The Cages You Build

Chapter twenty-one part two

*Continuation of previous chapter

***

Mia felt like a fish out of water with her mouth hanging open the way it was. Had she heard right? She stared at David, heart racing with exhilaration yet not daring to hope.

Her voice was the softest of whispers when she spoke, as though scared to shatter the sanctity of the moment. "What did you say?"

He groaned again and looked like he wanted the ground to open up and swallow him. He opened his mouth to speak but she put a finger over his lips. "And I don't want to hear anything about pigs this time."

He laughed, relaxing. "Mia." The feel of his hand on her face sent a spray of goose bumps over her skin. "What I was trying to say is I'm in love with you."

His eyes never left her face and she could read uncertainty in them. Not uncertainty about what he'd said but what her reaction would be. She was suddenly glad he couldn't see her stomach flipping and twirling out an acrobatic series. She bit her lip, a wild smile trying to grow around it.

"Sure took you long enough." She couldn't help but laugh at his confused frown. "I love you too, David. So much I can't contain it." She reached out to touch his face but froze up when a dismal thought occurred to her. "You don't...don't mean it like a brother, do you?"

His laugh was husky as he bent his forehead to touch hers. "Trust me, Mia...there's nothing brotherly about what I'm feeling for you right now."

An involuntary shiver ran down her spine as she watched his eyes darken with an emotion she knew all too well. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his neck but all of a sudden, he took his hands off her and pocketed them.

Sensing his withdrawal, she frowned, searching his eyes. "What?"

He gave a long sigh, his eyes coming to rest pointedly on her lips. "Hmm."

She made a sound that was part, laugh, part gasp, a little thrilled and flustered. Well, what was stopping him? She closed her eyes and tried to draw his head down but he caught her wrists.

"Mia," he said, resting his forehead against hers. "Don't make this any harder."

Confused, she tilted her head to look at him. "Why not?"

"Not right now, okay? Not here." She didn't want to understand but unfortunately, she did. This wasn't the time or place to start anything. Still, she was annoyed. She let go of him.

"I've been wanting to kiss you for ages," she said frankly.

He drew in a sharp breath. "You probably shouldn't tell me that."

She folded her arms. "Maybe you should have been a pastor."

He laughed. "You didn't mean that as a compliment." He moved to stand at the balcony railing, as though he needed the physical distance. Leaning a hip against the balustrade, he cocked his head to the side, studying her. "Somehow I don't see you being a pastor's wife."

She stared at him. Did he realize what he'd just said? The way he looked away in embarrassment said it all. She bit her lip to keep down another smile. Her night just kept getting better and better.

"Mia?"

"Yeah?"

"You're beautiful."

She'd heard that a million times in her short life. But the sound of those words coming from his mouth had a different effect all together. She flushed with pleasure and looked down. He must've read her reaction all wrong because he started apologizing.

"Please don't walk out on me."

She looked up. "I'm not angry, David."

His eyes softened into a blue puddle. "Don't let the cages you build close in on you. I know it's not your fault that you used to feel that way—like a doll in a showcase for everyone's viewing. But you can decide that you won't let anyone define you. Not anymore." His mouth lifted in the softest smile. "You're beautiful and I'm going to keep saying it until you feel like hitting me over the head."

She let out a soft laugh. "I'm learning," she said. "That beauty is not a bad thing. That it's okay to be pretty. That I don't have to be mortified when people look at me. I might still cringe the next time it happens though. So no promises." She smiled. "I mean, God doesn't make mistakes, does he?"

David shook his head. "No, he doesn't." He looked right at her.   "Now you can tell all those guys—" He jerked his head towards the door, indicating the people inside. "That you have a boyfriend right now. So they can stop bothering you."

Her eyebrows lifted. "Really? I have a boyfriend?"

He lifted his shoulder in a casual shrug. "Yeah."

She would have thought he was relaxed if not for the look in his eyes. "Hmm." She turned away from him to run a hand along the banister, looking over the edge to the pool below. "I don't remember anybody asking me out."

"Mia." She heard, rather than saw, him walk over to her. "Will you go out with me? Will you be my girlfriend?"

She wanted to jump up and down. And scream. And run around in circles until she was dizzy. But she had a reputation to protect now, didn't she? She tried to be sober and earnest. Regular, bored-looking Mia. Oh, forget it. Her smile was so wide, she wondered if she looked crazy. She buried her face in his shoulder and mumbled a "yes". He gave her a squeeze and laughed into her hair.

"I've been going crazy wondering how I was going to tell you."

She pulled back to look at him. "I've been going crazy waiting for you to come out and say it." She looked down and fingered a button on his jacket, almost shy about what she was about to say. "I've been in love with you since forever, David."

He lifted her chin to look into her eyes. "I'm sorry I've been such a fool."

"You're not a fool," she said. "Just...slow. Really slow. Diffident. Shy. Not emotionally perceptive..."

"Hey." His eyes danced. "It's called proper planning."

"We would have been old and gray before you said anything, you slowpoke." She poked his chest. "You owe Jonathan for the hint."

"He did not give me a hint."

"He did."

"I'm not going to owe our relationship to one of your suitors."

"Suitors. Who says 'suitors'? You're so British."

"Stop pretending you don't love my accent."

"You sound snobbish and hoity-toity."

"Now who says 'hoity-toity'?"

The party went on. The stars shone. They argued. And as the beautiful sound of a slow song drifted outside, Mia ran out of patience, grabbed him by his collar and kissed him.

What's our business?

The End.