Summer Rain

[24] Kiss Me Slowly

Dedicated to larrysbeard for the amazing banner on the side, thank you!
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(Unedited)

And it's hard to love again,

When the only way it's been,

When the only love you knew, just walked away...

If it's something that you want,

Darling you don't have to run,

You don't have to go...

~Kiss Me Slowly- Parachute

      I woke up too warm, with a light breath against my neck.

       We weren't touching or anything, I had just stole the blanket. Which is just about the worse crime one can commit when sharing a bed with someone else. Oh god, I am the worst. And totally screwed. I mean, what if he gets pneumonia and dies and his fan girls find out it was my fault? Not to mention, it's just a horrible thing to do, stealing the blanket. I rolled out of the bed and slid the covers over Kaden's sleeping form, then check in the clock. Seven in the morning. Ten in New York.

       Good enough.

       My shirt from yesterday smelled a little like sweat and carpet cleaner from spending a night on the floor, so I left Kaden's shirt on. My jeans were fine, though, so I put them on. I didn't exactly want to be walking around without pants on anyway, that had been awkward enough last for two minutes, in the dark, with just Kaden. I grabbed an elastic and tied the shirt up so it didn't hang too much, then slipped out of them room.

       No one else was awake. The hotel suite was silent except for the occasional snore coming from Brett and Kallie's room.

       I walked over to the kitchen area and checked the fridge to see if I should make breakfast or just let everyone order room service. The fridge was fully stocked, so I decided on the the first option. I need something to do anyway, since TV would be too loud and a certain someone had my stuff in her room.

       I had just started frying some bacon when Clark walked in. Well, more like walked out of his room He looked coherent, but tired, and he was shirtless, 'cause you know, guys like to run around like they're Jacob Black. He looked at my shirt with a raised eyebrow. "Did something happen last night?"

       I rolled my eyes, though I wasn't really annoyed since I had kind of expected the teasing. "You, I don't like you. You and you're dirty mind don't deserve Bells," I said, pointing the spatula at him.

       My words, despite them being a joke, made the teasing grin disappear from his face. "I know I don't," he replied quietly.

       I sighed. "Clark, I wasn't being serious."

       "I was. With everything that's happened..." he trailed off.

       I turned back to the bacon so he wouldn't see me roll me eyes. "Clark, you and Bells' track record is pretty good, considering what you guys have been through." For a couple moments, the only sound in room was the sizzling of oil and bacon.

       "How's Blake?" Clark asked, changing the subject.

       "He's good," I answered, flipping the bacon onto a plate. "Nice of you to ask, most people wouldn't," I said, setting the food on the table. He shrugged and didn't reply.

       He didn't really need to, though, because another voice filled the silence. "Heartfelt talks at seven in the morning over fried bacon? I want in," Kaden teased, walking out of our room. Like, Clark he was only wearing his pajama bottoms. Okay, seriously? What is it with guys and going shirtless? They run around like they don't own a shirt. They're completely shameless. I mean, I feel awkward in a shirt that's long enough to be a dress. How do they manage half-naked?

       "You stole the blanket last night," Kaden said.

       Guilt flooded me. "I know, I know, I'm sorry, please don't send your crazy fan girls after me," I blurted out.

       Kaden opened his mouth to reply, but before he could, Clark cut in. "As much fun as it is third-wheeling, I think I'm gonna go," he said, turning to leave.

       I blushed and pulled out the ingredients to make pancakes out of the fridge to give myself something to do. "You're not third-wheeling, Clark," I called after him.

       "Keep telling yourself that, Raine," he replied, then disappeared into his room, leaving Kaden and I alone.

       "So you're scared of crazy fan girls?" Kaden asked, coming around beside me after stealing a piece of bacon.

       I shrugged and cut off a bit of butter, then stuck it in the microwave. "Nope, just yours." It was weird, because all of this almost felt normal. The teasing, and talking, I mean. So far there hadn't really been any awkward pauses or pained looks. Then again, he'd only been in the room for five minutes.

       "Do I get to know why?" He pulled out the butter after the microwave beeped and handed it to me, then turned to watch me with a raised eyebrow.

       "Because," I deadpanned. 'They're crazy and want to kill me for touching their precious." It wasn't exactly a lie; I had seen hate pages and comments on Twitter and over the Internet. They were pretty funny and strangely addicting to read.

       Kaden chuckled. Then his eyes slid down and he took in my outfit for what I guess was the first time this morning. "You're still wearing my shirt," he remarked, his expression unreadable.

       I set down the spatula I was using to mix together all the different ingredients. "Do you want it back?"

       "Is that your way of offering to walk around half-naked?" he asked, a teasing grin on his face.

       I flushed. "No."

       He laughed and smiled wickedly. "Shame."

        "Shut up," I told him, flicking a bit of pancake batter at him.

       He raised an eyebrow. "You really don't want to go there." I shrugged and tilted my head, looking at him curiously. "You know, this actually feels normal," he told me quietly, turning serious. Oh. Right. The moving on thing.

       Stupidly enough, I had almost, almost, almost forgotten about it.

       "Sorry," he said when I didn't reply. He gave me a slightly rueful, slightly pained smile. "I shouldn't have said that."