Foreseen 1-4 (Undergoing Rewrite And Edits)

Love Lines - Chapter 4

"I don't want you to stay away," Joseph spoke half truthfully.

"Joseph stop trying to spare my feelings. I read your note."

"My note didn't say anything like that." He moved forward and Layla stepped back. Her free hand raised palm up. "Please listen to my apology."

Apology? Of what? He was the one that couldn't keep his hands to himself. The note he left on her bedside didn't come close to a decent apology. It was him being cowardly. And he knew it.

Joseph sighed and scrubbed his jaw. "Look... Layla, you have nothing to apologize for. I shouldn't have touched you. Or treated you like a one night stand. I'm sorry."

A flicker of emotion passed over her face but the porch light was too low to let him see clearly before it disappeared.Layla smiled but it wasn't her typical could light up the darkest night smile. No her lips were stiffly pressed together and slowly tipped upwards as if rigor mortis already set in the muscle. The pang of guilt for dimming her smile hit him like a punch to the gut.

"Thanks but this apology is for me too. Before you came over that night I had every intention of forgetting about you and move on." Now it was a right hook to his liver. "I've had feelings for you for a long time. Too long. But you knew that right?"

A small part of him wanted to kiss her senseless and tell her she was his. He wouldn't accept her moving on to nobody. But he tamped that inclination down and clenched his hand into a fist pushing the house keys deeper into his palm.

Layla took his silence to continue. Wringing her hands she stepped towards him, engulfing him in her scent.

"Then you came over. Made every dream I had of us together pale in comparison. And afterwards, all on my own, started thinking we were finally starting something. When you just left the next day I was pissed. Then sad and pissed again. I felt so stupid."

Joseph wanted to tell her she wasn't stupid at all. He was the one who fucked up. But Layla wasn't done yet and for the rest of the night he'd wish he had stopped her.

"To you it was obviously just one night. And there I was holding you to some future you didn't want. Or promise. I'm lucky you left a note."

"No I should've gave you a proper goodbye."

"No." Layla's arm reached out and her finger pressed against his mouth. He wanted to draw that finger into his mouth and suckle it. He clamped his mouth shut instead. "If you did you would've nurtured my hope for more. And that's not how one night stands work."

Her hands dropped down to her side and he ached for her to place her hands on him again. Joseph watched as she turned around, walked back to the swing and picked up a dark blue insulated bag.

She walked back towards him and held the bag out towards him.

"What's this."

"The second half of my apology."

"You didn't-"

"Yes, I did." She pressed the bag into his chest and said, "Take it."

He took the bag from her. It was the least he could do. And like the ass he was he held her fingers a few seconds longer than he was supposed to before she pulled away.

He looked down at the package in his hands and then back up at her. "What is it?"

"Well they're no list of gifts to give for a great no strings attached sex to buy a person. I know you enjoy good food so found a recipe of your favorite meal. It was the only thing I could think of. And I think it turned out well too."