Welcome to Hell: Rediscovering First Love

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you,” he whispered huskily.

I flew out of the swing into his arms. He staggered back on one foot with the force of my weight but didn’t lose his balance. I was surprised I hadn’t knocked him and me both to the floor of the porch.

“Are you all right?”

I was sobbing openly in his arms. My forehead rested beneath his jaw, in the crook between his neck and shoulder.

“I can’t do this anymore,” I said brokenly.

Kerry gathered me in his arms and sat me on the swing in his lap holding me tightly against his chest.

“What Gabby? What can’t you do?” He asked. His hands were caressing me softly, comforting me.

“I can’t lie to you anymore.”

He pushed me back to look into my face. “Lie.”

“I don’t want to be there anymore Kerry.”

I had to tell him. I had to let him know what I was feeling or my head and heart both would explode I feared.

He looked puzzled.

“I’m not sure I ever really wanted to. I never stopped loving you either.”

His puzzled expression changed to heated desire. His hands moved from my back to cup my face. His lips descended on mine as his eyes closed. His kiss was soft and sweet. Kerry’s tongue touched my lips and my mouth opened eagerly to let him in. One hand that was cupping my face went to the back of my neck to hold me closer to him still.

Then his lips broke from mine. His forehead rested against mine. “What are you going to do Gabby?” His voice sounded gruff to me.

“I don’t know.”

“What do you want Kerry?”

“You,” he replied, “and Keegan with me.”

My lips touched his softly in a tender kiss of acknowledgement. I snuggled against his solid chest and he rocked us back and forth on the swing until my body shivered from the cold temperatures outside.

“You have to go inside.”

“I don’t want to.”

I never wanted to leave him again.

“I don’t want you to but you are freezing.”

So reasonable.

“I will see you in the morning.”

He kissed my forehead. He stood as if I weighed nothing and carried me to the front door where he deposited me inside the house.

“Time for bed,” he said kissing me quickly again. So softly. Lips caressing mine in a tenderness that was heart breaking.

He swatted my ass and chuckled when I scowled at him.

“Good night,” I said.

“Good night.”