Charming Mr Stewart

22a. Seeing White

Elle felt a slight squeeze on her arm and opened her eyes to find Dean staring down at her. "I have to go," he whispered.

"What time is it?"

"A little past four."

She bolted upright. He had told her he couldn't stay too late. That he'd made plans to see Jared and take him out for a pint of beer on his last night as a bachelor.

"Why didn't you wake me?"

"Didn't have the heart to. You looked so peaceful."

"But you were meant to meet your brother..." she trailed off.

Dean ran his fingers up and down the curve of her hips with a smile. "I'm making it up to him with breakfast. I have to sneak back into the house before mum comes knocking on our door, unless you want me to stay." He winked at her mischievously.

Elle pecked him on the lips with a smile and pushed him away. "Get going before either Bonnie or your mum wakes up."

Dean kissed her a long time before jumping off the bed and throwing his clothes back on. "Do you girls want me to pick you up tonight?"

"God, no, we'll take a cab. You're the best man today. Focus on that."

"I'd rather not, but okay." He smiled, giving her another peek, and rushed out of the apartment as quietly as he could.

Elle's heart thudded in her chest. Fussing over her relationships was something she had never had to worry about. Blake had been wonderful, but now with Dean, something strange was happening. She was excited by the prospect of seeing him later that day, but nervous too. She knew she felt something more for Dean, but how much more, she couldn't say. All she knew was she didn't want to feel obliged to start something, regardless of how she felt. She wanted it to be because it's what she wanted.

She fetched her phone from her bag and scrambled back to bed.

"Please don't tell anyone about us. Not yet." She sent the text and impatiently waited for him to reply. They hadn't really talked about their 'relationship'. They were both going with the flow, but she wanted to be careful, especially after the minor incident with Mrs Stewart the night before.

"Why?" Her phone beeped and she could almost hear his voice in her head.

"It's all moving so fast..." she sent back, though what she truly wanted to text was 'We won't break each other's hearts, will we?' Then, realising what her message might sound like, she immediately typed. "I don't want to end up hurting you. All I know is I feel something."

Her phone buzzed again. "What are you getting at?"

Her heart thundered inside. She could almost imagine the hurt on his face. Instead of texting back another ill-thought-out text, she called him.

Instead of hello, Dean simply repeated himself. "What are you getting at?"

"I don't know," she said. "We have so many things to think about. Like how would we ever see each other? You live here, I live there." They were the first thoughts to come to mind. "I have a child that relies on me, and you have a mother who does the same."

"All you've said so far is that we need to work out travel logistics and the two people who are only trying to figure out how much they stand to lose or gain." His voice echoed slightly and Elle guessed he was still down in the garage.

Elle didn't know what she wanted to say.

"Elle, I can't wait for your answer forever. I have somewhere to be."

"What will people say?" she whispered, half hoping he wouldn't hear her, or that suddenly by magic his reception would drop out.

"All that matters is what you think."