It's Been A Long, Long Time // Steve Rogers

Chapter 10

I hardly slept that night. I only thought about Becca and how to tell her my feelings. I was never good with women. I waited too long to tell Peggy my feelings...and clearly that worked out great. I only ever slept with one woman and that was on the USO tour. I was terrible at talking to Sharon and only ever kissed her once...god I'm hopeless.

But Becca, she kissed me that other night, that has to mean something right. Or will she just say it was a mistake and she was in an emotional state of mind. That had to be it. She missed Bucky, Howard kind of did spring things on her. She was just emotional. That's why she kissed me.

But man, did I want to kiss her again. It's all I've wanted since that moment. To feel her lips pressed to mine. Hear her soft moans leave her lips. I wanted that and more with her. I wanted a life with her. The ancient one was right. Maybe I was never meant to come back and be with Peggy, maybe it was always Rebecca. I finally got up out of my bed and made it my mission to tell Becca exactly how I felt. No more waiting around.

I walked to her house and bravely held my fist up to the door to knock, but suddenly the door opened before I had a chance. She gasped and then her eyes widened, "Grant!" Grant? Why would she call me Grant? I met her gaze before my eyes drifted behind her where what's his face was standing.

That's why. Him. Great going Steve. You lost her. Too late. I cleared my throat and looked down at my shoes. "Um, Riley, I'll see you soon?" She said, looking back at him. "Of course. Have a good day Becca." He kissed her cheek and I shifted out of the way so he could walk past me. "Grant." He cleared his throat. "Riley." I mumbled. Once he was out of sight I looked back at Becca.

"I'm sorry for showing up unannounced..." I mumbled.

"It's all right...would you like to come in?" She asked. "Um, no. It's not important." I mumbled, going to turn away but her gentle hand on my wrist stopped me. "Please come in." I turned around slowly and let her pull me into the apartment. "Coffee?" She asked. "Uh, sure." She smiled and walked into the kitchen and poured me a mug. It was clear she'd already had a cup of coffee with Riley as she topped up her own mug.

"What did you need, Steve?" She asked, sliding the full mug towards me on the table. I took a deep breath and sat down at the table as she stood, leaning against the counter. "I wanted to talk to you. I'm um..." Spit it out, Steve. "I uh, I didn't expect to come here, back to this time, and find you Becca." Her deep brown eyes were locked on me as she listened to me. "It's true, I came back for another woman, but...I realized something. She was never the woman I was supposed to come back for."

"Oh, was it Maddy?" She asked, her voice soft and barely audible. Oh god, why would she think that? Fix it, Steve. I shook my head quickly. "No, uh, Maddy and I decided to remain friends. There was nothing romantic there because I realized I have feelings for someone else..."

"Oh...Who?"

Now or never Steve, just say it. Tell her you like her. What's the worst she can say? Probably that she doesn't feel anything for me but I'll deal with that disappointment when it comes.

"You, Becca. I have feelings for you."

The coffee mug fell from her hands and shattered on the floor. I stood up quickly and grabbed some dishtowels, throwing them on the floor before the coffee got everywhere. Becca stared at me with wide eyes, not saying anything. "Becca..." She went to step forwards but I stopped her abruptly. "Careful Becca! There's glass on the floor." She held onto my arms and looked down. "Oh..."

I easily lifted her and carried her out of the kitchen. I set her down gently in the living room and looked at her. "Please say something..." I whispered.

"Steve...I...I don't..." He eyes met mine again and in a second, her lips were on mine. I held onto her waist tightly as her arms wrapped around my neck. She pulled away and rested her forehead against mine. "I have feelings for you too...but...I was scared you weren't over Peggy." She whispered.

"I'm over Peggy. It's you, Becca. It was no accident that I ran into you in the bar...I was never supposed to be with Peggy." I cupped her cheeks with my hands and kissed her again. "I think I was always supposed to be with you. Because being here, with you, feels right."

Tears fell down her cheeks and I was quick to wipe them away. "I don't want Peggy or any other girl. I want you, Rebecca Barnes." She let herself lean into my arms and kissed me again. It felt right. It felt like home honestly. Her lips were soft as they moved against mine. Her fingertips played with my hair as she melted against me. This was what I wanted. I pulled away this time and looked into her big brown eyes. "I want to take you out. On a date. May I?"

She smiled and nodded quickly, "I'd love to go on a date with you, Steve."

"Good. Because it's all I've been able to think about since you gave me that box of my stuff." I kissed her again and she smiled.

"I guess it's a good thing that Bucky is MIA...because he would kill you." "Oh I know." I laughed, running my hands across her shoulders and down her arms until I was holding her hands. "It would be worth it though." She smiled wide and I couldn't help but kiss her again.

Her eyes widened again and it was then she realized the mess in the kitchen. "Oh my god! The coffee." She pulled away from me and made her way into the kitchen where she started picking up the glass pieces. "Becca, please be careful..." "I'll be fine, Steve." I bent down next to her and helped pick up some glass and toss it in the trash bin. Once she was satisfied with the mess being picked up, she sat back on her heels and looked at me.

"I didn't sleep with Riley."

"What?" I looked at her confused.

"Riley, I didn't sleep with him...if that's why you think he was here the morning." She said again. "You don't have to explain anything to me, Becca. It's not my business." I held out my hand for her and helped her up off the floor. "I know, but I want you to know. I don't want you to think I typically bring men home like that. He only walked me home and I invited him in for a cup of coffee and we were talking and at that point it was too late. So he spent the night on the couch."

"I'd never think anything less of you, Becca." I gave her a small smile as she looked up at me. And I meant that too. She was an independent woman who was beautiful, smart, talented, funny...she didn't owe me any kind of explanation.

But at the same time, I'd be lying if I said that her telling me this didn't make me feel a little bit better. Because it did. It was none of my business of course, as I told her, but just knowing I hadn't lost her to someone else and I wasn't too late was comforting.

"So, this date?" She asked, changing the subject. "Where would you like to go? Dinner? Drinks? Dancing?" I asked her.

"How about Coney Island?" She smiled at me and I rolled my eyes. "You just want to see if I'll throw up on the Cyclone again don't you?" She laughed and her smile easily lit up the room. "Maybe a little. But look at you now! The Cyclone has nothing on Captain America." I playfully glared at her and she gave me the sweetest smile. "Okay fine! Coney Island it is."

A/N: The next chapter will be their date at Coney Island and it's a cute one 🥰