After

Chapter 97.

"So now that we have our own place I assume you don't want to stay at my father's house still?" Hardin asks to change the subject. I force Zed's beaten face to the back of my mind.

"You'd assume correctly." I smile. "Unless Karen asks then you know I won't say no." I tell him.

I am nervous to see Ken after what Hardin told me last night. I am trying to clear it from my mind but it is harder to accomplish than I thought.

"Oh, I almost forgot." He says and reaches for the radio.

I look over at him and he hold his finger up to tell me to wait.

"I decided to give The Fray another try." He informs me.

"Really? And when did you decide this?" I question.

"Well, after our first date at the stream but I didn't open the cd until last week." He admits.

"That was not a date." I tease and he chuckles.

"You let me finger you, I would say that's a date."

He grabs my hand as I try to swat him and kisses my palm. I giggle and wrap my fingers around his slender ones. Images of me laying on the wet t-shirt while Hardin gave me my first orgasm flood my thoughts and Hardin smirks.

"That was fun. Huh?" He boasts and I laugh.

"Anyway, tell me your evolved opinion on The Fray." I request.

"Well, they are not so bad actually. There is a song that really sticks with me." He says.

"Really?" Now I am even more curious.

"Yea.." He says and his eyes flicker to the road before he presses the button on his radio.

Music floods through the small space and I immediately smile.

"It's called 'never say never'' Hardin informs me even though I already know the song, it is one of my favorites.

We silently listen to the lyrics and I can't fight the silly grin on my face. I know he is embarrased slightly by playing this song for me so I don't discuss it, I simply enjoy this tender moment wth Hardin.

The rest of the drive is filled with Hardin flipping through songs on the album, telling me what he thinks of each song. This small but meaningful gesture means more to me than he will ever know. I love these moments when he shows me a new side of himself. This side is one of my new favorites.

When we arrive to his father's house, the street is full of cars. The crisp wind blows and I shiver. The thin jacket I wore over my dress doesn't have the power to warm me in my small dress. Hardin shrugs out of his jacket and lays it over my shoulders. It is surprisingly warm and smells like Hardin, my favorite scent.

"Well.. look at you being such a gentleman. Who would have thought?' I tease.

"Don't make me take you back to the car and fuck you." He says and I make a noise between a gasp and squeak which he finds very amusing.

"Do you think you have room in that.. purse thing.. to hold my phone?" He asks.

"It's a clutch and yes." I smile and hold my hand out. He places the object in my palm and as I push it into the small purse, I notice his background is no longer plain gray. The small screen holds the picture of me that he snapped while I was talking to him in the room. My lips are slightly parted and my eyes are full of life. My cheeks have a warm glow, it is strange to see myself that way. This is what he does to me, he makes me come alive.

"I love you." I tell him and close the bag without putting him on the spot about his new background. Ken and Karen's large house is full of people and Hardin grips my hand tightly after putting his jacket back on.