In Your Arms

Chap. 13: Too Close

(GIF of Katie Morgan below)
*Katie's POV*

              So I debated on even going to the roller rink for the fourth date. It still bothers me that Chris left me while I was obviously not stable enough to get home by myself. I could barely tell the cab driver where I needed to go. But I came to the roller rink anyway. Heart broken and sore, but I came. I couldn't bring myself to say no. So I am to blame for whatever happens next.

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          Chris's hand grabs my elbow but it doesn't prevent me from falling on my face. Literally. I groan as he pulls me up. My heart races as I begin to slip, my life flashing before my eyes. Chris's strong hands catch me and hold me steady against him. I nervously look up into his blue eyes, realizing I'm grasping onto his muscular biceps.
           Chris smirks, his eyes flickering to my lips. Oh God. He's leaning in for a kiss! In a panic, I purposely let go and fall back onto my bottom. My head spins as I sit up. Chris yet again extends a hand for me.
            I shake my head, taking the rollerblades off my aching feet. "I'm done."
"If you would put your stubbornness aside for a second, I could help you." He sighs, putting his hands on his hips.
I look him dead in the eyes. "I hate to mention it now, but I hate roller skating and rollerblading. I always have."
Chris rolls his eyes, a small smile on his lips. "You're hard to please, you know that?"
I walk off the rolling rink. "Yeah, I know."

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Guess what? Chris walked me to my apartment door this time. What a surprise! In the elevator, as Mrs. Walters chatted about her missing cat (she doesn't have a cat), Chris's fingers had slowly brushed up against mine. I had tried to ignore him but his fingers had laced in with mine. My heart sped up and I tensed up. His thumb tenderly rubbed over my thumb's knuckle gently. I bit my lip at the satisfactory of how good it felt. But it also felt wrong.
Chris lightly swayed our hands as we walked to my apartment door. He just casually strolled, I was focusing on my breathing while trying not to run away. He does not let go of my hand even after we stand there at my door. He smirks, smiling to himself. God, he's so handsome! OH MY GOD! His soft blue eyes when he looks up at me, I could just die right here.
Chris let's go of my hand and when I think he's about to walk away, he leans in closer. My heart pounds in my chest, I can barely look up at him—Oh craporito! He just did the chin/head lift thing with his thumb and index finger. We lock eyes, his face just inches away from mine. His blue eyes are heavy, staring deep into mine dreamily. His thumb rubs my lower lip just as he reaches his 90% lean in level. God, I want to kiss him. I do. But SHOULD I? Even after what he did? I quickly decide.
I stand on my tip toes, closing my eyes as I lean in the rest of the way. My heart beats against my ribcage, begging to be set free. Chris taste like stale juicy fruit gum and cola from the roller rink. My hands immediately find their place on his broad shoulders. His hands slip around my body, one hand holding the back of my neck semi-firmly and the other presses me closer to him. I try to move my lips a little but Chris takes the lead, being slow and taking his precious time. My hands find themselves holding onto his neck. I go to part our kiss but Chris has too much of a hold on me. I let out a small whine, wrapping my arms around his neck and slightly angling my head so I can pull him even closer to me. He holds the back of my head gently as our kiss gets a little steamy. I can hear him breathing through his nose, our soft sighs between a few parted kisses. Wow.
Chris leans his forehead on mine as we pant for air. He lightly chuckles as I sigh happily. But then I snap myself out of it. I take a step back from Chris, my heart begging me to step back into his arms. My gut tells me to listen to my head and that's telling me to watch myself.
Chris gives me a confused but soft expression. "Hey, I'm sorry if I'm coming off too strong Katie. I've just—"
             "I'm not upset over the kiss, Chris!" My voice comes out angrier than I meant to be.
Chris glares at me annoyed, giving me back the same energy as I am giving him. He really doesn't want to play this game. Chris will not win.
"Then what the hell have I done to get your thong so far up your tight little ass?" He narrows his eyes at me.
"I'm hurt that you left me all alone at the hospital while I was on pain meds and about to pass out from all the blood that I saw. I cried myself to sleep that night because you just ditched me when I really needed you. Even for just a ride home!" I say, sounding so angry. "And you had THE NERVE to call my boss and beg for her to give me weekends off! She has me working twice as many hours now! All because you're not one of her ex-fiancés that she can't keep! You had no business calling her. She is going to make my life even worse now."
Chris stands there, taking in all of my knife like words that I jab at him.  He's silent, staring at me with slightly narrowed eyes. I should have just kept my mouth shut but word vomit keeps spewing from my lips. My lips that just finished an amazing kiss with Chris.
"That's not my problem. I was just trying to find ways to spend more time with you." Chris says annoyed, "You can at least thank me for doing you a favor. AND I had an important place to be the other night."
"Where?" I cross my arms.
"I had to meet up with a few financial directors for our upcoming event for the children's hunger program." I give him a look, "What?"
"You has a meeting THAT late? Sounds more like you had a booty call that you didn't want to miss." I say annoyed.
"My sex life is none of your business." Chris says offendedly.
"And you're hoping to change mine, right?" I try to not let my voice crack, my eyes tearing up as Chris avoids eye contact. "I actually started to like you too. I thought maybe you liked me for me and that's why you wanted to go on yet another date. Too bad you're just the same jerk from our first date. You sure had me fooled for a good five seconds."
Chris starts to say something but I have already retreated into my apartment. I quickly lock the door and wipe my salty tears away. I guess I'm not ready for a relationship. That's all this is. I'm not ready and I never will be and that is that! Hannah is right. Somebody like him with somebody like me? Chris is just after the one thing he was after on our first date.