Destiny Rules

Part 14

"Any plans for the holidays?" Stevie asked, making Lindsey laugh. She frowned, wondering how what she said was so funny.

"That's what you want to talk about?" He emphasized, leaning against the chair with his side, his arm placed itself around the back of hers. 

"It's what friends ask each other, no?" Stevie shrugged, leaving Lindsey unsure if she was actually interested or if she just wanted to discuss anything else besides the two of them flirting with each other the whole night.

 "Huh, well-" Lindsey cleared his throat, he looked around the now mostly empty place before his eyes focused on Stevie again. "Haven't really thought about it. Maybe some time with my family, nothing too exciting. You?"

"Same. I mean, nothing exciting, but, uh..." She trailed off, looking down at her clasped hands in her lap. "No family time. Just, you know, I'm so busy."

"Right." Lindsey played along, nodding his head. It certainly wasn't because of how ashamed she was of her addiction to drugs, excessive alcohol use and a string of boyfriends. It had been a while since the last time Lindsey was around Stevie's parents, but he was pretty sure they couldn't have been pleased or supportive of the turn her life had taken. "I'm sure Jimmy will take you out to dinner at some expensive restaurant."

Stevie silently questioned, who was that a dig at, her or Jimmy. "Probably." A weak shrug of her shoulders. 

Lindsey didn't like where the conversation was going. He enjoyed their playful evening together and finally having Stevie all to himself, he didn't particularly want to upset her and ruin the night. 

"Wanna dance?" 

Stevie stared at him, eyebrow raised. She started laughing, shaking her head. "You don't dance."

"Yeah, well..." Lindsey scanned the crowd once more. "We're basically the only people here, except for a few wasted gentlemen over there." He tipped his head in one direction. "I seriously doubt they're going to realize how bad I am and laugh at me."

"This is not very-" Stevie thought hard, but couldn't come up with a better word other than... "Dancy music."

"Wow, some poet you are!" Lindsey joked, making her laugh louder. "Come on." Lindsey got up and held out his hand.

In all the years she'd known him, Stevie could count how many times they'd danced together on one hand. Too good of an opportunity to pass. She took his hand and stood up on her feet, allowing him to lead her to the dancefloor, which really was just an open space in the bar.

Their hands still joined, Stevie lay her other one on Lindsey's shoulder, while his arm went around her waist as Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton came through the speakers. They swayed to the music slowly and Stevie could hardly believe this was actually happening. Their eyes were locked, worried that his heart was going to beat out of his chest, Lindsey opened his mouth, deciding to disrupt the silence between them.

"Do you think the bartender is sending us a message?" Lindsey asked. "It is quite late in the evening."

"Shut up." Stevie replied, closing what little space there was separating them, she rested her head on his chest. 

Lindsey gulped, all of a sudden reminded of how well they fit together. He didn't fight back, when she let go of him, though, yet again sure that he'd upset her. However, Stevie brought her arms up and circled them around his neck, lifting her head up to look at him. Lindsey's shaky hands settled on her hips.

"This-" He swallowed uneasily. "This-" He repeated. "Us wasn't a part of the deal."

"We're not doing anything." Stevie said, knowing it was a big fat lie. "We're just dancing. You're the one, who asked-"

Lindsey shook his head, interrupting her. "I'm not just talking about right now. We've been flirting since the minute you arrived."

"We're only kidding around." Stevie continued, unsure of who she was trying to convince. She then sighed heavily, realizing that he wasn't buying it. She smiled somewhat sadly, allowing herself to gently cup his cheek, she brushed her thumb over his skin back and forth. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too, but-"

"No one's ever made me feel the way you do." Stevie spoke over him. "There doesn't have to be anything going on between us except that there will always be something going on between us." Lindsey remained quiet, listening to her. He felt the tears burning the back of of his throat and it took everything in him to keep from breaking down. "I look at you, I see your smile, I see your eyes and I'm brought all the way back to that shitty apartment we lived in. I'm reminded of lazy Sunday mornings in bed together, I'm reminded of your awful, awful attempts at making me breakfast." She emphasized, causing him to roll his eyes, yet he couldn't fight the smile widening on his face. "I'm reminded of us creating beautiful music together and how excited we were every single time, listening to a demo we'd just recorded. I'm reminded of how crazy in love we were with each other..." She swallowed back tears, though, her smile never faltered. "I miss all of it."

Lindsey knew that his voice would break if he tried talking. His one arm around her back, he brought his other hand up and placed it against the back of her head, pushing her closer to him. Her arms locked around him, she hid her face in the curve of his neck, eyes closed and swimming in tears.

"You probably should have left with Sharon." Lindsey spoke up after some time.

"I probably should have." Stevie agreed, making no move to pull away. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say all that."

"It's okay. Maybe you should have reminded us both of all that a long time ago." Lindsey wondered aloud. Maybe if we remembered, who we once were, we wouldn't be where we are today, apart.

They fell silent once again. Stevie thought of the alternative, of going home, of going back to Jimmy and she squeezed Lindsey around the middle a little tighter. They were no longer dancing and hadn't been for a while, yet it didn't matter if anyone was looking at them funny. They needed this moment together, to heal old wounds. 

Minutes went by, how many, they didn't know. Stevie drew back at last and tilted her chin up, Lindsey looked down at her. It would have been a good time, the right time to separate from each other completely, but... Stevie caught Lindsey's eyes dropping to her lips and her heart instantly started beating a little faster. His arms still loosely hung around her, so she lifted hers up and cradled his face in her hands. Neither one was brave enough to make the next move. Stevie cocked her head slightly to the left and parted her lips. She wanted to. He wanted to. His hold on her tightened, one hand slowly moved up her back until his fingers tangled in her hair. They were drifting closer, there was a mere inch left between them, when-

"This is a mistake." Lindsey whispered, his hot breath against her mouth sent a shiver down her spine.

"A huge mistake." Stevie agreed, barely moving her head to nod.

Lindsey leaned in just a tiny bit closer, his bottom lip brushed over hers. He felt the loss of her touch on one side of his face, causing him to think that she was about to back out, only to feel her fingers running through his curls a second later as if giving him the green light. He lightly enveloped her upper lip in between his and lingered. It was her, who deepened the kiss as she opened her mouth a little more, making him do so as well. Their tongues lightly brushed against each other, his hands moved to her hips, no longer shaky, pulling her against him. She kept her hands locked at the nape of his neck to hold herself up, afraid that if she left go for just a moment, her knees would buckle and she would slip out of his embrace. God, it felt good. She believed, she had found several worthy replacements, until he once again proved her wrong. Nothing mattered; not her boyfriend, not the upcoming tour they had, not the fact they were out in public. Besides all of the beautiful things she said, she missed this. Out of all the men in her life, he was the only one, who could make her heart race with just a kiss.

"Get a room!" Someone yelled out, completely ruining the moment. 

Stevie broke them apart, she stepped back, staring at Lindsey wild-eyed. She opened her mouth, this time to say something, but nothing came out. What was there to say? They could never communicate better in words.

"I, uh..." Lindsey too had nothing. 

"I don't want to go home." Stevie blurted out. She didn't plan on it, but there it was.