Love Confessed (17 page)

              He looks down at me with a smirk and replies “I was hoping you would say that. I got us room for the night.”

“A little presumptuous of you, isn’t it sir?” I ask, slurring my words just the tiniest of bit. I’m a little drunk and a lot in love.

“I prefer to think of it as optimistic. Come on let’s get out of here.” He grabs my hand, pulling us off the dance floor and through the crowd. Before we reach the door I’m stopped by Emily.

“Leah, I’m really sorry I didn’t say anything about dad. I thought it would be a nice surprise.” She says giving me her “oops” face. I’m just drunk enough that I don’t want to bother with it tonight. Being the people pleaser that I am, I would normally just sigh and give in to her, pretend that my feelings aren’t as hurt as they are. But when we walk up to her I feel Steve’s hand hold my waist a little bit more firmly. I feel him stand a little bit more closely behind me. He doesn’t have to say anything – I can already see the protective look on his face and it gives me the push I need to say what I need to say.

“I’m not discussing this with
you
tonight. You have betrayed me too many times little sis and I have nothing left to say to you. So good night.” With that I leave, Steve never leaving my side. As soon as the elevator doors start to close, I can’t help but remember the first time we were together as I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him. He fusses with my dress a little but then his hands find the bottom and he pulls my skirt up as he grabs my waist and hoists me up so I can wrap my legs around him.

He pushes me up against the wall of the elevator and kisses me fervently. His lips move from mine to my neck where he places soft nibbles. He kisses me down to the top of my dress, where he plants soft kisses all along the tops of my breasts and all I can think of is him kissing lower. Kissing deeper. Kissing stronger. The elevator door pings open and he doesn’t set me down but he holds me up with my legs around his waist, arms around his neck, kissing him passionately as he walks us down the hall. I’m completely oblivious to the fact that there are other people in the hall until a passerby whistles a cat call as we’re almost to our room and I’m just drunk enough to pull back and wink at him and give him a thumbs up which of course Steve notices and he laughs at me.

“Key. Front pocket.” Steve breathes out, broken and urgently.

I reach my right hand into his front pocket for the key but wow. The key is not what I find. Hmmm. I raise my eyebrow at him and grab his rigid length more firmly and feel it twitch in my hand.

“So this is why all the girls want to go to prom with the captain of the football team?” I ask?

“Oh yeah. I’ve got mad skills, babe. You’ve got no idea.”

Before I know how we got there, he’s laying me down on the bed. He’s firm and rough with a touch of urgency and it’s something I haven’t felt from him before. Not even that first night. It’s almost like this is his way of telling me that he can protect me, of soothing me after my stand-off with my sister. I have to have him. Now. I can’t even string together a coherent thought. We’ve always had such a good rhythm, felt so smooth together, but tonight it’s in the very best way. He pulls me up to where I’m sitting on his lap, straddling him and he tries to get me out of my dress.

“Oh for fucks sake, how do I get this thing off? How partial are you to this dress?” he leans back and looks up at me. Is he seriously asking me this now?! I lean down and suck on his neck.

“I’m not…” I breathe out and apparently that’s all the permission he needs to rip my dress off, and I hear the jeweled straps clatter on the wood floor.  God that was sexy. I’ve never had anybody rip my clothes off. I push him down and he barely gets his pants unzipped before I have him in my mouth.

“God Leah, that feels so good.” He says on an exhale as he pushes himself deeper in my mouth. He grabs my hair by the base of the bun and pushes me down to where I am completely full of him; this makes me want him more. I moan as I lick the tip of him then slide him in and out of my mouth down while he’s guiding me back and forth, controlling my movement. This Steve, this high school quarterback Steve is different. He’s less reined in. He’s always been assertive but this is not assertive. It’s more than that. He’s in charge, he wants to take control of me, to have me please him and doing so pleases me. The more excited he gets the more wet I become until I feel like I’m practically dripping. He pushes me off of him. “Stop. I don’t want to come yet; this is your prom night. I want to take care of you. I want this to be for you.”

“But I want you. I want you in my mouth. I want you inside of me. I want you all over me.”

I’m drunk and desperate and at this point I don’t even mind how transparent I am, how strongly my desire shows.

“Trust me, you’ll want this too.”

Hastily he grabs my waist and tosses me up the bed and I know now without a doubt he is in charge. I don’t even try to pretend like I care because I want him in charge. His hands softly brush up my thighs and then quickly he spreads my legs and his mouth is on me. He licks and sucks and I am completely lost in the rhythm of is tongue.

“Oh God Steve. Don’t stop. Don’t stop.” I moan as my body moves and writhes under his touch. I cry out his name as I come.  Before I even starting coming down from my climax he flips me over and pushes inside me and all of my senses are reignited. He thrusts hard and rough holding on to my waist pulling me with him on each one.

“Fuck Leah. You feel so good.” His quick breaths are arousing; my body starts to tense. “Not yet, wait for me.” He says in a low voice. But I don’t know how much longer I can hold on. His breathing, his movements, his grip on my waist, the way he moans my name is so overwhelming and I come. After a few more thrusts, he comes too. We both collapse on the bed and he rolls us over so that I am snuggled into his nook. I whisper “I love you” then drift off to sleep.

The next morning when I wake up the bed is empty. I glance at the clock and it’s 10:37 in the morning. I jump up immediately. I can’t believe I slept this late. I never sleep this late. Ethan? How did he get to school? Where is Steve? Ugh Leah! How could you be so irresponsible? I grab my dress to put it on but it’s shredded and the memories of last night come flooding back. I sit on the edge of the bed and fall backwards covering my face and smiling to myself. For the first time this morning I register that, one, I don’t have a hangover by some miracle and two, I told Steve I loved him last night. Oh my god I am so embarrassed that I just want to jump out of the window but we’re on the, well I don’t know what floor we’re on but, I’m certain it’s higher than I would like it to be for me to jump.

After ten minutes of trying to find a logical excuse for my words last night I head out to the living room area to find Steve sitting at the table reading the paper with breakfast spread out. When he hears me creep in, he folds the paper down so I can see his smiling face.

“Good Morning Sunshine.” He greets me.

“Good Morning.” I say shyly taking a seat across from him. He neatly folds the paper and sets it down on the table next to his plate. Then he lounges back and stares at me.

“What?” I ask

“Nothing. You look beautiful first thing in the morning.” He says

“I do not. I haven’t seen myself yet but I’m sure I look like a hot mess.”

“Well you don’t see what I see. You look beautiful, thoroughly fucked and something else…” he says tapping a finger on his lips and looking up in wonderment.

Oh my God. He heard me last night. I was really hoping he had fallen asleep already. “Man I was really drunk last night, I can barely remember it. It’s a shame because I’m sure it was a lot of fun. I mean I know it was a lot of fun because I got drunk. The sex was great from what I remember. I feel asleep pretty quickly afterwards. You wore me out there tiger.” I ramble on nervously and he’s just looking at me smiling.

He gets out of his chair and walks over to me. He pulls a small blue box out of his pocket and I know that color. Anybody would know that color. It’s Tiffany’s. I feel my heart start racing and I think I’m going to hyperventilate.

“You’re even more beautiful when you’re nervous.” He say placing the box in my hand and kissing my lips gently. I hold the box with shaking hands and look up at him. I don’t know what to say. I mean I think I will say yes but I just barely told him I loved him and he hasn’t even said it back. Is this his way of telling me? “Open it.” He says nodding at the box. My hands are trembling and when I open it I feel my shoulders slump instantly. I don’t mean for them to but they do. It’s a stunning silver zodiac necklace embellished with the Scorpio symbol. I don’t know why I expected it to be something else; we’ve only been dating for a few months. I smile and look up at him and I hope that he can’t see the disappointment in my face.

“It’s beautiful. Thank you.” I say standing to kiss him. This is my only defense to hide my true reaction.

“Happy Birthday babe. I hope you like it.”

“I love it.” There’s that word again. Oh well I do love it.

*              *              *

                I love Thanksgiving. When I was younger I would spend the whole day in the kitchen with my mom and Grams. My dad and grandpa watched the game while Emily went back and forth from the living room and kitchen. When Steve asked me if I wanted to help him cook Thanksgiving dinner I was both excited and sad. My Grams couldn’t make it to the city and I wasn’t feeling very keen on seeing my sister so she went back home to be with Grams ad I stayed to be with Steve. Today I am meeting Steve’s family, his whole family. Holy crap I think I’m going to be sick. It’s been a long time since I met anyone’s family and from what he’s told me, they’re quite a family. Breathe Leah, you can do this.

When Ethan and I arrive at Steve’s house I let us in and for some reason this has a profound effect on me. I know that I said I loved him and I have been here so many times but it’s not until now, now that I didn’t have to knock, that I realize we are really dating. That it’s like I’m seeing it for the first time. His loft is masculine but cozy and I think it’s a reflection of who he is now and how he grew up. The exposed beams line the ceiling and exposed brick lines the walls. A plush cream rug covers his chestnut hardwood floors. His soft brown leather couch faces the large flat screen TV, while the matching love seat sits in front of the large window that over looks downtown. I look over to the corner bookcase and see the only thing in this room that reminds me that he has a little girl living here too. There on the second shelf up is a small group of children’s books and one of them is pink. It almost looks out of place, except if you know Steve, you know it’s not.

This feeling of being at home is new to me. It’s always felt like Steve’s place, like I was a visitor but today it feels like I’m home. “Steve.” I call out as we enter into the family room. “We’re here. What should I get started on?” I ask rounding the corner to the kitchen. I stop to take in the sight, Steve and Abby kneading pie dough together at the island, flour covering the white and tan speckled granite and dark brown cabinets, for just a split second before the kids are off distracted.

“Hey babe.” He says walking over and kissing me, being extra careful not to get his flour hands on me. I throw my hands around his neck and deepen the kiss not caring about what gets on me. This man is amazing and seeing him with Abby just reaffirms the love I am feeling for him. “Mmmm. I love the taste of your lips. Come help me finish the pumpkin pies.” He says slapping my butt and turning back to the counter where he was working.

I put on my favorite apron that I brought with me that has a cheeky wine saying and get to work. Steve’s family isn’t due for another few hours but just as I put the ham in the oven I hear his mother come in. I’m not even sure why but I’m nervous. When I talked to her on the phone it went really well, but meeting her in person has my palms sweating and heart racing. I wash my hands and walk out to the living room and Steve’s mother immediately embraces me in a hug. It’s so warm and comforting that it brings tears to my eyes making me miss my own mother.

“You’re even prettier in person.” She says pulling back, placing her hands on my face then hugging me again. “So, what can I help with?” she asks me.

“Not today mom.” Steve says before I can answer her. He wraps his arm around her shoulder and guides her to the sofa. “You sit and put your feet up. Relax. Leah and I have this covered.” He hands her the remote and by the look on her face, I can tell she is not used to this.

“We just put the ham in so we have about an hour before we need to finish getting everything ready.” I tell her hoping that it will help her relax knowing there’s really nothing to do right now.

“Then lets talk about you,” she replies.

*              *              *

After dinner Steve’s mom offers to clean the dishes but she looks tired so Steve sends her to bed. Most of the family left shortly after dinner so they wouldn’t get caught in the snow but Steve’s parents and youngest brother Shaw are staying tonight. The Cooper family is an eclectic bunch and I fell in love with each of them right away. Steve’s mom, Netta, was quite possibly the warmest, most inviting woman I’ve ever met. When we got introduced she asked if she could hug me and for some reason, the simple action made me cry. Kenneth reminded me so much of my grandfather that I fell instantly in love with him as well. He was a more subdued but no less warm version of his wife. His hands were rougher than my grandfather’s, his grammar likely not as extensive, but they were undoubtedly two of a kind and likely best friends in some past life.