Words Left Unspoken- Part 5

Plopping down on the cool leather couch, Anson leaned his head back and closed his eyes. He savored the moment alone while Kate was undressing. Yes, of course that’s what filled his mind. Kate. Kate. Kate. And now she was only a few feet away, alone, in her bedroom. He almost imagined he could hear the smooth sound of her dress as it slid down over her hips. Opening his eyes he ran his hands through his hair in frustration. He needed to talk to her, to tell her. It was driving him to the point of insanity. But when?

“Like sitting in the dark?” Anson hadn’t heard Kate come into the room.

Sitting up as she flipped on the light, Anson slapped a sleepy grin on his face. “I guess I was just dozing off a bit.”

She disappeared into the kitchen but not before he could admire her body in the shorts and tank top she was wearing. His body thrummed even more. The next thing he knew, Kate was back in the room, two glasses in hand.

“I think we could both use a glass of this stuff.” She sat right next to him, handing him a glass of water. Warmth spread over him as he watched her lips touch the glass, letting the cool water slip into his mouth. He had to look away and take a big drink of his own water to calm his body. He was a pilot in the USMC and facing Kate was suddenly more nerve wracking than going to war.

“Are you okay? Come on light weight, you didn’t have that much to drink.” Questioned Kate, snapping him out of his daze.

 “No, I drove us home. Just out of it I guess. Long day, hmmm?” Anson knew watched Kate’s expression and heard her sigh. He knew exactly where her thoughts were.

“You can say that again. And such a weird day…I still can’t believe…” She shook her head in astonishment, like she was reliving the day all over again. “He didn’t have to come. He knew what he was doing. Just wanting to screw with my emotions.”

Anson perked up with her statement. Emotions? Did she seriously still have feelings for the guy? “What did he say to you?”

“Not a lot. We hadn’t been talking long when you found us. He’s back though, for good.”

“What?” He had to make sure he was hearing her correctly.

“Yeah…he just accepted a new job by Boulder.” She looked down and studied her glass.

Anson tried to keep his temper in check. The guy pissed him the hell off. Had never deserved her, in his opinion. “You’re not going to see him again, are you?” He caught her gaze, questionably, and she looked away, back down at her glass. “Come on, Kate! That guy left you high and dry. Nothing so much as a “hey, how are you doing?” He never deserved you! And he still sure as hell doesn’t.”

Kate jumped away from him off the couch, forcing Anson to follow in her stead. “I don’t want to argue about this with you! You don’t have to be so damn protective.”

“Kate, don’t walk away.” Following her he finally caught onto her hand in the dark hallway, leading to her bedroom. Turning her fast and to him, their bodies and their eyes locked together. Light from the living room barely illuminated their faces. Anson knew he shouldn’t but her lips beckoned him. To kiss her was something he needed to do, right in this moment. Warmth spread across him that he knew she must feel also. Leaning in, he moved to frame her face with his hands, and her half lidded eyes searched his, their lips parting.

He leaned in to kiss her forehead instead, breaking the spell between them. “I don’t want to argue with you either, Kate. Get some rest. I’ll see you in the morning.” He pulled away from her reluctantly, knowing what had just transpired between them probably had confused the hell out of her. But he couldn’t take advantage of her in the state she was in. He was a better man than that.

***
Kate shut her door softly behind her as she went to crawl into bed. Her mind was spinning with the events of the day and especially with what had just occurred with Anson.

Laying in bed, she tried to will away thoughts as her head fell to the pillow. Minutes passed and still she could not stop thinking about both of them. Rolling over she punched her pillow and finally, exhaustion overtook her, causing her to fall into a fit-full sleep, dreaming only of a raven haired pilot.