Ties That Bind

Chapter 14. Love Grows

Friday evening had quickly approached the couple and it was already mid evening when Stevie got home and of course, she was in a rush.

"I'm late---I know I'm late, I got caught up with the professor because he wouldn't stop talking," she grunted as she flipped her keys around.

"Hey, you're good," Lindsey replied with a smile as he came out of his apartment, pretty much ready to go.

He was only wearing jeans, a black tee shirt and a blazer like coat right over with his casual dress shoes.

"I know, but I told you I would be here and I'm late," she unlocked and pushed the door open. "Come in and hang out---I just wanna change and I'll touch up my face in the car. Is the car in the front or the back?"

"Front," he took the step up to enter and he shoved his hands in his pockets as a sense of security while he looked around.

For an apartment, she had a house looking place; that explaining her side and front door. She had gorgeous Moroccan styled rugs that laid on the natural wood flooring in shades of cream, gold and deep red and they had different patterns but if one wasn't paying attention, similar patterns. She had Tiffany lamps, all of which matched with the exception of one blue lamp that popped in the corner of the room. There were paintings on the off white colored walls and they somehow pulled the rugs and lamps together along with a dark brown, suede sofa with some sort of crocheted afghan draped over it, red throw pillows as well. There were antique fixtures everywhere and a lot of solid wood furniture as not only functional pieces, but it really added to it while the greenery of plants hung from the ceiling or sat on the furniture.

"Nice place you have... Lot more extravagant than some apartments," he smirked as he looked around at her framed photos; her friends and family.

"I've definitely had a lot done in the passed couple years," she kind of shouted from the room. "This flooring was actually under the nasty carpeting," she added as she was coming out of the small hallway and slipping earrings on.

She was in a pair of denim bell bottoms, she had her cream boots on and a simple black, low cut V, fitted long-sleeved blouse.

"Is this okay?" she asked, gesturing of her outfit as she grabbed her coat .

"Yeah, like I said---nothing fancy. Quite frankly, even though I know you're more of a dress kinda gal, this'll be more comfortable for the type of scene," he assured, taking her coat to help her put it on.

"Thank you," she mumbled kind of sweetly as she collected her makeup to toss in her bag. But as she was walking out the door, she was lining her lips with a lip pencil.

"How are you drawing on her your face without a mirror?" he was forced to ask as he held her front door open for her to step out.

"Ah, y'know, I'm twenty-five and constantly busy..." as she took her steps down blindly. "I run off schedule at times that I put my makeup on while I'm driving. I know where my lips are," she winked as she put the lid back on.

"Mm, so do I," he smirked and he came forward to press a kiss to her mouth.

Pulling away, "You're lucky I didn't get the lipstick on yet. It'd be all over you," she smirked. "You didn't smudge me, did you?" as she pursed her lips into a pout.

"I don't think so," he laughed, kind of swiping the corner of her mouth.

"Good," she smiled and spun around to make her way to his car.

He caught up to her to at least shut the door for her because she hopped around kind of fast as he was learning.

In the last couple weeks of knowing her, he had learned that she was extremely tired and quiet when she got home while upbeat and fiesty in the morning, fully equipped for a battle of wits as she had once said.