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Author's Chapter Notes:
LOL wow, I got you people all riled up hehe. Thanks so much for letting me know how you felt and all your wonderful thoughts. So, of course, I didn't want to take too long before the next update ... so here you go. Hope you enjoy lol and let me know whatcha think. And welcome to my new readers. :)

 

I made it to the front door and flung it open in record time. Hurrying out onto the porch, I glanced around for Alex, hoping he hadn’t gotten to his car already. Spotting him nearing the end of the driveway, I rushed down the steps and took off after him.

“Alex!”

He either didn’t hear me, or ignored me, for he continued on his way.

“Alex!” I was running now, ignoring the discomfort of the hard concrete on my bare feet.

He paused as he stepped out into the street and turned to look at me.

I caught up with him, my chest heaving some and a stricken look upon my face. “Alex…”

He glared at me and I felt a sob push into my throat.

“No,” I shook my head, reaching for his arm, “you have to let me explain.”

“Explain what?” He spat the words out at me.

“Explain what…what was going on back there,” I spoke in a fragile tone, gesturing behind me towards the house.

He gave a heavy sigh and I could just see the anger and frustration vibrating off his body. Finally, he rubbed his eyes and looked at me again. “What is there to explain?”

I touched his arm, wincing some as he pulled it from my grasp. “It… it wasn’t what it looked like. Really!” I added when he gave a snort.

“It sure looked like you were comfy, cozy with that guy.” His voice was filled with contempt and I choked back a sob.

“N…no, that’s… that’s not what it was.” Tears were blurring my vision, but I didn’t wipe them away. Instead, I reached for him again. “Please, let me explain.”

He gritted his teeth and I knew he was struggling with his conscience. Finally he spoke, “Get your shoes.”

A silent cheer went through my head and I nodded, wiping at my cheeks finally. “I… okay, don’t… don’t … just…stay right here.” Then I turned and hurried back up the drive to the porch.

I burst back into the house and found my family waiting for me.

“Morgan, what’s going on? How do you know AJ?” Gina rushed into the foyer to greet me.

“Morgan, honey, what was that all about?” My mother was just behind her.

I ignored them both and grabbed for the sandals I had worn to the visitation. “I gotta go.”

“Where are you going?” Now my father was joining the group.

I struggled into my shoes. “I can’t explain right now. I just… I gotta go.”

“Morgan, you can’t just take off on poor Andrew.” My mom frowned at the thought.

Getting one shoe on and then the other, I stood straight and smoothed my dress. “I have to go.

“Have you been crying?” Gina grabbed for my arm. “Oh my word! Did AJ McLean make you cry?! Holy cow!”

Rolling my eyes, I snatched my purse up from the table there. “I gotta go, okay.” My patience was wearing thin. “I don’t know when I’ll be back,” I spoke before either parent could question it.

They frowned at each other and I tried to ignore Gina’s wonderings.

“Don’t wait up!” Then I hurried back out the door and shut it swiftly behind me.

Moving back down the porch, I saw that Alex had pulled the car into the drive and was waiting for me. Quickly, I hurried along the walk to the driveway and slipped into the vehicle. “Okay, I’m here.”

He didn’t respond, merely just put the car into reverse and we shot out of the driveway. Jamming the gear back into drive, he floored the gas pedal and we careened down the street.

I blinked and grabbed for my seatbelt, quickly jamming it into place. “Whoa, slow down! There are kids that play in the street.”

He ignored me, but eased up a little on the accelerator and the car slowed just a tiny bit.

I sighed some and watched him a moment. “Do you want to know what happened?”

“Do you really think you should tell me while I’m driving?” His sent me a hard look.

I frowned a little at the attitude he still had. “Then pull over.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Then what do you want to do?”

“Drive.”

That shut me up and I leaned back in the seat, staring out ahead of us.

Finally, after a few long, quiet moments and he had us heading away from Coventry down a two lane highway, he broke his silence, “Who the fuck was that guy?”

I winced at the cursing. “His… his name is Andrew Holden.”

“Why was he touching you?”

I sighed and tucked some hair behind my ear. “Because he…likes me and wants to date me.”

“So, you let men who are interested in you touch on you?”

I frowned at the way he said that. “No! Look, what happened with Andrew kind of just…blew up,” I began to explain. “He showed up at the funeral home and my aunt mistook him for you,” I stressed that part, “and she introduced him to everyone and it just kind of snowballed. I tried to correct it, but every time, I’d get interrupted and then he was at the house and I didn’t want to embarrass him or make things awkward with everyone. I was going to wait until he left and tell them that we were just friends…and then,” my voice softened, “you showed up and everything just got shot to hell.”

He was quiet, his dark eyes concentrating on the road ahead of us.

I rubbed my cheek, trying to keep from reaching out and just touching him. “There’s nothing going on between us. You know how hard it has been for me to even think about being with someone again.”

“And now he thinks you two are a couple.”

“Unfortunately.” I frowned at that thought. “I had told him I only wanted to be friends, but when my aunt thought he was the guy I had told her about…he just assumed that I was talking about him.”

“So, he doesn’t know about me?”

“Can you blame me for that?” My eyes searched the side of his face. “This whole thing has just been…so difficult and I…I’ve been hesitant to tell anyone about us. And you know that and you know why.”

His body relaxed a little as he realized I was right. “We can’t hide forever. I’m a public figure; people are going to find out about us, lots of people.”

“I know.” I picked at one of my fingernails. “And they were going to find out about you…but when I was ready for it. You were coming to the funeral so I was going to tell them then.”

“So, how come your aunt knows?” He finally looked at me, his face not as angry or tense.

That calmed me some, but not completely. “Because…she was relentless and wouldn’t leave me alone until I admitted that there was a man in my life. She saw the change in me after we,” I wet my bottom lip, “made love and knew something was up. But I made her promise not to tell anyone and then when Andrew showed up, I guess she thought I was bringing him there to make it public.”

He gave a sigh and ran a hand over his face.

I reached out and took that hand, pulling it into my lap and holding it with both of mine in a desperate attempt to keep him there with me. “I could never, ever do that to you. Not when,” my voice wavered, “I need you so badly.”

Suddenly, he was pulling over; moving the vehicle far enough off the road to stay out of harm’s way. He undid his buckle and turned to face me. “Say that again.”

Inside my chest, my heart was pounding harder and a bit faster. “I need you.”

He reached out and cupped my face, pulling me closer to him. “What else?”

That sensation that had filled my chest at his hotel room was working its way back into my body. My heart hammered against my ribcage and my mouth was growing dry. I could feel his warm breath on my skin as he held our faces just inches apart, those eyes exposing my soul to him. “I,” my voice cracked and his fingers tightened just a little in my hair.

“What else?” His tone had dropped an octave.

I wet my bottom lip, feeling that pressure squeezing my chest tight. “I… love you,” the words whispered from my mouth and tears began filling my eyes.

“I love you, too,” he rasped out just before pulling my mouth to his and claiming it with a heated kiss.

It fueled us both and we pressed closer, hands roaming as the kisses grew more intense, more passionate and more needing. Next thing I knew, we were in the backseat and he was undressing me. He didn’t take his time like the previous night, but he didn’t rip my clothes away and grope me. It was a hot and demanding urge and I found it growing in myself as I peeled his own clothing off his body. They joined mine on the floor and he pulled me to straddle him, tugging my hips down over his and thrusting up into me.

I gave a cry and wrapped my arms around his shoulders, meeting his movements with my own and urging him on when his mouth began to make its way across my neck and chest.

His hands pressed into the flesh on my sides then stroked with pressure around to my back and lower, cupping me and grinding me on him in a hard motion.

I gasped at the depth and feel of him and rocked my hips with his in a tantalizing dance. When his head drew back, I lowered mine and bit at his ear, moaning his name in such a way that his thrusts became faster and more urgent.

He growled low in his chest and it vibrated throughout his body, his hands smoothing up my back and into my hair. He tugged my head back and bit at my neck, groaning my name and curling his fingers into my long locks.

I held him tight as my body rode him, my eyes rolling back some and a burning heat engulfing over me. It was like a mad frenzy; I had to have him against me, feel him surrounding me, have him deep inside and filling me completely and I voiced it as his own need to possess me drove him on.

He took me right to the edge with him, not taking his time, but forcing me there with such urgency that I felt like I was breaking into pieces. My chest heaved hard against his and the muscles in my legs began twitching. I tried to keep up, but the flood of tingles that were shooting through me was making my head spin and I felt like I couldn’t even breathe.

I had no control and when his hand snaked between our bodies and his fingers located that quickly swelling bud, I gave a scream that echoed throughout the car and went careening off the edge into the abyss of sweet release. It surged up my legs and exploded through me, filling me with a heat that burned my veins and left me clinging to him. A roar filled my ears and I squeezed my eyes shut tight against the blinding white that burst before them. The orgasm took over and forced me to move against him, trying to relish in every, single, wonderful drop.

His own came just as quick and hard and he worked our bodies through it, groaning my name and holding me against him. His hips pressed up into me and he forced me on and on until we both felt the delicious tingles ebbing away and that warm heat take their place. And then he fell back against the seat, shivering and flushed; his skin slightly damp and his eyes closed.

I sagged into him; my chest heaving, my body trembling and weak little panted sounds slipping from my mouth. I felt like jell-o and was sure I didn’t have a single ounce of strength left in my body. It felt so wonderful and warm and despite the heat in the car and my lungs straining for a breath, sleep could have easily taken over.

“Shit,” Alex cursed in a raspy voice as his hands stroked my back.

I gave a weak sound of some kind of response and shivered at an aftershock of pleasure that tickled through me.

He chuckled low and tilted his head to look at me. “That was fucken hot.”

I blushed and pressed my face further into his chest.

He chuckled again and pushed the hair from my cheek, peeking down at me. “Well, it was.”

My arms tightened around him and I giggled, finally pulling back enough to see his face. I glanced around the vehicle then back to him. “We defiled your rental.”

He laughed and pulled my mouth to his in a warm kiss. “Yes, we did.”

I giggled then sighed and settled back against his chest.

Alex hugged me close then kissed my shoulder. “You okay?”

“Mmhmm.”

“You sure?”

I nipped at his chin. “I’m great.”

He had a smile from ear to ear. “I’m great, too.”

“Yes, you sure are,” my words had a double meaning and I knew he got it when he smirked and pinched my butt.

“You’re pretty damn great yourself.”

I shivered and giggled again then carefully slipped off him and settled in the seat, glancing around to see our clothes strewn about. “Well, someone was in a hurry.”

He chuckled and kissed my shoulder then reached for his boxer shorts. “Do I have to take you home tonight?”

I mulled that over as I pulled my bra from where it hung on the back driver’s seat. “No, you can take me to your hotel room.”

“Good, cuz that’s what I was gonna do anyway.”

“You just wanna get lucky again,” I teased.

He paused in slipping into his jeans and looked me over, a grunt sounding low in his chest. “What man wouldn’t want to get lucky with you?”

I blushed then wiggled into my underwear and smoothed the wrinkles from my dress. “Hush.”

“You hush.”

“No, you hush.”

He waited until I was dressed again then lightly swatted at my butt. “I can give you something that’d make you hush.”

I laughed at that, my cheeks flushing, and then handed him his shirt that had somehow made its way to the gearshift between the front seats. “Here.”

Alex chuckled and finished dressing, then he gently took hold of my arm and pulled me back to him as I began to clamber into the front again. “Wait a minute.”

I pushed some unruly hair from my face and watched him. “Hm?”

He reached up and stroked my cheek. “I’m sorry I flew off the handle earlier.”

“No,” I shook my head, “you don’t have to apologize. I’m the one that needs to apologize. I’m sorry I let it snowball into what it did.”

“I shouldn’t have lost my cool so easily.”

“I would have if I had been in your shoes. It’s understandable.”

“You’re not mad at me?”

I blinked a little then shook my head and kissed his mouth softly. “No, I completely understand. Long as you’re not mad at me.”

“Not one bit.” He kissed me again and then again.

“Mmm,” I sighed against his mouth. “So, we’re okay?”

“More than okay.” He nibbled at my lower lip then slowly pulled back. “But, unless we want to spend the night here, I think we should get going before I decide I don’t want to.” His hands slipped under the skirt of my dress and stroked along my thighs.

Goosebumps rose along my skin at his touches and I shivered some, giggling low. “I suppose we should.”

“You suppose?” He arched a brow. “Ooh, are you wanting to defile the car some more?”

“No, but we could defile the sofa in your hotel suite. And then maybe the table, the counters, that comfy chair in the corner,” I began listing off different possible places for us to make love.

“Ooh, I like the way you think.” He kissed my neck then helped me into the front seat again and joined me.

I got settled back into the seat and pulled the seatbelt around me, smoothing my dress and combing my fingers through my hair to tame it some.

“So, what am I gonna do about Andrew?” I questioned him once we were back on the road and heading for the hotel he was staying at.

Alex glanced over at me. “How long is he gonna be around?”

I sighed some. “I don’t know. My parents were inviting him to stay with us when you showed up. My dad wants to golf with him tomorrow.”

“Well, are they going to want him to stick around when they find out he’s… just a friend?”

“I doubt they’d kick him out, especially after inviting him to stay.”

His dark eyes met mine before turning back to the road. “Will he want to stay when he finds out he’s just a friend?”

“Ooh, good point.”

He nodded and reached for my hand, holding it against his chest. “Just tell him what’s going on and that you’re not interested in him in that way. And see what he wants to do.”

“You make it sound so easy.”

He kissed my fingers then nibbled them gently. “Well, isn’t it?”

I shivered some at how his mouth felt on my hand. “I don’t want to hurt his feelings.”

“Yeah, but you can’t lead him on either. That’d probably hurt more in the end.” His eyes shifted to me. “And I don’t like the idea of you letting him go along thinking you two are way more than you really are.”

“Ooh, is someone jealous?”

“Damn straight. And possessive.”

I giggled low at that and pulled his hand over to me, kissing the back of it before nibbling his fingers. I knew I had to talk to Andrew; there was no way around it. I just hoped he took it better than I thought he would and it didn’t become this huge ordeal. I liked him and wanted to remain his friend. I just hoped he thought the same about me.