Where We Belong

Chapter 23: Feelings Everywhere

          They finish up dinner, Chris's mom going upstairs to use the bathroom, leaving Chris and Kendall at the dining room table.

          "Sorry I blurted that out," Chris laughs sipping his wine.

          "Uh huh you seem pretty sorry," Kendall smirks. "Then again I'd be more embarrassed if she knew and I didn't know she knew. She probably thinks I'm horrible for hooking up with a taken guy."

          "Actually my mom uh kinda told me to pursue it."

          "She did huh? Guess she has her little agenda going?"

          "Have you seen Alex since you know...the incident?"

          "Is that what we're calling it?" Kendall laughs. "But no I haven't seen him. It's been a busy couple of days. How's it been with Kels?"

           "She's been working a lot. She's actually like, taking the time to learn and stay at her dad's office. I think she sees she has potential in that," Chris answers proudly.

          "Good for her, wonder what changed her mind on it."

         "Because I kept telling her no," Chris laughs.

         "I'm just surprised that's it, but if you kept telling her no, and it worked then that's awesome. I hope she does well there," Kendall nods picking up the plates.

        "What are you doing? You don't have to do that?" Chris smiles as he puts a hand on her arm when she walks past him.

        "Yes, I do. Your mom cooked us a nice dinner. It's the least I can do," Kendall smiles. "And even before we hooked up you know Kelsey isn't my favorite topic."

          Chris watches her, then stands up sliding his hand on Kendall's neck and kisses her softly. His thumb runs along her cheek, not knowing Chris's mom is moving down the stairs. She stops and moves up the steps, watching her son and Kendall. Kendall leans into Chris as she still has the plates in her hand, standing on her toes.

          "I can't stop kissing you," Chris smiles, chuckling a little.

          "I know, it's addicting," Kendall winks.

          Chris's mom comes back downstairs, pretending she saw nothing.

           "Thank you again for dinner, Ms. Hamilton. I've always loved your cooking."

          "You're welcome. I miss you coming over."

          "Me too, but now that we are redecorating your place you'll see plenty of me, probably more of me then Chris," Kendall teases, bumping her hip with Chris's.

           "No, I mean you two coming over together."

          Chris's phone dings in his pocket, he pulls it out and sees a text from Kelsey.

          "I'll finish up, answer it," Kendall nods, getting started on the dishes.

           The text reads: "Are you going to come home tonight?"

          "Yeah, I'm about ready to leave Moms. Are you home?" he texts back.

          "Yeah, I've been waiting around for you. I miss you, babe."

          "Hey mom I'm gonna head out, thank you for dinner," Chris says hugging and kissing his mom, "bye Kendall," winking at her.

          After Chris walks out, his mom watching him pull out, "you love him don't you honey?" she asks Kendall.

            Kendall's surprised by the question, she sighs, "I don't know, as a friend yes but I know he isn't going to leave Kelsey, so I don't want to let myself fall in love or anything else before he knows what he wants."

           "I saw you two kiss."

          "You did?" Kendall covers her face. "Wait the whole time?"

          "I was coming down the stairs, and I saw him stand up and then kiss you. I saw the way he looked at you and how you looked at him."

           "I know you also pushed him to pursue me," Kendall winks. "I won't deny there is something there between us. I know there is."

          "They won't last long honey. He's getting tired of her family and her always mentioning marriage."

          "Well, one way of getting her to stop asking him to get married is getting engaged. Or he needs to break it off which I hope is the latter. I don't want to sit here waiting on something that I'm not sure of," Kendall sighs.

          "I don't know honey, he's a confusing child," she hugs Kendall.

          "Kelsey?" Chris calls out, making his way upstairs.

         "Hey there handsome," Kelsey greets when he walks into the bedroom—dressed in a skimpy black silk robe.

          "Hey," Chris says a little distracted.

          "You finally came home."

          "Yeah I did, we've both just been busy."

          "I know baby we need to make time for us too though," she sighs.

          The pair climb into the bed, Kelsey falling asleep quickly now that Chris is home. Chris's phone lights up as he reaches overseeing the message from Kendall.

          "Thanks for the kiss goodnight but I actually kinda miss you next to me in bed."

          Chris sighs a little, then texting her back, "yeah sorry, but you do?"

          "It's okay you know I'm not expecting you to, your mom and I had a good little conversation after you left anyways. But yeah I do."

          "Oh really? What was that about?"

         "Girl talk Chris. ;) she did say she watched us kiss earlier."

         "Of course she did. She's sneaky."