Faithfully Yours

chapter 6

"Luke please, can you step away from the railings," she pleaded as she started to hyperventilate. This time he heard her and alarmed he came to stand in front of her. Bewilderment was visible in his eyes as he looked at her. She sat on the floor and put her head on her knees, trying not to pass out.

"Kate, Kate, are you alright, what is wrong?" She was struggling to breathe, so she didn't say anything. He sat beside her and held her close to him.

"Breathe with me, okay?" He shifted her position and let her head rest on his chest, while she breathe with him.

After a while, Kate regained her breathing. "Maybe, you can tell me what just happened?" he asked. Her tears fell from her eyes as she struggled to erase the vivid memory. After some time she was able to regain her composure and she told him about it.

"I was in primary school. My friends were playing. We were told not to go to the fourth floor of our building. But we did that afternoon. We were playing catch then he ran away from us and he leaned on the railing when suddenly it gave way. I can still remember his face when he struggled to keep his footing. We cried out and I remembered looking down. He was four floors below us. There was so much blood." She was shaking so much that he tightened his hold on her.

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry," he comforted her. "I'm sorry I've triggered your memory. I didn't know. God Kate, I was trying to impress you and here you are," He said softly kissing her face, her head.

"I'm sorry for acting like that. It was just your home is so high up that I was instantly gripped with fear when I saw you leaning your back on the railing. You must have thought I was crazy." She said drying her tears with her hand.

Kate relaxed against him as they sat on his carpeted floor, his left hand encircling her waist, while his other hand rubbed her arms.

He pulled her face to his and dried her tears with his hand, then he kissed her forehead. "Have you ever stepped on a balcony after that accident?" he asked, while still keeping his hold on her.

"Yes, but I'm staying away from them. It was still hard even after these years," she said as fresh tears flowed her cheeks.

"I promise you wouldn't see me near that railing again. I can't forgive myself for making you look that frightened," he said after some thoughts.

He was still holding her when the mood changed between them. There was no playfulness in his eyes when he looked at her. She can feel the air shift and a raw desire rose between them. He shifted his position. He touched her face once more and she felt her breathing begin to get labored but not from fear but by something else.

She touched his face, traced the contour of his features, and grazed her palm on his face, loving the feel of his five o'clock shadow. It was the invitation that he was waiting for as he devoured her lips with his.

"Let me make love with you," he groaned in her mouth.

"Luke, I...I can't," she nestled her face in the crook of his neck. She was still breathing heavily from his kisses.

"I'm sorry, I'm ...I'm not ready," she whispered as she looked at him. She touched him again, hoping that he would not get mad at her. She hoped that he would not think that she led him on.

"There's nothing to be sorry about," he said as he kissed her again.

"I don't want you to think I'm leading you on," she said between his kisses. He shifted her position and put her on his lap. She was straddled in his lap and played with his hair when she felt him move beneath her. She moved her hips away from him and he laughed.

"Don't worry about it. Let me just hold you for a while". And they stayed just like that until both their breathing became normal.

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