Designing Abigail Kilton's Dress - #1 The Wedding Dress

Chapter 36 - A Big Fight Long Overdue

Marcus Burrows walked up to her slowly. His hands were on her shoulders, on her neck, on her face, lifting her jaw until she was looking into his eyes.

The sun was at its highest and the sea was gently teasing the shore as the colourful wind turned about them. His hazel eyes were the same. His hands on her were just as tender. She wasn't wrong six years ago and she wasn't wrong now.

"You didn't have to leave," she cried, no longer afraid of him seeing her tears. "I would have understood."

Marcus swallowed. His thumbs wiped her tears away but more fell. "Understood what?" he croaked.

"That you didn't want me. That you wouldn't have changed for me. You didn't have to run away."

Marcus's expression darkened. Her words clearly offended him but Kayleigh didn't care. She was tired of hurting on her own. He needed to know how badly he hurt her. Maybe then he would understand why she couldn't afford to let him mess with her again. Maybe then he'd leave her alone.

"I didn't run away because I didn't want to be with you," he protested. She felt his grip grow tighter around her face but there was no stopping her now.

"You don't have to protect me," she said forcing a smile on her lips. "You never had to protect me. Leaving the way you did, as though I meant nothing... years of friendship completely forgotten... that's what hurt the most!"

"What the hell are you talking about, Kay Kay? You meant everything!" His hands fell to her shoulders and held her tight but Kayleigh shook herself free.

"I've known you forever, Marcus. You went through girls like I went through packets of M&Ms. I had no reason to believe I was special. I knew that-"

"You are special! You weren't just another girl for me. You were the green M&M."

"You said it was a mistake! You said you were sorry you kissed me! That was literally the last thing you said to me!"

"It was a mistake! I should never have kissed you-"

"Fine! I get it! But you didn't have to run away from me like a coward."

"Are you kidding me, right now?" Marcus yelled running his hand down his face. "Walking away from you, staying away from you ripped me to shreds!"

"Then why did you go?" Kay fired back, standing her ground even though he was a hair's breadth away from her. "Why did you leave? And don't you dare give me that crap about London being a good opportunity for you. You may have had to leave Southwold but you didn't have to leave me!"

Marcus grabbed her hand, which was now poking him in the chest somewhat aggressively, and held it over his heart. Kayleigh felt it beating through his shirt, wild and frantic. Its anger matched hers.

"Yes, I did!" he countered, his eyes fiery and bulging. "Yes, I did because being around you was too dangerous! I was terrified!"

"Of what?"

"You were sixteen, Kayleigh! And I was twenty! And I couldn't stay away from you!"

"I didn't want you to stay away from me!" she whined, trying to release her wrist from his strong grip. But instead of letting go, Marcus took hold of her other wrist and pulled her closer.

"It doesn't matter what you wanted! I was the adult and what I did was wrong. I could have gone to prison! If your brother found out, he would have killed me!"

"Oh, don't be so dramatic!"

"Dramatic? Kayleigh, look behind you!" He turned her around to face the huts again. "Look! It was right there. Right there behind that blue hut. The third one. Remember?"

"Yes!" she snapped, still fighting to break free of him.

"Do you? It was magical! It was bloody life-changing! I felt the Earth stop and turn the other way round," he said in her ear.

Kayleigh stopped moving. There was no better way to describe it. Only she thought she was the only one who felt it because it was her first kiss. And because it was with him. She had fancied him in secret for so long, that when he actually kissed her, she thought it must have been a dream.

"Was it the same for you?"

"Yes," she whispered.

"I know. I could feel it. Now, tell me... What do you think would have happened if Nicholson hadn't walked by and seen us that night? Do you think I would have stopped?"

Kayleigh's heart was in her throat. She had stopped crying but she thought she was going to be sick. She remembered it all too well. "You wouldn't have done anything I didn't want you to."

"Would you have stopped me?"

"No."

"Exactly."

"Marcus..."

Marcus let go of her and took a step back. When she turned to face him, he was unrecognisable. His breathing was heavy and his eyes were lowered. His shoulders were slumped down and he held none of the arrogance she automatically associated with him.

"I messed up. I should have been honest with you. I should have told you how I felt and why I had to go. I should have called you every day and told you all about London. You deserved to know how lonely I was. How terrible I felt. I should have come back on your eighteenth birthday and sent Mason packing, regardless of how good he was to you. I don't even care how well he treated you. You were mine. You knew it. I knew it. Heck, he probably knew it too.

"But I couldn't stay, Kay Kay. I couldn't stay and just look at you, watching every guy in town drool over you. Half of the fights I got into were because of you. Everyone thought I was so protective because you were Leon's baby sister. In reality, I just couldn't leave you alone. Not when I knew how you tasted. How good you felt in my arms. It may have been a childish crush for you, but I was in love with you. I'm still in love with you. And I don't think I'll ever stop being in love with you, Kayleigh Moore."