he just stood there for a minute admiring her.
She looked over her shoulder, feeling another presence and smiled at him, "Hi. Look at you all clean-shaven."
He rubbed his hand over his face, "You like that?"
"Yes, but the other is nice too." She leaned in just a bit and whispered loudly, "I like you any ole' way."
It's not what she said, but the way she said it that about knocked him over. As he walked toward her he was quite positive there wasn't one single thing about her that wasn't sexy as hell in his opinion. He wanted to drag her back to his bed and peel off the sundress she was wearing and unveil what he knew without a doubt was a spectacular work of art. How could it not be, every visible aspect of her he was seeing at the moment was stunning. He could only imagine how good she would feel; that soft skin and being able to look down on that face. He wasn't so sure she was ready for that yet though. She had only been officially separated for a couple of hours and here he was selfishly contemplating his seduction to get her into his bed. His only justification was that he'd been waiting for her for sixteen years and the fact that she was like a walking goddess didn't help either; but he loved her and resolved to the fact that he wanted what was best for her, his needs could wait.
He brushed the hair off her shoulder, examining her neck where Allan had grabbed her. "Are you ok?"
"What? Oh yea," she shrugged that off; "I'm fine." She looked back outside as the rain gently splattered on the window. "Jules told me what happened yesterday after Allan hit me in the water."
He didn't want to think about that again. He didn't want to relive it or talk about it. "It's over, it all turned out well."
"Jules said that you were so focused that at one point Allan tried to interfere and you knocked him out."
He vaguely remembered that part. He was focused, but not because it was just a crucial situation, because it was a crucial situation that involved her life and just thinking about how close he came to losing her wasn't something he wanted to dwell on. He didn't reply but just nodded.
"Are you ok?" she put her hand on his stomach recognizing an uneasiness that suddenly overcame him.
"Sure."
"Thank you for what you did yesterday."
He stepped back, "I don't want to talk about it. You don't have to thank me either."
She was surprised by his response, "You saved my life Steve."
He rubbed his hand over the back of neck, "Carly please, just drop it ok?"
She knew it was just as Jules had said. It had hurt him more than he was letting on. At one point she told her that he had even called her Karen. She didn't want to push him and just let it go as he asked. "Ok, I'm sorry." She turned back to the window looking down on the grass where she had lied dying, until he breathed life back into her. She didn't care what he said; she was thankful and would repay him. Action spoke louder than words anyway, she thought.
"Hey," he kissed her on the temple, "I'm sorry. I don't mean to be a jerk about it."
"You're not," she assured him, changing the subject. "I'm hungry. I bet you're starving." She watched his whole attitude lighten up in the blink of an eye.
"I am. Whatever Jules is cooking down there it smells really good."
"She's a good cook." She scrunched up her nose, "me, not so much."
"Can you boil water?"
She laughed, "Yes! Yes I can."
"Then you can make spaghetti, mac and cheese, the list goes on."
She gripped his bicep, "I'm sorry but you don't look like you live on spaghetti and mac and cheese."
"No," he confessed, "but I'm not a picky eater, and nowhere has it been stated that you have to cook for me either."
She raised a finger, "I got it," she smiled up at him, "I'll just wear an apron with nothing underneath and you won't even notice what you're eating."
He laughed, "Hell, if you did that every night you could feed me peanut butter and jelly and I'd think it was filet mignon."
She started to laugh and then suddenly started coughing, putting her hands over her mouth.
He put a hand on her back, trying to rub it away. "You ok?"
She coughed and nodded at the same time as it slowly went away. She took in deep breaths, gasping a couple more times before it vanished completely.
"Is that the first time that's happened?" he asked concerned.
"Yes."
"What about feeling dizzy?" he questioned her, putting a hand on her forehead to feel for a temperature.
"No nothing like that." She took in a deep breath, showing him she was fine. "It's all good."
The concern on his face was touching. It made her feel good until she realized if he was this concerned over a cough then how must he have really felt when he was giving her CPR. She never knew that type of love before but she was certain that's what it was. She didn't thank him by words knowing he wouldn't like it so she laid her head on his shoulder and hugged him.
He could have stayed in this position the rest of the day and been perfectly content. "I mean it when I say I don't expect for you to cook for me."
"What do you expect?"
He hadn't thought about that question, mainly because he didn't expect anything. He just wanted her there. He pulled back so he could see her. "I expect you to be happy and if for some reason you're not I want to know about it."
"We discussed this trip for about ten seconds and now it's happening. I really do want to come with you, but I don't want to interrupt your life."
He thought that was amusing. "It's too late for that, Carly." He put a hand on his chest, "I like what's happening. I'm anticipating the changes. I'll make room for you everywhere in my life and it won't be a burden."
Those were the sweetest words she'd ever heard. It sealed the deal for her. "I can't wait to see your house."
"I think you'll like it."
"Is it close to the ocean?"
He smiled, "That's my backyard."
Her eyes got big; "Really?" she was getting more and more excited. "How many bedrooms does it have?"
"Two."
"Hmm, is that a guest bedroom or an office?"
"It's a guest bedroom." He had a feeling he knew where she was going with this but let her take the reins.
"Is that where I'll stay?" she bent her head, biting her bottom lip slightly embarrassed but still wanting to get it out in the open now rather than standing in the living room of his home.
He squeezed her around the waist, pulling her close, sensing her uneasiness and not able to resist teasing her over it. "You in the guest bedroom? I don't expect you to cook for me, but I do expect sex at least four times a day."
She looked up at him, "Only four times," she whined, knowing he was teasing and returned the fun, "that's hardly worth the trip."
He loved that playful side of her so much, and couldn't deny that it was actually turning him on as well. Just the hint of her being in his bed at home was like an aphrodisiac. He glided his hand down her hair, "You're going to be one surprise after another aren't you?"
"I promise you won't be bored."
"I never have been with you. And as far as the other goes," his expression was nonchalant, "there's no rush. I don't want you to feel that just because you're coming home with me there are expectations, because there's not. Even as beautiful as you are and as tempting as it may be," he glided the back of his hand over her throat, grinning, "I've been trained to resist temptation."
"You think I'm tempting?"
He raised an eyebrow, "Carly Amber Burke, you drip with temptation."
She loved that he used her maiden name. He looked at her as if he wanted to consume her right then. It made her feel sexier than she ever had in her life. He was a gifted kisser that she knew would reflect on the rest of his love-making as well, how could it not, she thought. She was going to Hawaii with him and would potentially be sharing his bed with him. She knew it, and he knew it. It was just getting over that initial first time that was difficult. They had so many obstacles in their way. She wanted to be with him, but Allan probably wasn't even out of town yet, and here she was contemplating on when she could sleep with another man. It wasn't in her nature, and regardless of her terminated situation with Allan, it still made her feel uncomfortable. But he wasn't just another man either, she told herself, it was Steve and even though they had so many years lost between them he still knew her, the real her. She wanted to start her life again and be that person, and being with him made it seem so easy, yet she was scared now that it was all coming together.
He saw it on her probably at the same time it crossed her mind. He didn't know what was concerning her but he could see it. He had always been able to read her, even when no one else could. He sat down on the windowsill, "Spill it."
"What?" she looked at him peculiarly, "Spill what?"
He took her hand, "If this is going to work, you have to be able to trust me and you have to be able to talk to me."
And there it was, she thought, how easy is that? He pulled her down so she was sitting on his leg. She put her arm over his shoulder, looking at him as he put his arms around her waist, showing her it was safe.
"I guess I'm just a little nervous about…" she paused, "I know we joke about it, but…" she paused again.
"Sex?" He finished it for her.
She shook her head and rolled her eyes at his casual way of blurting it out. "Yes."
"Ok, what is it that makes you nervous? Is it me?"
"No!" she quickly replied but then corrected herself. "Well, yes and no."
That answer made him a little nervous. "It's ok. Is it something I did or said? Or maybe something I haven't said or done?"
"No Steve," she wanted him to put that right out of his mind, "I think you're wonderful."
He liked that better.
She was embarrassed talking to him about it. She and Allan never discussed their sex life, and even when they did it was always something she was lacking, it was never something she felt she could bring up. She didn't want to be that way with him.
He didn't want to push her but then he felt if he didn't the subject would be tossed aside, and this was a very big subject that they needed to get out in the open. The sooner she realized she could trust him the better. "Hey, look at me."
She lifted her head and met his eyes. He wasn't annoyed or impatient by her silence, but smiled as if he understood.
"You know me Carly and I know you. We aren't just two people who met on a vacation and decided to start up a relationship. This had been coming together for a long time." His smile faded knowing he had to breach the subject sometime and better sooner than later, he wanted him out of their relationship as soon as possible. "I don't know what kind of communication you had with Allan, but I'm guessing it wasn't too good."
She shook her head, "No it wasn't."
He put a hand on his chest, "I'm not Allan. I don't want you to bring what you had in that relationship into ours. You have to trust me Carly and I know that might take some time, and that's ok, I understand. But you also have to feel that you can talk to me. This will never work if we can't communicate with each other." He hated been that brutal with her, but it was true. He wasn't a mind reader and she had already confessed to him that her silence usually meant she was harboring something.
She knew he was right, she had to get over this insecurity of feeling she'll be criticized or dismissed if it's something he doesn't agree with. He wasn't Allan. He was Steve and as she told herself that she also came to the conclusion that in all the time she'd known him he had never said or done anything to hurt her. She did trust him. "I feel guilty for wanting to be with you. It's not because of Allan." She didn't want him to think that she felt guilty over him, "I mean it Steve. I have no feelings for him. I think it's just my situation."
He smiled, one because she opened up and two because he knew the answer to that. "It's your values Carly. You've always been a traditional girl. I love that about you. You're loyal to yourself regardless, which in turn makes you loyal to others. I know it's not about Allan; it's about you needing time to let yourself heal from that. I'm glad you told me. If it's time that you need then I want you to take it." He gently rubbed her back. "When we're together, Carly, I want you to know its right, with no guilt or no regret, and I especially don't want you to do it just for me. Sex between you and I is going to be different for me too," he squeezed her, "because I am in love with you and I've never said that to anyone before. I don't have any guilt over that, and that's exactly how I want you to feel too." He reached up brushing her hair off her shoulder, "When you're in that place you'll know it, and that's when it will happen."
She wanted to cry. It was everything she needed to hear but never dreamt she would. He gave her permission to be herself with no pressure and no time limit. It was all about her. She'd never had that before. She felt the weight of it slide off her shoulders. He really was good to her. She glided her hand down the side of his face, "Thank you for that."
He put an arm under her legs and stood up, holding her. "Lunch?"
She let out a surprised squeal and then wrapped both arms around his neck. "Oh my, I love it when you put those guns to use. Thank you again."
He looked down as he started walking toward the door, "You can thank me by wearing that dress every day."
"You like this? I got it the other day when I was shopping with Jules."
"It's very pretty." They walked out in the hall.
She whispered in his ear, "Do you want to know a secret?"
He stopped, "Is it naughty?"
She smiled at his wicked grin, "Kind of."
"Tell me."
"When I tried on this dress the other day and looked in the mirror, I was thinking about you and if you would like it."
He set her down just before going down the steps, "You bought that for me?" He couldn't hide his pleasure over that piece of information.
"Yes. So I'm really glad you're impressed by it."
He put his hands on her hips. "The dress is very pretty, but it's the woman wearing it that I'm most impressed by." He gave her a kiss on the lips showing his appreciation.
She put her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly, speaking to him as a friend at the moment and not a lover. "I love you."
"I love you too, Carly." His response was in the same tone. "Now can we can please eat!"
"Oh my God!" Carly practically yelled, pulling her knees up to her chest and scooting closer to Steve on the couch as a clap of thunder shook the house. "It's sounds like it's right over our head."
"Because it is," Craig said. "Look at this lighting out here."
Marissa went up and pulled on his arm, "Come away from the window baby. It's dangerous."
"Nothings going to happen honey," he laughed.
"I don't care. I'm with Carly, it's scary." She snuggled up against him.
He put his arms around her, "I kind of like this whole thunder and lightning thing."
Jules was already sitting on Jack's lap. She wasn't afraid of the storm but was still reeling over what she called 'his ass kicking of Allan.' He went from her husband of twelve years to hero status in her eyes in about ten seconds flat. She just couldn't get over how he jumped in without even hesitating and rescued Carly. It was the sexiest thing he'd done in a long time. She had already dragged him upstairs once for sex after cleaning the wounds on his hand, and could hardly wait until bedtime.
"We could turn the lights out," Jules said, "and have a make out session." No sooner did she get the words out and another clap of thunder shook the windows, and at the same time the lights went out.
"Jules!" Carly yelled, "What did you do?"
Jules sat up, "Nothing!" she laughed, along with everyone else except Carly and Marissa. "That was perfect timing though."
The sun hadn't completely set yet, so the room still had some light.
"We should get a fire going and I think I have some flashlights in the garage." Craig announced. He motioned to Marissa, "Honey help me gather all the decorative candles around the house."
"My stud husband will start a fire." She put her arms around his neck, "caveman."
"I'll get the flashlights," Steve announced, pushing himself off the couch.
"Wait," Carly stood up grabbing his arm, "I'm coming with you." She gripped him tighter as another streak of lighting filled the room. "Here it comes," she moaned, wrapping her arms around him from behind, burying her face in his back as he laughed and tried to walk toward the garage door in the kitchen with her clinging to him.
"You are such a chicken."
"Don't make fun of me," she chuckled at herself, "I've always been afraid of thunder storms."
"I know!" he said over his shoulder. "You and Karen both were. Don't you remember that time you made me come over in the pouring rain because your parents were gone and you two were flipping out."
Carly let go of him as he opened the garage door to use what little sunlight was left. "I forgot about that." She followed him toward Craig's workbench. "You were soaked by the time you got there, but you stayed until my Mom and Dad got home, and then my Dad gave you a ride home didn't he?"
"Yes, that's the first time he and I ever talked. I thought he was so cool."
She leaned against the workbench as he looked through the drawers. "That's when you were dating that one girl, Lori something."
"I was supposed to go to her house that night. She was pissed." He pulled open a drawer and found one. "Here we go." He turned it on to see if it worked. Another clap of thunder roared outside, but neither one noticed too much.
"But you came to rescue Karen and I instead," she smiled tenderly.
He turned the flashlight off, bracing his hands on the workbench on either side of her. "Do you want to know a secret?"
"Is it naughty?" she mimicked him.
"Kind of."
"Then tell me." She was enjoying this game.
He leaned in and whispered it to her, "I only came over that night because of you. When you called and said you needed me," he pulled back so he could see her. "I would have walked ten miles in the rain to get there."
He was full of wonderful surprises. She put a hand on his chest, "Why didn't you ever ask me out?"
He tilted his head, "I did. The Prom."
"So you asked me because you really liked me, not just because I didn't have a date?" His confession made her insides begin to dance with excitement.
"I really wanted to go with you, but I was afraid to ask so I made up that excuse."
"That's why you remembered my dress and the flowers in my hair, because you really did like me." She was seeing their relationship in a whole new light.
He didn't answer but just nodded.
The only thing she felt guilty about at the moment was that she let another man take his place when all along it should have been him. "We missed so much time."
He didn't want to think about what they already missed, he only wanted to focus on what was ahead, and what was happening between them at that moment. He thought about that kiss from earlier and wanted seconds.
He leaned into her as she pulled on his shirt, bringing his lips down to hers. She whimpered softly as he pressed his body into her, making it so much more intimate. She cupped the back of his neck, pulling him in closer as they shifted and he dove into her again. Their tongues danced with each other in the most hypnotic way. He moaned as she took over the motion, clenching a handful of his shirt.
She felt so good that he let the moment get away from him. He gripped her around the waist and lifted her up on the bench, moving between her legs, never once breaking rhythm.
She'd never been kissed like this before. They were in perfect unison as if they had been lovers for years. She wrapped her legs around his waist as his hand moved up her thigh and under her dress. She was practically lying on the workbench when he suddenly broke free from the kiss and rested his head on her shoulder. She could feel his heart pounding along with hers.
He lifted her back up and off the bench, his body still intimately close to her as he smoothed down her dress. "Carly, Carly Carly," he groaned. "I'm not doing very well with that whole resisting temptation thing."
She was still in a daze and still clinging to his shirt, resting her head on his shoulder. "What are we waiting for again?" she panted.
He smiled, gliding his hand down her hair, "You to come to terms with the fact that I'm not here to just lay you back on some table and have my way with you."
She chuckled, "You would never do that." she kissed him on the neck, "unless I asked you too."
He picked up the flashlight and stepped back away from her, "Behave! We are going to follow through with what we talked about upstairs." He pointed a finger at her as she bit her bottom lip and ran her hand down him. "I know that look," he laughed, "you're letting your hormones get the better of you." He stepped back out of her reach.
"Where you going?" she said devilishly. "It's not my hormones that are affecting me. It's you." She followed after him, reaching her hand out for him.
He jumped back laughing as she began to walk faster, "Hey, I'm not that type of guy." He turned and ran for the door as she took off after him.
"Com' on sweetheart," she teased, "don't play hard to get." She caught him as she tried to get in the house, pinning him against the door. She pulled his hand away from the knob, trying to hold it. He turned around and felt weak from laughing so hard at her antics as she crawled up his body, trying to bite his neck.
He tried to block her hands while still holding the flashlight. "This is…" he cracked up, "This is sexual harassment!"
The door suddenly flew open and they both fell on the floor of the kitchen, Steve first with Carly lying on top of him. They looked up at Craig and the others as they stared down at them. Steve held the flashlight up to him. "Here I found this."
Craig pointed toward the ceiling, "You know I have four bedrooms upstairs, there's no need to hide in the garage."
Carly sat up on him. "He was trying to seduce me," she said all innocently, twirling her hair.
"What?!" he grabbed her by the waist, tickling her. "Liar, liar!"
She squirmed off of him trying to get out of his reach. The family room was already lit with candles and a fire that was just beginning to sprout.
Jules jumped back as Carly crawled past her and ran to the couch, jumping on it. She put her hands up in defense, laughing as he came toward her. "I'm sorry!" she begged him, "I won't do it again!" she squealed as he got closer.
He stopped and grinned mischievously, "I see London I see France."
Carly pulled her dress down over her knees as the guys all busted up and Jack gave him a fist bump.
"You are mean boys," Carly snickered.
The room filled with light from the storm and Carly reached up, pulling him down on the couch next to her.
"Oh, I see!" Jack walked away into the kitchen, "You think we'll all just come running when you need us."
Carly looked at Steve and smiled, thinking of his earlier confession. "Only the good ones do."
The lights came back on before everyone went to bed. The storm had moved on with only an occasional flash of lighting and low rumble of thunder in the distance. Craig and Marissa walked together to the bedroom on the first floor as Steve and Carly followed Jack and Jules upstairs.
Jack closed the door to their room that was three doors down. Steve stood at the entrance to his door, leaning against the frame. "Are you going to sleep?" he asked.
Carly shrugged, "I'm not really tired, but I don't want to stay up downstairs watching TV and keep Craig up. I'm bored."
Steve motioned to his room, "You can hang out with me?"
She raised her eyebrows at him, "Really? Am I safe in here after earlier" She walked past him, looking around at his stuff that was lying out.
"You're shameless. I'm keeping the door open just enough to preserve my precious reputation."
She glanced over her shoulder grinning at him. His room was neat and clean. She picked up a bottle of cologne from the dresser and smelled it, recognizing it as the one he was wearing. "I like this." She smelled it once more before putting it back down.
He sat down on the bed, bracing his hands behind him and just watched her explore. She picked up his wallet and turned around, "How much cash do you have?"
"Why? Are you going to rob me?"
"Maybe."
He shrugged, "Go ahead and look. You can have anything over $125."
She gasped as if all excited and opened it. He had two credit cards and an insurance card. She saw the picture of Gracie again, admiring it for a second and then flipped through the bills. "110, 115, 125," she looked at him rolling her eyes, "126." She pulled out the one-dollar bill and stuck it in her bra. "I'm keeping it." She set it back down and saw another wallet and picked that one up. "What's this? You're little black book?"
He chuckled over that and motioned for her to open it.
She ran her fingers over the shiny gold badge with his name and the Hawaii Five-0 logo. She looked over at him. "Do you take this everywhere?"
"Yes. I have to. Just because I'm off duty doesn't mean I stop being Police Officer."
"Hmm." She looked at it again realizing what it really meant and then carefully closed it and set it back down. "Do you have your gun too?"
He leaned over and opened the nightstand drawer, showing her.
She stepped closer and leaned over glancing inside as if it might bite her.
"Does that make you nervous?"
"Should it?" she asked.
"Well, depends on who's holding it."
"Can I hold it?"
"Why?"
She shrugged, "I've never held a gun before."
He scooted over and pulled it out, releasing the clip letting it fall on the bed and then slid back the barrel catching the bullet in the chamber with his hand as it jumped out of the gun. She was impressed that the whole thing happened in about three seconds flat.
"You're fast."
He smiled, "I've held a gun before." He handed it to her with the barrel pointed down. "It's not loaded so you can't hurt anything."
She took it carefully and held it out in front of her, pointing toward the door. "Can I pull the trigger?"
"Sure."
She did and it clicked, which startled her. She dropped it to her side laughing, "Oh my God, for just a split second I thought a bullet was going to come out."
He reached out with his hand, motioning with his fingers to give it back. "Hand it over Annie Oakley."
She put it in his hand and sat down next to him as he re-loaded it and then put it back in the drawer.
"Do I get to explore around in your room too?" he asked.
"If you want." She glanced around, "It's not as neat and clean as yours."
"Navy habit." He kicked his shoes off and scooted back on the bed, leaning against the headboard.
She crawled over his legs and sat on the other side. "What do you want to talk about?"
He shifted so he could see her. "Tell me what you did after high school, up until you met dickhead, and then stop there."
She mirrored his position and began telling him about her first horrible semester at UCLA.
The storm that passed earlier shifted and began to make its way back again. It had lost some of its steam but they still got a flash of lightning every so often. Two hours later they were now lying on the bed and each one had filled the other in on details of the past sixteen years. Steve had even gone as far as telling her stories about when he was in Navy Intelligence and some of the challenges he faced without having to give up too much classified information. She ventured into she and Allan's relationship briefly after he asked, telling him about the pregnancy and the quickie marriage in Vegas. They also enjoyed some memories of their high school days.
Carly curled up with his pillow and turned toward him, her eyes getting heavy. "Can I stay in here? I don't want to sleep in there alone with the lightning."
"Sure." He was glad she asked because he was dreading her going to her room. He also knew her request was really out of fear and not an innuendo for sex. Which was fine too, after their in-depth conversation it just didn't feel right at the moment. He reached behind him and turned out the bedside lamp and then reached over her and turned out the other one. He settled in next to her still wearing his clothes and she still in the white dress. He slid an arm under her as she moved closer, laying her head on his shoulder. It was comfortable and felt familiar even though besides the hospital when she was medicated, it was the first time they had actually slept together. They both fell asleep in minutes, perfectly content.
Carly opened her eyes and saw a flash of light and then heard a gentle rumble of thunder far off in the distance. She looked up at Steve who breathed softly. She laid her head back down on him and noticed the door open. She was so sleepy she couldn't remember if he closed it or not. Another flash partially lit up the room and she saw a figure standing in the doorway. She sat up and grabbed Steve's arm, screaming out his name, recognizing the figure as Allan.