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Chapter or Story
Better Late Than Never
Chapter 7
Melanie-Anne
Parker stood in front of the bathroom mirror, dragging a brush through her hair. Finally, knowing she couldn't procrastinate any longer, she set the brush down and stepped into the bedroom. Jarod was on his side, facing away from her. She approached the bed slowly and turned on the bedside lamp before crawling under the covers. Jarod gave no sign of acknowledgement. Holding her breath, she inched closer to him and gently touched his arm.
He rolled over to look at her. She smiled shyly and closed the gap between them. He was warm against her and she closed her eyes, sighing in content. She decided that words just got in the way between them.
"Parker?"
"Mmm?"
"Thank you."
She pulled back a little. "For?"
"For everything. Looking for me. Rescuing me."
"You would have done the same for me."
He nodded. "Yeah . . . but let me thank you, okay?" He bent his head to kiss her, the path his hands traveled leaving her with no doubt as to how he intended showing his gratitude.
"Umm . . . you're injured." Her protest was half-hearted. Yes, she decided, words were definitely a problem.
"So be gentle."
She smiled. "I didn't answer your question earlier."
"Which one?"
"You asked when I'd crossed the point of no return . . . I guess I'd have to say it was in front of Ocee's fireplace. If she hadn't come in when she did . . ."
"Parker?"
"Mmm?"
"I love you."
She held him close and let herself believe him.
*
When she woke up in his arms again, she didn't slip out of the bed. She stayed right where she was, content to feel his breath at the nape of her neck, his heartbeat against her naked back. She heard laughter drift up from the beach. Smiling, she kissed Jarod and padded over to the window to see what was going on. She picked up a shirt and pulled it over her head, tugging it down to cover her thighs.
Broots and Sydney were walking along the beach, deep in conversation. Debbie was skipping in front of them, acting like a little girl again as she hopped over the incoming waves.
Jarod's arms encircled her from behind and he dropped a kiss on her shoulder blade.
"When you first left," she said, "I was so mad at you. I couldn't believe you'd left me behind. But I guess I wasn't a great friend to you back then, so I don't know what I was expecting."
"Are you still mad at me?" he asked, his voice still thick with sleep.
"No."
"Then let's not talk about the Centre, 'kay?"
She looked back to the figures on the beach. "They're going to catch up to us eventually."
"Let's take it one day at a time. Starting with today."
She smiled. "I think I can handle that."
"Good. So what's for breakfast?"
"Sydney said he'd take care of it."
Jarod looked at where Sydney was and grinned. "Looks like he'll be a while."
She laughed and let him lead her back to the bed. Maybe it was time she started living life one day at a time. Now that she wasn't alone anymore, she thought she might just enjoy it.
~the end~
Chapter 7
Melanie-Anne
Parker stood in front of the bathroom mirror, dragging a brush through her hair. Finally, knowing she couldn't procrastinate any longer, she set the brush down and stepped into the bedroom. Jarod was on his side, facing away from her. She approached the bed slowly and turned on the bedside lamp before crawling under the covers. Jarod gave no sign of acknowledgement. Holding her breath, she inched closer to him and gently touched his arm.
He rolled over to look at her. She smiled shyly and closed the gap between them. He was warm against her and she closed her eyes, sighing in content. She decided that words just got in the way between them.
"Parker?"
"Mmm?"
"Thank you."
She pulled back a little. "For?"
"For everything. Looking for me. Rescuing me."
"You would have done the same for me."
He nodded. "Yeah . . . but let me thank you, okay?" He bent his head to kiss her, the path his hands traveled leaving her with no doubt as to how he intended showing his gratitude.
"Umm . . . you're injured." Her protest was half-hearted. Yes, she decided, words were definitely a problem.
"So be gentle."
She smiled. "I didn't answer your question earlier."
"Which one?"
"You asked when I'd crossed the point of no return . . . I guess I'd have to say it was in front of Ocee's fireplace. If she hadn't come in when she did . . ."
"Parker?"
"Mmm?"
"I love you."
She held him close and let herself believe him.
*
When she woke up in his arms again, she didn't slip out of the bed. She stayed right where she was, content to feel his breath at the nape of her neck, his heartbeat against her naked back. She heard laughter drift up from the beach. Smiling, she kissed Jarod and padded over to the window to see what was going on. She picked up a shirt and pulled it over her head, tugging it down to cover her thighs.
Broots and Sydney were walking along the beach, deep in conversation. Debbie was skipping in front of them, acting like a little girl again as she hopped over the incoming waves.
Jarod's arms encircled her from behind and he dropped a kiss on her shoulder blade.
"When you first left," she said, "I was so mad at you. I couldn't believe you'd left me behind. But I guess I wasn't a great friend to you back then, so I don't know what I was expecting."
"Are you still mad at me?" he asked, his voice still thick with sleep.
"No."
"Then let's not talk about the Centre, 'kay?"
She looked back to the figures on the beach. "They're going to catch up to us eventually."
"Let's take it one day at a time. Starting with today."
She smiled. "I think I can handle that."
"Good. So what's for breakfast?"
"Sydney said he'd take care of it."
Jarod looked at where Sydney was and grinned. "Looks like he'll be a while."
She laughed and let him lead her back to the bed. Maybe it was time she started living life one day at a time. Now that she wasn't alone anymore, she thought she might just enjoy it.
~the end~
