Bring Me To Life

Time Bomb - Part 2

Got my heart in your hands
Like a time bomb ticking
It goes off, we start again
When it breaks we fix it
----Time Bomb, All Time Low

Cait sighed and pushed herself away from the door, leaning in to Grayson.  "Yep.  Just not exactly how I planned on telling anyone about us.  If there is an us," she added the last part quietly.

Grayson turned her to face him, cupping her cheeks gently.  He lowered his head and softly connected their lips.  "There's definitely an 'us'," he whispered.

Cait leaned into him and he wrapped his arms around her again. Grayson looked down at her with a quizzical expression. "Did you not want anyone to know?"

"It's not that.  It's just that I don't know what there is for anyone to know, y'know?"  The words were muffled in to his chest and Cait could feel his laugh bubble up.

"I think I actually followed that, which scares me a little," he chuckled.  He took her hand and pulled her to the couch, sitting down in the corner of the sectional and tucking her in beside him.  He stretched his legs out as Cait leaned on him and stretched hers to rest on the coffee table.  His shirt slid up slightly and Grayson got distracted.  Finally, he huffed out a breath and grabbed the blanket from the back of the couch, tossing it over her.  "I'm trying to focus here," he grumbled under his breath.

That made her smile.  "Having a hard time?"  She smirked at him. 

"Knock. It. Off."  He punctuated each word with a quick kiss.  "I'm trying to have a serious conversation and you, you're -"

"Nice to know you haven't lost interest, yet."  The words came out as a sigh and she tilted her head to look up at him.

Grayson wanted to tell her. He wanted to just say the words. But the last thing he wanted was for her to question whether he meant it or not. She deserved better than for him to blurt it out, sitting here half dressed. He'd almost said it a few times over the last few hours and he didn't ever want her to wonder whether he'd said it just to get, or keep, her in bed.

He took a deep breath, closed his eyes and plunged in. "The truth is, I've liked you for a really long time. I've wanted to be with you for a really long time. I just - I thought you needed some space. And I didn't know how you felt about me. I know we kinda put the cart before the horse tonight, but I'm not sorry. I- I care about you, Cait. And I want, I want a chance for us to have a, well, a relationship. I know you might not want that -" She silenced him, placing her hand over his mouth.

"Gray, I know I said I didn't want a relationship. I said it a lot. And I thought I meant it. But you changed my mind about that. I want to be with you. Tonight wouldn't have happened if I didn't want that." She smiled and he returned it.

Before he could lean in to kiss her, her eyes narrowed. "One question, how long?" She stared him down.

"Huh? Uh, well, I mean, pretty much since the day we met, if I'm being honest." His cheeks darkened a bit. "You were so hot, and so cute, sneering at me. And I got a great view of your ass when you walked away," he admitted wryly. "I even kinda liked fighting with you, because you never backed down. But I guess I really realized how I felt on my birthday."

She just stared at him, eyes wide. "What, uh, what are you thinking right now?" he asked.

Cait tossed the blanket aside and slid one toned leg over him, pulling herself up so she was straddling him. "I'm thinking," she whispered against his lips, "about how much time we've wasted."

*****
Matt drove back toward campus, doing his best to make placating noises while Luke melted down in the passenger seat.

"I mean, what the fuck can they possibly be thinking? They cannot be this irresponsible! They barely even like each other and they just jump in bed? He's got enough problems right now, he doesn't need her fucking with his mind." Luke slammed a fist on the arm rest.