Caught In The Way You Got Me (Book One)

Feeling As Good As Lovers Can

Brendon:

She looks at me with a big smile before tasting the food that I made for her. I hope it didn't get soggy since I made it this afternoon. I hope it's good. Brendon why didn't you taste it before feeding it to her? She makes a face as she chews and smiles at me.

"Brendon, this is delicious." I let out a breathe I didn't realize I was holding and take a bite. She's right, it's not bad! I'm sure she's a little blinded by the set up because it isn't exactly delicious but I'll take it. "What's the weird metal tube for?"

"Eat! We'll get to that!" I laugh. Dinner is spent talking about the Halloween party that they incorrectly call a Holiday party an how nervous she is and how happy we are that her memories are back. Conversation is light until she brings up the tour.

"So...when do you leave?" She asks as she shifts in her seat and pops another piece of eggplant in her mouth.

"In two weeks..." I know it's really short notice. But I didn't know how else to tell her any sooner.

"That's so soon..."

"But I'll see you two weeks later?" I offer. She smiles and nods, but doesn't look at me.

"It's going to be hard to see you go. I mean, I know we don't really know each other. But it's just been really nice having you around. I mean any girl would say that if she got to date one of her biggest crushes," she laughs. She's blushing.

"And how long have I been one of your biggest crushes?" I tease and she covers her face.

"Like eight years!" She says into her palms. I can't help but laugh, not necessarily at her but just her behavior.

"Who are your other right year crushes, huh?" I nudge her side and she yelps. "Asteria! Oh my God I'm so sorry!"

She laughs as she grabs her side and I grab the cooling bottle bag for the wine and rest it on her side. She welcomes the cold and leans on me.

"I can't wait for this to heal," she says still laughing. She's probably trying not to cry.

"I'm so sorry." She kisses my nose.

"Don't worry. I'll be fine. So can you tell me what that tube is yet?" I nod and start setting it up. She watches carefully, trying to guess before I tel her.

"So, Asteria is the goddess of prophecies in the stars right?" She nods. "So I thought we could stargaze and see if we could find anything out there as beautiful as you."

She flushes red and tries to cover her face with her hair. I kiss her cheek and she goes even more red.

"You're so weird," she says as she covers her face.

"Why?"

"You just keep saying that and it's so weird."

"Because I'm your eight year crush?" I tease and stick my tongue out at her and she gives me a light shove. "There we go! All set up!"

I serve us another glass of wine before we start stargazing. That'll be our last glass. I completely forgot about her pain medication. Nice one, you idiot. She seems to be okay because she gets up and excitedly starts peaking into the telescope. We follow the stargazing map that I brought and she gets the most excited about Mars, excitedly taking pictures through the telescope eye with her phone. When we've find as many constellations and planets as we can we get cozy in the couch and I cover her with the blanket.

We start picking at the platter that I brought for the wine and take turns asking questions. It's all simple things at first, but eventually we get farther into each other's lives.

"What's the best and worst thing you've ever felt?" She asks. I swallow hard before answering.

"The best thing is performing. I love performing. But the worst...the worst thing I've felt was sitting next to you while you were in a hospital bed." She intertwines her fingers in mine and I ask her the same question. She pops a grape into her mouth before answering.

"The best thing is honestly this. I know that's cheesy to say, but it's true. I'm living a dream come true. There's nothing better than that." My stomach tightens at her answer. Butterflies? "But the worst...was probably when I was leaving home. And my mom told me to never come back."

My heart sinks.

"Davey told me you and your mom didn't get along well." She let's out a grunt before saying anything.

"We fought all the time. I stayed at Davey's more than at my own house. I wasn't happy there. Everything she was mad about, she let that anger out towards me. 'Asteria, you weren't worth the labor pain. Asteria, you're just like your father. Fine Asteria, go over to your friend's house and be a whore like you always do.' She was destructive. And I was just always cleaning. Cleaning and cleaning and cleaning. It was always a mess. I had to go. I took the first chance I got to get out of there. Coming to New York is the best thing I've done." That's where her crazy cleaning obsession comes from. She grabs a piece of cheese to nibble on.

"What are your parents like?" I smile and realize it's been a while since I've talked to my parents. They wouldn't believe me if I told them I was thinking of getting into a log term commitment.

"They're great. They really never were bad parents. They always took care of me. They sheltered me a little too much but they dealt with me and loved me through everything I did wrong. I guess I'm lucky. I know they'd love you," I say without thinking. But I realize that I mean it and I suddenly want her to meet them.

"Are you going to stop and see them in your tour?"

"It's my turn!"

"Sorry! Go ahead."

"Where have you always wanted to go?" I ask. She answers quickly.

"Italy!" I laugh when my first thought is her eating Italian food in Florence. Of course it's Italy. "Well, the most historic cities anyway. It's not just for the food! I want to see all of the artwork. My favorite art comes from the Italian Renaissance. Especially Michelangelo. He was incredible."

She's passionate when she talks and I can't take it anymore. I pull her on top of me, letting her body rest on mine and I start kissing her as passionately and gently as I know how to.