Thank you everyone for patiently waiting. I hope I don't disappoint with this chapter. This chapter left me stuck more than several times but I'm happy with the way I have chosen for it to go and I hope you do as well. Again your words of encouragement helped me push through so this chapter is for you. Enjoy, constructive criticism is welcomed.
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It seems I didn't have to tell Travis after all, here he was looking directly at me and Evan's non to subtle reaction to try and quickly get away from each other. But as soon as Evan realized it was Travis who caught us in the act, he reached for my arm once again urging me to stand closer. My eyes stayed glue to Travis's trying to gauge his reaction all the while letting Evan hold my arm but not budging from keeping my distance from him. Travis had already seen enough. I felt like being wrapped up in Evan's embrace right now would be more like throwing it in Travis's face rather than proving a point as Evan so obviously wanted. Before I could speak, Travis's back was all I could see.
"Shit." I muttered under my breath before I tried to go after him.
Me being lurched backwards was my only reminder that Evan's grasp was still firmly around my arm.
"Let go Evan I have to talk to him." I said angrily while trying to take his hand away from my arm. From the way he was gripping it I was sure it would leave a red mark.
"He knows, there's no use in having to tell him everything now." He said briskly as if what he said meant that everything was taken care of. Which it clearly wasn't.
He removed his hand but by the way he was staring at me led me to believe that if I were to try to leave after Travis again he would see to it that it didn't happen.
"That isn't fair and you know it. I'm sure he wasn't totally clueless that I was a little bit less than reserved towards him. But if he wants answers he at least deserves that for what I have put him through." My voice held conviction trying to get him to understand the truth in what I had just said.
"If he wanted answers he would of stayed." His jaw was clenched, which I now started to recognize as uncertainty for Evan.
Not uncertainty for how he felt, but for the unknowing cause of my actions. Realizing this I had to assure him that I had no doubts about him and I. I just needed to make right by my confused thoughts the past month that not only effected us, but effected Travis as well.
My tone lightened and I stroked Evans smooth chin to where it clenched only to feel it become relaxed under my touch. I Realized that I preferred a slightly scruffy Evan that I experienced our night together rather than a clean shaven one that I know only cleaned up for the special occasion.
I left my hand on his cheek willing him to look at me as I calmly asked, "Now how could he have stayed at the sight we just gave him? I'm your's Evan, but he didn't deserve that."
At the last of my words his body visibly relaxed and he leaned his head into my hand. He grabbed my wrist and brought my palm to his perfect lips, gently placing a tender kiss before letting me go. A simple gesture like that had my heart swooning even more and I couldn't help but think of all the places those lips have been on my body. My body instantly heated at the thought and I knew I had to go now or I would want to familiarize myself with those lips again, there was time for that later, and right now I needed to talk to Travis before he left.
Slowly nodding his head he quietly spoke, "Now go before I change my mind and haul you out of here over my shoulder and home." He gave me a forced grin and I knew he was only letting me go to Travis because I asked, not because he knew it needed to be done.
I smiled back at him amazed at how the past hour had changed everything that I had previously felt within the past month. Evan and I were going to be together and my heart boomed at just the thought. I bent down and quickly removed my heels. Standing back up on tip toes with both heels clasped in one hand I wrapped my arms around Evans neck. I nuzzled my nose in the warmth of his neck, relishing in the faint smell of his cologne and something that could only be described as all Evan before I brought my mouth to his ear and nipped at his lobe. Satisfied when I felt him shiver, I whispered in his ear "Thank you" before I quickly entangled myself from him. I handed him my shoes putting more than an arms reach distance between us in a few quick strides backwards. The look he shot me was one as if I had been playing with fire and it left me breathless and excited. I giggled and started making my way towards the direction I saw Travis leave. Still walking backwards my playful gaze was happy to see him waving me on with the hand that now held my shoes before I turned and made my way through the crowd. I paid no attention to the quizzical expressions on all the guests faces as I made my way quickly through them like a maze, bare foot, and practically running. I knew if I had those shoes on I wouldn't make it to the exit in time to catch Travis. Proving that I was right my eyes caught sight of him just as he entered the room where our coats had been placed. I entered shortly after Travis slowly trying to catch my breath and saw him stiffen immediately. He knew it was me without even looking.
"I'm so sorry Travis." I managed to whisper out.
"I don't even want to hear it. You don't have to explain anything to me." He snapped, his back remained facing me and he raked both his hands frustratingly through his hair before he went right back to angrily looking through the rack for his coat.
"Yes I do, I never meant to hurt you." My voice was pleading to him hoping he would at least turn around by my voice and look at me. But at the same time hoping he wouldn't, afraid of the look he would shoot at me.
He turned around and his expression was flat but his body language spoke volumes of what he was really holding back.
"But you did." His voice remained surprisingly calm only furthering my guilt for what I had done to him. Even when he was angry, I being the one to cause his anger, he was still trying to preserve his own feelings for mine.
"I know and I wish I didn't. But I can't help how I feel about Evan. I really wanted to like you and I tried. But I just couldn't get over him and I'm not quite sure if I ever really wanted to." I knew my words would hurt but I had to be honest not only to him but myself.
"I'm not mad at you. I'm mad at myself. I knew there was something missing, that you never looked at me the way I looked at you. But I convinced myself to think nothing of it because I wanted you so bad. But when we came here tonight and I saw you look at him. Your eyes.....Your eyes met his in the way I had only dreamed it would be, but for me not him. I saw him follow you and I knew what I would see. I just had to see with my own eyes to make sure." His voice remained confident but I could tell he was fighting to maintain control. His eyes held the same hurt I had seen in them before when I ignored him after our first kiss and I felt sorry that I was, once again, the one who placed it there. But relief also swelled up in me to know that he understood just how I felt about Evan, that it was just something I simply couldn't help or forget. .
"I need you to know I didn't mean for all of this to happen and I'm sorry my confusion some how dragged you into it. But I really did enjoy spending time with you and I can only hope that sometime in the future we can at the very least remain friends." I smiled at him hoping that what I said could become a possibility.
"I wish the best for you and I hope that thought doesn't seem so far fetched one day. Goodbye Natalee." And with that, jacket in hand, he kissed my cheek before moving past me and towards the exit.
I stood there not turning around to watch him walk away, thinking about just how wonderful a person he was. Here I had hurt him and led him on, not deliberately, but none the less gave him ideas of things I knew in my heart I could never actually give him. And yet he understood in some small way why what happened, happened and didn't hate me for it. The girl that catches him one day is going to be extremely lucky.
Breaking me of my thoughts was Evans arm as he securely wrapped it around my waist. I melted into his hold knowing right away that it was him and secretly not caring if anyone saw. Leaving soft kisses on my bare shoulder he finally spoke.
"How did it go?" He said before he rested his face in the crook of my neck.
A thrill went through me as I felt his mouth on my bare skin and I almost forgot what was he had asked me before I realized he was waiting for my answer.
"Really well surprisingly." I answered.
He spun me around so that I was facing him, he furrowed his eyebrows as if he was contemplating something but instead of speaking right away he motioned for me to put my shoes back on that he was still holding. I used his arm as leverage as I slipped my feet back in one at a time.
"Did it go well in his favor or mine?" He stared at me curiously after I securely placed both feet in the death trap they call heels and looked up at him. Even with heels on he still was taller than me. Another thing that I love about Evan, even his presence overwhelms me.
I smiled at his question seeing a less confident and vulnerable Evan was different. And it still surprised me that it was all for me. I guess not talking to him all that time really did affect him as much as it had been affecting me.
"And what would be in your favor?" I asked eager to hear his answer.
He grabbed my waist and pulled me to him so that no distance remained between. He gently placed his thumb on my bottom lip, tracing it, before he hastily claimed my lips as if he was trying to tell me they were his. Which they were, I didn't want my lips to be any one else's but his. His passion flooded all my senses and I stumbled into him mostly because my knees buckled at the intrusion of his tongue and partly because I had to get use to these shoes all over again even though they weren't off for very long. Not letting me go he broke the kiss and chuckled at the pure want I'm sure he saw on my face. How long until we are in his bed I silently asked myself .
He cupped my face with his hands as he asked me, "As much as I know you hate and can't even function in those sexy heels of yours. I can't say I'm eager for you to take them off especially when I had thoughts of you wrapping your pretty little legs around my waist while you wear them."
He stared into my eyes heatedly as he spoke leaving my face a crimson red at his confession. The thought he just described had done wonders to my body as I felt an all to familiar wetness form between my legs again. The cocky grin he sported me after seeing my reaction to his words brought me back to the question I wanted him to answer.
