Logan

95. Kiss Me Again

*Aeron's POV*

"You really should be going," Natalie whispered, drying her hair with a towel after taking a shower. I'd stayed, hoping I could talk to her a bit more.

"Natalie, I-"

"Don't, Aeron. You're just making this harder on yourself."

"On myself? You kissed me back." I was forcing myself not to raise my voice.

Natalie shook her head, "It was a mistake."

I stood up, grabbing her shoulders and turning her towards me, "Look me in the eyes and tell me it was a mistake." Part of her face twisted in surprise, then faded back to normal.

"You know how I feel about loose ends. I just wanted to clear things up, and we did."

I looked at her briefly, and then I saw it. I hadn't noticed the new tattoo gracing the area between her breasts. I'd been too preoccupied with... other things.

"Did it hurt?" I traced my fingers over the ink. Some of it was still raised... My fingers drifted just slightly right, my palm now running over her skin, and I noticed the way the tattoo barely touched the edge of her scar...

The skin was taut, she may try to write me off but her body still responded to my touch.

"Not as bad as you leaving me." She pulled my hand away, pulling her robe back together. Natalie's hair pulled into a bun and the hickey on her neck became clear, the bruise on her shoulder already visibly pink.

"I'm so sorry."

"Not as sorry as I am for letting you back in this house," Natalie muttered. Her face was close to mine, the smell of her shampoo fresh in my mind. I leaned in slightly, closer and closer to her until there was barely any space between us. I could hear her breath quicken, and I closed the small gap by kissing her, my fingers gently grazing her chin, softly pulling her to my lips. One kiss, soft, another kiss, a bit more, another kiss; harder this time, my hand moving to her cheek. If she kissed me back I would fall apart again, and I waited another second, but she broke free.

"Seriously, you need to go. Now. I've got some things to do, and you're not part of them."

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"I can't really talk about it right now." She sighed, pulling some clothes on in the darkness of her closet. Natalie's mustard sweater and corduroy pencil skirt fit her well, it meant she was really going somewhere. She slipped her converse over her black socks and tied the laces, standing up and grabbing her purse and notebook.

Her music notebook. The Iris, I knew it. I pulled my belt into a notch and grabbed my jacket, pulling it on over my shirt. I looked down by the door, "So I'll see you later?"

"Maybe." She mumbled, passing me and running down the steps.

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*Natalie's POV*

I cringed in the car mirror when I saw the hickey, and the edge of the bruise speckling my neck. I brushed some of my hair in front of my neck, hopefully it covered.

When I walked into the Iris, I saw Logan run up to me, "Hey, thanks for coming." He pulled me into a hug, the subtle hint of cologne on his shirt. I remember buying it for him on his birthday. He pulled away just as quickly, and I excused myself to get something to drink. I stood behind the bar, attempting to get the cooler open for a soda.

"I can get that for you." I looked up to see Kellan, and he shuffled around me, pulling the cooler door. He stopped for a moment, and looked at me. He made eye contact, then his eyes drifted down to my neck. Kellan's fingers pulled my sweater down a little and I pushed his hand away, but it was too late. He'd seen the bruise.