Little White Lies {Completed}

Chapter Nine

The next few days were busy and Kenzi was suddenly swamped with repairs, between twenty or so phone calls from Ethan every day. He wasn't used to her pushing back, and she had more confidence when she knew he was in another country. She wondered if he knew something was up or was just trying to get his control back.
One rainy morning when they'd been forced to halt filming and go back to the hotel, she was on one such call.
"I miss you, Kenzi."
"Do you? I'll be home in a couple of weeks."
"You know I do. I need you, it's torture not having you here. If you ever left me... I'd rather die than think about it. I would die, I couldn't go on without you. Don't you miss me?"
"I miss the old Ethan who didn't forge job applications and call me a slut. Does that count?"
"Why do you insist on making me so fucking furious? I said you dressed like a teenage slut. You lack the physical stamina to be an actual slut."
"Ask me again why I don't miss you when you make comments like that," Kenzi said softly.
"You just make me so angry!"
"Think about something for me, Ethan. Are you happy? With me, with our relationship? Really?"
"Of course I am,"
"Except when I make you furious,"
"I don't know what, or who, has got in to you while you're away. But we'll get it out of your system when you get back. That's a promise."
"As opposed to a threat?"
"Have I ever hurt you, Kenzi?"
"I feel like that's a trick question. You know you have."
"Not deliberately,"
"Oh of course not. Calling me names and forcing yourself on me when I've asked you not to. Purely accidental."
He sighed loudly and she knew he was about to explode. "I have to go Ethan."
"Don't you dare hang up, we are not finished!"
"Yes, Ethan, we are."
She pushed the button and sat back on the couch. That had felt good. Her heart pounded with adrenaline and her hands shook. Taking her phone and door key, she went down the hall, hoping Jed might be in his room.

She knocked a few times, but guessed he must have been somewhere else. She took her phone out to call him and stopped when it rang and Jeremy's face appeared on the screen. "Hey you," she said. An idea popped in to her head and she stopped at a door halfway between Jed's and her own, knocking lightly.
"Argh, hold on. Someone's at the door. I'll get rid of them and call you back." Kenzi hung up and stifled a laugh as he opened the door.
"Bad time?" she asked. "I can go, if you like. Were you on the phone?"
"Oooh funny. Come in."
She sat down and he offered her a coffee, handing her a mug and sitting next to her.
"Wait, have you already had a few of those? You're shaking."
"No, this is only my second. I'm shaking because I was talking to Ethan."
"He threatened you again didn't- why are you smiling like that?"
"I hung up on him. I told him we were finished and I hung up. I'm sure I'll pay for it later, but it feels fucking good right now!"
He put down his coffee and took hers from her, leaning in and kissing her slowly. With his hand on her neck he probed with his tongue, sucking on her lip and letting her tongue explore his. When he pulled back she looked in to his bright green-blue eyes, a smile spreading across her face. "See I knew I'd pay for it later," she grinned.
"Does this mean you've decided it's over?"
"I'm at about 75%. The rest of the time I still think it's my comfort zone and Ishould just go back. I need to stop speaking to him like that though if I want to get everything out in one piece."
"Why don't I arrange someone to get your stuff while he's at work?"
"I don't think that's fair. I'll do it when I get home. But some help might be a good idea, if I can get everything out while he's at work that would be best."
Jeremy took her hands in hers, she was shaking almost uncontrollably. "You ok?"
"Yeah, it's just. Saying it out loud. Feels weird, and terrifying, and exciting. And terrifying. Mostly terrifying."
"Be excited, Kenzi. And proud, you're stronger and braver than you think."
"It did feel good."
"I'm surprised he hasn't called non-stop since."
"He has. My phone is on silent."
He smiled and kissed her again, pushing her back on the couch so he was almost of top of her. She looked up at him, her blue eyes sparkling, and he was torn. He had promised not to rush her, but she was just so beautiful, and she kept pulling him in. Tentatively he ran a hand down her side, lifting her shirt ever so slightly to expose a strip of skin. She shuddered under him and he felt the goosebumps on her skin, and she kissed him hungrily. Encouraged, he put his hand lightly under her shirt, running his fingertips over the bare skin of her side, stomach and back and feeling her squirm a little under him. He pulled away and looked at her, noticing her not meeting his gaze.
"Do you want me to stop?" he asked softly.
"No, it's just... new." she said.
"Kenzi, look at me. I won't do anything you don't want. One word, one hand, and I'll stop. You know I will. And I won't be mad, I won't be offended. OK?"
Kenzi nodded, almost losing herself in his bright eyes. "Do you want me to stop?" he asked again.
"No," she said, much more firmly. She reached both hands up behind his neck and pulled him down to her, kissing him eagerly. He had to stop from moaning in to her mouth when she slipped a hand under his shirt and ran her fingers down his lower back.