The Underground

Chapter 29: Choices and Changes

It didn't matter how much I had wanted to break things off with Richard. I was still sad that he was hurting, especially because I was the one who had hurt him.

"It's all right," Louis said, still holding me tight. "This will work itself out. I suspect Richard will find someone who is his exact match...just like I found you."

His words dulled the ache in my heart. I leaned in and kissed him with fervor. He shoved his laptop aside and laid back, taking me with him so that I was lying on top of him. His arms snaked around my back and held me firmly while his mouth accepted mine in a very enticing way. He slipped one hand into my hair, stroking the back of my neck. Eventually, I rolled off of him so that we were lying side by side, still kissing and holding each other.

When we finally broke away, he just laid there smiling at me. I really couldn't believe that any of this was happening, but in spite of my feelings of guilt about Richard, I was ridiculously thankful that I had Louis.

"So, did you track him?" I asked, feeling silly for even asking.

"Yeah, he was telling the truth. He's in Chile," Louis said, making me feel even more foolish.

"I feel terrible," I repeated.

"Ashten, you didn't leave him because of me. You left him because you weren't in love with him. It seems like you haven't been able to trust very many people in your life. At least now you know that he wasn't cheating on you."

"Yeah," I sighed. "You're late for work," I said, noticing that it was 6:45.

"Oh well. There's no one up this early anyway." He stood up and grabbed my hand to help me stand up.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him. "Maybe I'll visit the pool today."

"I'd like that," he said, walking out the door at the same time I did.

First, I went back to my room and slept. It had been an exhausting couple of days.

I woke up a few hours later to the sound of my phone buzzing. Veronica.

"Hey, chica," she said cheerfully. "Can Liam and I come over and hang out at your pool?"

"Umm, sure, but you have a pool, too..."

"I know," she laughed, but then she whispered, "Liam wants to meet Louis."

"You don't have to whisper," I told her. "Come over in about an hour so I have time to wake up. But you can't be really obvious. Louis is working, and if my parents suspect anything right now, I'm dead."

I showered and put my hair up in a messy bun like Danielle had taught me. I decided on my blue pinup-style swimsuit with the little white anchors on it. It covered me better than the other suits, and I just didn't feel like wearing anything super sexy today, especially not in front of Liam.

I threw on matching flip flops and a cover up and headed down to the pool.

I didn't immediately see Louis, so I wandered the grounds a bit, and then I saw him going into the pool house.

I followed him in and sneaked up behind him, putting my hands over his eyes.

He stood still for a moment and then said, "Lucinda, we've got to stop meeting like this."

I spun him around and said, "You goof!" Then I popped up on my toes and kissed him quickly on the lips.

"I get it, you're stalking me. You keep showing up everywhere I go." He grabbed me by the waist and kissed me back.

"Yep. I'm going to follow you around like a lost puppy." We shared a long and more passionate kiss until I heard Veronica's voice outside.

I pushed him away lightly and said, "Veronica is here with Liam Payne! He wanted to meet you, but we can't be too obvious. So, like no kissing or snuggling or hand-holding, okay?"