Hate You, Really?♥ (ON HOLD)

Chapter Fourteen

Mike's POV :

"You're going to rob me, aren't you?" Hannah said grinning, "This was all part of a plot to get me to some deserted beach where you and your gang of hot accomplices are going to rob me blind."

"Damn. You figured me out!" I say.

"At this time that seems the most possible explanation." She says.

"First of all, I did not get us lost." I clarify. "Its around here somewhere, I promise." I say trying a turn into another narrow, winding road and flick the high beams on while I slow down my truck I borrowed at Hawaii Hotel.

"My gang of hot accomplices, huh?" I say, looking at her out of the corner of my eye. "I bet they're all HotShot Guys."

"I assumed you'd be the leader of a kick-ass boy gang, yeah," she said. "You'd each have your talents." And then she started laughing and I find the perfect spot. It wasn't a road, just a opening at the top : like a cliff! Dutifully, I turn into that path, knowing my truck can handle it, finding an unkempt dirt road And then we came upon a dead end, It was fucking beautiful. We are high up, on a viewing platform cut into the side of the extinct volcanic peak that had formed the island long ago, and here the night air is cold, not balmy. Its huge and humbling. It is Hawaii at peace.

"This is what I wanted you to see." I say softly. She didn't have the words. She seems mesmerized. I turn the truck around, carefully, in this tiny little enclave, so that the bed of the truck faced out on the opening that gives us the view. Then I grab the blankets that the hotel staff kindly gave, and help Hannah down, as I set us both up in the bed of my truck, looking out over this beautiful place. I have some chinese takeouts that I serve us both. As we both were so excited to try this and didn't have our dinner earlier. We have our meal peacefully watching the stars above us. The sky is so clear that you can almost see all the constellations!

"This is beautiful Mike" she said after completing her last bite of chocolate brownie cake. Now we are both sitting at the back of my truck with our legs hanging over the edge, side by side. I reach over and put my hand on hers. She feels so warm and small. After a moment she turned her hand over, and laced her fingers with his.

She is staring hard at the sky.

I cant stop looking at her.

I impulsively pull Hannah up sideways on my lap, wanting my arms around her, and I feel a low satisfied rumble in my throat as she relaxes into me. This is better. I look at her troubled face and then kiss her.

While kissing her I realize. I am helpless before this girl. The girl I want to protect. The girl I want to take care of. Its love. I love her but still cant confess. For she isn't prepared.

I haven't been all that different from Hannah, really - we both have all these scars from past experiences that taught us not to believe in anyone. Those scars just show up in different places. But I am done being The Walking Wounded.

"Hannah" I say gently.

"Yeah?"

"I need your answer, Now."

I wait. Watching her. She exhales a slow shaky breath.

"So we're doing this now?" She says.

"Not all at once." I reply brushing her hair out of her face and kiss her again.

"You're scared." I say after the mind-blowing kiss.

"I'm fucking terrified." She replies looking up at me, her eyes shining. "You have to be the brave one, ok?"

I don't hesitate. If I knew it was bravery I would have done ages ago. But it was letting things take place on their own. And maybe they are finally ready.

"I like You." I state. "I need You. I didn't know I needed anybody. But I need You. I need you to be happy. Whatever else happens Hannah, I need to know that you're happy. The rest doesn't matter."

Hannah blinked and tears fell down her cheeks. She shuddered in his arms and he held her tighter.

"You know I like you, too." She finally admits, her voice small. "And, Oh God, I need you, Mike, I do. It scares the crap out of me, but I do."

"I'm never going to let anything happen to you." I mean it. I have never meant anything more than this in my entire life. And Hannah began to cry. I cant hold her tight enough.

"But I don't know if it will work." She says. "I dont know if I can do it. What if it doesn't.. what if we - "

"Shhh" I say, "Neither Do I. But we got time to figure it out. Slowly, we can try! Ok?" I tell unsure myself of how things are turning. Maybe all this is a bad idea. Maybe I should just distance myself from her now. As I have experienced something close to love - With Kenzi! And it left me shattered, Somewhat! And this all things I never felt for Kenzi.. This is more.. This Is Love. And I don't know how to deal with this anymore.

"Slowly", she said nodding against my chest.

"Snail's pace." I say to tease her. And I feel her smile against me. And as I look at her, I know one thing for sure : I want to preserve this moment. The look on her face. The naked love there, and yeah, the bravery. If I am not wrong she may think she hates me but right now she's falling in love with me, too!

"So this is really happening", she exclaims.

I laugh as I speak, "I was wondering how long it was going to take you to figure that out."

"We've both got... I mean, we've both got issues, lets be honest. And I've hurt you already - "

"No, we hurt each other, because we're idiots." I shrug.

"You are pretty damn sexy", she admits smilingly.

I can look at her face all day, every day. AnyOne will be lucky to have her. But right now, in this moment, I let myself fall a little bit more in love with her. I let myself look into her eyes and see that she is feeling the same thing! That we both know, we are standing together, that she is thrilled and scared and everything in between, and that Mike..

Mike couldn't feel anything but love. I can see that she is scared, I can see that she is wound up, that she feels out of control, but all I feel is Love.