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Authors: Dara Girard
Tags: Romance
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you did," he said trying not to sound too eager. Cool. He had to stay cool.
"I just completed Anger Management this week and soon I'll finish my class at the detention center," Stacy said sounding a little unsure.
"Congratulations."
"I guess what I'm trying to say is that although my time is busy right now, I hope to get to see you again." He heard her take a deep breath. "I've gotten a lot of things wrong in my life. And right now I have a lot I have to fix, but--"
To me you're perfect just the way you are. "Let me treat you to lunch this Saturday."
"You treated me last time."
"So? You choose the place." Please say yes.
"Okay."
"But I want you to be honest with me and tell me what you're dealing with."
"You don't want to know," she said.
"I wouldn't be asking if I didn't. Remember, I don't scare easily."
"Fine. I'll tell you, but I don't want you to feel obligated."
"You don't want me to care about my girlfriend and not try to help her? Of course I will."
"Girlfriend?" Stacy said, stumbling over the word.
"You want to be exclusive, right?"
"Yes, but--"
"I know it seems fast, but we're grownups and I don't think we need to pretend that we're not serious about each other."
"I didn't expect you to be so matter of fact about it," she said sounding happy.
"If I had the time I'd be over there right now and let you know how serious I am."
"And I wouldn't stop you," she said with a laugh.
Chance tugged on his collar feeling his temperature rise. He loved hearing her laugh. If he wasn't careful he'd start picturing her naked and imagining what he could do with her. He cleared his throat and fought to focus on what he had to say. "I want you to do something for me."
Stacy released a nervous laugh. "I'm afraid to ask. What do you want me to help you with?"
"I don't want you to help me with anything. I want you to accept me the way I am."
"I do."
He smiled. "You haven't seen my bad side yet. And there may be things you don't like about me, but I don't want you to use them against me." Like the fact that I'm an actor.
"I'm sure I can handle anything."
"Promise?"
"You're starting to sound really cryptic."
He rubbed his eyes. "I know and I don't mean to. The truth is--"
The sound of a doorbell cut through his words. "Oh damn," Stacy said. "I have to go. Tell me on Saturday. I promise I'll listen. Bye."
Chance disconnected and tapped his phone against his chin, hoping she'd keep her promise this time.
***
"Turn that crap off," Leon Paige said coming out of the shower annoyed to see his girlfriend watching Heartbeat. He had to see his brother next Sunday and didn't want to also have to see him on TV pretending to be a doctor when he was a real one.
"In a minute," she said waving him away. "Dr. Staton is about to discover the secret his wife's been hiding."
He sat down on the bed. "I said turn it off."
She sighed and put the TV on mute before saddling his lap. "Had a hard day at work?" she said expertly getting his body to respond. Leon kissed her, in no mood to talk, but behind her head he still saw his brother's face on the TV. His older brother who'd left him to pick up the pieces of their broken family; forcing him to work night and day to get through college then medical school, achieving his mother's dream while his brother got fame and fortune without any of the sacrifice. Leon closed his eyes, letting his mind empty except for one last wish. He couldn't wait for the day when his brother's past would send him crashing down to earth.
Chapter Nine
He was still interested. She'd been a little afraid he wouldn't be. Stacy knew new relationships could lose their passion fast. But if this was meant for the long term then she had nothing to worry about. He didn't care that she'd had to take anger management classes or her work at the jail. She already felt like a new woman and couldn't wait to see Chance again. Her boyfriend. Strangely it felt right. Everything about him felt that way. He
"I just completed Anger Management this week and soon I'll finish my class at the detention center," Stacy said sounding a little unsure.
"Congratulations."
"I guess what I'm trying to say is that although my time is busy right now, I hope to get to see you again." He heard her take a deep breath. "I've gotten a lot of things wrong in my life. And right now I have a lot I have to fix, but--"
To me you're perfect just the way you are. "Let me treat you to lunch this Saturday."
"You treated me last time."
"So? You choose the place." Please say yes.
"Okay."
"But I want you to be honest with me and tell me what you're dealing with."
"You don't want to know," she said.
"I wouldn't be asking if I didn't. Remember, I don't scare easily."
"Fine. I'll tell you, but I don't want you to feel obligated."
"You don't want me to care about my girlfriend and not try to help her? Of course I will."
"Girlfriend?" Stacy said, stumbling over the word.
"You want to be exclusive, right?"
"Yes, but--"
"I know it seems fast, but we're grownups and I don't think we need to pretend that we're not serious about each other."
"I didn't expect you to be so matter of fact about it," she said sounding happy.
"If I had the time I'd be over there right now and let you know how serious I am."
"And I wouldn't stop you," she said with a laugh.
Chance tugged on his collar feeling his temperature rise. He loved hearing her laugh. If he wasn't careful he'd start picturing her naked and imagining what he could do with her. He cleared his throat and fought to focus on what he had to say. "I want you to do something for me."
Stacy released a nervous laugh. "I'm afraid to ask. What do you want me to help you with?"
"I don't want you to help me with anything. I want you to accept me the way I am."
"I do."
He smiled. "You haven't seen my bad side yet. And there may be things you don't like about me, but I don't want you to use them against me." Like the fact that I'm an actor.
"I'm sure I can handle anything."
"Promise?"
"You're starting to sound really cryptic."
He rubbed his eyes. "I know and I don't mean to. The truth is--"
The sound of a doorbell cut through his words. "Oh damn," Stacy said. "I have to go. Tell me on Saturday. I promise I'll listen. Bye."
Chance disconnected and tapped his phone against his chin, hoping she'd keep her promise this time.
***
"Turn that crap off," Leon Paige said coming out of the shower annoyed to see his girlfriend watching Heartbeat. He had to see his brother next Sunday and didn't want to also have to see him on TV pretending to be a doctor when he was a real one.
"In a minute," she said waving him away. "Dr. Staton is about to discover the secret his wife's been hiding."
He sat down on the bed. "I said turn it off."
She sighed and put the TV on mute before saddling his lap. "Had a hard day at work?" she said expertly getting his body to respond. Leon kissed her, in no mood to talk, but behind her head he still saw his brother's face on the TV. His older brother who'd left him to pick up the pieces of their broken family; forcing him to work night and day to get through college then medical school, achieving his mother's dream while his brother got fame and fortune without any of the sacrifice. Leon closed his eyes, letting his mind empty except for one last wish. He couldn't wait for the day when his brother's past would send him crashing down to earth.
Chapter Nine
He was still interested. She'd been a little afraid he wouldn't be. Stacy knew new relationships could lose their passion fast. But if this was meant for the long term then she had nothing to worry about. He didn't care that she'd had to take anger management classes or her work at the jail. She already felt like a new woman and couldn't wait to see Chance again. Her boyfriend. Strangely it felt right. Everything about him felt that way. He
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