Love Starts Out in the Darkness

Part 7

Lindsey stared at the wall in front of him, he forgot to blink for a moment. Stevie clearly needed some space from him because she would have already returned if she had only left to get the wine. He didn't force her, she was enjoying it as much as he did. Was his move really that terrible? I suppose it ruined the mood for her if she weren't ready, he sighed, dropping his head back, he now fixed his eyes on the ceiling. What else did he ruin? Was it possible to get it back?

Stevie had been gone for a few minutes. Lindsey got up on his feet and turned to go to her. But maybe he shouldn't? No, no it was his mistake to try and fix. Lindsey quietly entered the kitchen where he found Stevie with the bottle in her hand, she'd obviously been drinking from it. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Was she aware that he was standing there? He didn't want to scare her.

"I'm sorry." Stevie said. "I may have overreacted."

"No, it's my fault. I shouldn't have..." Why not? She was giving him all the signs! "Did I mess it all up?" 

Stevie turned her head and looked back over her shoulder at him, she smile weakly, shaking her head. "I think I did."

Lindsey took a step closer, then one more and another one until he ended up right behind her. Given what had just happened, touching her should have been the last thing on his mind. Still, he lifted his arms up and wrapped them around her, she leaned back into him.

"What happened?" Lindsey asked, pressing a kiss to her shoulder.

"You're going to think it's silly." Stevie replied, laying her hand over his as they rested clasped on her middle.

"I won't, I swear." Lindsey held onto her a little tighter.

"I guess..." Stevie trailed off, she swallowed uneasily. "I guess, I've been fooling myself."

"What do you mean?" Lindsey's eyebrows creased. It didn't make much sense, what she was saying. 

"I knew that I liked you, I've told you." Stevie continued, brushing her thumb back and forth over the back of his hand. "When you kissed me, it- it made me feel... things. I realized that I might like you a lot more than I thought."

Lindsey pulled back slightly, he put his hand on her shoulder and made her turn around to face him. "I'm sorry, but I don't understand how did that make you stop me from..." He wasn't sure what would have happened, he hadn't planned that far ahead.

"I got scared." Stevie said, suddenly looking so vulnerable, her big brown eyes a little watery. "I thought, what if we give in and tomorrow morning you're gone. What if a one-night stand is all you've been working really hard for?"

"Come 'ere." Lindsey felt something, like a brief twinge in his heart, hearing her say that. He embraced her and held her tightly against himself. She didn't make any move at first, he then felt her arms go up and around him too. He kissed her hair when she lay her head on his chest. "Did I do something to give you that impression?"

"No. Not really." Stevie answered. "It's just how my brain works." She spoke into his chest, her voice muffled.

"I-" Careful, Lindsey stopped himself, he didn't want to promise her the world and then give her nothing. "That's not all I want from you. Like I said earlier, I don't know what will happen with us, but I'm absolutely sure that right now-" He drew back and cradled her face in his hands. "I want to be here now, I want to see you tomorrow and the next day, and the next-"

"I get the idea." Stevie chuckled, a tiny bit more hopeful.

"I want to keep seeing you and doing things with you because I do like you. You're beautiful, you're smart and yes..." A smile crossed his face. "You are a hilarious at times. Okay, and you're smokin' hot, but that's beside the point." Stevie's laughter sounded sincere as she locked her hands at the nape of his neck and his moved to hold her by the hips. "I'm not leaving."

He sounded sincere.