Love Story

Chapter 2

Where was she going, in an evening gown...with no shoes? In her heart she knew exactly where.

She ran across the wet muddy field to the small house over the hill. Had it rained? She hadn't noticed if the ground was wet at the house, then she realized it was probably the sprinklers, David had turned them on earlier that evening before the party.

The soft glow of the tiny house eliminating the darkness around it, Valleri ran over the hill and before she had a chance to register what was happening she felt her feet slide out from under her.

She laid flat on her back in the wet grass. Perfect.  As if tonight couldn't get any worse, she sighed and pulled herself back up continuing her descent down the hill.  She climbed up the three little steps to that familiar front door. She knocked gently and waited.

A minute later the door opened and there he stood.

"What are you doing here?"

Valleri blinked not expecting such a curt greeting. "I....." She stopped. "I don't know"

They stood silently for a few minutes before she spoke again. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be here" she turned to start down the steps. Then he noticed the state of her gown.

"What happened to you?"

She looked at him confused. "What?" And then she remembered her incident a few minutes prior. "Oh, I slipped down the hill"

"In your gown?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yes"

"You shouldn't be here" he whispered pulling the door closed.

"Why are you avoiding me? Did I do something wrong?"

David looked at her confused. "What do you mean?"

"YOU! You've been avoiding me like the plague for days!"

"Oh don't be so over dramatic Valleri! I have not"

She stared at him with daggers in her eyes. "Don't you dare call me dramatic, it's the truth and we both know it."

"You don't know what you're talking about"

A loud smack rang out through the summertime air. Valleri stared at him with eyes like stone. A bright red hand print across David's cheek, Valleri’s voice was barely a whisper when she spoke.

"Don't. Don't throw me in the same category as those stupid airhead heiresses who don't know a tan from a bag of Cheetos.  Don't act like you know what I want. Don't act like my father"

"He's a smart man Valleri; he knows what's good for you. Just....go home. Go back to your mansion and your money-"

She couldn't believe the words coming out of his mouth; she was growing more and more furious by the second.

"Is that all you see when you look at me David? Just a big house and money? You think I'm just one of those spoiled little brats, who gets whatever she wants with a snap of her fingers?"

He didn't answer her, just stood silently...staring at her.

"Well, newsflash David. I DON'T WANT IT. NONE OF IT! I DON'T WANT THE HOUSE, THE MONEY, THE CARS, THE DIAMONDS; NOTHING. YOU THINK I LIKE SPENDING MY FRIDAY NIGHTS WITH DADDY AND ALL HIS FRIENDS? NO, I HATE IT. I HATE HAVING TO WEAR MY HAIR LIKE THIS, AND DRESSES LIKE THIS AND SHOES I CAN BARELY WALK IN. HATE IT!-"

"VALLERI WILL YOU SHUT UP!"

Valleri blinked in surprise, she had never heard David yell at anyone ever.

"Excuse me?"

"Shut up"

In one quick motion he stepped forward and cupped her face in his hands, sealing his lips over hers in a passionate kiss.

Her hands found his shoulders before she wrapped her arms around his neck pressing herself against his warm body. She had dreamt of this kiss so many times before, she squeezed her eyes shut praying that this one was real.

David reached up and pulled the pins out of her hair letting them drop to the porch where they were left unnoticed.

She broke their kiss, giving her hair a gentle shake letting the curls fall loosely around her shoulders. She shivered, becoming aware of the chill in the night air.  David just smiled and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"Come inside. You can get cleaned up and we'll have a cup of tea"

Valleri smiled back and let him lead her inside. She had only seen the inside of David's house once or twice when they were young, regardless of the fact she'd never felt safer, or more at home than she did now.

She followed David up the stairs to the bathroom. It was small, most of the room was occupied by the claw foot tub under the far window, but all the necessities of a bathroom were still there. He handed her a towel from the linen closet in the hallway and gave her another smile.

"I'd imagine the functions of a bathtub are the same in a mansion as they are in the poor house"

Valleri laughed.  "I think I can manage with the tub"

"I'll leave you to it then". He turned to go back down the stairs.

"One more thing before you go?"

"Anything for the Princess"

"Unzip me would you?" She asked turning around in the doorway lifting her hair off her neck.

She could feel him standing behind her, hesitating before giving the zipper on her gown a tug.

His eyes watched as his fingers pulled the zipper lower and lower exposing more and more of her smooth creamy flesh before stopping at the small of her back. She let her hair fall and he watched the dark curls cascade down her bare back. He reached forward and his fingers gently brushed her skin.

Valleri held up the top of her gown as she felt herself shiver with desire. She felt him brush the curls away from her left shoulder. It was then that she realized she was biting her lip in anticipation, but nothing happened.

She turned to face him with a questioning look. He just shook his head.

"I'm sorry Valleri, I just can't"

She knew it was too good to be true, this other David had decided to return, not the David she knew and loved, not the David who had just kissed her on the porch a few moments ago.

He turned and left without another word, closing the door behind him. Valleri sighed in frustration as she filled the tub with warm water. She was brushing out her curls when there was a soft knock on the door. She quickly wrapped her towel around herself and opened it slightly

David handed her a pair of neatly folded pajamas. "You can put those on when you're done."

"Thank you"

He nodded before pulling the door closed again. Valleri examined the pajamas more closely. These were silk, real silk pajamas. Where on Earth had he gotten these? They looked brand new.  Maybe they were Hazel's she thought while she turned off the water, hanging her towel on the rack and climbing into the tub. She sank into the water and felt her muscles start to relax.

 

David moved quietly around the kitchen lost in a world of his own thoughts. He knew he loved her, he always had, but would that be enough? He was already breaking the rules by even talking to her, he couldn't imagine the consequences if her father knew where she was now.  Valleri had said herself she didn't want the life she had, but could she survive without it? He knew she was a strong person, but that had been the only life she'd ever known, same as this life had been all David had known.