Loving Kate (Acceptance #3) (10 page)

“So you haven’t had sex yet?” Connor asks, mystified.

“No, we haven’t even hit second base yet. But it’s actually nice this way. We’re getting to know each other and I’m hoping it will be a long-term thing. Enough about me, gossip queen, what the hell is going on with you and Jess?”

“Oh, that.” Connor puts his head down and scrapes at his plate. “We had a long talk and right now we’re just going to take each day as it comes. Slow down on the relationship and take more of a friends with benefits approach for the time being.”

What the hell?
 

Jake looks like he already knew this but Daniel and I both live with him and had no clue.

“What happened?” Daniel asks, beating me to the question.

“Nothing
happened
necessarily. We just realized while what we have is fun and we
do
love each other, maybe we’re not exactly
in
love with each other. There are sparks but neither of us is ready for that whole long-term thing you guys have going on.”

“Damn. I thought you guys were perfect for each other,” I tell him honestly.

“I’m not saying we
aren’t.
Things aren’t bad, and we aren’t dating other people, but we just acknowledged that neither of us is ready for a serious commitment right now. Who knows what will happen in the future. We’re comfortable with this so we’ll see what happens.”

“It’s because of us, isn’t it?” Daniel asks thoughtfully.

“In a roundabout way, maybe. We saw how intense things were with the three of you. We’re just not ready for that intensity yet. It’s not a bad thing. You three have this like intense love for each other and for Kate. You’re settling down, Daniel. You’ve got a kid, and Jess and I are over here like
‘Do you want to go clubbing and get drunk? Or do you want to just fuck?’
We’re just not ready to be so serious yet, but it’s a good thing. We’re still young and when one of us feels ready, we’ve agreed to revisit the conversation.”

“Well, you guys have to do what you need to do but don’t let Jess push you away when things get deeper, Connor. She’s messed up from her mom’s example of love. If she pushes you away, you need to push back.” I need to talk to Kate and see if she knows what’s really going on with Jess. Then I need to talk to Jess.

“So noted.”

“So what else is on tap for the day? I’ve got to go over wedding reception plans with April. I love her but I can’t wait until all this planning is over with.”

“I’m taking my mom to lunch and going out on a date with Misty tonight,” I tell them, ignoring the leering looks they’re giving me.

“I’m spending the night with Lucas so Vanessa and Chad can have some alone time,” Daniel replies with a smile.

“Well, I’m meeting Jess for some midday nookie, so I need to get out of here. See you guys later,” Connor says as he drops enough cash on the table to cover us all and the tip. Typical Connor.

Jake leaves next so April doesn’t have his head on a platter for being late to their meeting. Daniel and I linger over our coffee.

“So Hawaii, huh?” I know the smirk on my face is annoying the fuck out of him but he ignores it.

“Yeah, Hawaii. Do you think she’ll like it?”

He’s nervous, but he kind of deserves to be. I don’t let him suffer for long, though. I’m too happy that he’s finally pulled his head out of his ass.

“Yes, she’ll love it. So when are you giving her the ring back?”

He shakes his head. “I don’t know if I ever will. We’ll have to see how it goes. She’s not getting that ring unless she’s ready to marry me. I can’t go through all this again, Mike. I can’t be her second choice.”

Hold up.

“What do you mean second choice? She chose
you
.”

“No… she chose
you
and
you
told her she loved me.”

That’s ludicrous and hopefully my laughter proves that to him but instead, he just looks even more irritated.

“Alright, first of all, Marc is what kept you apart, not me. And secondly, if you really think that’s what happened, why don’t you ask her if you can see her journal from the day your mom and Linda spent with her?”

Jess told me about Kate’s journal and how she had picked Daniel before I ever called her out on it. I’ll admit it stung a bit, but not too badly.

“What journal?” he asks, interested.

“Look, I’m not even supposed to know this, but Jess said Kate wrote her choice down before she ever even slept with Marc. The day she caught you and Vanessa, or she thought she did, was the day she was going to tell you she chose you.”

A myriad of emotional responses flash across his features but in the end, he looks relieved.
Finally.

“Excuse me for being a dick, but I have to ask. Are the two of you really over?”

It’s about time he asks this question. I’ve been waiting for it for the past two months.

“In every romantic way there is, yes. We’ll always be best friends and love each other in a way that seems more than friendly, but that comes with our history. You’ll have to accept that. But really, I’m okay with this. For the first time ever, I’m looking at a future with someone other than Kate and it feels right. It’s the way things should be. I think we’re all with the right people, and it’s about time. Lucas needs some playmates, sooner rather than later.”

“I’ve been a complete and utter ass, haven’t I?”

“No more of an ass than how I acted and that’s how I lost her. At least it didn’t take you three and a half years to come to your senses.”

That elicits a full blown laugh from him and for the first time in months, Daniel looks like a load has been lifted off his chest. Things can only get better from here.

I’m on my way to pick up Misty for our date tonight, happy she was able to get someone to stay with her grandma. I’d really like to meet her but so far, Misty has kept me away. Since I’m picking her up at her house tonight, instead of the diner, maybe I’ll finally get to meet her. Misty lives on a cute little tree lined street just around the corner from the diner. Her house is grey with a white fence around it; it’s small, but probably perfect for the two of them. As I pull into the driveway, she comes running out of the house.
What is she, fifteen trying to get away? Why doesn’t she ever let me come and get her?

Before I can even get out to greet her, she flings open the door and hops in. So I do what any self-respecting man would do in this situation and turn off the car and get out. She absolutely flips out.

“What are you doing, Mike? Get back in the car.”

“I’m going to go introduce myself to your grandma. It’s not right to be dating you and picking you up at home and not meet her, Misty.”

“Mike, stop!” she yells as I advance toward the door.

Why is she freaking out so bad?

She runs up behind me and pulls me backward until I spin and face her. There’s fear in her eyes which is not what I expected.

“Misty, what’s wrong? Why can’t I meet your grandma? What are you afraid of?”

Tears are running down her face now.

“Mike,
please.
I’ll tell you in the car, but can we please just go?”

She’s pleading with me and between that, the tears, and the downright fear on her face I succumb and get back in the car. After we’re on the road for a while and she seems to have calmed down, I figure it’s okay to ask her some questions.

“Misty, are you in danger somehow staying there? You can stay with me if you need a place to crash.”

“What?” she gasps. “Oh God, no! I’m not in danger at all. I’m sorry, Mike. It’s just…my grandma is a bit old fashioned. She doesn’t really like the idea of me dating, and after last time when you and I got so close and then you disappeared, well, let’s just say she’s not your biggest fan and I haven’t exactly told her we’ve reconciled yet.”

“Oh.” And other than that I’m not sure how to respond. She’s twenty three years old; she should be able to do whatever she wants.

“Mike, you have to understand. She raised me and gave me a home when I had no one. She’s not well and I know she doesn’t have much time left, I just don’t want to upset her until I’m sure that this time will be different.”

My hands grip the steering wheel tightly and my foot is heavier on the gas. When I see 60 mph on the speedometer, I ease up on the pedal. What she says makes sense but it still makes me mad. It’s been two months already and that’s exactly what I tell her.

“Misty, it’s been two months. How long are you going to wait?”

She sighs in frustration as I turn into Connor’s driveway. Everyone is out tonight so I ordered dinner in, hoping to give her a nice, relaxing evening. She works so hard and she’s always so tense when I’m around. Maybe it’s me; maybe this isn’t going as smoothly as I thought it was.

She’s still quiet when I get out of the car and walk around to open the door for her. Once she’s out of the car, she pulls me into a hug and wraps her arms around my neck, pulling me down until my lips meet hers. She places a tender kiss on my lips and then opens to me. Our tongues meet tentatively at first and then dance with a frantic passion like they did that night two years ago. She whimpers and my dick goes rock hard. I pull her closer so she’s fully aware how much she turns me on and she whimpers some more.

“Mike,” she whispers breathlessly.

“Yeah, baby?”

“Inside now, please.”

Her lips are back on mine and she wraps her legs around my waist. I carry her inside, never breaking the kiss. Once we’re in the house, I lay her down on the couch and position myself over her. Her hands cup my face and our foreheads are touching, the scent of cotton candy enveloping us both.

“Listen to me, please. We’ve been talking for two months but we’ve only officially been dating for a week. I don’t even know if we’re exclusive or…”

My hands grasp both of hers and I hold them up over her head by her wrists. My possessive side is out in full force tonight.

“There are
no
ifs WE.ARE.EXCLUSIVE.”

Desire dances in her eyes and I take her mouth in mine. My tongue probes her mouth, dueling with hers in a very erotic game of foreplay. When I bite her tongue, she responds exactly how I hoped, grinding into me with reckless abandon.

After a few minutes, I slow the pace down and gently make love to her mouth with mine. She hasn’t had sex in two years and we’re not going to have sex tonight. Although I would absolutely
love
to get her off. Once we’re sitting up, we turn and face each other. God she’s so fucking beautiful with her hair messed up and her cheeks flushed with her desire for me.

“Misty, you’re obviously still worried about me and although I don’t like it, I get it. We’re going to take this slow. The past two months have been eye opening. Not only have I realized and admitted how much I missed you, but I’ve also realized the amount of feelings I had for you that I never even admitted to myself were there.”

“Really?” she asks in a hopeful tone, allowing herself to smile.

“Really. I care for you, a lot, and I’m not going to disappear on you again. I promise, not ever. I’m in this for as long as you’ll have me.”

“Mike, I want you forever if we get that long. But there are things you don’t know, things that happened after you left. Once you know, you’re going to hate me and I can’t stand to lose you again.”

She’s crying now and I hate that she’s so sad.

“Misty, listen to me. I’m the king of fucking up, so whenever you’re ready to talk about it, I’ll be here to listen. I won’t judge you. I can’t. Not with my past.”

“You say that now, but…”

I stop her with a soft kiss. “But nothing. Even if I get mad, I promise I won’t disappear. I wouldn’t do that to you again. You’ve got this huge heart, Misty, and you’ve given me a second chance. I’m not going to screw that up.”

She blinks back her tears. “I’m scared.”

“I know, baby, but it’s going to be okay.”

Shaking her head, she clarifies, “I’m already falling in love with you again.”

My heart races and the blood rushes in my ears as relief floods through me in waves.

“That’s a really good thing because I skipped the falling part and have been hoping you’d catch up. I’m in love with you, Misty. I think a part of me has been for a long time. I just had to admit it to myself.”

“Really?” she asks, her voice catching, filled with emotion.

“Really,” I say, nodding my head as I pull her closer to me. Her skirt hikes up and I catch a glimpse of her black lace panties. I fucking
love
lingerie but I love taking it off even more. Gently, I remove her top as I lay her back down on the couch. Her breathing increases and she slightly tugs on her bottom lip as I unzip her skirt.

Fucking beautiful.
 

“Oh, baby, you are
so
fucking gorgeous.”

She immediately blushes and closes her eyes. My fingers trace a line up her thighs and her body trembles under mine.

“Mike,” she says my name like a whispered prayer and my dick gets harder immediately. My hands explore her body as she continues to tremble in pleasure. As I trail kisses from her neck to her breasts, her moans turn into pleas.