In which I fall in love with my brother's best friend.
*****
"Don't pretend like you don't feel anything." His voice is low, sending shivers down my spine.
"What do you mean?"
"You know damn well what I mean."
"I don't know what you're talking about...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Once the cops are gone, Vaughn and I enter my bedroom. Hearing that he would stay here with me makes me relieved. I don't think that I'll be able to stay here alone again while the psychopath is still out there, somewhere that's not in jail.
I don't know when it starts, but now we're kissing. I circle my arms around his neck while he wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me closer to him. The kiss is soft and slow, making my insides melt, filled with warmth.
"Are you feeling better now?" Vaughn whispers between our kisses.
I pull away to look at him, only to find that he's looking at me with worry. His eyes are searching mine, as if trying to figure out what I'm feeling. The kiss leaves me breathless that I can barely speak. Nodding, I rasp, "Yeah."
He pulls me into another soft but passionate kiss, which I gladly respond. It doesn't matter whether his kisses are fierce and brutal, or slow and innocent, they always make my knees go weak and my body on fire.
The sound of raindrops against my bedroom window fills the background, which makes the atmosphere even more intimate. Vaughn holds me close to him like he's afraid that I can be gone anytime, and I hold him like my life depends on him. But then, a grunt leaves his lips as he pulls away. "Melanie."
My body aches with frustration. Why is he holding back? He has no reason to. No reason that he should. He might be thinking that I'm still recovering from the shock and trauma from the incident a while ago, but that's exactly why I need him.
He shouldn't have to worry that he's going to hurt me. He's completely different from the person who tried to rape me. There's no way that his touch and actions would hurt me.
"I need you, Vaughn," I whisper brokenly, staring at him. I hate it. I hate myself for being so weak, for admitting how much I need him. I hate that I'm so dependant on him. I hate myself for being so helpless. I hate me.
But the thought of not having him by my side overcomes the fear of admitting how much I need him.
He stares at me with a deep and intense gaze, allowing my words to seep into him. Then I feel his hand unbuttoning the front part of my shirt dress, and seconds later, it drops on my feet, exposing me in only my bra and panties.
I let out a sigh, my breath shaky. He pulls me to his chest and kisses my neck, while his hand unclasps my bra. A moment later, I find myself completely naked, my underwear already on the floor.
Soon, he joins me, undressing. And now, our bodies are pressed against each other without any barrier between us as we continue to kiss.
"I won't let anybody else touch you, Mel," he whispers, and I'm taken aback by the fact that it's not only my voice that's shaking. His too. "I won't let anybody hurt you."
