Twice

XIX

Using his own key, Lindsey let himself into Stevie's home, the big house, in which she started spending a lot more time, since she was having more company lately. He first went to the kitchen laying out what he brought on the counter, before jogging up the stairs, finding Stevie in a cloud of bubbles, completely zoned out, with soft music playing in the background as she soaked in the bathtub.

He didn't want to scare her, as she seemed not to be aware of his presence. Going to stand behind her, he placed his palms on her shoulders, starting to massage them. "Would you like a glass of champagne to go along with the massage?"

A smile on her lips, she opened her eyes, looking over her shoulder. "A glass of champagne and the stud, who's performing the massage."

Laughing, Lindsey kissed her on the neck, then stood back up on his feet. "I hope I haven't ruined your evening? I thought we could spend it together, hopefully, without any distractions this time."

"You haven't ruined anything, Linds. You only made it better." Stevie calmed him down. "I just need to get out of the bath and we can go on with your plans." 

"There's no plan really, I just brought take out and a bottle of wine."

"Yeah, well, that sounds perfect."

After about ten more minutes, Stevie got out of the bathtub, dried herself off and instead of dressing up in clothes she had lay on the bed, she put on her nightgown and a silk robe, walking back into the bathroom to grab the hairbrush, as Lindsey watched her the whole time. 

"Want to know one of the reasons I love you the most?"

Smiling shyly, she stopped brushing her hair, answering his question. "Please do tell me."

"Because everything is natural about you. You don't need go and splash out money on one or the other to make you look better. There's nothing you need to have done. I can't lie and say you look exactly the same now like you did forty years ago, because nobody does. But you know, you're just... what I'm trying to say here, I guess, is that I love you and you're perfect in my eyes." He rushed to finish his sentence, obviously beginning to feel uncomfortable, with how he decided to showcase his feelings. He could, he was capable of doing that, he just didn't like how vulnerable he'd become.

"You're pretty damn perfect yourself, Linds. And I love you, too." Giving him a lingering kiss, Stevie then turned towards the door, her hands in his. "I don't want to take anything away from this moment, but you mentioned you brought food and I'm kind of starving."

Laughing, Lindsey shook his head, allowing her to lead them downstairs. "You're not just beautiful, but funny, too!"

 After they were done eating, Stevie handed Lindsey the corkscrew to open the wine, while she reached for two glasses in the cabinet. 

"What made you come over tonight?" Stevie asked, which she didn't get to do until now. 

"Missed you."

"That's all?"

"How's that not a good enough reason?"

"It is, but I know you, Lindsey." She simply said, as they moved to the living room. 

"You do, don't you." It was more of a statement than a question. "Well." Sitting against the back of the couch, he pulled her to him, as he sipped on his wine before saying more. "I do have some news."

"Oh? Should I be worried?"

"It depends if you still want me or not, because Kristen and I are officially divorced."

"Shut up!" She let the palm of her hand hit his thigh, apparently too hard, which caught him by surprise. 

"Jesus, Steph, I will go if you want me to leave, no need to beat me up!" He laughed, bending over to put the glass on the table as she had already found her way onto his lap and he did not want to spill the wine on her white carpet.

"I just wasn't expecting anything like that! Oh my God, Linds!" She exclaimed, wrapping herself tightly around him. "You have no idea how happy you've made me." She was absolutely content lying on his chest, as he was mindlessly stroking her back. "I've waited so long to finally have you back."

"You've never really lost me, you know."

"But it's not the same, all these years it hasn't been the same. I was never proud of sleeping with you while you were married, I just... I just loved you." She shrugged. "I loved you and I was going to take anything you'd give me. If it meant sneaking around, trying to be always cautious, telling myself not to stare at you in the public for too long, not to hold your hand until it became inappropriate, having to resist kissing you whenever I felt like, I was still not going to give it all up."

"And I'm sorry that it had to be that way. I'm sorry I couldn't give you more, instead, pushing you into other men's arms, so you would feel somewhat of a plenitude. I never wanted you to have to settle for less, I didn't want you to go back to Mick or even cross the ocean to go to someone that somehow made you feel better. It should have been me by your side. Always."

Sighing, she tilted her chin up, as he looked down at her. "I can't say I disagree, but I'm happy that's in the past. I'm happy with what we have today. At last."

Nodding, Lindsey pressed a kiss to her hair, saying. "Me too, definitely." Sitting up straight with her, he added. "I think it's time for bed."

"What? You can't be serious, it's like not even midnight!"

"Not to sleep, baby." He elaborated, smirking, as his hands settled on her hips.

"Oh... Well, in that case..." She said and after kissing his lips briefly, got off him, taking him by the hand once again, as they made their way to her bedroom.

Finally.