VENGEANCE

Chapter Eight

Gavin woke up with the worst backache he had suffered from since college. Sleeping on the couch hadn't been his thing then and apparently, it wasn't now either. Michelle was already up and searching for things in the kitchen trying to make coffee. He sat up and stretched before walking to the bathroom. Michelle saw him out of the corner of her eye and thought of yelling to him asking for a coffee cup but she would just wait. When he entered the kitchen he stopped at the sink to wash his hands and then reached into the cabinet to the right and got down his academy graduation mug and handed it to her along with another one that said BEWARE! I'm not human until I have had three of these.

"You kept my coffee mug?" Michelle asked laughing.

"Yeah, well, I figured that sooner or later with your addiction to coffee you would have to come to rescue the hostage," he half smiled as he walked past her to the refrigerator. "You want breakfast?" He asked standing in front of the open door.

"Sure, after I have some coffee and get back from my run," she said turning the coffee pot on.

"You're not going for a run Michelle. You are going to the station and talking to the Chief and then we will see what is going on," He said closing the fridge.

"Damn it Gavin don't put me in a bubble. You said you would help me stay on the case. You said you would keep me safe. Then that means you're going to help me keep my life normal and not make me go crazy in my own skin because of some psychopath!" She exclaimed with tears in her eyes as she slammed her hand down on the kitchen counter.

"Michelle, honey, I am going to take care of all of this. He won't get near you again," he said turning her into his arms. "Jordan said my house was clear and so is my car. Everything is going to be fine and we will try and keep it normal, I promise we will, but my number one priority is to keep you safe," he said still holding her.

Michelle rested her head on his chest knowing that he would keep her safe but she didn't know if she would be able to watch his back if she was having to watch her own too. She put her arms around him as well and they stood there together for a short time before Gavin leaned back and looked down at her. She leaned back and looked up at him and just when she would have given anything to kiss him he turned away.

"You ready for your run?"

"Yeah, I just need to get Finn's leash out of my bag," she said leaving the kitchen and walking toward the bedroom.

"Michelle?" Gavin called to her as he began to follow her.

"Yes?" She said turning to face him.

He had gotten a lot closer to her than she had expected him to be in that short moment. He was standing right in front of her which was close enough to be considered dangerous. He cupped her face in his hands, then leaned down and placed his lips against hers. He stepped closer to her letting his body touch hers and he could feel the energy between them running back and forth like an electric current. He slid his hands down her back pulling her tighter against him still kissing her gently at first then with just the slightest hint of need when he nibbled lightly on her bottom lip.

She raised her arms and wrapped them around his neck, bringing herself up on her toes trying to get him to deepen the kiss but he wouldn't. She was angry at him just then but that anger yielded to a powerful hunger for his touch. All of her emotions were mixing into a frenzied passion layered with wanton lust that was threatening to burst within her chest.

Then the realization came, he was kissing her not because he had a childish want that he thought should be fulfilled, but because he needed her. She could feel the need in every aspect of his kiss, not just a simple want. He still loved her and that meant more to her than her anger could ever come close to conquering. With her realization, she relaxed and sank back down onto her feet and kissed him gently with the same passion and need for his touch as he was showing her.